Chapter 290 - Storm is Coming 02.

[Chapter Size: 2000 Words.]

Third Person POV

Marineford, First Half of Grandline.

...

...

"Sengoku." The voice of one of the elders was immediately heard as he opened the Den Den Mushi.

"Elders..." Sengoku murmured.

"How are things going? We want reports," they asked impatiently.

"We are organizing the entire base. Our estimate is that we will have at least 100,000 elite Marine soldiers coming from all parts of the world. We will have the majority of the Shichibukai and the entire Marine force along with a batch of Pacifistas that you have provided us," Sengoku said.

"Great. How are you handling the New World?" they asked.

"We have stationed large forces in that sea. We know how agitated they will be and how the other Yonkou will be making moves... We have also left 20 ships at the entrance of the Red Line," he said.

"Yes, it seems that Shanks and Kaido are moving, Big Mom is also moving, sending some of her ships," the elders said.

"Yes, we have many vice-admirals in the New World to control the situation, like Vergo, Gion, and others," Sengoku reported.

"Great. We will send Kong and a batch of a special force. We cannot send more because that pirate launched an attack on Mary Geoise," they said.

"Yes, a newspaper came out yesterday that he went to the New World and that he really left Sabaody..." Sengoku said, looking out the window.

"That's just a ruse. That boy is doing this to try to confuse us, but he won't let his brother die, not after sending a meteor at us, threatening to do it again if we attack any island of his crew," they reasoned.

"Yes, we will wait for him anyway. I expect your reinforcements," Sengoku said.

"In any case, we know that he is stronger than the admirals, so use everything you can to destroy him. And even if you can't... after all, he may very well escape the battlefield with his abilities to move at the last moment, I want you to eliminate at all costs two members of his group, Usopp and Bepo. One of them has Shiki's ability," the elders issued this order as important as eliminating Whitebeard and Ace.

"Yes," Sengoku agreed. He already had photos of the two on his desk as a priority in this war.

"Great. We will speak until the war," the elders said while Sengoku sighed and returned once again to the window, as this was his only therapy amidst so much pressure on his shoulders.

The port of Marineford was bustling with activity. Hundreds of Marine soldiers moved in sync throughout the day, preparing for the imminent battle. Powerful warships, with their reinforced hulls and iconic white sails, began docking at the port. The atmosphere was charged with tension and determination among all the soldiers disembarking.

One specific ship arriving at that moment was a batch that had been training for the past few months on one of the Marine training program islands. On its prow as it docked at Marineford, Smoker stood there, looking intently at the HQ. "It seems we have finally arrived..." He returned to the deck as the sailors on board lined up in perfect formation.

"Commodore Smoker!" They saluted, as Smoker had gained a new rank, moving from captain to commodore, learning the six styles and Haki.

By his side, Tashigi approached and stood next to him, with a serious face while she kept a high-grade sword at her waist. Both had undergone intense training and were ready to contribute with their new strength in this war.

"I heard rumors that Monkey D. Luffy will appear," Tashigi commented, despite seeing newspapers saying he left for the New World yesterday. But there were still rumors, even though almost no one knew that Luffy was Ace's childhood brother, rumors began to circulate as the command prepared to deal with the Straw Hat Pirates in this war as well.

"In Alabasta, they were very close. I feel he will come," Smoker said. He had always suffered defeats from Luffy and his crew since the East Blue, hoping to handle it better, although with Luffy being stronger than an admiral, he didn't have much confidence that he could defeat them, although he would contribute to the Marine's victory both against Whitebeard and the Straw Hats.

"Everyone, prepare to disembark!" Smoker ordered in his hoarse voice after speaking with Tashigi. The sailors nodded in unison, their expressions resolute, as they adjusted their equipment and prepared to disembark. The sound of boots hitting the deck echoed through the air, mixed with the sound of waves breaking against the hull and the walls of the HQ.

Right behind, another immense ship was approaching. Vice-Admiral Momonga was on the prow, observing with keen eyes. Inside the cabin, Boa Hancock was alone, isolating herself from everyone, resting while gently stroking her belly.

"Let's disembark!" Momonga gave the order as the sailors, no longer petrified, began to position the ship behind the one Smoker had docked.

"Miss Hancock! We've arrived!" A sailor knocked on Hancock's door, hearts in his eyes.

"Tsk." Hancock appeared, and the man flew after being kicked with the door. Hancock walked out without speaking to anyone else as she headed toward Marineford.

"I want to know where my room is." She stopped to speak with Momonga as he nodded.

"I'll ask someone to take you," she said, ignoring his arrogant and hostile tone. His only job was to bring this woman here, and he succeeded after she agreed to the Marine and government's request. She then followed to the place where she would stay until the war.

As more ships docked, the soldiers continued to disembark. They all had faces of fear and determination. Some whispered prayers, others sharpened their swords, but all shared the same mission: to defend Marineford at all costs.

