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Shock, disbelief, and sheer astonishment.
The true identity of Fire Fist Ace stunned the Marines and sent tremors through the entire world.
The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger — a man of his era, admired and worshipped by countless people.
After his execution in Loguetown, his legendary life ended, and the age of the Pirate King closed with it.
Yet today, the Marines had announced that Roger's bloodline still survived. This revelation was nothing short of earth-shattering!
It was easy to imagine the storm that would erupt once Roger's admirers and followers learned the truth.
"Gol D. Ace!"
"The Pirate King's only surviving bloodline!"
"He's actually the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"It seems this great war is inevitable now. Whitebeard will stop at nothing to rescue him!"
The world reeled in shock at the news. At Marineford, Arashi sat quietly, listening to the uproar around him without changing his expression.
Garp's face darkened not far away as he clenched his fists tightly. Beside him, Tsuru wore a complicated expression as she patted his shoulder.
"Garp, stay calm," she said softly. Hearing his old friend's voice, Garp exhaled heavily and nodded. "Yeah..."
Then, glancing at Arashi's calm figure, a twitch crossed Garp's face. "What is this kid planning? Is he really going to let Ace die?"
After standing still for a long while, Garp gritted his teeth and strode toward the execution platform.
"Garp!" Tsuru sighed heavily as she watched him walk away, shaking her head.
Elsewhere, Buggy looked around, bewildered by the shock in the air. "Wait... they didn't know about Ace's identity?" he muttered.
Rosinante shot him a glance. "Maybe it wasn't a secret within the West Blue Marines," he said.
"But for Marine Headquarters and the whole world, it's an absolute top-level secret."
Buggy scratched his head awkwardly. "I thought everyone knew...Besides, isn't this execution just for show?"
"For show?" Smoker chuckled. "You think they'd stage a show in front of the whole world?"
"Isn't that the plan? Using Ace to lure Whitebeard and smash his crew!" Buggy said boldly.
His words stunned the surrounding group. Kuina, Fisher Tiger, and others turned to look at him. "So you do have some brains after all," Smoker muttered.
Rosinante's face flickered slightly. Strangely, he found himself half believing what Buggy said.
After all, knowing Arashi's nature, there was no way he would let Ace truly die.
"Gol D. Ace," Sengoku's deep voice boomed across Marineford. "You will be executed before the eyes of the world today."
"This will mark the complete end of Gol D. Roger's bloodline!" The heavy words echoed through the air, freezing the entire Marine force.
Every Marine turned solemn eyes toward the kneeling figure atop the execution platform. Suddenly, a fierce wind swept through, ruffling Ace's black hair and Sengoku's robes.
Then, without warning—
"Woo-woo-woo-woo!!"
A sharp alarm blared, immediately followed by layers of sirens throughout Marineford.
"Alert!!!"
"Enemy incoming!!!"
"Massive unidentified warships spotted outside the Gates of Justice!"
"Everyone, draw your weapons and prepare for battle!" The roars of command rang out as every Marine turned pale and looked toward the gates.
The air thickened instantly, and the earlier shock shifted to oppressive tension. "Who is it?!" someone whispered with a trembling voice.
No answer was needed. Everyone had already drawn their swords, grim-faced, staring at the massive gates.
In that moment, the enemy could only be one. "Whitebeard!! It's Whitebeard's fleet!!"
The shout tore through the final moment of silence before war erupted. The howling wind swept over Marineford as the low rumble of cannons filled the air.
Countless black turrets swivelled in unison, aiming at the Gates of Justice.
From the execution platform, Sengoku gazed grimly ahead.
Suddenly, a thick white mist spread near the inner bay, obscuring the view.
"Report the situation at the gate immediately!" a Marine officer yelled into a Den Den Mushi.
"Enemies!" "Countless enemy ships!" "My God, there are too many to count!" came the panicked responses.
Even though the gate's defenders were elite Marines with nerves of steel, fear gripped them.
