"He's the world's strongest man, Whitebeard?!" Zoro's hand trembled on his sword hilt.
"And that's one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Slashes, Murakumogiri!" Tashigi's focus was elsewhere.
"He created a seaquake just by swinging his weapon. It's a natural disaster. No wonder they call him the strongest man in the world. Who could possibly stand against him?" Sanji couldn't even light his cigarette properly.
Usopp, Chopper, Xiao 3, Jango, and Franky all looked on in awe. Nami, Robin, and Marie silently said a prayer for the Marines. Facing such a terrifying opponent, even if the Marines somehow won, their losses would be immense—an absolute trauma for the entire organization.
"This is it, the strongest man in the world. This is a real fight," Luffy said, his eyes burning with excitement.
Carl couldn't help but roll his eyes at Luffy's enthusiasm. Fighting spirit was a good thing, but there was a time and a place for it. Right now, the top priority was saving Ace. Besides, Whitebeard, even at his age, was ridiculously powerful. If Luffy just rushed in, he'd be instantly crushed.
Carl observed the sea, relieved to see the tsunami hadn't reached them. The Going Merry hadn't yet passed the Gate of Justice, which served as a natural barrier. But they couldn't just sail into the bay.
The sea route was too dangerous, as it was directly affected by Whitebeard's powers. Plus, the bay was filled with Whitebeard's allied fleets and Marine warships. Breaking through that would be a huge hassle. Carl decided the best approach was to fly directly over them.
But first, there was something else they had to do.
"Luffy, everyone, change into some new clothes," Carl said, pulling a pile of fresh outfits out of a compartment.
"Change clothes? Why?" Everyone looked confused.
"Why do you think? We're about to go save Ace, and the whole world is watching. We're the Straw Hat Pirates, and now we're one of the Five Emperors. We have to make a statement and look the part. The better we look, the more we can intimidate the Marines and lower their morale, which will make our job easier."
Carl patiently explained, only to realize no one was listening. They were already too busy picking out their new clothes.
A short while later, the Straw Hat Pirates were all dressed in new outfits, and their whole presence changed instantly. Clothes really did make a difference. A bunch of street thugs could suddenly look like a professional mob just by wearing black suits and sunglasses.
Luffy stood on the Going Merry's figurehead, wearing a long coat and his arms crossed. The sea breeze caught his coat, making him look dignified and powerful. Everyone else was striking what they thought were their most heroic poses, with their weapons prominently displayed. The entire crew looked much more menacing than before.
"Alright! Let's show the world what we've got! Ace, I'm coming to save you!" Luffy declared.
Carl immediately took control of the ship, using his black gun to lift the Going Merry into the air. He steered it past the second Gate of Justice and flew directly toward Marineford.
On the other side, at Marineford, the seaquake had finally settled down after the waves were pushed back. Many Marines noticed the water level had dropped significantly and felt a sense of dread. Whitebeard and his captains waited in silence, as if the first attack was just a warning shot. The move was intense, but it seemed to have caused zero damage.
However, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and the other veteran Marines knew better than to underestimate him.
At that moment, Ace suddenly cried out, "Dad! Why did you come here?! This is my fault! I was selfish and didn't listen to you! Why would you still come to save me?!"
"No, I told you to go," Whitebeard said firmly.
"But that's impossible! I decided on my own to go after Blackbeard..."
"I said, I let you go! Teach killed his own companion. That's a crime that can't be forgiven! I told you to go after him! Isn't that right, Marco?"
"Yep, that's what I heard," Marco said cooperatively.
"Ace! Just wait! We're coming to rescue you!" the other division commanders shouted in unison.
This only made Ace feel even more ashamed. His guilt was at an all-time high, and he was filled with regret. If only he had listened to his father then, maybe none of this would be happening now. A battle against the Marines would result in heavy casualties. How could he face his brothers who were fighting and dying for him?
Suddenly, the sea began to tremble again. The waves that had been pushed back now rushed toward the shore, crashing against the Marineford coastline and making the entire island shake.
"What's happening?! Where did all this water come from?!" a Marine shouted.
"Oh no! A tsunami is about to hit!" another one yelled.
"Damn it! Was that caused by Whitebeard's attack just now?!"
The Marines in the bay panicked, their faces filled with terror and confusion.
Garp's expression was grim. "Never underestimate this man. He can create a seaquake at will. That's the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, wielded by the man known as the strongest in the world, Whitebeard, Edward Newgate!"
Sengoku added in a serious tone, "Don't think that having more people gives us a chance to win. We might very well lose in the end!"
The waves on both sides grew higher and higher. Within moments, two gigantic tsunamis, hundreds of meters tall, rose up and towered over Marineford, almost blocking out the sky. The Marines in the plaza were completely shrouded in the tsunamis' shadows, filled with a suffocating terror.
Just then, Admiral Aokiji launched himself from his seat and shot a barrage of ice spears at the tsunamis. The spears froze the water on contact, instantly turning the two massive waves into two towering glaciers.
"Ice Age!" he called out.
Seeing Aokiji's feat, almost every Marine's jaw dropped.
"You've gotten cocky, Aokiji!" Whitebeard yelled, sounding annoyed.
"Two Thorn Spears!"
Aokiji changed his attack in mid-air, creating two ice spears that he shot directly at Whitebeard. Whitebeard simply raised his hand and punched forward, shattering the spears and sending a shockwave directly at Aokiji. Cracks instantly appeared all over Aokiji's icy body.
"Ah, what a pain," Aokiji sighed before falling straight into the sea below.
The moment he hit the water, he turned into an ice sculpture. The freezing power spread out, covering the entire bay in an instant. The four Whitebeard Pirate ships were suddenly stuck fast in the thick ice. The entire exchange between Whitebeard and Aokiji only took a few seconds, leaving everyone else stunned.
But Aokiji's actions quickly rallied the Marines. Their morale soared as they let out a unified roar. Cannons from all sides of the fortress began to fire relentlessly at the four ships trapped in the ice.
Not to be outdone, the Whitebeard Pirates leaped off their ships and charged toward the plaza. The Marines rushed to meet them. The two sides collided, and a bloody battle erupted. The sounds of war cries and screams echoed throughout Marineford as both sides fought with a frenzied desperation.
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