Amid the organized chaos, atop the main building, the Marine Admirals Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru observed from above, despite the latter still using band-aids from his last fight with Luffy.

"The time has come... the Marines will not fail..." Akainu spoke with a determined tone.

"Well, well, this fight will be difficult..." Aokiji commented, looking at the Marines, thinking about how many of them would die in this war.

"..." Kizaru remained silent; he didn't even have the humor to make his usual comments.

"No matter what we do, even if we need to sacrifice everyone here, we will destroy those two entire groups!" Akainu growled.

"There will be no justice if it's destroyed along with it..." Kuzan said to his colleague.

"You are weak, Kuzan!" Akainu growled at him. "Destroying that group will send a message to the whole world that this era will end!" Akainu did not sympathize with Sengoku's ideas, which were similar to Kuzan's, but he couldn't deny that the current Fleet Admiral's idea of destroying this era by killing the world's strongest pirate was quite intelligent, and he strongly agreed with it.

"I hope you are right..." Kuzan said, ignoring the offense Akainu gave him.

"..." Kizaru said nothing during this time.

"Of course, this battle will define the future of the world!" Akainu spoke with his cigar burning.

Back at the port, the final preparations were being made. Barricades were erected, cannons positioned, and Den Den Mushi communications adjusted to ensure that no orders would be lost in the heat of the battle to come in the next few days.

Maintenance teams were inspecting all the base's cannons; the base had the shape of a crescent moon with cabins with cannons that could have the power of about three Buster Calls, intended to destroy any threat that approached the location, while new marines learned to handle the fire machines.

The preparation for war continued throughout the rest of the day, as all the ships with civilians finally left the island. Their families stayed in the square to fight, hoping to reunite with them later, but deep down, they knew there was a great chance they would not survive the conflict.

Everything seemed fine until nightfall when news first reached Mary Geoise.

"What do you mean a ship with Tenryuubitos disappeared?!" the elders exclaimed when they heard the news coming directly from the leader of the Holy Knights, kneeling before them.

"We lost communication with the ships yesterday. There was a large escort bringing them from Gran Tesoro... five ships with Cypher Pol agents and a CP0 agent to reinforce their security... They disappeared, and we investigated for the rest of the day. They really left Gran Tesoro, and it seems they were ambushed in the middle of the sea by someone who managed to cut all the ship's communications, and worse... the Vivre Cards of the Tenryuubitos are not moving!" he explained while all the elders looked at each other, trying to understand the situation.

"Even the Vivre Cards can't find them!" The elder seemed alarmed by this.

"Who would do this, Whitebeard or Monkey D. Luffy?!" one of them growled.

"Whitebeard has never messed with the Tenryuubito, I don't believe it's him..." another one said.

"So he really went to the New World..." another commented.

"Don't be hasty, they have the user of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi... Crossing the Red Line is easy..." another reasoned.

"Then why the coating... what's happening... what is that bastard planning..." They were getting more and more confused by Luffy's actions, which didn't seem to make much sense.

"Search the entire beginning of the New World! Understood!" They gave the order to the Holy Knight, who quickly nodded and disappeared to organize the search party. There were seven Tenryuubito on those ships.

They had issued an order after the attack in Sabaody to send them immediately to Mary Geoise. However, they didn't expect that they would actually be attacked like this. The worst part is that they don't even know who really did it or where they are. They are only using the Vivre Cards to see if they are alive.

In the New World, a group of Marine ships was near the Red Line, staying still in place, waiting for anyone who approached.

"Do you think he will show up..." said a marine to his colleague.

"All indications say yes..." he replied.

"Damn... do we stand a chance...?" He swallowed hard.

"It doesn't matter, we'll do our part and sacrifice for the Marines!" He said with determination as he looked at the New World sea, which was experiencing a storm at that moment.

A lightning bolt hit the sea, and in the darkness of the night, an enormous ship appeared with the flash, displaying the most dangerous flag in the world.

The marine, who until that moment was giving a speech about sacrifice, seemed to lose all composure as he had a terrified face, sweating and pointing in that direction while trembling.

"It's the Moby Dick!!" he growled, alerting the whole ship while the others were already becoming aware of the situation.

Whitebeard was getting rained on at that moment, looking ahead on his deck.

"Pops! What will we do with the Marines?" one of the division commanders asked, his voice slightly muffled by the rain and thunder.

"Isn't it obvious? Gurararararara. The Marines came to greet us here, so let's greet them back." He announced, and before anyone could react, Newgate jumped from the deck, landing on the prow of his ship.

"Let's see how you handle this..." he said with a smile as all the marines felt a bad premonition and didn't even have time to communicate their situation to their superiors since it was too late. Whitebeard tilted his arm back with his fist clenched and launched it forward.

Hitting the space and cracking it with the sound of breaking glass, the power of the Gura Gura no Mi, which could destroy the world, was finally unleashed against his enemies at that moment.

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