55. The Strong Come On Stage, The Battle Begins

"Attention, everyone's ready.

Sengoku yelled, clutching a Den Den Mushi, the phone bug used to command the battlefield.

This phone is crucial; it controls the whole situation and is capable of issuing orders anywhere on the battlefield.

Marines are defending their home turf, and they've been prepping for this battle for too long.

Pirate ships emerge from the mist one by one, each one sending shivers down the Marines' spines.

These are no ordinary pirates – they're all big shots from the New World.

Even Vice Admirals at headquarters tremble at the thought.

And there are dozens of these pirate ships.

This is the backdrop of the Whitebeard Pirates, hailed as the strongest among the Four Emperors.

"Everyone."

Ace stood on the execution platform, chained with seastone. He could only watch silently as familiar faces appeared in the distance, filling him with shame and guilt.

Clang.

On the warships, cannons aimed at the approaching pirate ships, ready to fire.

But Sengoku hesitated to give the order.

Because, so far, there's been no sign of Whitebeard's flagship, the Moby Dick.

And, according to intel, Gol D. Roger's old ship, the Oro Jackson, should be with Whitebeard.

The Straw Hats aim to rescue Fire Fist Ace.

With Rayleigh, they likely joined forces with Whitebeard.

The Oro Jackson was last spotted near Fish-Man Island, heading for the New World, linked with Whitebeard.

Sengoku's face darkens when he thinks of the Straw Hats.

The Four Emperors Whitebeard – all predictable.

Except for the Straw Hat Pirates, the wild card in this whole affair.

"I can't wait to see the clash between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines."

Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords, chuckles loudly from his vantage point.

His arms are outstretched, and he seems like a madman embracing the chaos of the battlefield.

The Empress shoots him a disgusted look.

"Will Rayleigh join the fight too?"

Despite her indifferent attitude towards Rayleigh, Hancock knew deep down that she owed him a great debt.

If it weren't for Rayleigh and Shakky back then, she wouldn't have been able to return to Amazon Lily so effortlessly.

But she heard that Rayleigh helped the Straw Hat Boy join the war.

"Marine's strength is far greater than anticipated."

Gekko Moria's injuries had fully healed. He extended his thick, long neck, surveyed the scene, and screeched, "Admiral Sengoku, the Three Admirals, Hero Garp, Black Arm Zephyr, Tsuru, Gion, and T-Bone."

"The golden generation of Marine's older guard and the current Admirals, along with their substitutes, are all here. Marine's power and resolve for this war are truly astounding."

"Whitebeard?"

Hawkeye paid no attention to his surroundings; he was only interested in his next opponent.

He simply wanted to gauge the distance between himself and the world's strongest using the blade in his hand.

Onstage, Sengoku still held a Den Den Mushi, broadcasting Fire Fist Ace's true story to the world, along with the might of the Marine and the World Government.

After the broadcast ended, a Marine soldier approached Sengoku and whispered a report.

"The newly appointed Shichibukai, Blackbeard Teach, commandeered a warship and departed, and the Gates of Justice opened."

"Blackbeard, that scoundrel."

Sengoku clenched his teeth. He knew Blackbeard had motives, but he hadn't expected them at this crucial moment. And it seemed his target was likely Impel Down.

And it's fair to say Blackbeard chose his moment well. At this juncture, Marines couldn't reinforce Impel Down, making its defence weakest.

"Inform Magellan, tell him to stay vigilant and release Shiryu if necessary."

Sengoku wasn't overly alarmed.

Even without Marine's support, Impel Down's defences were formidable. They might not withstand the Four Emperors, but they could handle Blackbeard.

The priority now was dealing with Whitebeard before them.

After all, between the execution platform, the protective wall, and the warships, the sea lay beneath.

A colossal shadow had already emerged, stirring a sense of foreboding in Sengoku's heart.

Beneath the waves, three pirate ships bobbed quietly.

"Are we all set?"

Heavy footsteps resounded on the deck of the Moby Dick.

Clad in a white cloak and wielding a long sword, Whitebeard emerged from the cabin, sporting a serene smile.

With each step, the long sword's bottom tapped the deck, creating a crisp rhythm.

From this distance, the glimmer of the sea was already visible.

"We've got to save Ace this time," Luffy murmured, adjusting his straw hat.

Beside him, Zoro's face brimmed with determination. He casually removed the turban draped over his shoulders, tying it firmly around his head. His fingers trembled slightly, dancing along the hilt of his blade.

