89 Chapter 88

Dark in the night, within the calm Polar island, one figure was silently making his or her way to the outskirts of the village—to the hidden shore that the villagers didn't bother checking. Busily stepping over the pile of snow, the individual left footprints along the way.

Upon reaching the shore, the individual immediately boarded the Marine Warship that was waiting nearby. With familiarity, the necessary preparations for sailing out were made, such as retracting the anchor, unfolding the sails, and more.

Click.

But then, a flashlight was suddenly lightened up from the ship, shining onto this individual—who was now revealed to be a pink-haired woman, Hina. And the one holding the flashlight was none other than,

"...Rosie?"

Rosinante, who stood on the deck with a smirk. He then nudged his side, "Told ya."

Next to Rosinante stood Aramaki who was grinning by. Looking at Hina in amusement, he remarked, "Rahahaha! You're just as reckless as Smoker-san!"

"...What are you guys doing here?" Hina, with a blank face, muttered, "Hina confused."

Rosinante shrugged, "We'd like to ask you the same question."

Hina paused momentarily. Pursing her lips, she then stuttered, "...I was, just, trying not to forget how to operate this ship."

"What?" Aramaki, leaning in with his left ear facing Hina, pretended as if he didn't hear her properly, "Did you just say that you wanted to go help Smoker-san, alone?"

Hina was at a loss for words. Slumping in the end, she rolled her eyes and nodded. Rosinante chuckled before turning off the flashlight,

"...You thought it'd be too dangerous to bring us along, didn't you?"

Hina sighed, "It's the Impel Down that we are talking about. It is very likely that the attempt will fail; no need to follow me to the depth of hell."

Aramaki snorted, "If anything, it's you who should stay back. You're the weakest among us."

"What did you just say?" Hina growled, to which Aramaki grinned daringly,

"Am I wrong?"

Rosinante watched the two's interaction in amazement, wondering how Smoker managed to keep these bulls at bay before. Eventually, Hina was the one to take a step back, thinking of what maybe the best course of action—

"Hol'up, you three!!"

Until, a masculine shout was spoken from some distance away. Flinching in surprise, the three of them turned in the direction of the voice, and,

found Senor Pink, standing with Baby 5, X Drake, Law, Monet, and Sugar.

"...Hah, Hina tired already." Sighing, Hina sat down, "Hina thought that she'd be able to leave quietly, but never mind. Hina's underestimated all of you."

"Um... well," Rosinante scratched the back of his head, "Senor Pink and those kids weren't really part of our plan."

Senor Pink, immediately getting kids on board and coming up himself, crossed his arms while staring Hina, Rosinante, and Aramaki,

"So you were planning to leave me with these damn kids, didn't you? Well, too bad!! Your secret departure was within my expectation…!"

Law by the side murmured, "No, you didn't. I did."

Drake eyed Law and snorted, "I did before you."

"What? Stop sprouting lies."

"Not lying."

Monet, standing away from them, deadpanned, "Why are they fighting about this?"

Sugar was still asleep, dangling around Senor Pink's arm.

Baby 5, on the other hand, seemed nervous, looking around the surrounding with shaky eyes. She's been like this since Smoker's absence.

Hina immediately shook her heads, "We aren't bringing kids along to the world's worst prison."

"I agree to you on this one," Said Rosinante.

"…Kids?" Drake, hearing this, snarled with his fists clenched tightly, "I'm not a kid, I'm a soldier capable of fighting!! Smoker-san saved my life, and it is only natural that I do the same!!"

Senor Pink grinned in approval, "Well said, kid. Now that was pretty hard-boiled."

"Hard-boiled?" Law raised his eyebrow, "I think you meant stupid."

Drake, glaring at Law, immediately slammed his forehead onto the smaller boy, "What part of my resolve seemed stupid to you, Mr. Smartass?"

Law snorted haughtily, unfazed by Drake's threatening demeanour, "One's resolve doesn't come for a reason. Resolve…"

<…Because that's what my heart told me to do.>

"…It's something that comes from your heart."

"My resolve comes from my heart also!!"

"Oh, really? I thought—"

Tap. Before the heated argument between two boys worsened, a hand grabbed Drake by the shoulder and pulled him away from Law. It was Aramaki, who finally stepped up with his grin intact.

