"This is the war between the Whitebeard Pirates and Marine Headquarters!" From a lookout tower in the military town, Rosen and eight other officers—nine in total—landed near Marine Headquarters.
They were still over half an island away from the battlefield, but from the tower, they could see everything happening. At the same time, they remained cautious to avoid revealing their presence.
If Rosen remembered correctly, Blackbeard's group must have landed on Marine Headquarters from the side or rear. The front was the battle zone, and a frontal approach would have surely been detected.
Watching the clash between Whitebeard and Marine Headquarters, even Enel's expression changed; fear crept into his eyes.
The battlefield was packed with powerhouses. Even ordinary Marines and pirates were extraordinarily strong, comparable to Rosen's former elite fifty, excluding the Shichibukai. But here, there were tens of thousands.
If Enel was shaken, it was even more so for Ulti and Daz Bones. Even from this distance, the cruel, frenzied aura of war was palpable; everyone was bloodthirsty.
Blood sprayed across the icy plains, corpses littered the ground, and battle cries were audible even here, weighing heavily on every observer's mind.
The only ones relatively calm were Hathaway and Rosen.
A sudden shockwave boomed. Rosen's dual Haki-imbued palms blocked it, but the vibration radiated outward, shattering nearby buildings.
"Residual power of Whitebeard?" Rosen frowned, scanning the battlefield, where lava meteors now rained down.
Akainu had launched a probing attack, escalating the fight.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku observed from a high vantage point. The World Government had decided to broadcast the execution live, mobilizing forces far superior to Whitebeard's. Their goal: eradicate the Yonko and assert the government's authority. They believed the amassed forces at Marine Headquarters could achieve this.
And they had Ace as leverage. Yet despite careful planning, they could not guarantee victory—Whitebeard was unpredictable.
Whitebeard himself had prepared for the worst: death in battle. But he was unafraid; he had long desired this moment, especially after rescuing Ace. Having lived long, he had no interest in longevity or becoming Pirate King. He only wished to live with his family, and in that, he was fulfilled. If death came, he preferred it on the battlefield.
On his ship, Whitebeard watched the war without flinching. His gaze remained on Ace; he fully understood the Marines' true target was him. Ace's public execution was merely bait, yet he remained fearless.
Facing him was Admiral Akainu, his arm transformed into molten lava. He fixed his eyes on the world's strongest man, never letting his guard down.
Had Whitebeard not aged, even with Ace as leverage, Marine Headquarters might not have dared provoke such a war. Whitebeard had ruled the seas for decades; admirals changed, yet he endured. Now, the World Government deemed the time ripe, needing a decisive victory and holding a key card—hence this war.
"Dog Bite: Red Lava!" Akainu's molten fist formed a dog-shaped strike, cutting through the air toward Whitebeard.
"You reckless brat, spilling lava everywhere," Whitebeard said flatly. He thrust his bisento forward slightly; his quake powers shattered the air, dispersing Akainu's attack.
Akainu's body split in two from the shock but quickly healed. Nearby Marines were sent flying by the residual force, hundreds at least, while Whitebeard's crew, familiar with his ability, clung to the fractured ice plains.
"Attack!" Both sides continued to pour troops into the fray. Marines arrived as reinforcements in the bay but fell continuously.
Whitebeard's dozens of pirate ships from outside the bay exchanged fire with Marine vessels, attempting to deliver more troops to support him.
The seas were chaos—ships clashed, close combat erupted, blood and corpses fell into the ocean, and vessels caught fire. It was an unprecedented naval battle.
Still, countless pirates landed on the ice plains, advancing in predictable waves. The hundred or so ships engaged simultaneously; no side could fully defend, and the conflict spanned a massive area.
"Destroy the Marines!"
"Kill all pirates!"
The deafening cries drove both sides to madness, killing indiscriminately, blood flowing like rivers.
Sengoku, monitoring via Den Den Mushi, ensured the deployment of all forces—the fortified bay, the Pacifista led by the Science Unit, and other strong troops were in place.
Yet Sengoku remained uneasy. The World Government had made additional arrangements due to the potential involvement of Revolutionary Army's second-in-command, Sabo.
"The three intelligence agencies, including CP0, are on standby in offshore waters, with Fleet Admiral Kong personally commanding. Should the situation escalate beyond expectations, even risking the possibility of Yonko cooperation, Kong will intervene," the Five Elders' words weighed heavily on Sengoku.
He understood: the appearance of the Revolutionary Army introduced uncertainty. If they joined, the war could spiral into a global conflict—something neither side wanted.
Though the World Government had the Admirals, fleets, and CP0, they dared not deploy all forces. Numerous threats existed beyond Whitebeard—the other Yonko, the Revolutionary Army—requiring careful containment. Any misstep could render Marine Headquarters' meticulous preparations meaningless.
Had Whitebeard been the sole concern, Kong might have acted immediately. He did not, as this war was not yet world-altering.
However, Marine Headquarters' defeat would significantly impact the world and the government. Their other forces' role was to restrain additional threats, delaying them from reaching Marine Headquarters at all costs.
This explains why Red-Haired Shanks' appearance had once startled Marine Headquarters; an additional Yonko joining Whitebeard could have rewritten the outcome.
(End of Chapter)
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