Lancelot quietly tucked the Devil Fruit into his robe, his movements natural, fluid, and discreet, arousing no suspicion from anyone.
Just like that, he successfully concealed his true intentions and claimed the precious Devil Fruit for himself.
Immediately, his gaze returned to Whitebeard, and in an instant, his eyes locked onto the man as if drawn by a magnet.
Because, at this moment, Whitebeard appeared exceptionally disheveled.
A horrifying, gaping hole had appeared in his chest, from which blood gushed like a spring, staining his white clothes crimson.
With a dull, wet sound, Whitebeard suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood. The scarlet liquid splattered in the air like a blooming, eerie flower.
Whitebeard's body trembled slightly, his face pale as paper, beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
Yet he didn't fall.
Instead, he gritted his teeth against the excruciating pain and slowly raised the massive blade in his trembling hand.
The weapon seemed heavy in his grip, but he clenched his jaw and drove it forcefully into the ice.
A thunderous crash echoed as the ice shattered under the immense force, forming a deep fissure.
The hilt of the blade sank directly into the frozen layer, as if merging with the icy landscape.
After completing this action, Whitebeard slowly lifted his head.
His gaze swept past Akainu and settled on the distant execution platform.
There, Ace was bound, his body similarly battered and bruised. Clearly, he too had endured a life-and-death struggle.
Whitebeard's eyes held a complex mix of emotions—concern for Ace, and helpless frustration at his own inability to intervene.
Finally, his gaze shifted slowly toward Sengoku.
Sengoku stood not far away, his expression equally grave and resolute.
Whitebeard stared at Sengoku as if engaging in a silent conversation.
At that moment, the corners of Whitebeard's mouth suddenly lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile.
There was no trace of pain or sorrow in that smile, instead, it conveyed a sense of release and detachment.
He took a deep breath, as if drawing all his regrets and unwillingness into his core.
Then, he opened his mouth and loudly shouted.
"Just like those who inherited Roger's will, one day, those who inherit Ace's will will streak across this night sky like meteors. Even if the bonds of blood are severed, the fire in their hearts will never be extinguished.
"This flame is like a torch passed down from the distant past, handed down from generation to generation."
His words rang out like a prophecy, leaving those who heard them deeply shaken.
"And one day in the future, someone will shoulder the weight of centuries of history, as if bearing the burden of the entire world, and challenge this world! Sengoku, the great war that your World Government has long feared—the war that will engulf the entire world—will one day erupt like a volcanic eruption!"
His voice carried an unshakable determination and conviction.
"Though I have little interest in that war myself, when the legendary treasure is discovered, this world will reach its zenith! One day, that treasure will be found. That day will surely come!"
"ONE PIECE IS REAL!"
His voice thundered like lightning, exploding through the space as if to awaken the entire world.
"Damn it!"
Sengoku's face was filled with rage, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He never imagined that Whitebeard would utter such words on the brink of death.
That statement struck Sengoku's heart like a heavy hammer, instantly plunging his mood into the depths.
The elation of victory just moments ago vanished completely.
For Sengoku knew all too well the extent of Whitebeard's influence.
These words undoubtedly diminished at least half of the victory they'd achieved today.
Originally intending to curb the expansion of pirate forces through this war, he never expected Whitebeard's final words to act like a lit fuse, igniting a new wave of piracy across the seas.
At the thought of what might unfold next, Sengoku could no longer remain composed.
Frantically, he roared to the side, "Cut the broadcast! Cut it now!"
However, it was already too late.
Whitebeard's final testament swept across the world like a gale.
Lancelot stood in the distance, witnessing the scene, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curling upward.
He sighed inwardly, "Whitebeard, Whitebeard, even in death, you remain so extraordinary."
In Lancelot's eyes, Whitebeard's words were undoubtedly the most powerful counterattack he could deliver to Sengoku, and even the entire World Government, before his death.
Moreover, the force of this counterattack was beyond imagination, leaving even Sengoku and the World Government helpless against it.
Whitebeard used the prestige of his entire life as a foundation.
Then, with Roger's final words as the ultimate goal, he stirred up a storm of unprecedented scale across the world.
This storm couldn't be quelled.
Just like the immense wave triggered by Roger years ago, its ripples still lingered to this day.
One significant reason why so many powerful figures had emerged in the New World, enough to sustain four Emperor-level pirate crews, was precisely the wave set off by Roger.
Not only that, but figures like Ochoku, along with many other great pirates who never appeared in the original story, saw a substantial portion of their active forces surge into the New World from the Four Seas and the Grand Line in the wake of Roger's wave.