"Rahahaha… so in the end, all of us had same thoughts."

Looking around, he asked, "Aren't you scared?"

Everyone simply looked back at him without words. Aramaki shrugged,

"Guess not, eh?"

Reaching for the rail, Aramaki's ability manifested. The vines grew toward the back of the ship, and within seconds the plants that reminded everyone of propellers were sitting by.

"Then's let's go. All of us to the Impel Down."

Hina, sighing, let Aramaki speak without any interruption. Rosinante rubbed his temples and groaned, but in the end, respected Aramaki's decision.

"It's all or nothing. Either we save Smoker-san, or lose all."

And this was the event that happened a week before Smoker regained his consciousness.

__________

[February 9th, 1506]

2 days passed since Smoker and Sengoku's secret meet. And on this date, the whole world tensed up, instinctively feeling the great calamity that was coming on the way.

'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate, the 'Strongest Man In the World.'

Kaidou of the 'Beast', the 'Strongest Creature In the World.'

From the Marineford, the non-combatants such as Koala were evacuated to Sabaody Archipelago. Simultaneously, all the available marines were gathered before being divided into two groups.

"What's the situation in G-1, Admiral Hanazumi?"

In response to Sengoku's words, the Den Den Mushi replied,

<<All has been set. And although Kaidou is nowhere to be seen, my instinct signals that he's quite near... hm.>>

The secondary group consisting of Admiral Hanazumi, codename 'Haironezumi,' Admiral Sakazuki, codename 'Akainu,' Admiral Candidate Tensei, codename 'Kurouma,' and many more—they were to prevent the Beast pirates' advancement to the Marineford.

A good deal of force was sent to Marine Base G-1. Some questioned Sengoku for this, saying that it may be better to deal Whitebeard and Kaidou altogether, but the latter dismissed such opinions.

Then, what of the primary group waiting for the Whitebeard pirates?

On the plaza of Marineford, here they stood: Admiral Borsalino, codename 'Kizaru,' Admiral Candidate Kuzan, codename 'Aokiji,' Vice Admiral Tsuru, other Vice Admirals, and much more.

And what of the troops sent by the World Government? The royal guards and infamous warriors from all around gathered. There also were many cipher pol agents in black suit, standing in nervousness of their own.

Behind all, there was an execution stand that peaked high. On top of it stood Sengoku and Garp, the two legends of Marine. In the middle of them was a blue-haired woman, waiting for her execution to come.

'She must be the infamous "Ice Witch,'" many came to deduce.

And secretly, among the platoon soldiers stood one white-haired female marine, standing still with nervousness written on her face.

<Soon, you'll be released.>

She wettened her dry lips as she recalled the words of the white-haired man, Smoker, back in the Impel Down.

Staring forward and ensuring that she didn't meet anyone in the eye, this woman—the true 'Ice Witch,' wiped the sweat off of her forehead.

Dum.

The military band beat the drums repeatedly. The horns were blown, adding to the intensity of the atmosphere.

One of the royal guards named Igaram, sent from Alabasta, remarked as he listened to this sound, "...I heard that the heartbeat of the well-known 'Sun god,' commonly known as 'Nika,' sounds like that of a drum. Loud and boisterous, it is said to bring forth liberation upon humanity—and thus, people named it the 'drum of liberation.'"

Alongside Igaram stood the other warrior from Alabasta. His name was Chaka, a young man who was recently promoted.

"...Sun god, you say." Chaka said dryly, "Myth says that the world contained four distinctive gods, each modulating the domains of sun, rain, forest, and earth. But out of the four, it was only the sun who was recognized, remember, and praised upon... is this the reason why our land is full of sand now?"

"Hmhm. Ma-ma-ma~"

Igaram, clearing his thought, replied with a chuckle, "You think too seriously, Chaka. Just think of it this way; 'sun god' is the reflection of people's desire—the desire to be free from all burdens."

"Sounds like an idiotic desire to have."

As the two talked among one another, the warrior from another kingdom was found saluting at Vice Admiral Tsuru,

"Greeting the 'Great Advisor' of Marine! I am T Bone, the royal knight of the Bonbon Kingdom! I am honoured to contribute to Marine's noble decision of facing the notorious Whitebeard pirates head-on!"

Tsuru sweatdropped, "...Why, aren't you an energetic one."