"Don't slow me down, Chopper," Sanji said coolly, lighting a cigarette. "Admiral, I haven't had my fill yet. How about a round of appetizers?"

Chopper's expression hardened as he assumed his formidable human form, fingers clutching four Rumble Balls. His fur bristled with determination.

"This is where our fearless sea warrior, Usopp, makes his mark," Usopp declared confidently, donning a sniper mask and wielding his trusty slingshot with renewed vigour.

"What a lively bunch," Marco remarked, a glint of azure fire flickering in his eyes.

"Then let the battle commence," Whitebeard exclaimed, shaking his long sword vigorously.

Boom.

Three colossal pirate ships breached the surface, resembling mighty beasts rising from the depths.

Bang, bang, bang.

Enormous bubbles burst, punctuating the air with their explosive release.

On the pirate ship, the Moby Dick took center stage, with Whitebeard, Luffy, and Rayleigh standing proudly at the bow.

Behind them stood the captains of the Whitebeard Pirates and the members of the Straw Hat crew.

All eyes were fixated on Whitebeard, for he was the legendary figure commanding their attention.

"Gurararara, quite the spectacle," Whitebeard remarked, surveying the darkened horizon of Marines with a smile. "Are those coatings rising from the seabed? Quite the assembly."

Sengoku, standing before the execution platform, wore a slight grimace, but it was merely a minor setback in the grand scheme of things.

"Father!" Ace couldn't contain his emotions upon seeing Whitebeard before him. He cried out like a sorrowful child finally reunited with his parents.

"Ace, stay put. I'll bring you home," Whitebeard assured, extending a comforting hand towards the execution platform.

Beside Whitebeard, Luffy couldn't contain his excitement upon spotting Ace on the platform.

"Ace, hang on! I'm coming to rescue you!" he shouted eagerly.

"Luffy?" If Whitebeard represented a father figure to Ace, then seeing Luffy was akin to encountering a mischievous younger brother in the most perilous of situations. Ace's heart swelled with a mix of surprise, warmth, and concern.

And nearby, someone's emotions churned even more intensely.

"Luffy, you rascal." Garp's impression of Luffy remained rooted in the boy he once knew. Despite Kizaru's reports of Luffy's victories, in Garp's eyes, he was still the impetuous youngster.

However, as Luffy stood on the battlefield before him, Garp's expression turned grim. The conflict between familial love and duty weighed heavily upon him.

He could only clasp his hands over his chest, bow his head, and his eyes appeared clouded with uncertainty.

"Straw Hat Kid."

The Three Admirals occupied the highest positions.

When Whitebeard emerged, Kizaru remained composed, but upon hearing Luffy's voice, he straightened up. A flicker of apprehension danced in his eyes.

He wasn't afraid of Whitebeard. They had clashed before, and while the opponent was formidable, his speed was somewhat restrained by his abilities.

But Straw Hat was different.

With his Fifth Gear, enhanced physical prowess, and mastery of combat skills and Conqueror's Haki, he posed a genuine threat.

"What's on your mind, Kizaru?" Akainu and Aokiji exchanged puzzled glances as they observed Kizaru's excitement.

Though they knew Kizaru had been injured in his encounter with Straw Hat, they were unaware of the details.

"Nothing at all," Kizaru dismissed with a wave of his hand.

Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick,

Whitebeard stood at the bow, his gaze slanting downwards towards Luffy. "Hey, kid, do you feel overwhelmed by the crowd ahead?"

"What do you mean? I'm going to rescue Ace," Luffy replied, glancing urgently towards the execution platform.

"Don't worry, let's give the Marines a little surprise first. Let's make our presence known," Whitebeard said with a grin.

"What?" Luffy looked puzzled.

Beside him, Rayleigh gently pulled Luffy back and smiled, "You'll see soon enough. Whitebeard's power to shake the world."

"Shake the world?" Zoro and Sanji exchanged curious glances.

Despite their time with the Whitebeard Pirates, they had yet to witness Whitebeard's full power in action. The last time he was about to unleash it, Rayleigh had intervened.

With a smile on his face, Whitebeard drove his sword forcefully into the deck, clenching his fists and crossing them over his chest. His arm muscles bulged, brimming with newfound strength.

Two spherical, translucent halos formed around his fists, emitting an aura of power.

"Kaishin," Whitebeard uttered, causing the air around him to vibrate.

In the next instant, Whitebeard thrust his fists outward...

Click, click, click.

