"All Marine units, cease all attacks immediately! I repeat, cease all attacks immediately! Hold position and await orders!"
"The World Government has reached a temporary ceasefire agreement with the King of Lulusia, Ronan! Effective immediately!"
"Any who disobey will be treated as rebels!"
The order exploded in the minds of every Marine officer who heard it.
At the same time, Ronan signaled Alicia to tell everyone to stop fighting the Marines.
Kuzan—who had been about to gather power for another "Ice Age"—froze mid-motion. The surging cold around him, as if grabbed by an invisible hand, dispersed in an instant.
For the first time, the calm on his face cracked into clear shock. His brows knit tightly as he looked at Beth, who had also stopped on the opposite side, his eyes filled with disbelief and deep confusion.
A ceasefire? Now? With Ronan—the man who had just killed Celestial Dragons and torn the World Government open?
Kuzan couldn't understand what had happened in between, but when his gaze shifted into the distance and he saw Ronan standing together with the Gorosei, he understood: the two sides had definitely struck some kind of deal.
Sengoku, still in his golden Great Buddha form, looked as if he'd been struck by lightning. That massive Buddha body jolted hard—he almost couldn't believe his ears.
A ceasefire agreement?! With Ronan?!
What kind of joke was this?!
Marineford had deployed two Admirals, dozens of elite Vice Admirals, and over ten thousand elite soldiers—suffering horrific casualties—just to carry out the World Government's orders. And now, with the battle at its most intense, the Gorosei were skipping over him, the Fleet Admiral, and unilaterally declaring a ceasefire?!
Then what were the dead soldiers?
What was all that blood?
What was the Marine fighting and dying here even for?!
A suffocating mix of humiliation and absurdity detonated in Sengoku's chest. He almost wanted to roar at the distant Gorosei and demand answers, but reason forced him to crush the anger back down. On that enormous Buddha face, the muscles twisted—packed with extreme pain and unwillingness.
Across the battlefield, the killing sounds also stalled for a brief moment under the sudden order. Marines stopped in a daze, looking to their commanders. The Germa soldiers of Lulusia also stopped under Gasparde and Kuro's orders, holding a tense defensive posture.
Kuzan slowly let the cold around him fade. He glanced at Beth, then at the huge Buddha figure in the distance. In the end, he let out a deep sigh, raised a hand, and signaled he wouldn't make another move.
Seeing that, Beth also lowered her greatsword, though she didn't relax her guard.
Enel clicked his tongue. His Thunder God form returned to a normal human shape as he looked at Topman, muttering with clear annoyance, "What is this? I was just getting into it!"
Topman also returned to human form. Even though he was confused as well, this was a decision made by the other Gorosei—he wasn't going to oppose it.
Sengoku's massive Buddha body gradually shrank, returning to human form. He dropped from the floating island back to the ground, his face ashen as he looked at the grievous Marine casualties—especially those young faces lying in pools of blood. A piercing pain nearly stole his breath.
He snatched up his Den Den Mushi and, gritting his teeth, growled into it, "Why?! Give me a reason!!"
After a brief silence, Saturn-sei's icy voice came through, as if stating something that had nothing to do with him:
"This is the highest decision, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Execute the order. From this moment on, all Marine forces are to cease conflict with Lulusia and return to headquarters to await further instructions."
No explanation. No reason. Only an unquestionable command.
Ronan watched Saturn-sei issue that order to Sengoku and couldn't help letting out a quiet laugh. To the World Government, the Marines truly had no voice at all.
Sengoku clenched the Den Den Mushi so hard the veins on the back of his hand bulged—yet in the end, he still loosened his grip in defeat. He knew there would be no answer even if he asked again. Before the absolute authority of the World Government, he, the Fleet Admiral, was no different from an ordinary soldier—just a piece on the board.
He raised his head, unable to understand what the Gorosei were afraid of. If they continued, the Marines' advantage would only grow more obvious. Even without Kizaru taking part this time, the enemy's top-tier strength had already been exposed—and it was limited. Dragging it out would only benefit the Marines more and more.
He couldn't understand it, but the order had to be carried out.
"Pass the word…" Sengoku's voice was heavy with endless exhaustion. "All forces, withdraw."
With the order given, the surviving Marines silently began gathering their comrades' bodies, supporting the wounded, and retreating toward the harbor with grief, rage, and humiliation choking their throats. They arrived in force—yet left in wreckage and silence.
Meanwhile, at the Sabaody Archipelago—
Kuma and Ivankov, who had been entangled with Kizaru, also stopped after Dragon signaled them.
Kizaru watched and showed a look of understanding. "So your other mission's already finished, and you don't need to keep holding this old man down anymore?"
Dragon didn't answer directly. Instead, he pointed in one direction. "The Celestial Dragons are tied up over there!" Then he left with Kuma and Ivankov, not caring about Kizaru's reaction in the slightest.
Kizaru didn't stop them. After all, he was alone—what was he going to use to stop them? Besides, they'd told him where the Celestial Dragons were.
Still, Kizaru was curious. What was all this for? Keeping him pinned here—what happened elsewhere?
He didn't hesitate any longer. He immediately took out his Den Den Mushi and placed a call.
On the other side, as Sengoku listened to the Den Den Mushi call coming from Kizaru, the knot of confusion in his heart finally loosened. He hadn't expected the Lulusia Kingdom to have linked up with the Revolutionary Army.
But even if he reported this now, it wouldn't change the Gorosei's decision. Sengoku felt a deep, crushing powerlessness.
"Don't overthink it, Sengoku," Tsuru said quietly beside him, trying to comfort him. "The World Government has its own ideas. Our duty is to capture pirates and maintain peace at sea. Besides, Lulusia hasn't done anything that harms the Marines. And at the start, didn't you also think highly of that young king?"
Sengoku rubbed his forehead, helpless. "This old man understands. But I'm sick of the World Government playing with the Marines like this!"
"And what can you do?" Tsuru replied. "If you'd refused promotions like Garp back then, you wouldn't be dealing with these problems now!"
(End of Chapter)
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