"Fleet Admiral!" a Marine officer shouted, preparing to report. But Sengoku raised his hand calmly. "Let them come," he ordered.
"Do not close the Gates of Justice yet. Let all the enemy ships enter." The mist rapidly thickened, blanketing the entire inner bay.
"Draw blades!" roared the Marines stationed at the port.
"Shing!"
A thousand blades flashed brightly under the sun.
"Boom! Boom!"
Low horn sounds rumbled as war cries echoed in Marineford.
"Kill them!!!"
"Save Ace!!"
"Today, the Marines will witness the might of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Within the mist, towering warships emerged, resembling mountain ranges. Figures could be seen everywhere — on masts, ship rails, and bows.
Some polished their weapons, others tore into meat with laughter. "Hahaha! Captain Ace, hold on, we're coming!!"
"Those Marines are crazy to think they can kill you!" The mist carried their voices like ghostly whispers.
"No sign of Whitebeard's main ship — Moby Dick isn't with the fleet!" Standing on the platform, Sengoku's expression grew darker at this report.
His eyes narrowed sharply, focusing on the inner bay near the port.
In earlier war simulations, Arashi had warned that Whitebeard's main forces might surface from underwater.
Now it seemed those predictions were coming true.
Suddenly—
"Glug-glug-glug!"
Massive bubbles surged up from the bay near the port. "Enemy infiltration! They're breaking through!"
The nearby Marine warships swiftly pulled back, making way. The bubbling sea erupted in that instant, sending water cascading in every direction.
Several massive ships broke through the surface at once. The sea swelled and rocked violently, waves splashing in all directions.
Ship after ship, their bows aimed at the surrounding Marines. A thin membrane covering the ships popped loudly, revealing figures standing firmly aboard.
"It's Whitebeard's main ship, the Moby Dick!!"
"They're here!!!"
The scream tore out from a Marine, his voice full of fear. The sudden, overwhelming invasion shook every Marine to the core.
Sengoku stood grim-faced on the platform, watching the scene unfold. "Wait... that ship!" a Vice Admiral shouted, staring wide-eyed.
"It's not among the Whitebeard commanders' ships listed in our intelligence!"
At the same time, another Marine nearby gasped, trembling from head to toe.
"A red dragon figurehead!"
"And the Jolly Roger with two crossed swords behind the skull! It's the Red-Haired Pirates!!"
Shock and fear spread like wildfire. One by one, the Marines' faces twisted in disbelief.
On the execution platform, Sengoku's eyes sharpened into a cold gleam, though he remained composed.
The Red-Haired Pirates had always been factored into the risk calculations.
At that moment, Ace lifted his head sharply, eyes wide with emotion. He stared down at the familiar massive pirate ship.
"Father!!" He cried out, his voice trembling with hope and anguish.
His eyes scanned the entire ship, catching every familiar face aboard.
"Marco!"
"Jozu!"
"Bista..."
One name after another echoed silently in his heart, and a faint shimmer of tears welled in his eyes.
At that moment, the Moby Dick began to tremble.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of something heavy landing on wooden planks echoed crisply across all of Marineford.
This strange, weighty noise caused everyone to hold their breath, their eyes locking onto the great ship.
Then, along with the tremors, the Moby Dick slightly rocked. A lone figure stepped down from the stairs and entered everyone's sight.
"Gu-ra-ra-ra-ra! It's been decades, hasn't it? Sengoku!" The aged voice reverberated across the battlefield.
Bathed in sunlight from above, his towering figure radiated overwhelming presence and might. It was none other than Whitebeard, Edward Newgate.
The wind howled as the waves rose in chorus. Dozens of pirate ships bearing the Whitebeard Pirates' flag surged toward the inner bay.
As Whitebeard's immense form stood before everyone, a heavy tension immediately spread through Marineford.
"Whitebeard... Edward Newgate!" Sengoku's gaze sharpened as he stood atop the execution platform, staring at the imposing figure.