Like a shattered mirror, the space on either side of Whitebeard fragmented like a spider's web, accompanied by a soft crackling sound. Cracks, illuminated with silver-white light, spread from Whitebeard's fists, reaching up into the sky.

"Gu la la la," Whitebeard bellowed triumphantly.

Zoro, Sanji, and the others watched in awe.

"The space is being torn apart?" Zoro exclaimed, astonished.

But what amazed them even more was yet to come.

Shortly after, the entire sea began to convulse violently.

Two massive waves, towering over 100 meters high, surged past the tallest structures of Marineford.

This was a tsunami, a colossal wave capable of engulfing the entire Marineford.

"Pops ate the Gura Gura no Mi, the Quake-Quake Fruit. It lets him generate earthquakes and tsunamis," Marco explained.

"What incredible destructive power," Zoro muttered, his shock evident.

No wonder the World Government feared Whitebeard so greatly.

His ability to unleash such devastation could easily obliterate a sizable island.

It was no exaggeration to say that he possessed the power to reshape the world.

However, since the Marines dared to confront Whitebeard, they must possess the means to counter the tsunami.

"Then, I'll take the first step," a calm voice interrupted. Aokiji rose from his seat leisurely, ready to act.

In an instant, a sharp edge of ice materialized on the ground, and the figure of the pheasant vanished, reappearing in the sky above Naval Headquarters.

"Ice Age," Aokiji muttered, facing the onslaught of the tsunami on both sides.

Icicles extended towards the waves, rapidly freezing them upon contact, transforming the raging waters into solid ice.

Not only were the waves affected, but a frosty chill spread across the sea around Marineford, freezing it before their eyes.

"Your power is quite troublesome," Aokiji remarked calmly as he descended from the sky, his gaze fixed on Whitebeard in the distance.

"If our opponent keeps summoning tsunamis, no matter how many Marines we have, it won't be enough," he added.

"Hmph, Ice brat," Whitebeard retorted, observing the frozen expanse in the distance with a nonchalant air.

"It's up to you two, Straw Hat Kid, Rayleigh," Whitebeard declared. "Let's make some adjustments to this battle."

"Exactly what I had in mind," Luffy responded, adjusting his straw hat and clenching his fists, emitting white steam from his skin.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the Moby Dick.

And when he reappeared...

They found themselves beyond the protective wall, hovering above the square in front of the execution platform. Beneath them lay tens of thousands of elite Marine soldiers.

Directly ahead stood Marine's top-tier forces – Admirals, Vice Admirals, and Shichibukai.

At such close proximity, Ace and Garp on the execution platform could discern Luffy's expression.

"What...?" gasped Whitebeard, Rayleigh, and the others aboard the Moby Dick, their mouths agape as they watched Luffy descending towards the Marine throng below.

"What is that kid up to?"

Whitebeard looked on in astonishment.

"All he wanted was for Straw Hat to unleash his Conqueror's Haki. Why would he charge in alone, or rather, charge straight into the heart of the enemy's formation?" he pondered.

"That guy," Zoro sighed, shaking his head. "I should've known. With his personality, how could he stick to the battle plan?"

With a resigned shrug, Zoro leaped off the ship without hesitation.

"This is our captain for you. You know how unpredictable he can be," Sanji remarked to the bewildered Whitebeard and Rayleigh.

With a swift step and a slight burst of air, Sanji vanished instantly.

Meanwhile, in the square before the execution platform...

Luffy's sudden appearance stunned the Marine higher-ups and soldiers alike. But they were adversaries, and they quickly raised their weapons, aiming at the descending Luffy.

"Clear the way!" Luffy's voice rang out coldly as he surveyed the sea of Marines below.

Boom.

As he touched down, an immense black-red shockwave rippled outward, akin to a tempest unleashed in the square.

Marine soldiers closer to the epicenter were swept up like leaves in a storm, tossed aside by the tangible force of Luffy's Conqueror's Haki.

Many Marines staggered and collapsed to the ground, their eyes rolling back.

This was Luffy's evolved Conqueror's Haki, now at the pinnacle of the sea, rivaling that of even Shanks.

"Hey, is that the Straw Hat kid? His Haki is incredible. Only Vice Admirals seem able to withstand it," Doflamingo remarked, masking his surprise with a chuckle.

But before he could finish speaking, he witnessed Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had been advancing towards him, kneel on one knee.

Luffy's Conqueror's Haki was far beyond his own.

Doflamingo had heard about the Straw Hat from Bellamy, but this... was unexpected.

This overwhelming Conqueror's Haki was akin to that of an emperor ruling over the world.

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