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"Zehahaha!" Blackbeard's booming laughter echoed throughout Marineford. Van Augur took a deep breath and looked down—his hands gripping the rifle were trembling.
Even the breath of those around him was visible in the cold air. Despite being covered in wounds and pushed to his limit, Arashi still exuded an overwhelming and terrifying pressure.
Shiryu slowly got up, forcefully straightening his nearly broken neck. His expression was grave, his eyes filled with fear as he looked ahead at the lone figure.
After more than ten seconds, the tension shifted. Eyes across the battlefield burned with excitement.
That figure ahead, soaked in blood, body riddled with bullet holes, sword wounds, even seared-through gaps from magma—it was hard to believe such catastrophic injuries could still unleash such monstrous power in a final moment before death.
Yet, at that very moment, a world-class titan—Arashi—had died before their eyes. The implications were clear. "Zehahaha!" Marshall D. Teach grinned broadly.
He understood better than anyone what this meant: killing Arashi meant that from this day forward, the name of the Blackbeard Pirates would ring out across the world.
Once they left Marineford and reached the New World, they could rapidly gather a formidable crew under the banner of this newfound fame. And even better—two of the Four Emperors lay not far from him.
"Guys! Don't just stand there! Let's show the world a little magic trick!" Teach shouted gleefully.
The Blackbeard Pirates sprang into action. Van Augur and the others quickly unfurled a dark curtain, draping it over Arashi.
Facing the entire battlefield, Teach gave a mocking bow to Sengoku on the execution platform. "Well then... it's time to witness a miracle! Zehahaha!"
With another burst of laughter, he stepped inside the curtain. On the platform, Sengoku's gaze sharpened.
He watched the Blackbeard Pirates, then looked at the black veil now covering Arashi.
"What is their true goal?" To strike at Arashi, the man they feared most, was Teach insane? Did he really think Arashi could be killed like this?
"No… this man might not even know the truth about Arashi's bloodline!"
"Or perhaps… most of the world doesn't." That's why, to outsiders, Arashi's immortality was simply attributed to his Devil Fruit.
Garp stood beside him, fists clenched, his expression grim. "Tsuru… this war sure has dragged out every monster there is."
Tsuru sighed and shook her head. "This world will never run out of ambitious fools."
"Hmph. But what a shame… they're far too ignorant. They really think they can take down Arashi this easily? Fools." Garp crossed his arms with a cold laugh, now watching as if it were a show.
Meanwhile, both sides across Marineford's battlefield had turned their eyes to the shrouded centre.
"Is Admiral Arashi really dead?"
"No way. Don't forget—he survived even after being beheaded just now!"
"Marshall D. Teach... he's one of the new Warlords? And he dared attack an Admiral!"
"Damn pirates! Pirates really are untrustworthy scum!"
On the Marine side, some were anxious, others furious—but all stared at the veil. "Teach! What the hell are you trying to do?"
Marco stared at the centre, his expression dark. After gauging Whitebeard and Shanks's positions, his wings flared, and he launched himself forward.
"This is the chance to save Shanks and Pops!" The blue phoenix shot through the sky, reaching Shanks's position in a flash.
Marco looked down, and his pupils contracted violently. Shanks's body was soaked in blood. His eyes were rolled back, unconscious and limp.
A Yonko of the sea, brought this low—it was the first time Marco had seen anything like it. The emotional blow was staggering.
Yet he also admired him for lasting so long against Arashi. Marco himself had been defeated in an instant.
He dived, claws grabbing Shanks and soaring back into the air. "Got one out!" Marco sighed in relief.
At the same time, within the curtain, Teach reached toward Arashi's body. But in the next instant, his expression froze.
"No... Impossible! Where's the immortality?!"
He had used a secret method to steal Arashi's Devil Fruit—but found no trace of any immortality ability. Then, just a second later...
"Whoosh!" A wild gust tore through, ripping the curtain away and revealing the Blackbeard Pirates to the world.
"Teach! Look!" Doc Q's voice trembled as he pointed ahead.
There stood Arashi—upright, towering. Van Augur, Lafitte, Avalo Pizarro, Catarina Devon—all gasped in horror.
Arashi's body sparked with blinding electricity. The sheer force of his presence roared like a storm.
"Woooooom—" An imperial pressure surged, shaking all of Marineford.
His wounds—bullet holes, burns, lacerations—healed before their eyes. Bullets embedded in his flesh clinked to the ground.
"How is this possible?! He's still alive!" Burgess cried out in terror. Shiryu stumbled back, his face drenched in sweat.
Teach retreated three steps, his gaze fixed in pure horror.
In just seconds, Arashi's body had completely regenerated—his muscles sculpted and firm, neck and chest lined with sharp definition.
His breathing stirred the air. Eight clearly cut abs, a demonic mask-like mark on his back… twitched, as if mocking them.
"Whoooosh!" Dust spiralled up from the ground. Teach's crew stood frozen, shuddering under the crushing pressure.
Suddenly, Arashi opened his eyes.
"Crack!"
Black and red lightning burst forth, violently spreading across the sky, dyeing half of it crimson.
