"You really thought I'd charge into your so-called trap without any preparation?" Whitebeard bellowed, planting his feet firmly. His arms clenched across his chest, as though grasping the very fabric of the space around him. Then—he unleashed a single, explosive burst.
A shockwave radiated outward from his core, ripping through the air like spiderweb cracks under immense force.
Incoming cannonballs, laden with gunpowder's lethal power, were swallowed by this wave. Their momentum evaporated mid-flight; they plummeted into the sea like lifeless stones.
Amid the cacophony of falling shells, Whitebeard's calm voice resonated clearly:
"Don't worry, Ace—I won't let a single soul hurt my beloved son!"
His effortless defense shattered the navy's morale. Confusion and fear spread among the most elite soldiers.
"What just happened?"
"What was that shockwave? It tore the air apart!"
"Why did our cannonballs just freeze mid-flight? Is that Whitebeard's power?!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who knew Whitebeard's strength better than anyone, was astounded. Internally, he raged:
"How is this possible with his current physical condition? If it was just earth or water, fine—he's formidable. But air? Blasting hundreds of cannonballs mid-air—did he gamble his life on that?!"
Sengoku and the three Admirals masked their alarm with serious expressions. Sakazuki's (Akainu) twitching leg became still; even his breathing deepened.
The astonishing display echoed over the giant screen on Sabaody Island. Pirates and onlookers worldwide regained the fear that once ruled them—the name "Whitebeard" yet again commanded dread.
Whitebeard stood steady, evaluating himself quietly. His heart rang with confidence:
"Roya—you planned this brilliantly. Without your improved Life Return technique, my recovery wouldn't have been this strong—or precise enough to control a shockwave like that. Sengoku is trapped in your informational trap… This victory is ours."
Behind him, Marco, Vista, and other captains exchanged knowing, confident looks.
"All the Navy's reactions were expected by the Supreme Vice Admiral… We will win this."
Sengoku quickly issued new orders:
"Outer fleet—surround Crescent Bay! Aokiji—act now!"
Kuzan (Aokiji) rose and stepped onto the water past the bay's defenders.
"Ice Age!" he shouted. Below his feet, the sea surface froze solid like land.
The Moby Dick was encased in ice. Fifty Navy vessels, hidden around Marineford, closed off the exit, trapping Whitebeard's elite inside. They were now surrounded from sea and sky.
Sengoku sneered:
"No sky to flee, no sea to escape. Whitebeard—your options are gone. Surrender now, and you'll live."
Just as the Navy seized control, a powerful voice carried by the marine radio—unmistakably calm—echoed:
"Navy inside—the circle around you is sealed. Lay down arms and surrender now, and I'll spare your lives."
The camera panned. Around the fifty naval ships, ten new vessels appeared—seven Navy warships and three pirate ships. On the flagship's bridge stood a familiar young face: Roya. Beside him, the towering Prison Warden, Magellan.
Sengoku stiffened in shock:
"It's over. Lucci's intel was false! Only ten ships… That can't hold the entire prison."
He swallowed hard, sweat trickling down to his mustache braid.
"Those ten ships might handle inmates, but…" He paused.
Audiences, too, reeled:
"That's just Whitebeard's new… vice admiral, Roya."
"Is he kidding? Ten ships surrounding fifty?"
"But he's surrounding Marineford itself—100,000 elite stationed there!"
The public remained baffled. The Navy, albeit shaken, regained composure.
Akainu snorted:
"Outer fleet—destroy that pompous clown!"
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