Retreat

Marco, the first division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, faced a difficult decision. His eyes were filled with anxiety as he spoke to Whitebeard, "Pops, you and Ace go ahead. I'll hold them off here."

Whitebeard chuckled and raised his Naginata, pointing it towards the Admiral. "In what world does it make sense for the son to stay behind for adventure while the father goes first? And rest assured, it's far too early for these three boys to challenge me!"

"Pops," Marco pleaded, his body tensed, "you can't expect us to leave without you. We have to go together!"

Ace added, "No matter what you say, we won't leave without you. We must go together!"

Whitebeard's words may have some truth, but in their world, it was unthinkable for a son to go ahead and let his father face the danger. They were determined to stay by his side.

Whitebeard's tone grew more serious as he shouted, "Go, silly kids!"

"Pops!!!" Marco was torn, but in the end, he grabbed Ace and Luffy, turned, and rushed towards the bay.

Ace struggled desperately, shouting, "Marco, what are you doing? Let me go!"

Marco's eyes filled with pain as he replied, "This is Pops' order. Staying here won't help him; it will only hinder him."

He felt the weight of responsibility for not being stronger and capable of defeating the Marine Admirals, leaving Whitebeard to bear this pressure alone. Regret filled him, but he knew he had to follow his father's orders and leave with Ace and Luffy, avoiding any distractions.

The three of them swiftly made their way back to the bay, encountering Marine officers along the way who ignored them as per Sengoku's orders.

As they departed, Whitebeard raised his fist to the side, struck the air, and burst into hearty laughter. "Guurarara~ My sons, get out of here. I'll be alright, and our journey will never come to an end today!"

A massive shockwave erupted, shaking the entire Marineford. The island quaked, and a colossal fissure split it in two, with the Whitebeard Pirates on one side and the remaining Marine soldiers and Whitebeard on the other.

The Whitebeard Pirates realized that their evacuation plan was solely for their own escape, leaving Whitebeard himself behind.

The crew rallied and decided to counterattack and return to support Whitebeard, as they couldn't bear to leave their father alone.

"Don't act impulsively!" advised one of their comrades, but the crew was determined to stand by Whitebeard's side.

Marco's voice cut through the silence, suppressing everyone's doubts. "This is Pops' order, and it's the opportunity he's fought so hard for. Let's continue with the evacuation!"

"And... we must believe in Father!"

"Pops is the strongest person in the world, and he will never be defeated here!"

The words hung in the air, and the surroundings fell silent. All the crew members looked at Whitebeard, standing alone against the overwhelming force of the Marines, and a solemn silence filled the air.

Yes, this was the long-awaited opportunity their captain had fought for. If they were to go back, not only would they be of little assistance, but they would also be a burden to their father. For a moment, everyone was caught in a state of indecision, unsure of what to do.

"Don't hesitate, everyone, retreat!" Vista shouted in the midst of the silence. Realizing that it was not the time to hesitate, as the opportunity could slip away, they knew they had to act swiftly or risk being unable to leave.

Upon hearing this, the crew, though reluctant, also resolved themselves to follow through. They continued to retreat, boarding the ship.

At the same time, on the opposite side of the island, Bullet punched Sengoku aside and came to Whitebeard's side.

"Why?"

"Are you really going to stay here alone and sacrifice yourself for the sake of your sons?"

Bullet fixed his gaze on Whitebeard, his voice filled with anger. Roger had done the same thing, willingly sacrificing himself. Whitebeard, possessing the greatest strength in the world, was also choosing to set aside his own adventures for the sake of the young lads. For Bullet, this was a sign of weakness, an act that would only diminish Whitebeard's strength and power.

"Guurarara~"

"Bullet, leave quickly, this island is about to sink," Whitebeard replied, his smile brimming with confidence. "And... my journey isn't finished yet. I won't die here."

Bullet trembled upon hearing those words, and his anger transformed into astonishment. This sentence was so familiar. When he had joined the Roger Pirates, he had faced numerous perils, some of which had the potential to overthrow the entire crew. But every time, Roger would laugh indifferently and tell every crew member that their adventure was not over yet, and they would never die because of it.

At this moment, he saw Roger's figure in Whitebeard.

"Yeah, you're not gonna die," Bullet said, taking a deep look at Whitebeard. "You and Roger are the true kings of this sea. How could such a king die at the hands of cowardly Marines!"

After speaking, he jumped up, rushed through the crack, and reached the other side. At that moment, on the small island of Marineford, Whitebeard was the only one left, facing countless elite Marines, many Vice Admirals, three Admirals, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and the Marine hero, Monkey D. Garp.

.....

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