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Dark clouds gathered overhead, and dragon-like lightning slithered through the sky, revealing only flashes of its form.
"Rumble—rumble—!" Thunder echoed above everyone's heads. Aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard wore a grim expression.
Suddenly, he lifted his bisento and slammed it into the deck. Thud! A deep sound rang out, causing the massive ship to tremble slightly as ripples spread from the point of impact.
"It's time to set sail... my sons!" His aged, resonant voice swept far across the sea, and the ocean fell into absolute silence at that moment.
The swelling waves stilled, and even the lightning in the sky seemed to retreat at the sound of his command.
Not even the majesty of the sea or sky could surpass the overwhelming presence of the old man standing at the ship's bow.
A haunting howl followed as fierce winds swept past the crew, tugging at their cloaks.
From every angle, one could see the changes on the captains' faces aboard the Moby Dick.
Visible to the naked eye, their expressions turned heavy with determination, yet excitement and anticipation shimmered beneath.
Suddenly—"ROAR!!"
A thunderous cry erupted from all directions, rolling across the distant sea. "To Marineford! Rescue Commander Ace!"
The first shout split the still air like lightning, marking the beginning of a great war. "To Marineford! Rescue Commander Ace!!"
Like a tsunami, waves of voices followed, echoing over the sea. "Let the Marines know the might of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Whitebeard is the world's strongest!"
"Old man is unbeatable!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates are the greatest! Our pride shall never be tarnished!"
"If the Marines dare challenge us head-on, they'll learn exactly what keeps us standing atop the world!"
Shouts rose one after another, shaking the sea and sky alike. Whitebeard stood at the bow, listening to the deafening voices with a smile forming on his face.
He knew the Marines had carefully planned this operation and likely set traps to ensnare them. But his Whitebeard Pirates were not to be underestimated.
"Of course! This time, we're all-in! This is a fight where we wager everything—our lives!" Marco declared solemnly.
His eyes looked forward, filled with awe and pride. Before them, an endless armada of pirate warships stretched beyond the horizon.
The sheer number was staggering—uncountable. Packed with people, shouting and brimming with energy, the sea seemed alive with motion.
"This is the first time in history we've gathered everyone," Vista said in awe. "Our subordinate pirate crews alone have filled this sea."
All the commanders stood stunned at the sight before them, overwhelmed yet thrilled.
The Marines may be powerful, but the Whitebeard Pirates were far from weak.
"Our forces consist of the Moby Dick as the main ship, the captains' fleets, our allied pirate crews, and reinforcements."
"The main ship holds a thousand crew, sixteen division commanders, and numerous elites who'll guard the Moby Dick during battle."
"Among the main ship's crew alone, over three hundred Devil Fruit users and over a thousand Haki users."
"There are 43 allied pirate crews, each averaging more than 300 members."
"Altogether, over ten thousand troops, with over two hundred Devil Fruit users and a thousand Haki masters, and beyond that, we've sent word to all allied islands—volunteers are still arriving!"
"So far, over a hundred ships have joined, each carrying over a hundred brave and powerful warriors."
"But this still isn't the full number. With over twenty days left until the war begins, reinforcements will continue to pour in."
"The total force by then might reach an unimaginably massive scale!" Diamond Jozu took a deep breath and carefully listed their gathered information.
Everyone, even Whitebeard himself, was taken aback by this. They had expected only the Whitebeard Pirates and their direct allies to participate, not so many volunteers.
"They didn't have to fight this battle," Whitebeard murmured, pausing momentarily.
Then, he sighed softly. "Give them my thanks. From the bottom of my heart."
Jozu nodded. "We didn't ask anyone. These heroes came independently, grateful for how you've protected them over the years."
"They may not be as elite as us, but their numbers are vast. Their strength will play a crucial role in this war." Whitebeard nodded again, gazing at the overwhelming fleet ahead with deep emotion.
He might have turned down such help to avoid needless casualties in the past. But remembering the man who once fought him to a draw, he gave his silent approval.
He needed every ounce of power this time, so much so that he had even allied with Red-Haired Shanks.
