Garp gritted his teeth but said nothing.
His fists clenched with audible crackles.
But in the end, he did not act.
As time passed minute by minute, less than half an hour remained until the execution.
However, facing the Marine and the Seven Warlords enhanced by Domi Reversi, the combined forces of the Revolutionary Army and the Red Hair Pirates could not advance at all.
And seeing that Shamrock and the God's Knights still hadn't made their move, even with Belo Betty's Pump-Pump Fruit boosting their morale, many couldn't help feeling despair.
"There's no way we can win..." Haruno wiped the sweat from her face and smiled bitterly.
To be honest, she no longer cared about the outcome of this war.
After all, the mission from the Reincarnation Game was merely to 'participate in the Summit War', with no requirement to win.
Meaning, as long as she survived until the end of this war, she could return to the real world.
So, her current thought was just to hold out.
But having spent so many years in the Revolutionary Army, Haruno naturally hoped to accomplish something.
It was just that her obsession wasn't as strong as her sister's.
The problem was that less than half an hour remained until the execution, but they couldn't advance an inch. And the God's Knights still hadn't even made a move.
No matter how she looked at it, winning this war seemed impossible.
Yet just then, many Marine soldiers at the rear noticed something strange.
They looked at the distant horizon, their expressions changing drastically.
"There are ships coming this way!"
"More people are coming?!"
The Revolutionary Army and Red Hair Pirates forces turned to look.
Several large battleships were sailing toward them.
On the sails was an emblem… a broken Marine symbol with two swords crossed over it.
"That's..."
"The Neo Marine!"
"The Neo Marine founded by Zephyr-sensei!"
"Zephyr-sensei is here?!"
Countless Marine personnel's expressions changed drastically.
They really hadn't expected that their former teacher, Zephyr, would suddenly arrive.
They wondered what exactly did he want.
Zephyr's ship soon docked.
Yukino turned to look at Zephyr and asked, "Zephyr-san, this is..."
Zephyr stood at the bow, his gaze sweeping over the blood-soaked battlefield, the Revolutionary Army's soldiers fighting for their lives, his own students enhanced by Domi Reversi, and the young boy kneeling weakly on the execution platform.
"Though I find the significance of this war somewhat questionable," Zephyr's voice was low and firm, "if this war is lost, the Revolutionary Army will completely crash. I cannot stand by and let that happen."
Then, under Zephyr's command, the Neo Marine, led by Ain and Binz, began entering the fray.
"Charge—!"
The Neo Marine soldiers leaped from the ships and charged the Marine camp.
To be honest, neither Zephyr nor his Neo Marine were all that strong in terms of raw power.
However, Zephyr standing with the Revolutionary Army dealt a devastating blow to the Marine's morale.
"Zephyr-sensei... how could he..."
"Are we... supposed to fight Zephyr-sensei?"
Many of the Marine soldiers in the Domi Reversi state, whose bodies had been enhanced but who hadn't lost their rationality, hesitated slightly when facing Zephyr, Neo Marine, and their former comrades, including even Admirals like Akainu and Kizaru.
They couldn't bring themselves to strike.
And the Revolutionary Army seized the opportunity.
Smoker spotted an opening.
His Observation Haki caught a momentary gap.
'Now!'
Smoker rushed forward and used his Paw-Paw Fruit to strike Sabo on the back.
With a soft sound,
The Paw-Paw Fruit's flight ball enveloped Sabo, like a transparent bubble, speeding toward the execution platform.
"Luffy!" Sabo shouted.
"Sabo!" Luffy cried out involuntarily.
Sabo was getting closer and closer—
"Don't even think about getting past!"
Kizaru crossed his hands. Between his inverted fingers, dazzling light gathered, golden beams fusing in his palms, ready to use Yasakani no Magatama to knock Sabo down.
But just then—
"Don't get in the way either, Borsalino!"
Zephyr charged forward, his giant mechanical prosthesis, The Smasher, coated in Armament Haki, punching toward Kizaru.
The mechanical arm whistled through the air, black Armament Haki covering the metal surface, radiating a suffocating pressure.
Kizaru's expression changed. He quickly changed his approach, fusing the light sword [Ama no Murakumo] to block Zephyr's punch.
Clang—!
The light sword and mechanical arm collided, producing a screeching metallic sound.
Sparks flew, shockwaves spreading outward.
And just then, Sabo charged on.
He reached out his hand. He was less than ten meters from the execution platform.
Five meters.
Three meters.
One meter.
Sabo was about to succeed—
"Don't forget that I'm still here!"
Sengoku roared. His entire body erupted in brilliant golden light.
He instantly transformed into his Giant Buddha form, golden light illuminating the entire battlefield.
His body expanded several times over, like a true Buddha descending upon the world.
He suddenly thrust out a palm.
"Shockwave!"
A golden shockwave erupted from his palm, carrying with it the force to destroy heaven and earth, blasting toward Sabo.
Boom—!
Sabo's body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, knocked out of the air by the shockwave, crashing heavily to the ground, kicking up dust.
"Sabo!" Luffy cried out.
Sabo lay on the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, struggling to stand.
So close.
Another failure.
And just then, far away at the Sabaody Archipelago's slave auction house.
Kalifa staggered out of the venue, every step trembling.
Her black stockings were torn in several places, revealing pale skin with red finger marks still remain. Her hair was disheveled, her face still carrying a fading flush.
Yu and the others, stationed by the door, watched the woman leave, her legs trembling, and asked, "Should we find you a doctor?"
Kalifa waved her hand, her voice hoarse: "No... no need... I'll just go to the restroom..."
With that, she lowered her head and hurried toward the street outside the auction house.
After Kalifa had gone some distance, Yu suddenly remembered something.
'Wasn't there a restroom inside? Why did she have to come out?'
Kalifa walked out of the auction house, turned into an alley, crossed two streets, and finally reached the back of a giant Yarukiman Mangrove.
She leaned against the trunk, gasping heavily.
Her legs were still trembling.
After making sure no one had followed her, she pulled a portable Den Den Mushi from her pocket and dialed a number with trembling fingers.