They became the lifeblood of various pirate crews. Today, the New World had almost become a Holy Land in the hearts of all pirates.
Only by successfully entering the New World could they possibly touch the legendary One Piece.
For pirates outside the New World, this place was both their final destination and a new beginning.
Just moments ago, those pirates who had been trembling in fear of Lancelot, Kizaru, Akainu, Aokiji, and the Marine officers, upon hearing Whitebeard's words, seemed ignited by a powerful force, flames burning in their hearts.
"One Piece!"
This word echoed in the pirates' ears like heavenly music.
Pirate King Roger once said that all the wealth of his life was hidden in that place. Now, Whitebeard himself had personally confirmed the existence of One Piece.
Did this mean that ordinary pirates like them also had the chance to pursue that legendary treasure?
Not only pirates, but even those who were previously uninterested in becoming pirates couldn't help but feel tempted at this moment.
After all, wealth stirs the heart!
The lifetime fortune of Pirate King Roger was a vast sum, enough to instantly awaken the greed buried deep within people's hearts.
At this moment, everyone's eyes grew bright, shimmering with desire and longing for wealth.
However, in the next instant after Whitebeard finished speaking, his body suddenly ceased all movement, without even the slightest rise and fall of his chest.
Yet, surprisingly, despite showing no signs of life, Whitebeard remained standing firmly in place.
His eyes were still open, and his face retained that resolute, world-defying expression, as if his soul still lingered in this world.
In fact, most people didn't even notice his death at first.
However, Akainu, who was closest to Whitebeard, and Lancelot, who had been keeping a close watch on him, had already detected this anomaly with their keen insight.
"Soru!"
In an instant, Lancelot's figure vanished from the spot like lightning.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared before Whitebeard like a ghost.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit, Whitebeard's Devil Fruit, was a treasure Lancelot had long coveted.
Naturally, he wouldn't miss this perfect opportunity. So, the moment Whitebeard died, he rushed over.
Upon reaching Whitebeard's side, Lancelot discreetly concealed a fruit in his palm.
Then, as if casually checking for a heartbeat, he lightly placed his hand on Whitebeard's chest.
In reality, he was secretly smearing the fruit with the blood from Whitebeard's heart.
The entire process was flawlessly executed by Lancelot, arousing no suspicion.
Finally, he withdrew his hand inconspicuously, tightly clutching the fruit in his palm, leaving no trace of anything unusual.
At that very moment, Lancelot turned to look at Akainu, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
He said softly, "Congratulations!"
Upon hearing this, Akainu grasped the deeper meaning behind Lancelot's words.
Though severely injured, the corners of his typically stern mouth twitched, as if trying to suppress some inner emotion.
"Likewise!" Akainu replied, his voice low but carrying an undercurrent of emotion.
Then, the two exchanged a glance, understanding exactly what the other was congratulating them for.
However, they didn't engage in further conversation, silently shifting their gaze into the distance.
There, the members of the Whitebeard Pirates were fleeing at full speed, trying to escape this perilous battlefield.
Yet Lancelot and Akainu stood motionless, showing no intention of pursuit.
As for Akainu, the reason was simple.
On one hand, his injuries were severe at this moment, leaving him with no strength left to pursue the enemy; on the other hand, his goal of killing Whitebeard had already been achieved, and continuing to chase down the Whitebeard Pirates for further merit no longer held much importance to him.
However, what struck Akainu as strange was that Lancelot had also taken no action.
After all, given Lancelot's current achievements, he was fully qualified to claim the seat of an Admiral.
Moreover, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the position of Fleet Admiral would likely fall into Lancelot's hands after him.
After all, Lancelot's status and strength within the Navy weren't to be underestimated, and coupled with his background and connections, ascending to the position of Fleet Admiral wouldn't be difficult.
Yet Lancelot understood that to secure and hold such a position, relying solely on background and connections was far from enough—it also required sufficient merit to back it up.
Therefore, he had to seize every opportunity to accumulate achievements.
And right now, hunting down the Whitebeard Pirates was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity. If it were him, he certainly wouldn't miss such a rare chance.
As if able to read Akainu's thoughts, Lancelot curled the corner of his mouth slightly and said softly.
"Not only did I successfully eliminate Marco, but I also dealt a heavy blow to Jozu and even repelled Flower Sword. In this intense war, the results I've achieved are already remarkable. And you, by personally slaying Whitebeard, have drawn a perfect conclusion to this war."
"So, the remaining members are no longer that important to either of us. It'd be better to leave them for our other colleagues, giving them a chance to earn some merit as well. After all, in this war, both you and I have already taken the lion's share—it's only fair to leave some scraps for the others."