Marco leaned against the ship's rail, staring at the vast fleet ahead, his heart heavy yet strangely thrilled.
This was the might of the Whitebeard Pirates. More than 500 Devil Fruit users, countless Haki-wielding elites. Their total strength was terrifying.
Regarding overall power, the Whitebeard Pirates had always stood at the top. Beasts, Pirates, and Big Mom Pirates didn't even come close.
Including all the island forces under their banner, the manpower for this war could exceed 100,000.
This would become the largest, most earth-shaking war in history.
A true War at the Summit!
"If the Marines underestimate us, they'll pay dearly," Marco muttered, eyes narrowing.
Their old man might be ageing, but his power was still the strongest in the world.
The Whitebeard Pirates were the most powerful crew in existence.
All because—they were Whitebeard's sons!
Half an hour later, on one side of the Moby Dick, a ship with a crimson dragon figurehead slowly arrived.
"The Red Force is here!" a captain shouted. Whitebeard turned and saw the red-haired man standing at the bow, eyes locked on him, sword at his waist.
"You ready, kid?" Whitebeard asked with a wide grin, the crescent-shaped moustache twitching.
"I've always been ready," Shanks replied with a sigh and a smile.
He slowly turned his head, staring at the massive fleet before him that turned the sea into a continent.
"What a magnificent sight," he whispered in awe, dazed momentarily.
Behind him, his crewmates were also stunned by the scene. Never in their lives had they seen such a vast sea of people.
The ships looked like massive ants from a distance, forming an imposing, unstoppable swarm.
Magnificent. Mighty. Grand. Towering. Majestic.
Most pirate crews prided themselves on being small and elite. But the Whitebeard Pirates had grown into an immense force that left others breathless.
With Whitebeard at the helm and sixteen division commanders supporting him, they had earned their reputation as the world's number one pirate crew.
Since Roger's death, twenty years of peace had given the old man time to rest and protect his family.
Even though he only sought to guard his loved ones and his territory, the crew still grew into the strongest in the world through the efforts of those around him.
This was the Whitebeard Pirates.
"If he wanted to be Pirate King, he could've done it long ago," Shanks realised suddenly.
He turned to look again at Whitebeard's smiling yet quietly worried face.
Behind that calm expression lay deep concern for his family.
Understanding this, Shanks smiled. He was starting to get it. Not everyone aims to be king.
To protect the ones you love—that, too, is a noble dream, worthy of respect.
"If we're ready, let's set sail," he said softly.
A deep, rumbling laugh came from Whitebeard. Shanks nodded lightly. Then, the densely packed fleet ahead of them slowly parted, creating a wide path.
Two ships sailed out first, one leading and one following. After a longer interval, they took their place at the front.
The rest of the ships followed closely behind, a massive fleet spanning an entire sea area.
The scale was overwhelming, and the force behind their movement stirred powerful waves across the sea.
"The first ten days of the fleet's advance will be steady, to wait for the arrival of allies from various regions!"
"On the tenth day, we will increase speed toward Marineford. We'll dive beneath the sea by the twentieth day, awaiting the best moment."
"This time, the arrogant Marines, so highly revered as the world's greatest stronghold—Marineford..."
"Will sink into the sea along with them! The Whitebeard Pirates will measure every inch of Marine ground with our swords and guns!"
"Let them truly understand how regretful it is to provoke Whitebeard!"
--Marine Headquarters. Fleet Admiral's Office--
Time flowed on. There were twenty-three days left until the execution of Fire Fist Ace.
"The message has been delivered to Garp. He's already left Impel Down."
"He's now resting in the residential quarters here at HQ—his emotions seem fairly stable."
Sengoku sat in his chair, fingers interlocked on the table, his voice low.
"The old man must be heartbroken over this," Arashi said faintly.
He was flipping through the intelligence gathered by the Marines, and he was surprised.
It was about the Whitebeard Pirates—and it was incredibly detailed.
Just how detailed? Even the battles Whitebeard had participated in before Roger became Pirate King over twenty years ago were fully documented.
There were records of who he met after each war, and how he recruited new crew members.
