The skies above Marineford grew dark—not from clouds, but from the sheer weight of fate descending upon the world. As cannons were loaded and walls reinforced, the sea itself seemed to tremble with anticipation.
The stage for war was nearly set.
Marineford – Central Command
Sengoku stood at the heart of the war room, his hands planted firmly on the table. Around him, admirals, vice admirals, and tactical officers barked orders, relaying information from across the seas.
"Whitebeard is moving faster than we anticipated," one officer reported. "And now... Arkan is with him."
Akainu paced like a caged beast. "Let them come. Let them all come. I'll erase every last one of Roger's brats."
Kizaru adjusted his glasses. "Isn't it a bit much? Two brothers of D... both stronger than anyone expected. Might get tricky."
Aokiji leaned against the wall in silence, his breath fogging slightly. The weight of what was coming was not lost on him.
Then Garp entered.
All eyes turned.
Garp said nothing. He just walked past Sengoku, past the admirals, and sat down on the bench in the corner.
He had aged overnight.
Aboard the Moby Dick
Whitebeard's fleet now stretched across the horizon, a wave of pirate flags flying high above the sea. From the deck, Ace stood tall beside Marco and Jozu. Behind them, the newly escaped prisoners gathered in silence—Crocodile, Jinbe, Ivankov, and others.
And at the very front stood Arkan.
He gazed at the approaching fortress of Marineford, eyes unblinking.
Shanks had once called him a ghost. But now, he was a storm given flesh.
On a cliff overlooking Marineford
Silvers Rayleigh stood alone, watching the harbor from afar. A blade at his hip, and a calm expression on his face.
Beside him, a small den den mushi buzzed.
A voice came through. "You're not planning to join them, are you, Rayleigh?"
He smiled. "No. This isn't my war. It's theirs. But I'll be watching. The world is about to change."
East Blue – Foosha Village
Makino read the newspaper in silence, a hand covering her mouth.
Behind her, old Mayor Woop Slap muttered, "Another 'D' rises… the world's not ready."
On a remote mountaintop
Monkey D. Dragon stood atop the cliff, cloak whipping in the wind. He looked toward the west, where the sun set behind Marineford.
"So… the storm begins."
At Marineford Harbor
The first ship appeared on the horizon. Then another. And another.
Pirates from every corner of the world began to arrive—not just Whitebeard's allies, but old friends of Roger, rebels, mercenaries, and forgotten legends.
At the center of it all was the flagship—the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard raised his bisento. "All hands, prepare for war!"
And beside him stood Arkan, the coat of Gol D. Roger flapping behind him.
His voice was calm but thunderous:
"Today, we don't fight for titles. We fight for family."
The pirates roared.
Inside Marineford, Ace was chained once more—this time on the execution platform. He could see it all from his perch. The fleet. The banners. The brother who defied fate to reach him.
Tears welled in his eyes. "You really came... Arkan."
Back on the ship, Luffy stood between Jinbe and Ivankov.
He looked up at the walls of Marineford.
"I'm going to punch every one of them until Ace is free."
Ivankov laughed. "You've got guts, Straw-chan."
Arkan stepped beside him. "Then let's not keep destiny waiting."
As the war horns of the Marines blared, and the gates opened...
The final battle began.