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Promise? Bullshit promises.
Ace curled his lips and sneered inwardly. After seeing Sengoku's actions and the Marines' reaction, he became more determined to live. He wasn't about to let himself be killed by these people.
Of course, survival was his immediate goal. But the more ambitious idea was that he wanted to heal the world.
"Because of this, the removal of your head here today is of great significance! Even if doing so will lead to an all-out war with Whitebeard!" Sengoku was doing the final mobilization, and it was clear he was successful. The voices of the Marines below echoed through Marineford.
The word "Marine" was engraved on the huge city wall of the Naval Headquarters, with the Marine logo in the middle: the shape of a seagull. To Ace, it seemed hypocritical.
Suddenly, a Marine scout's shout interrupted the verbal confrontation.
"Look! Something appeared on the sea!"
Everyone instinctively turned toward the water, where the Whitebeard Pirates were making their way to Marineford.
"Appeared!! Everyone, prepare for battle!"
The ear-piercing siren echoed across Marineford, and the arrival of that man made all the Marines tense.
"It appeared suddenly! Where did it come from?"
"It's the big pirate fleet!"
"Where's Whitebeard? Check it out!"
"Ranger Doma, Thunder Lord McGuy, Decalvan brothers, Great Eddy Spider Squard..."
The Marines reported the names of the big pirates as they spotted them, but there was still no sign of Whitebeard.
"A total of 43 pirate ships; Whitebeard himself and the main captains haven't been seen!"
But there was no doubt—these were all pirates under Whitebeard's command. So... would Whitebeard himself show up?
Ace lifted his head, faintly hearing his name. In the distance, pirates on the approaching ships waved their arms, greeting Ace excitedly.
Friends, long time no see.
Ace's messy black hair fluttered in the wind, and his eyes gradually softened. Even though he'd known they were coming, actually seeing them brought up new emotions.
Meanwhile, the Marines were discussing the next move.
"Need to attack?"
"Wait a minute—Whitebeard must be nearby!"
"He's probably got something planned. Keep an eye on the sea!"
The Marines didn't dare make a move until Whitebeard himself appeared.
Doflamingo's blood was already stirring, and he laughed arrogantly, "Fufufufufu~~This is going to be fun, it's exciting! Come on, Whitebeard!"
Meanwhile, in the bay, the sea suddenly began to roil. A massive shadow was rising from the depths.
Akainu, Kizaru, and the other powerful figures sensed something, turning their attention to the increasingly violent bubbles on the inner bay's surface.
"Could it be...?" Sengoku suddenly realized.
Below, Garp looked almost incredulous as he turned to Tsuru and said, "He didn't come out from an unexpected place, did he?"
Tsuru glanced around, frowning. "The formation is wrong!"
As the words fell, the fluctuation on the sea surface intensified rapidly.
A colossal, coated pirate ship shot up, capable of blocking out the sky and sun. The roaring waves, splashing violently, rained down over Marineford, soaking the Marines near the inner bay. Shichibukai and others paid no heed, their eyes glued to the massive ship emerging from the depths, some filled with fear, others with anticipation.
The Marine soldiers watched, mouths agape, as the pirate ship burst from the water.
With all the forces the Marines had deployed—even establishing a fortified line around Marineford—had it all been for nothing?
Realization dawned on the soldiers as panic set in.
"The Moby Dick is here!!"
Shouts of terror echoed across Marineford.
"Marines, everyone on alert!"
The ship's massive hull took on the shape of a whale, with a skull-and-crossbones pirate flag flying high, and two prominent symbols of Whitebeard adorning its sides.
The Moby Dick—the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Then, three smaller ships emerged from the sea, docking around the Moby Dick. All of Whitebeard's forces were gathered except for the ships positioned by Whitebeard for a tactical retreat.
The Whitebeard Pirates surged into the bay without so much as an opening attack.
"Marco, Izo, Jozu..." Ace scanned the 14 familiar faces at the forefront, whispering their names as a warmth unlike anything he'd felt before surged through his veins. This feeling burned deeper than flames and fueled his entire being.
This bond between them—this was family. This was the Whitebeard Pirates.
The 14 commanders, leading their crews, faced off against the Marines from across the bay. The aura they projected struck fear into the Marines, amplifying the unease already gripping Marineford.
Each face was filled with killing intent and rage.
One of their own was being executed.
Yet, for now, none of them spoke.
Because their king had yet to appear.
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