The wind blinded the Blackbeard Pirates, forcing them to shield their eyes.
"Marshall D. Teach…" The cold voice echoed like it came from the underworld.
Teach flinched, forcing a shaky smile. "I think… there's been a misunderstanding between us. You're right."
Unexpectedly, Arashi nodded. "There has been a misunderstanding."
He paused. A sinister grin tugged at his lips. "The misunderstanding was thinking... you were worth keeping alive."
"Hahahaha!" Arashi laughed coldly. The next instant, his expression turned to ice. He lunged forward, legs stomping the ground.
"BOOM!"
He shot out like a cannonball, reaching Teach in the blink of an eye.
"BOOM!!"
A thunderous punch sent Teach flying, ribs shattered, blood spraying. Landing in the midst of Teach's crew, Arashi raised his hand.
"Two billion volts…Divine Judgment!"
"KABOOM!!"
A blinding lightning pillar erupted, slamming into Catarina Devon and launching her thousands of meters before she slammed into a distant wall.
Without pause, Arashi spun and kicked Van Augur. The sniper raised his rifle, but it snapped clean in half under the force.
His stomach crushed, he was hurled away like a ragdoll. Arashi bent his knees, leapt high, instantly reaching Sanjuan Wolf's face. His arm expanded, fingers clenched.
"BOOM!!"
Sanjuan Wolf spat blood, his massive body crashing and skidding across the battlefield.
"He's a monster!"
Lafitte and the others paled. Only when facing Arashi directly could they understand how terrifying he truly was.
The pressure he emitted pierced their souls. "None of you deserve to exist in this world." Arashi's voice was cold. He unsheathed his longblade.
His gaze shifted, locking onto Burgess. The latter trembled, retreating with palms raised.
Arashi looked away, his body sparking with lightning again, charging toward a staggering Marshall D. Teach.
Seeing him coming, Teach's face twisted. Darkness swirled in his right hand.
"Dark Vortex!"
The ground turned black, swallowing even light. As Arashi reached him, Teach threw a punch wreathed in dark flames.
"BAM!"
The clash made a dull thud. Arashi's eyes narrowed. The impact was muted—his Haki and slash were consumed by darkness.
But Arashi's other hand struck out instantly.
"BOOM!!"
Teach's face took another hit, his body spinning away. He crashed into the ground, shoved aside debris, and struggled back to his feet.
Then, his eyes went wide in shock. "P-Pops?!" A towering figure stood before him, blood-covered but fierce-eyed.
"Teach…You deserve to die!"
Whitebeard raised his right fist—quake energy surging—and smashed down.
"CRACK—"
Teach's body twisted grotesquely, smashed deep into the ground. The entire Marineford trembled.
A giant fissure split open, cutting through the fortress, leaving a massive chasm in its centre. Whitebeard turned slowly, eyes locked onto Arashi.
"From here on out…I'll stop you!"
Taking a deep breath, he bellowed toward Marco and the others in the distance—"Everyone—get out of here… now!"
....
"Vice Admirals capable of clashing with the Four Emperors—Buggy, Rosinante, Kuina, Smoker!"
"Plus Sengoku and Garp, who have yet to make a move but remain seated high above the battlefield! On top of that, the Seven Warlords are also present!"
When carefully considered, the Marines' current military force was enough to make anyone despair. Unknowingly, their combined strength had reached a terrifying level.
Even the alliance of the two Four Emperor crews could barely hold their ground against them.
At that moment, the battlefield stalled, and the pirates hesitated, uncertain of what to do next.
They didn't know whether they should obey Whitebeard's command to retreat.
"What are you all standing around for? This battle is already decided. There's no point in dragging it out any longer!"
Whitebeard spoke coldly, his towering figure standing firm before Arashi, blocking him completely, while a massive abyss lay behind.
"Pops!" Marco flapped his wings, hovering in the sky above, calling out in concern.
"Marco, well done. You seized the right moment and saved that red-haired brat!" Whitebeard looked up with a smile and spoke loudly.
"From this point on, you will lead everyone. Break through Marineford and escape!"
He then took a deep breath and turned to Ace, who stood frozen nearby. His eyes softened.
"No one will blame you, Ace. For the Whitebeard Pirates, for your crewmates—you gave everything you had, even your life and freedom!"
"You've done well. You truly are my beloved son!" Ace trembled at his words, tears welling in his eyes.
"Pops!"
Whitebeard turned again to face Arashi. "I was the one who sent you after Teach. So the blame for this war falls on me! You have done nothing wrong!"
Ace felt a jolt in his chest, realising the deeper meaning in those words. His expression shifted.
"Go with Marco and the others. Return with them, Ace! I had high hopes for you, always believing you'd be the one to inherit everything from me."
"But you're still missing the right chance, the right moment!" He paused, then grinned.
"Gurararara! Don't hesitate anymore. If you have a dream in your heart, fight for it with everything you've got! That is what it means to be a pirate!"
Taking a deep breath, he roared: "For making you sacrifice your freedom and submit to the Marines, it's this old man's fault!"
"So now, let me make it right! I will face them alone!" He raised his bisento, Murakumogiri, high into the air, its blade shining brilliantly.