"Thank you for the compliment, ma'am!"

And on the other hand, at the edge of the crowded plaza was one man wearing a white suit and mask over his face. The agent of Cipher Pol Aigis Zero—he raised up his wrist and spoke into the mini Den Den Mushi attached to it.

"...'Ice Witch' Whitey Bay is currently seen on the execution stand. Everything's been prepared. I'll notify you upon Whitebeard's arrival."

<<Roger that.>>

But unbeknownst to the agent, Garp was silently gazing at him from afar. Frowning and turning to Sengoku, he remarked grimly, "Can I punch that one?"

"Unfortunately, no. Not yet."

Sengoku, staring at the front, replied stoically. Then, his eyes narrowed as,

"...Here he comes."

the execution stand began to tremble ever so slightly—enough for Garp and Sengoku to realize.

"PREPARE YOURSELVES!!!"

Then, Kuzan, stepping up and stating firmly, glared at the front. Reflecting his caution, the air around him dropped few degrees; the nearby marines and other warriors shivered.

Robin, standing on a marine battleship that's sitting on the sea right outside the Marineford, grimaced as the sea churned and the ship shook. Standing with her were Ain, Binz, Shuzo, Kujaku, and the other trainees under Zephyr's command.

"...Watch and learn," Said Zephyr, with his arms crossed, "This is what it means to be marine—to fight even if your foes are the monsters whom you don't see any chance of winning."

"Yes, Zephyr-sensei." Ain immediately replied, tightening her grip over her sheathed sword.

The pebbles around Marineford's ground bounced up and down. The waves became progressively wilder, and then—

—the enormous tide, so huge that it had the potential of engulfing the entire Marineford, revealed itself.

"...W-what in the world is this...?" T Bone, standing nearby Tsuru, expressed his terror as the wave shadowed the marines at the plaza. Similar to him, the others gaped open their jaws wide.

Taking a step back in disbelief, Chaka mumbled, "...Is this something that a human is capable of?"

"Oh~ how scary~" At the back, Borsalino exclaimed in a casual manner. The other Vice Admirals stood with their justice coats draped around their shoulders, looking up at the tide in dark expressions.

And up at the execution stand,

"Quite angry, aren't you." Sengoku frowned.

"...Heh," Though the serious gleam remained in his eyes, Garp grinned, "Go, Kuzan."

As the tide began to drop right onto the Marineford, Kuzan jumped up, heading straight toward the disaster. Extending his hand out, he unleashed his ability,

"Ice Age!"

The moisture in the atmosphere condensed into the cold ice. Upon contacting the falling volume of water, the 'freezing' spread at a rapid pace, and within seconds, the entire tidal wave has become a mountain of ice.

"Hu..." With his breathing quickened from the excessive use of the fruit ability, Kuzan landed back on the ground—

Crack Crack. Then, the mountain of ice began to form cracks at its surface. It was an indication that the extreme degree of force was being applied on it.

Subsequently,

BOOOOM!

the entirety of ice shattered into countless pieces, and from the beyond, one ship, resembling that of a whale, entered right through.

"T-that's…!"

One marine shouted in horror,

"IT'S THE MOBY DICK!!!"

There stood on the foremost section of the whale-like ship named Moby Dick, one tall and broad man with a wavy blonde hair and a crescent-shaped white mustache: 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate. With a rage-filled grin on his face, Newgate jumped off the ship, right toward the execution stand.

"It's been quite a while, Garp and Sengoku!!"

"Bwahahaha, you seem healthy as always, Whitebeard!!"

"Hmph, a bad news for us, I suppose!!"

The two legends of Marine jumped up. Garp's cocked back fist blazed up from the Emission of the Armament Haki. On the other hand, Sengoku's body morphed into a gigantic golden buddha, ready to meet Newgate's descending naginata.

"P-pops, wait!!" From the above, one of the Whitebeard pirates shouted, "We're still within the range!! Control—"

Boom.

Then, they clashed. An incredible, booming noise occurred. Countless individuals lost their consciousness all of a sudden, dropping to the ground with their mouths foaming. Mody Dick swayed as it slid along the falling pieces of ice.

And in the middle of this chaos, those who were able to withstand the vigorous burst of Conqueror's Haki, managed to see…

…the sky, splitting into two.

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