RUMBLE—!!!
The earth shook and the mountains swayed. The entirety of Marineford trembled violently. Whitebeard had pushed the Quake-Quake Fruit's power to its absolute limit, instantly tearing Marineford apart and completely shattering the ice sheet covering the sea!
"What do you mean 'final'? Wait, Pops!!! Don't say such ominous things!!"
"We don't want to hear that!!"
"Didn't we agree to return to the New World together?!"
"Pops!!"
Amidst the violent tremors, the Whitebeard Pirates finally gained a moment of respite. They turned their gazes toward the towering figure of Whitebeard, disbelief written all over their faces.
"I must bid you all farewell here!!!"
"Everyone!! You must survive!! Return to the New World safe and sound!!"
Whitebeard roared to the heavens. Blood flowed uncontrollably from his battered body; he looked like a towering figure made of blood!
"Po... Pops??!"
"Do you intend to die here?!"
"Aren't you coming back with us?"
The remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates shouted loudly.
Intense panic filled their hearts. Their father... was he going to die?
"I am a remnant of the old era! There is no ship that can carry me in the new era!!"
"Farewell!!"
Veins bulged on Whitebeard's arms as he assumed his signature punching stance. Quake waves surged, and his gaze focused.
"My dear sons!!"
BOOM—!!!
"Go!! Brats!!"
With a punch thrown, under the shocked gazes of Sengoku and the Marines, the already teetering Marineford shattered instantly. The entire sea seemed to be divided by countless spatial rifts. Countless people lost their footing, teetering on the verge of falling.
"Wahhh!! Marineford is in danger!!"
"Whitebeard really intends to destroy the entire island!!!"
"Stop Whitebeard quickly!!"
Giant waves rolled, and whirlpools formed in the hidden depths. Many Marines shouted loudly while trying to grab onto anything nearby to stabilize themselves.
"No!! Pops~!"
"We can't leave Pops behind! Let's go back together!! Pops!!"
The pirates pleaded with Whitebeard, their voices choked with tears.
"Do you intend to disobey your captain's orders? My foolish sons, go!!"
Whitebeard shouted sternly.
"Without the concern for Marshall D. Teach, Whitebeard has no lingering attachments. He truly intends to perish together with Marineford..."
Sengoku's expression was grave.
This was exactly why the Marines dared not provoke Whitebeard lightly. This man truly possessed the power to destroy the world!!!
Splash—!!!
The sound of waves parting rang out. A figure shot into the sky, steam rising from him. A voice filled with terrifying killing intent echoed across the entire battlefield:
"Want to leave?! You don't seem to have asked me!!"
Whitebeard instinctively turned his head. Seeing the unscathed figure in the air, his pupils constricted violently. He abruptly looked back toward the direction of his fleeing crew.
A bad premonition rose in his heart.
Soon, Atlas's actions confirmed his fears.
— [Five Fingers Spread]
Atlas extended one hand, aiming it remotely at Marineford, as if mountains, seas, clouds, and rain were all within his grasp.
RUMBLE—!!!
He clenched his five fingers. With a single thought, the winds and clouds surged, as if the hand of God was invisibly manipulating creation. The Marineford that had been sliced apart slowly returned to its original state, and most of the pirates and Marines regained their balance.
"Phew—! It's Captain Atlas!!"
"Looks like we're saved! As expected of Captain Atlas, this control is as powerful as ever!!"
"Captain Atlas is as reliable as always!!"
Seeing Marineford return to calm, the Marines cast admiring glances at Atlas.
That was a power capable of destroying the world, yet it was nullified so easily!!
"Gurararara! Marine brat, it seems this is fate's arrangement!!"
Whitebeard's gaze returned to calm.
As a powerhouse who had survived the Rocks era, he quickly adjusted his mindset, accepting the outcome that they might be completely wiped out.
However...
Whitebeard suddenly raised his head, glaring fiercely at Atlas in mid-air.
Before that, he would tear a chunk of flesh from the Marines!!
Let's settle this, Marine!!
He lifted his bisento from the ground and slashed savagely at Atlas in the air, violent quake waves spreading out.
Crack—!!!
Get down here!!
Whitebeard's gaze was somewhat ferocious. His muscles glowed with an unusual red light, like a final burst of vitality before death.
Instantly, the sky caved in, turning dim and lightless.
Atlas's body suddenly stiffened, then fell straight down.
"Gurararara! Strange brat, be buried in this sea with me!!"
Whitebeard laughed loudly, seeming to gather his last reserves of strength in an attempt to take Atlas down in one go.
However—
A smile tugged at the corner of Atlas's mouth. Raging flames suddenly erupted from his body as he began to spin at high speed.
"Secret Art · Overlord · Heavenly Dance of the Precious Wheel!!!"
Flames mixed with black lightning arcs, carrying terrifying potential energy, descended from the sky. A piercing sonic boom rang out as he slammed ruthlessly into Whitebeard!!
BOOM—!!!
Like a falling meteor, a massive roar resounded through the battlefield. A violent explosion erupted, and layers of shockwaves stacked upon each other, spreading in all directions.
This was—
A clash of Conqueror's Haki!!!
The muscles in Atlas's arms writhed and bulged again. The divine power of the Ox Talisman surged, unleashing an indescribable force. Combined with his pinnacle Haki, he forcibly suppressed Whitebeard, rendering him immobile.
"Whitebeard! Your era has passed. Now..."
"This era is called Atlas!!!"
A hint of ferocity flashed in Atlas's eyes. The intense airflow scraped against his body, making his short hair stand on end.
"Gurararara!! Brat, you win!!"