In preparation for this war, the Marine Archives Department gathered information dating back over two decades.
They compiled and analysed everything overnight. Eventually, this comprehensive dossier on the Whitebeard Pirates will be produced.
In terms of overall combat strength, they were undoubtedly the strongest crew in the world.
Compared to the Beasts Pirates of two years later, who relied on artificial Devil Fruits, even just in terms of Devil Fruit users, Whitebeard's crew vastly outnumbered them.
The two crews weren't even in the same league. This thick file completely sobered Arashi.
He now fully recognised that the strength of the Whitebeard Pirates was no joke.
A Yonko crew's reputation—its terrifying power. It could never be based on one man's might alone.
"I do have a question, Arashi," Sengoku suddenly said, gazing at Arashi's profile.
"Back then, you were the one who personally saved Ace, even defying the World Government's orders to destroy Baterilla Island!"
"But now, you're using him as bait, even preparing to execute him publicly before the whole world."
"What exactly are you thinking?"
By the time he finished speaking, Sengoku's expression had turned heavy.
If the Marines' strongest asset were to suddenly turn traitor and stop Ace's execution during the battle…
It would be catastrophic.
"Fleet Admiral, are you doubting me?" Arashi turned to him, smiling as he spoke.
Sengoku paused: "That's not it."
"The truth is, both you and I know that Ace's life or death isn't what truly matters in the grand scheme of this war."
"Even if he lives, as long as the Whitebeard Pirates are utterly defeated,
The Marines will still gain the influence and intimidation needed to suppress the world's pirates."
"From another perspective, if we execute Ace and crush Whitebeard's crew, the outcome is the same."
"Ace's fate doesn't change the result." Arashi smiled faintly.
Sengoku nodded. The Marines had prepared extensively for this war to target Ace and crush the Whitebeard Pirates themselves.
"As long as we annihilate the Whitebeard Pirates and show the world the strength of the Marines,"
"Our objective will be fulfilled!"
After a pause, Arashi chuckled softly, then picked up a file from the desk and handed it to Sengoku.
"As for how I truly feel about Ace…You may understand after reading this."
Sengoku paused, then took the file. It wasn't thick, but it was sealed tightly.
Red letters on the front marked it: "Top Secret."
It belonged to the highest level of Marine confidentiality. Sengoku didn't recognize it—so it had to be sealed by Arashi himself.
Without hesitation, he opened the file and looked at the contents.
The words on the page, along with the small photo attached to the upper right corner, jolted his entire body. His pupils contracted sharply.
After a long pause, Sengoku suddenly looked up at Arashi, completely stunned.
"Hey… hey! Are you messing with me!?" Arashi gave a light laugh. "I'd never joke about something like this."
"This… this…!! It's unbelievable! Incredible!" Sengoku was still in a daze, shaken by the impact of the document.
Now he understood why it had been marked as top secret. If this leaked, the entire world would erupt, and it could even cause irreparable damage to the Marines' plans.
"Huff…" Taking a deep breath, Sengoku resealed the file himself. Then, after a moment's thought, he took out a pen and wrote across it in bold letters:
"Personally sealed by the Fleet Admiral. Top Secret. Extremely Confidential."
"Anyone caught viewing without authorisation will be charged with treason and executed."
This alone showed how much the file meant to Sengoku. "I didn't expect you to go this far…"
"To even pull someone like that into it!" He sighed, his expression turning complicated. "You live up to the rumours about you, Arashi."
Arashi simply smiled and continued reading through the Whitebeard dossier.
The more he read, the more solemn his face became.
Truthfully, he hadn't paid much attention to Whitebeard over the years. They had only crossed paths during the battle sparked by Crocodile's actions.
It was more of a draw than a true life-or-death fight—more like a mutual test of strength.
But now, as Arashi dove deeper into the data on the Whitebeard Pirates,
He was utterly shaken.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku," he suddenly said quietly.
"Hmm?" Sengoku looked up. "You must know Whitebeard very well, right?" Arashi asked.
"Of course. We were old rivals! Back then, Garp was always chasing after Roger. My main opponent was Edward Newgate—Whitebeard himself."
