They're gone.
Vir and his crew had left.
In just a few minutes, the pirates who had descended upon this place with overwhelming force had all vanished.
Soon, not a single pirate remained in sight.
The sky, too, regained its usual brightness.
Sunlight bathed the land.
Yet, it only made the scene feel even more desolate.
Shanks had also left without saying a word.
Now, only the severely weakened Marines remained.
Under Sengoku's arrangements, the aftermath was being handled in an orderly manner.
As for his severed arm, after Rogu's examination, the conclusion was clear—it couldn't be reattached.
In truth, Sengoku had already known. Hearing the verdict now, he could only let out a bitter laugh.
On the surface, it seemed like Whitebeard had simply sliced off his arm with a single slash.
But was that all?
The tremors imbued in that blade had long since shattered the wound beyond repair.
Looking at his severed left arm, then at the fallen Zephyr and Akainu, Sengoku felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
They had all fought their hardest, yet the result was this—utter defeat.
And the cost had been immense.
His hand was gone. Zephyr, at his age, had suffered such grievous injuries—losing strength was the least of his concerns.
As for Akainu, even if he recovered, returning to his peak was far from guaranteed.
Beyond them, there were countless other officers whose injuries would inevitably lead to permanent decline due to limited medical capabilities.
At this moment, Sengoku couldn't help but recall Vir's words—and the fact that he had taken Chiba with him.
Rogu, their best doctor, couldn't heal these wounds, but Vir could undoubtedly solve them with ease.
Yet, asking them to seek treatment from a pirate? Absolutely unthinkable.
So, everything now rested on Chiba.
Sengoku didn't understand why Vir wanted to train Chiba. Maybe, as he had said, it was simply because he took a liking to him.
After all, both of them were equally insane—so his claim wasn't entirely baseless.
But for the Marines, this could be a tremendous boon.
If Chiba could learn even a fraction of Vir's skills—never mind something as impossible as reviving the dead—just reattaching severed limbs or healing critical injuries...
That alone would be invaluable.
At this thought, Sengoku found himself almost grateful that Chiba had been taken.
If—no, when—he returned, he would be given the highest priority.
Sengoku knew Chiba well. The boy was fiercely loyal to the Marines, and his family had long been a pillar of their forces.
He had no fear that Chiba would be swayed into becoming a pirate.
Once he mastered those skills, the Marines might truly be able to replicate such advanced medical techniques on a large scale.
Then, they could possess an entire medical team with abilities rivaling Vir's.
Just imagining Vir's monstrous medical prowess made Sengoku's anticipation grow.
He could only hope Chiba would endure—and that Vir truly intended to teach him, not just abduct him to silence him...
This might become the key to the Marines' recovery—no, even surpassing their former strength!
But all of that would have to wait until Chiba returned. There was no point in rushing. If Vir wanted to escape, catching him was impossible.
Right now, the mess before them was more than enough to keep Sengoku occupied...
Meanwhile, Kizaru stared in the direction Vir had left, puzzled about his intentions.
He had just waltzed in, scooped up Kuma's body, and carried it away. What was the point?
Did he not realize that Kuma had been completely transformed into an emotionless killing machine?
Sure, he could forcibly shut him down now—but he couldn't keep him immobilized forever.
The moment Kuma reactivated, the Marines could simply issue a command, and he'd obediently return.
So why take something like that?
It made no sense.
Still deep in thought, Kizaru dialed Vegapunk.
The answer he received aligned with his own assumptions—once Kuma regained mobility, they could still command him remotely.
With that confirmation, Kizaru leisurely made his way to the infirmary to rest.
This time, he'd likely be bedridden for at least a month or two.
'Tch. Going through all that trouble for a useless puppet, huh?'
'You might be a miracle doctor, but can you fix machines? Even if you were a mechanical genius, it wouldn't matter.'
'The only one in the world who can do that is Vegapunk.'
'Oh well~ Time for a nap~'
Meanwhile, Hancock watched Vir's departing figure before swiftly setting off on her return journey.
With Vir gone, she had no desire to stay a second longer.
All she wanted now was to hurry back—back to his side...
Momousagi's expression was complex as she gazed into the distance. Finally, she let out a long sigh and turned to join the rescue efforts.
---
As for the rest of the world—after the Marines' broadcast ended—silence lingered.
Dead.
Whitebeard was truly dead.
Struck through the heart by a single punch from the Commander-in-Chief of the Marines.
The Marines had actually done it!
They had killed him—the Strongest Man in the World!
Kaido. Shanks. Golden Lion. Even Bullet, who had vanished for over twenty years!
All of them had gathered at Marineford!
Could the Marines withstand that?
Just Whitebeard alone had left their top brass in ruins.
If all those monsters attacked at once, wouldn't the Marines be wiped out?
---
Revolutionary Army Base
Dragon stared impassively at the now-blank screen.
Whitebeard was dead.
An era had ended.
The Marines' move had indeed been masterful.
Even that guy would be powerless to reverse the death of such a legend.
Ace was one thing—his strength was nothing extraordinary, and he hadn't been dead for long. Being revived by him was hard to believe, but still somewhat plausible.
But Whitebeard?
That was the Strongest Man in the World.
If even he could be casually brought back to life...
Then what couldn't that guy do? Was he even human?
And the Marines, having finally achieved this, would never stand by and let him interfere.
Of course, the Marines' thoughts aligned with Dragon's—though they had been forced to stand by, helpless...
But Dragon, naturally, didn't know that.
A faint smirk curled at the edge of his lips.
With Whitebeard gone, the New World would erupt into chaos.
And chaos in the New World meant opportunity for the Revolutionary Army.
Whether it was advancing their goals or recruiting new members, everything would become far easier.
"Sabo! Take a team to the New World immediately. You might even reunite with your brothers! This is the perfect time to expand our influence!"
Dragon's excitement was barely contained.
Sabo didn't respond—he simply turned and strode out.
Koala quickly followed.
A fierce determination burned in Sabo's eyes.
Ace... Luffy...
Wait for me!
---
Whole Cake Island
When Big Mom confirmed Whitebeard's death, for a fleeting moment, she felt a pang of something—nostalgia? Melancholy?
But it vanished as quickly as it came.
"Mamamama! All forces—MOVE OUT! We're taking the biggest slice of this cake!"
"If any of Whitebeard's remnants dare stand in our way—CRUSH THEM ALL!"
"Without their precious 'Pops' to protect them, they're nothing but TRASH!"
"Mamamama!"
With her command, Whole Cake Island—and every territory under her banner—roared to life.
Aside from a skeleton crew left behind for defense, every available fighter was mobilized.
But how many of them would return alive...?
-----
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