The War’s Aftermath – A New Dawn

The clash between Shadow and Garp left Marineford in stunned silence. Spectators, both Marines and pirates, could only think of one thing: What kind of monsters have we just witnessed? Their ferocious stalemate had created fissures in the battlefield, not just in the earth but in the hearts of those who dared to watch. Yet the war's chaos continued.

Akainu vs. Whitebeard

As the mighty Whitebeard stood amidst the chaos, still holding the line for his crew, the relentless Akainu struck when the old man was distracted.

With a deadly attack of Meigo, Akainu burned a portion of Whitebeard's head, leaving a gruesome wound. Blood gushed as the air itself seemed to ignite from Akainu's lava-fueled rage.

But the Emperor wasn't done yet. With a bellowing roar that shook the seas, Whitebeard retaliated, his Gura Gura no Mi creating earthquakes that cracked Marineford in half. The very island split, isolating Whitebeard from his crew as he unleashed devastation upon the battlefield. Even as his body faltered, his indomitable will drove him forward.

Blackbeard Pirates' Arrival

The chaos was interrupted as Blackbeard and his crew arrived, their ranks now bolstered by the fearsome criminals of Level 6 Impel Down. The sight of Blackbeard sent a ripple of unease across the battlefield.

Blackbeard's eyes met Shadow's, and in that moment, fear and vigilance filled his face. Shadow, however, paid him no mind, his gaze fixed on the crumbling Marineford and Whitebeard's valiant stand.

Mocking laughter echoed as Blackbeard approached Whitebeard.

"Old man, your era is over. Let me bear witness to your death!"

Whitebeard ignored the taunt and charged forward. Their clash was a spectacle, with Whitebeard delivering earth-shattering blows that left Blackbeard bloodied and screaming. But the combined assault of the Blackbeard Pirates overwhelmed the Emperor, bringing him to his Last breath.

Despite his countless injuries—over 400 wounds, gunshots, and blade strikes—Whitebeard stood tall. His unyielding figure faced the world with pride, his back unscarred, a testament to his refusal to retreat.

He bellowed his final words, a declaration that shook the hearts of everyone present:

"The One Piece… is real! It will change the world!"

With that, the strongest man in the world died standing, his body a monument to his unbreakable spirit.

The Blackbeard Pirates wasted no time. With an eerie ritual, Blackbeard claimed the Gura Gura no Mi, wielding it alongside his Yami Yami no Mi, becoming an even greater threat. As Marineford trembled under Blackbeard's newfound power, Sengoku transformed into his Buddha form, confronting Blackbeard to protect what remained of the island.

"Enough!" Sengoku roared, clashing with Blackbeard as the battlefield erupted into chaos once more.

Amidst the carnage, Koby, shaken by the unending bloodshed, dropped to his knees and begged:

"Please! Stop this fighting! So much needless death…"

His plea fell on deaf ears. Akainu, disgusted by Koby's perceived weakness, raised his molten fist to strike him down.

But before the blow could land, a pressure unlike anything before filled the air. Shadow, still as stone, unsheathed his Lunar Tempest just slightly.

A bolt of Supreme King Haki surged forth like a lightning arc, slamming into Akainu's fist and halting him in his tracks. The sheer force of Shadow's presence made the magma-wielding Admiral stagger.

Enraged, Akainu tried again, but this time the haki was stronger, pressing him to his knees. Shadow's cold voice cut through the chaos:

"Enough."

As tension boiled over, a new voice rang out across the battlefield.

"It seems I'm late. I've come to end this war. Please, give me some face."

All eyes turned to see Red-Haired Shanks, the youngest Emperor of the Sea, stride into the chaos. His calm yet commanding presence momentarily stilled the battlefield. Even Akainu faltered, glaring but lowering his molten fists.

Shanks approached Shadow, his curiosity piqued.

"And who are you, kid?"

Before Shadow could answer, two figures moved like lightning. Dragon Empress unsheathed her Dragon Fault, and Titan Prince brandished his Black Dragon Staff, both pointing at Shanks' neck. Their combined Supreme King Haki surged, sending shivers through even the strongest present.

"Respect, Red Hair," they said in unison. "It's Shadow to you."

Shanks raised his hands in surrender, chuckling. "Fair enough."

Shadow turned to Sengoku, his tone resolute:

"The war is over. I'm taking Whitebeard's body and his crew. Keep your mad dog on a leash."

Sengoku, embarrassed and exhausted, gave the order to retreat, instructing the Marines to tend to the injured. Even Akainu, though seething, was forced to comply. Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Pirates, carrying their unconscious captain, slunk away into the shadows.

As the battlefield quieted, both sides began collecting their dead and tending to the wounded. The Whitebeard Pirates, tears streaming, carried their father's body back to their ship. Marco and Jozu, their faces heavy with grief, took on the solemn duty of guarding his remains.

Shadow, watching from above, ordered his duo to follow. They skywalked towards Whitebeard's ship, landing amidst the somber crew. Shadow gestured for Titan Prince to retrieve Luffy and Ace from the battlefield.

The brothers ran to Whitebeard's body, collapsing in tears.

"This is my fault," Ace sobbed. "I caused his death!"

Shadow remained silent for a moment before addressing Marco.

"Thank you for your help," Marco began. "We owe you so much. How can we repay you?"

Shadow's response shocked everyone.

"I only need one thing: the disbandment of the Whitebeard Pirates and the end of your careers as pirates."

The crew erupted in outrage, but before they could act, Dragon Empress unleashed her Supreme King Haki, silencing all but the captains. Marco quickly calmed his men and asked Shadow to explain.

"The Whitebeard Pirates existed because of your captain. Now that he's gone, every enemy he made will come for you. If you continue, you'll die exhausted from endless battles," Shadow said bluntly.

After a moment of contemplation, Marco and the captains accepted the reality. With heavy hearts, they agreed to disband.

Not everyone accepted Shadow's reasoning. Ace, ever the hothead, clenched his fists in anger.

"You had the strength to stop Dad's death! Why didn't you save him?"

Shadow chuckled, unfazed.

"Because, my dear hothead, I was fulfilling a debt to a friend. His request was to save two reckless monkeys who think the world revolves around them."

Ace's face burned with anger while Luffy looked confused.

"Who asked you to save us?" Ace demanded.

Shadow pointed at Luffy.

"His vice-captain, Rudra D. Raja. He said you now owe him two debts. He'll explain the details when we reach Rusukaina Island."

Shadow turned back to Marco.

"Call your subordinate pirate groups and inform them of your disbandment. Let the islands under your protection know not to resist other pirates—it will lessen the bloodshed. Retire as pirates and live in peace."

Marco nodded solemnly.

Shadow then addressed Ace and Luffy.

"You two are coming with me to Rusukaina Island. Law's submarine will take us there."

Though Ace protested, Titan Prince subdued him. Marco handed Shadow a Den-Den Mushi for future contact.

Shadow approached Trafalgar Law aboard his submarine. Law, wary of the revolutionary trio, maintained his composure.

"Captain Trafalgar D. Water Law of the Heart Pirates," Shadow said, "can you give us a lift to Rusukaina Island?"

Law's eyes widened.

"How do you know my full name? And we're not a transport service—"

Before he could finish, Bepo slapped a paw over his captain's mouth.

"Of course, we'll take you!" Bepo blurted, bowing apologetically.

Law sighed but ordered his crew to set course for Rusukaina.

As the ships sailed away from Marineford, the world began to react to **Whitebeard's death