Whitebeard's voice remained powerful, but he clearly felt that his previous injuries would no longer allow him to exert overly powerful force.
He had, in the end...
Lost!!!
Thud-thud-thud—!!!
Clang!!
Whitebeard stumbled back a few steps, stabbing his bisento into a block of ice to barely steady himself. He slowly straightened his back. The capillaries all over his body seemed to have burst, leaving him standing bathed in blood.
Using his remaining breath, Whitebeard slowly surveyed the situation of his sons.
It hadn't changed much from before; they were still entangled by a large number of Marines. Even Rayleigh and Gaban were pinned down by two Admirals and couldn't break away.
Roger, the person you are waiting for doesn't seem to have appeared yet?
Could it be that brat Shanks?
Unfortunately, he would no longer see the future.
Taking a deep breath, Whitebeard roared, his voice loud enough to drown out the battle cries of the entire battlefield, transmitting via the video Den Den Mushi to the world:
"Inherited will, the swelling of the changing era, and the dreams of people. As long as people continue to pursue the meaning of freedom, these things will never cease!
—Just as someone will inherit Roger's will, sooner or later, someone will inherit mine.
—Since ancient times, it has been passed down like this from generation to generation. And then, in the future... one day, someone carrying the history of the past few hundred years on their back will challenge this whole world to a fight..."
He laughed heartily, "Sengoku... you and the World Government fear the great war that will one day come... and engulf the whole world!!!"
"That guy..."
Sengoku's face darkened. He didn't quite understand what Whitebeard wanted to say before dying.
However—
Whatever a pirate wanted to do, the Marines just had to stop it, right?
Thinking of this, Sengoku quickly took a breath and shouted at Atlas, who was standing aside watching the show:
"White Roar, finish Whitebeard!!"
Hearing this, Atlas gave Sengoku a strange look but still walked slowly toward Whitebeard.
After all, with so many eyes watching, Sengoku's face needed to be maintained.
However, he didn't quite agree with what Whitebeard was saying.
"The World Government fears it"—what did that have to do with their Marines?
"Although I have no interest in it, when that treasure is found, the world will be turned upside down. It will definitely be found. That day will surely come... Gurararara~!!!"
Whitebeard didn't stop; his voice suddenly rose by dozens of decibels.
"Hey!! Could that guy be... Gunners!! Fire at Whitebeard quickly! We absolutely cannot let him say that sentence!!"
Sengoku suddenly realized something. His face changed drastically as he roared at the Marines on the port behind him.
BOOM—!!
BOOM—!!
Swish—!!
A blood-red slash landed on Whitebeard's body a step ahead of the cannonballs.
Then.
A dense barrage of cannonballs arrived late, blasting bloody holes one after another into Whitebeard's body. Billowing smoke engulfed his entire face, obscuring his expression.
However, Whitebeard's figure only swayed slightly, showing no sign of falling.
"Quickly, cut the feed to the surveillance Den Den Mushi!!"
Sengoku's order came again.
But it was clearly too late.
"The One Piece—"
"Is real!!!"
The deafening voice spread with the shockwaves. Everyone on the battlefield heard this final roar clearly.
Including...
People all over the world watching the live broadcast!!!
BOOM—!!
The world went into an uproar. Many who had been hesitant about setting sail instantly made up their minds.
After all, although Roger had said before his death—
That the legendary One Piece was hidden by him in the Grand Line.
However, a full thirteen years had passed, and there was still no news of any pirate truly claiming that so-called great treasure.
Many had begun to doubt. That guy Roger...
Could the so-called great treasure be a scam?!
And now, another world-class great pirate had personally confirmed it again—
The One Piece is real!!!
Thus.
The whole world boiled over!
"The Great Treasure! I'm going to sea, to the Grand Line!!"
"Whoa! I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"
"Roger didn't lie to us; we'll find the Great Treasure sooner or later!"
The entire world, in places unseen by the Marines, fell into a strange carnival. The Great Pirate Era seemed to have been pushed...
To its absolute peak by Whitebeard's words!!
"Damn it!! That guy Whitebeard, does he think the world isn't chaotic enough?!"
Sengoku said with an ugly expression, the words almost popping out of his mouth one by one.
If Roger's words before his execution started the Great Pirate Era...
Then Whitebeard's words pushed the Great Pirate Era to its climax.
He could foresee that after the war, the number of pirates on the sea would far exceed before!!!
"All Marines!! Arrest every member of the Whitebeard Pirates!!"
Seeing that the matter was settled and Whitebeard was silent, Sengoku turned his head and spoke to the Marines with murderous intent.
Since Whitebeard was gone, there was no need for the Whitebeard Pirates to exist anymore!!
Impel Down or Hell would be their final destination. It was just as well; Impel Down could use a new batch of prisoners!!
"Pops! Damn Marines!!"
"Everyone... fight them! Charge!!!"
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates looked indignant, squandering their last bits of strength in an attempt to cut down a Marine or two to vent their anger.
....
Meanwhile.
The Red Hair Pirates were gathered together, the atmosphere somewhat heavy.
"Where are Building Snake and Limejuice?!"
Shanks' voice was strained, his hands trembling uncontrollably. A bad premonition rose in his heart.
Not just these two officers, but most of the other familiar crew members were nowhere to be seen.
"Captain! You..."
Drip—! Drip—!
Huge tears fell onto the crushed ice. Shanks lowered his head in guilt, fists clenched tight.
"I'm sorry... everyone, because of my willfulness..."
Slap!
A hand slapped Shanks on the back, and Beckman walked out slowly:
"What nonsense are you saying?! You are our boss. Snake and the others won't blame you. Continuing to sail while carrying their will is the best answer you can give them!!"