Then his eyes shifted, landing on a man standing aboard another approaching ship.
"Red-Haired Shanks... So the two Emperors really have joined forces. This is something no one in the world expected."
His voice was low and grim, reflecting the gravity of the moment. The alliance of two Emperors was no trivial matter.
It meant that the coming war would surpass all imagination, both in scale and lasting impact—something unprecedented.
"Gu-ra-ra-ra! After all, I'm not just here to face you. There's someone else I need to fight!"
Whitebeard laughed heartily, his eyes shifting to another direction, and then they locked onto a particular man.
"Arashi! It really has been a long time!" Sitting in his chair, Arashi raised his eyes with a calm smile.
"Indeed, it's been a while. So, are you here to find a grave for yourself this time?"
The moment those words left his lips, all of Marineford fell silent. Pirates turned pale and stared at Arashi in fury.
"Gu-ra-ra-ra! That depends on whether you can make it happen!"
"Defeating me won't be easy!" Whitebeard's eyes narrowed slightly, then he let out a thunderous laugh.
He wasn't bothered by Arashi's taunt. Coming here already meant accepting that this was a battle of life and death. No matter the outcome, he was ready to face it.
"Arashi..." On the deck of the Red Force, Shanks called out. Arashi turned toward him.
"Oh? That little brat who once pissed himself in fear when he saw me is now an Emperor?"
Shanks' expression darkened, his eyes growing sharp. "Even if you've become a ruler among pirates," Arashi said casually, "in my eyes, you're just a brat."
"Is that so?" After a brief silence, Shanks suddenly chuckled. He drew the sabre at his waist in a smooth motion.
"Then I guess I'll have to disappoint you. You'll soon see just how much I've changed."
The sabre tip trembled slightly, pointing at the man sitting cross-legged and unmoved on the platform.
"Heh... I look forward to seeing how big a storm you two can stir up today."
Arashi chuckled lightly.
That brief exchange between them silenced all of Marineford. Even breathing felt tense and uneasy.
Arashi's calm and indifferent attitude toward the two Emperors and the Marines' blood stirred as if they weren't worth his attention.
"Admiral Arashi is so fierce! Even when facing the world's strongest man, Edward Newgate, he shows no fear!"
"To think Red-Haired Shanks was once scared witless by him!" Of course, most dismissed the exaggeration in those words.
Whitebeard and Red-Hair were legendary figures in this world. Their fame was built on real battles, not mere rumours.
But this only showed how powerful Arashi must be, to speak with such ease to men of equal stature.
Only those at the top could face each other with such calm. Meanwhile, the outside world had erupted in shock.
"Not only the Whitebeard Pirates, but the Red-Haired Pirates too! They're both here at Marineford!"
"Two Emperor crews joining the war... This is unbelievable! I feel like my blood's boiling just witnessing this!"
"Admiral Arashi... Who is he? I've never heard his name, yet he's speaking down to Whitebeard and Red-Hair!"
"Him? If I'm not mistaken, he was a legend twenty years ago! Roger the Pirate King, Golden Lion Shiki... He personally ended their eras!"
"You could say he brought the Roger Era to a close! And now, he's become a Marine Admiral after all these years!"
The world buzzed in disbelief. Some were stunned that Arashi could stand equal to the Emperors, while others remembered his identity and were awed.
Back in Marineford, tension silently thickened. After exchanging words, both sides grew colder in expression.
Whitebeard turned his gaze toward Ace, taking a deep breath before suddenly laughing aloud.
"Ace! Sorry to keep you waiting—I hope you're not suffering!" The familiar voice trembled in Ace's ears. His body shivered, tears glimmering in his eyes. He shook his head violently.
"You shouldn't have come!" This was all my fault! The Whitebeard Pirates shouldn't have to pay the price for me!"
Whitebeard roared with laughter.
"Gu-ra-ra-ra!" As the laughter faded, his face turned solemn. "What nonsense are you saying, my son? We're family, and you are my son!"
