At this moment, inside the massive triangular whirlpool, the Straw Hat Pirates' sheep-headed ship, the Going Merry, sped forward.
The crew had been lurking near Enies Lobby, waiting for an update from Sabo. However, because of the enormous whirlpool and the Gate of Justice, the signals from the Den Den Mushi couldn't get through.
"I still can't get in touch with Sabo!"
Fortunately, Ikki had anticipated this problem. He had already prepared a specialized broadcast Den Den Mushi and successfully connected to the live feed from Marineford. Live broadcast Den Den Mushi operate on a unique wavelength, making them easier to connect with.
Luffy couldn't sit still when he saw Ace being led to the execution platform. This meant that Sabo's mission had failed, and Sengoku had captured Ace at Impel Down.
Ikki didn't hesitate. He used his power to create a row of black spears that lifted the Merry into the air, allowing them to fly right over the Gate of Justice.
Everyone had seen the massive Gate of Justice before and were completely shocked by its size, but now they were getting used to it. Meanwhile, Trafalgar Law's submarine and the sea cow, Moo~Moo, were advancing from the depths of the sea.
On the deck of the Merry, the crew continued to watch the live broadcast from Marineford.
"Luffy, you already knew?" Usopp asked as the screen showed Fleet Admiral Sengoku's shocking revelation.
"You mean about Ace being the son of the Pirate King?" Luffy replied with a grin. "Oh, I've known that since we were kids."
This news made the crew's expressions even more complicated. Luffy and the son of the Pirate King were sworn brothers, yet Luffy had always declared he would become the Pirate King. It was almost like a friendly rivalry. Now, it was clear why the Marines were going to publicly execute Ace.
Sengoku's voice continued to boom through the Den Den Mushi.
"Two years ago, you formed the Spade Pirates under your mother's name, and you quickly rose through the ranks. At that time, we confirmed that Roger's bloodline had not been completely extinguished. Whitebeard, who also became aware of this, brought his former rival's son onto his ship with the intention of training you to become the new Pirate King!"
"No! I'm here to make Dad the Pirate King!" Ace shouted back.
"That's just what you wish for," Sengoku countered. "The truth is, we haven't been able to touch you because Whitebeard has been protecting you!"
Ace couldn't find a way to argue against that.
"If we let you continue, one day you will reach the same heights as your biological father, Roger, and cause another major upheaval in the world. That is why we must publicly execute you today, even if it means a full-scale war with the Whitebeard Pirates. We will not hesitate!"
As soon as Sengoku finished his speech, the entire Marineford plaza erupted in cheers. The Marines' morale soared, reaching its absolute peak. The Seven Warlords of the Sea stood with varied expressions, each lost in their own thoughts.
Sengoku fell silent, and a heavy, suffocating silence descended over Marineford as everyone waited for the Whitebeard Pirates to arrive.
Suddenly, a Marine soldier shouted, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku! The Gate of Justice has opened for unknown reasons! We can't contact the power room!"
"What did you say?!" Sengoku's expression instantly soured.
At the same time, the lookouts reported seeing a large number of pirate ships on the distant horizon, and the alarm bells rang out. The air grew tense with a silent, impending sense of danger, and many of the Marines began to panic.
"Where did they come from?" Sengoku frowned.
"Marines, what are you panicking about?! You're all useless!" Vice Admiral Tsuru scolded them.
The lookouts quickly identified the new arrivals and reported, "The 'Ranger' Doma, 'Brother' Decalvan, 'Lightning' Mc Guy, and many other famous pirates from the New World have appeared!"
"Where's Whitebeard's ship? Didn't you see it?" a Marine officer asked urgently.
"No! We haven't spotted the Moby Dick yet," the lookout replied, shaking his head.
Without Whitebeard? How could that be? The Marine generals who heard the news began to feel a faint sense of dread.
Suddenly, the water in the bay closest to the plaza began to ripple, and large splashes of water shot up. Sengoku and the others immediately realized what was happening.
"Could it be?!" Sengoku's face went completely pale.
"It looks like they came from an unexpected place," Garp said with a serious expression.
"Damn it! They broke our formation!" Vice Admiral Tsuru clicked her tongue in frustration.
No one had expected Whitebeard to attack from the bottom of the sea, appearing right in the middle of the bay, incredibly close to the execution platform. Soon, the familiar giant whale ship, the Moby Dick, burst out of the water.
The protective coating on the ship immediately dissolved, and a massive wave of seawater splashed the nearest Marines and Warlords. Right after, three smaller whale ships also surged to the surface.
The arrival of just four ships was enough to completely crush the morale of the Marines.
Sengoku gritted his teeth and looked at the largest white whale ship. Marco, Jozu, Vista, and many other division commanders stood on the deck, all waiting for their captain to appear.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
The sound of footsteps echoed like a heartbeat across the plaza as a tall, imposing old man with a crescent-shaped white mustache walked to the bow. It was Whitebeard himself.
"Gurararara! Sengoku, long time no see. How is my beloved son?"
Whitebeard locked his gaze on Ace, and while he was relieved to see him, a cold light flashed in his eyes. Ace looked a bit beat up, and Whitebeard knew the Marines were responsible.
This account would have to be settled!
"Whitebeard!" Sengoku snarled.
"Dad!" Ace cried out, tears welling up in his eyes. He blamed himself for the situation. If only he hadn't stubbornly gone after Blackbeard, none of this would be happening.
"Ace! Just wait! We're here to save you now!"
Whitebeard plunged his spear, Murakumogiri, into the bow of the ship, crossed his arms in front of his chest to gather strength, and then suddenly swung them to the sides. With a sharp ping, the space on both sides of him shattered like a mirror.
"What's happening? The air just broke!"
The Marines were paralyzed with terror. The immense shockwave from the fractured space created a massive tsunami in the calm bay and caused the entire Marineford island to shake violently as if it was about to sink.
"An earthquake?!"
"Is this the power of Whitebeard?!"
"He's too terrifying! He's truly the strongest man in the world!"
Not only the people at Marineford, but everyone watching the live broadcast around the world was completely stunned. On the Merry, the Straw Hat Pirates stared in disbelief. They had seen the immense power of Luffy, Ikki, Kizaru, Akainu, Aokiji, Kaido, and Big Mom, but the ability to create a tsunami with a single punch was beyond anything they could have imagined.
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