From the very beginning, Dragon hadn't intended to annihilate the entire Immortal Pirates in this war; he merely wanted to weaken their power.
Whether Viola's words were true or false, even if, hypothetically, Alucard had truly returned, given his personality, the one who massacred the Twelve Kingdoms, he would absolutely not spare those who betrayed him. It would be an absolute massacre. At that point, the overall fighting strength of the Immortal Pirates would be severely damaged.
Meanwhile, Lucky Roux and his group, currently flying Whitebeard's flag, had openly meddled in the Immortal Pirates' internal strife. If they fled, Alucard would certainly pursue them, and Whitebeard would inevitably go to war with Alucard to protect his so-called "sons." If Alucard killed them outright, Whitebeard would have even more reason to wage war. Comparing the power difference between the two, Whitebeard was certain to win, and Alucard was certain to lose.
This grand strategy, calculated down to the last detail, was Dragon's full plan.
Hearing the commotion of Alucard's imminent return, regardless of the outcome of this internal conflict, the chess piece could move to the next step. Dragon didn't hesitate to secretly order his subordinates to retreat.
"Tch, if that idiot Wolf were here, we could clear out most of the enemies in a few swift moves," Urdaha complained mid-battle. Although he always held a disdainful attitude toward Wolf's intelligence, he couldn't deny the crucial role he played in large-scale combat.
Unnoticed by everyone, the handful of Revolutionary Army agents mixed into the fighting had already begun their secret retreat.
Three hours had passed since the fighting began.
Even though they knew Alucard was on his way back, Viola, just to be safe, instructed Shirahoshi to stop controlling the Sea Kings before her energy was completely exhausted.
The loss of the Poseidon Unit allowed the rebel faction to breathe a temporary sigh of relief, but the unfavorable situation had not been completely reversed. Viola's earlier announcement had been a significant factor. Alucard would return within five hours. The closer the time drew, the greater the fear in their hearts.
People filled with fear do not fight well. The tide of defeat was already turning.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out. The battle between Beckman and Ivalis continued.
Beckman's shot severed a portion of the left side of Ivalis's long hair, making his center-parted hair ridiculously uneven—one side long, the other short. But no one was laughing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Beckman fired several shots in rapid succession. Ivalis twisted his body, spinning in mid-air, dodging Beckman's shots with the absolute minimal movement and arc possible.
Swoosh!
Beckman instantly charged toward Ivalis. His rifle barrel, coated in pure black Armament Haki, attacked Ivalis's waist with a motion resembling a sword slash.
Seeing this, Ivalis quickly shifted the saber in his right hand to his left. He had no time to coat it with Armament Haki, so he had to rely on his sheer strength and the sword itself to block Beckman's strike.
Crk... Crackle...
The collision generated a bone-jarring sound that was painful to hear. The standoff lasted only about two seconds, but to both men, it felt like an eternity.
Finally, Beckman's face hardened. He pressed down, slamming Ivalis's body from mid-air to the deck below, causing the battleship beneath their feet to shudder.
Crash!
Ivalis crashed through the deck and the layers of wooden planks inside the ship. He was just short of being driven completely through the battleship and sinking into the sea, perhaps Beckman had deliberately held back a little, or perhaps Ivalis was simply lucky.
The left side of his sunglasses was completely shattered, exposing his eye beneath, and the right side was covered in cracks. Ivalis coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining his neck. Trapped in the ship's wreckage in a large, spread-eagled position, he looked up at Beckman. "Bastard... Did I lose after all?"
"I was also very close to losing." Beckman replied.
"Tch, don't lie."
Ivalis sneered. "I have my own path. Once I pledge allegiance to someone, I dedicate myself to serving them completely. Shanks died a pointless death for Luffy."
"..." Beckman had no response.
"Well, give me the final blow," Ivalis said, letting go of his saber. He was no longer able to fight.
For over ten seconds, Beckman showed no intention of striking. Ivalis narrowed his eyes and said again, "Are you showing mercy to your enemy? Don't make me look down on you."
Beckman's expression was conflicted. He managed to raise his pistol slightly, but then Lucky Roux's voice suddenly blared out. "Everyone, retreat! Hurry! Now!"
Beckman quickly lowered his gun, his expression now one of natural purpose. "The order to retreat has been given. I won't waste time killing you."
"Hahaha!"
Ivalis, whose expression had been mostly placid throughout the conflict, let out two loud laughs, shaking his head. "That's not a pirate... Not a pirate at all."
Lucky Roux realized that continuing the fight was impossible. This operation had already delivered an unforgettable blow to the Immortal Pirates. Regardless of whether the news of Alucard's return was true or false, it was time to retreat.
Many surviving rebels also prepared to withdraw with Lucky Roux's group. Under these circumstances, staying with the Immortal Pirates was no longer an option for them.
"Pursue them! Pursue them! You must kill them!"
Stragus swung his sword and shouted, grinding his teeth in frustration. They think they can just run after causing all that trouble? Not a chance!
Meanwhile, Viola, who had already retreated with Shirahoshi from the forest to the Kuja Royal Palace, tracked Alucard's location with her Glare-Glare Fruit, murmuring to herself, "Too late."
Swoosh!
A shadowy streak shot across the sea, raising waves on both sides, looking like a pair of butterfly wings from a distance.
"What is that?"
Yasopp, who had the best eyesight among everyone, stood at the ship's rail. Because the object was moving too fast, he couldn't see exactly what it was, only that it was rapidly approaching them.
Five seconds later, the object shot from the horizon to a point extremely close to their ship. Yasopp panicked, urgently shouting, "Turn the ship! That thing is trying to ram us!"
"The harbinger of madness has arrived. That woman wasn't lying." Ivalis remained sprawled in the ship's wreckage. Even without seeing it, he could sense it.
Swoosh!
Boom!!!
Everyone could only see a black shadow ramming the ship bearing Whitebeard's mark. The intense friction generated heat, and the massive ship instantly burst into flames. Countless pirates of the 17th Division were killed or thrown overboard.
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