With that, he took a long breath and suddenly lifted his naginata, slamming the handle against the ground.
Thud!
A ripple spread from the impact, his words echoing throughout Marine Headquarters. "Don't worry! I'll get you out of there soon!"
"Mere Marines won't be able to stop us!" His voice rumbled like thunder, deep and fearsome.
His towering body lowered, knees bent, back hunched, arms bulging and clenched tightly.
Veins popped across his forearms like cords. "I'll make them understand, picking a fight with the Whitebeard Pirates comes at a price!"
His cold, powerful voice rang out as a fierce wind tore across the bay.
Suddenly, he threw out both arms. His bulging muscles erupted with explosive force, smashing the air beside him, and then the unthinkable happened.
Puchi! Crack!
The sound of breaking glass rang out. Everyone could see it: thin, branch-like cracks spreading through the air.
In the next instant, the sea around the Moby Dick surged wildly. Waves rose like spirals, boiling and climbing skyward. Within seconds, they reached hundreds of meters high.
BOOM!
A deafening roar echoed through Marineford, sending shockwaves through the hearts of all who heard it.
"The world's strongest man has made his move! He caused a tsunami!" Marineford's about to be drowned!"
Fear and awe swept through the Marines' ranks. They had just witnessed the power that earned Whitebeard his title, and the war had begun.
Even battle-hardened elite soldiers trembled from the soul in the face of this apocalyptic scene. A natural disaster carried the power to destroy everything.
Compared to nature's fury, human strength was like that of ants—utterly insignificant.
"Whooosh!" The tidal wave surged and roared, as if carrying Whitebeard's fury.
It rushed straight toward Marineford, threatening to drown the world's most significant stronghold beneath the sea. Screams and shouts erupted everywhere.
"So this... this is Whitebeard's power?! He's a monster!" From one corner of the battlefield, Koby shouted, his voice shaking.
His fellow Marines beside him stood with tense, grim faces. Suddenly, Koby spun toward the platform where the four Marine Admirals sat.
His throat tightened as he noticed something even more terrifying—none moved. Not even flinched.
Even as the tidal wave rose higher than the execution platform, they just sat there as if it didn't exist.
On that high platform, the four strongest forces of the Marines sat in their chairs. Countless eyes focused in unison on that very spot.
Now that the enemy's most potent force had moved, who among the Marines would step up? Which Admiral would strike back?
Then, one figure slowly stood up, instantly igniting cheers and excitement across the ranks.
"Admiral Arashi!! He's stepping in already?! It's been years since anyone's seen Admiral Arashi in action!"
Hope and anticipation erupted all at once. Aokiji turned to the figure beside him and scratched the back of his head before sitting back down.
Though he knew stepping in himself would be the most logical option against this threat, there was no need since the man had already risen.
Arashi had his way of handling it.
"Rumble!!!"
The tsunami surged forward, waves crashing violently as the inner harbour docks began to flood. At that moment, Arashi slowly raised his head.
Then, in a moment that left the world stunned, terrified, and in complete disbelief, his neck suddenly stretched upward, expanding, transforming.
His entire body twisted, grew, and morphed into another form.
Within seconds, his figure had reached over a thousand meters, then three thousand in a blink.
His massive shadow covered over five kilometres of sky with a single breath, blanketing it in darkness like a storm cloud.
Two colossal wings unfurled like descending heavens. His body took on a sleek, streamlined shape with smooth, impenetrable skin that gleamed with an obsidian sheen.
"A Flying Fish?"
"A giant Flying Fish?!?"
"Admiral Arashi turned into a Flying Fish!!"
Countless Marines shouted in shock, heads tilted toward the heavens.
Even the three Admirals who still sat on their chairs couldn't conceal their astonishment—eyes wide, pupils contracted.
"Mythical Zoan…? How… how is he doing this?!"
Aokiji's heart pounded wildly. This scene shattered everything he thought he knew about the world.
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