As long as these scum exist, countless people will continue to suffer, and the eradication of pirates cannot be delayed. No one can stand against the will and desire of the people of this world.
And he, too, would carry that will… and likely die somewhere along the way.
Isaac's fingers brushed against the bullet dent on the medal in his chest pocket, and a faint smile appeared on his face. Death no longer seemed so frightening. At least the medal his sister had given him, their father's medal, had already saved his life once.
Perhaps next time… he would not be so lucky.
Thud.
A figure dragged a corpse over and sat down beside him. "What's wrong? Thinking about home again?"
Isaac glanced at him. It was one of the men who had been reassigned to his unit not long ago.
"Yeah. How could I not? I just don't know if I'll make it back alive…"
If survival were possible, no one would choose death.
Isaac turned to look at him. "What about you? I don't think I've ever seen you call home."
The younger soldier grinned casually. "Me… I lost my home when I was six."
* * *
New World, Walkworth Island.
A reclaimed stronghold of the Steam Pirates.
At the harbor, pirates lay scattered in small groups, sprawled across the ground in a mess. The atmosphere was looser than on the Marine side, but only because they were using alcohol to suppress their fear.
These pirates, who once looted villages without hesitation, had finally sobered up and were now facing the true terror of war. It was not a battle. It was a meat grinder.
What determined survival was not courage, but luck. If you were lucky, the bodies ground up before you might jam the machine, and you would survive. If you were unlucky, you would be the first to be turned into pulp.
Gulp, gulp…
After chugging down several mouthfuls of liquor, one pirate smashed the jar onto the ground, trying to ease the fear and frustration inside him. Looking at the few companions left from the crew he had set sail with, he took a deep breath and lowered his voice.
"How about… we run?"
The others around the campfire froze, a flicker of hesitation appearing in their eyes. But when they thought of Knox's strict rules and overwhelming power, that hesitation turned into despair.
"Forget it. You know what happened to the last ones who tried."
The pirate clenched his fists, then suddenly stood up, his face twisted with emotion as he shouted, "But if this keeps going, we're all going to die! This is just sending us to our deaths! What kind of pirate life is this?! I don't want it anymore!!!"
Bang!
A crisp gunshot echoed across the shore.
The scene fell silent for a moment, then quickly returned to its noisy chaos. This kind of thing happened often. Those who broke under the pressure of war were executed without mercy.
They couldn't escape. They were never allowed to escape.
Knox's power, or rather, the power of the Four Emperors, was simply too vast. Small pirates like them could be crushed without effort. As long as the Emperors remained, they would never be free.
All they could do was charge forward again and again, fighting the Marines… until they died.
* * *
Deep within Walkworth Island.
Knox sat on a raised seat, dressed in a loose robe, reading through the intelligence report in his hand.
"The Marines near Whole Cake Island have split their forces?"
The intelligence officer reported, "Yes. This afternoon, the Marines near Whole Cake Island began large-scale troop movements. The exact situation is still unclear, but the most dangerous area is still our central region. If they cut through from the middle…"
Knox casually tossed the report aside. "No need to think about it. That bastard Sakazuki's goal is obviously to cut straight through. They've been stuck for too long and are looking for a breakthrough."
He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking, then opened them again. "Bring me a Den Den Mushi. For something like this, I should at least inform my old comrades."
The news of the Marines splitting their forces was an opportunity for both Big Mom and Kaido, who had been under relentless assault.
* * *
New World, Whole Cake Island.
Big Mom hung up the Den Den Mushi as she murmured, "So… they've split their forces…"
She summoned her subordinates. "Pass the order. Prepare for battle. Send people to confirm whether this information is true. And if it is… Mamamama~ just you wait, Marines!!!"
Crack!
Her Conqueror's Haki burst forth along with killing intent, causing the clouds above the island to tremble as thunder roared and lightning split the sky.
* * *
On a nearby island across the sea.
Inside a Marine base, Garp was eating donuts while dozing off.
Crunch, crunch…
"Hm? What's that brat up to now…"
He muttered, then instantly fell back asleep, a donut still in his hand and another half-chewed in his mouth.
Crunch, crunch…
He woke again briefly.
"What's with the Conqueror's Haki in the middle of the night…"
Meanwhile, far away in Wano, Kaido, as well as Shanks, who was preparing to strike at the Marine supply lines, both received the same news.
* * *
New World, New Marineford.
Fleet Admiral's Office.
Sakazuki stared at the sand table while Carlo stood beside him, deep in thought. "All the pirates in the New World are on the move now… Looks like we're nearing the endgame."
Sakazuki let out a faint chuckle. "Not bad. Everything is going according to plan. The low-level pirates have been mostly worn down. If the fighting continues, what gets consumed next will be their elites. No need to rush. We take it step by step…"
As he spoke, Sakazuki drew a black circle on the map, marking the region stretching from where Aramaki and Borsalino were preparing to cut through, all the way to the current Marine front lines.
Carlo couldn't help but click his tongue in disbelief.
It was too ruthless.
Every island within that black circle, when the time came, would be detonated by magma. The forces stationed there under Knox and Shanks, along with any civilians who refused to evacuate, would all be reduced to nothing, erased completely from the world.
Aside from the strongest individuals, this single move would incinerate nearly a hundred thousand pirates between the two factions, wiping the field clean in an instant.
Of course, the top fighters of the Red Hair Pirates and the Steam Pirates would survive.
But returning in time?
That would be impossible.
The remnants would then be hunted down by Aramaki and Borsalino, driven toward Whole Cake Island and Wano… where the final great battle would begin.
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