Sengoku chuckled.
"He gathered an unbelievable force under his banner," Arashi said solemnly.
"Naturally," Sengoku replied.
"When you stand at the top of the world, even if you do nothing, time alone will draw powerful allies to you."
"Admiration for strength is human instinct," Sengoku said with a smile.
"Whitebeard was that kind of man. He stood above all, longer than Roger ever did. He's unmatched, whether it's physical strength, talent, Devil Fruit mastery, or Haki."
"In some ways, he might even surpass Roger overall, which makes him far more difficult to deal with."
Sengoku's smile faded as he continued. "And what's more terrifying is how he bound his crew together—not with power, but with family bonds."
"Because of that, the unity of the Whitebeard Pirates is the strongest among all pirate crews. That, more than anything, is what I fear most."
Arashi fell silent at those words. Comrades, friends, crewmates—their bonds could be deep.
But when a crew dissolves, those bonds often fade. Just like school friendships, they naturally disappear after graduation and years of no contact.
Maybe one day, a name or face resurfaces in memory, and you sigh, "Ah, that guy… I nearly forgot."
The Roger Pirates were just like that. Once they disbanded, the members scattered, Living lives that rarely intersected again.
But family isn't like that. Family is the deepest connection in this world. Even after death, they leave a lasting presence in people's hearts.
That, perhaps, is the most frightening part about Whitebeard. "This battle cannot be underestimated, Arashi," Sengoku said with a quiet sigh, his eyes serious.
"That man-no matter how much attention we give him—it will never be too much."
Arashi slowly nodded. To become the strongest man in the world and rule the seas for over twenty years.
To develop his forces into the most powerful in existence. That's not something mere strength alone can achieve.
...
-Impel Down-
"You are?!" Hannyabal stood frozen, staring at the towering figure in front of him, clad in a Marine uniform, justice cape draped behind him, and a Vice Admiral's rank on his shoulder.
"Take me to see Jinbe," the Vice Admiral said calmly, commandingly.
"Huh? The Fish-Man who was just sent to Eternal Hell?" Hannyabal asked quickly.
"That's right," the Vice Admiral nodded. Hannyabal hesitated briefly, but when he thought of who stood behind this man, he nodded at once. "Alright!"
The two of them walked through the twisting prison corridors of Impel Down and soon reached Level 6: Eternal Hell. Inside, Jinbe and Ace were chatting as cellmates.
"Luffy, huh? I'll remember that name. I'll do my best to look after him," Jinbe said, his expression full of emotion.
"Don't be sad for me, Jinbe. Even if I die, it's just a part of my fate," Ace smiled. "Besides, I might survive this."
"You will survive, Brother Ace!" Jinbe nodded firmly.
"Hahaha! You know how to comfort someone!" Ace laughed heartily.
The candle flames in the hallway flickered, and soft footsteps echoed in the distance.
The sound grew nearer, causing both men to stop speaking. The smiles on their faces faded.
"Sea Knight Jinbe, someone's here to visit you!" Hannyabal called out.
Jinbe looked up with a hint of confusion, while Ace curiously turned his gaze as well.
Who could visit someone here, in the most heavily guarded prison in the world? Soon, Hannyabal came into view.
"I don't recall having any close friends in the Marines," Jinbe said warily.
"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that," Hannyabal shrugged, then turned around.
"There are strict rules here, but because of your ties to Admiral Arashi, I snuck you this visit without Magellan knowing."
"Do me a favour and put in a good word for me with him, alright?"
Hannyabal added, a flattering smile spreading across his face. "Tell him I want a promotion!"
The man behind him looked slightly surprised. "You're already Vice Warden. Any higher and you'd…"
Hannyabal flushed red with embarrassment and fidgeted awkwardly. "Please!"
Then he stepped aside, revealing the figure behind him as soon as Jinbe laid eyes on the man, his entire face twisted in shock.
"Brother Tiger!!!"
The man wore a warm smile that carried nostalgia, memories, and deep joy.
"Long time no see…Jinbe!"
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