"Now! Everyone, listen to your captain's final order! Retreat! Return to the New World!"
"From this moment on, Portgas D. Ace will inherit the title of captain!" His deafening voice echoed across Marineford, startling the Marines and widening the eyes of every pirate.
"Turn around and escape, Ace!" Seeing Ace still frozen, Whitebeard shouted in anger.
He knew there wasn't much time. Once the Marines regrouped, any chance of escape would vanish.
"Pops!" Ace cried out, overwhelmed. Throughout this war, he had borne tremendous pressure—from Marine demands to doubts among pirates.
But at this moment, acknowledged by his father, he was filled with emotion and joy.
"Leave now!" Whitebeard roared. In the next instant, he raised his bisento, wrapped in shockwaves, and struck forward.
Boom!
The slash wasn't aimed directly at Arashi but soared past him, smashing into the heart of Marineford.
BOOM!
The violent shockwaves caused the entire island to tremble, splitting the land with countless cracks.
At the very centre, the towering Marine Headquarters building was split down the middle.
"The world's strongest man has gone berserk!"
"He's going to destroy Marineford!" Sengoku's expression changed drastically as he shouted.
This was what he feared the most. With the Gura Gura no Mi, Whitebeard possessed a near-apocalyptic power, almost impossible to stop.
The chaos split both Marines and pirates, complicating pursuit and defence.
"So you're planning to sacrifice yourself… to give the Whitebeard Pirates a chance to survive." Arashi sighed and stepped forward.
"Gurararara, Arashi. This old man has lived long enough. Of course, I should leave survival to the younger generation!"
Whitebeard laughed, though his face remained solemn. How many of his crew would escape now depended entirely on how long he could hold the enemy off.
"Your decision… is just like Garp's," Arashi said, shaking his head. Then, in a flash, he sped forward.
In an instant, he was in front of Whitebeard and threw a heavy punch.
Whitebeard swung his blade in response.
Boom!
A brilliant light and shockwaves erupted, shaking the ground and sending waves of pressure in all directions.
"You're passing your title on to Ace. You've taken away the successor I had my eye on!" Arashi said coldly, eyes locked on him.
"Gurararara! In your dreams! Ace is my son!" Whitebeard laughed.
But then, his face turned solemn and resolute. "Just like Roger once chose Shanks, and Shanks chose that Straw Hat kid…"
"He's the one who will reach the top of the pirate world!" Arashi's expression turned regretful as he sighed, then struck again.
Whitebeard countered with another blow, and the ground collapsed under the impact.
"He could've stayed in the Marines. I had paved a perfect path for him. But!"
Arashi's face twisted with frustration.
Whitebeard laughed proudly, his eyes gleaming with defiance. "I should thank Akainu! He erased the stain from Ace's name and gave him the best possible platform to inherit my legacy!"
Arashi shook his head. "Becoming a pirate doesn't cleanse his name."
"Arashi, our paths are different—we cannot walk together!" Whitebeard snorted.
Their brief conversation ended, but their blows only grew heavier. At the same time, a mass pirate exodus began across Marineford.
Ace ran tearfully, reuniting with the main Whitebeard force as they fled.
The battlefield was split by the massive quake, forcing the pirates to fight while retreating.
"Ace, this way!" Jinbei called out. Ace leapt toward him. "Jinbei!"
"Hahahaha! Your little brother's back there too!" Jinbei laughed joyfully.
They had both thought escape was impossible, yet here they were, still alive.
"Luffy?" Ace turned his head.
A green-haired swordsman ran toward them, carrying an aged, worn-out Luffy in his arms. "You're… Roronoa Zoro?"
Zoro nodded. "That's right."
"Zoro, thank you. You saved my life again," Luffy said weakly.
"You idiot! What were you thinking, rushing into all that?! Do you even know who you were fighting?!" Zoro scolded angrily.
"Hehehe!" Luffy laughed. Then he turned his head, locking eyes with Ace—and the two of them laughed together.
In moments, they caught up with Marco. Breaking through the Marine defences had been hard, but once they retreated, the pirates moved fast.
In the blink of an eye, they reached the inner bay. The frozen sea had somehow been melted by someone's ability, creating a path to escape.
"Retreat!" one of the pirates shouted as they boarded a ship.
"Pops!" someone sobbed, clinging to the ship's railing, looking at Whitebeard holding Arashi back alone.
That mighty figure visibly trembled with every clash, blood dripping onto the ground. One by one, more pirates boarded the ships.
Sails were raised, and the vessels began to escape. As Ace and the others ran, a dazzling light flared behind them.
From ahead, a chill froze the air.
"Kizaru! And Aokiji!"
Everyone's face turned grave upon seeing the two figures appear. "I'll stop them! You guys keep going!" Marco shouted.
A wave of bitter cold swept the ground, freezing everything in its path. The next moment, Aokiji lunged straight at Marco—
But a powerful figure suddenly barreled into him from the side. "Marco! Ace! Go!!"
Diamond Jozu roared, facing Kizaru and Aokiji alone. "Right now, only I have the defense to hold them off!"
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