At this moment, Buggy, who was crouched in a corner of the battlefield fixing his appearance and preparing to secretly start a livestream, also heard the commotion.
He turned his head in annoyance.
"What's going on? Which bastard is stealing my spotlight?"
He planned to use the Summit War to show his face to the entire world.
Someone daring to hog the limelight now was basically robbing him at knifepoint.
Furious, Buggy turned around, completely failing to notice that the Den Den Mushi livestream had already been turned on.
"Ah! There's an image!"
People around the world finally saw the battlefield again.
Before the Pacifistas appeared, Sengoku had already ordered all broadcasts shut down.
After all, what followed wasn't suitable for public viewing.
The civilians only needed to know that the Marines had won.
What Sengoku didn't expect was a wildcard like Buggy still being on the scene.
When the image stabilized, people everywhere saw nothing but a strange red-nosed clown on screen.
His face was twisted in shock, right hand raised and pointing into the distance, his entire body trembling nonstop.
"R-Rayleigh… Mr. Gaban… and Brother Bullet… why are you here?"
Buggy's subordinates instinctively turned the Den Den Mushi's camera in that direction.
Three solitary, imposing figures instantly filled the screen.
Some older viewers froze on the spot. They didn't even notice their wine glasses slipping from their hands and shattering on the floor.
"H-how is this possible?"
The younger ones, completely confused, hurriedly asked,
"What's wrong? Who are they?"
The middle-aged man ignored them, his voice shaking as he spoke.
"The Pirate King's right hand… Silvers Rayleigh!"
"The Pirate King's left hand… Scopper Gaban!"
"The Devil's Heir… Douglas Bullet!"
"They… they are the Roger Pirates!"
Boom…
The world plunged into absolute shock.
The Roger Pirates, gone for over twenty years, had reappeared before the eyes of the world.
Did this mean the world itself was about to spiral out of control?
"Weren't the Roger Pirates all executed?"
"Idiot, they obviously escaped. The World Government probably said they were executed just to save face!"
"With this, can the Marines even win anymore?"
Countless people were horrified. No one could predict how this war would end now.
Marineford.
Looking at the three who had suddenly appeared, Whitebeard said coldly,
"Brat Bullet, my business isn't yours to comment on."
Bullet sneered.
"So the man once called the strongest in the world has really grown old."
"No problem. We'll handle rescuing Roger's son."
Whitebeard was displeased, but he didn't refuse.
The Marines were fully prepared, and his side was clearly lacking in manpower.
Anyone willing to help was welcome.
Sengoku's expression had never been this ugly.
"What the hell is Impel Down doing? How did they let Bullet escape?"
"And Rayleigh and Gaban, those damn old men. If you're retired, stay retired!"
The Marines had always known where Rayleigh was.
He'd behaved himself all these years, so they'd chosen not to touch him.
Who would have thought he'd deliver such a massive blow today?
Just then, a messenger came running over in a panic.
"Report, Fleet Admiral. Someone is livestreaming with a Den Den Mushi. The outside world already knows what's happening here!"
"What did you say?"
Sengoku flew into a rage.
The Roger Pirates returning to the world's stage would cause massive upheaval. The seas would only grow more chaotic.
The Marines hadn't fought the Summit War just to make pirates even more rampant.
"Find them immediately and shut that broadcast down!" Sengoku roared.
This was bad.
Things had truly gone off the rails.
Many Marine officers turned pale when they saw Bullet and the others.
Whitebeard alone had already forced them to mobilize a hundred thousand elite troops.
Add the Roger Pirates on top of that, and their chances dropped close to zero.
In front of these sea emperors, numbers were a joke.
Some timid Marines instinctively began stepping backward.
"No retreat!"
A commanding voice rang out.
Admiral Akainu stepped onto the platform, his gaze icy as he stared at Bullet and Whitebeard.
"We are Marines, and we exist to carry out justice. No matter what enemy stands before us, retreat is not an option!"
"Beneath our feet lies justice. Behind us stands its name. How could we fear mere pirates!"
Akainu's speech steadied the Marines' wavering morale.
At the same time, Aokiji found Buggy, instantly freezing the Den Den Mushi solid.
The livestream cut off once more.
"Rayleigh!"
Sengoku stepped forward and roared at him.
"Back then, Roger traded his life for your safety. Are you here now to make us reinstate your bounties?"
Rayleigh's eyes flashed with cold light.
He spoke slowly, his voice icy.
"It's precisely because Roger gave his life for our peace that we can't stand by and do nothing."
Clang!
Rayleigh drew the sword he hadn't used in twenty years, murderous intent spilling out as he shouted.
"When you slaughtered pregnant women back then, we didn't know, so that was that. But today, if you want to kill Ace, you'll have to ask whether this sword of mine agrees first!"
Boom!
Terrifying Conqueror's Haki erupted into the sky.
Bullet and Gaban followed immediately, releasing their own Conqueror's Haki.
In an instant, the air over the battlefield felt as if it had been sucked dry. Countless Marines rolled their eyes back and collapsed unconscious under the overwhelming pressure.
The combined presence of three men who once stood at the pinnacle of piracy was far beyond what ordinary people could endure.
"Stop it!"
Sengoku's eyes went bloodshot as he instantly activated his Buddha form. His own powerful Conqueror's Haki surged forward to meet them.
For a moment, lightning seemed to crackle through the air. The clouds above the sky churned violently, splitting apart into a massive rift.
It was as if the heavens themselves had been cleaved in two.
Sengoku clenched his teeth, his expression grave.
Facing the Conqueror's Haki of three peers at once was no easy feat.
Fortunately, Tsuru reacted instantly and shouted an order.
"All personnel below the rank of Lieutenant Commander, withdraw from the battlefield immediately. This is no longer a fight you can participate in."
The Marines still conscious hurriedly hoisted their unconscious comrades onto their backs and retreated at full speed.
Just before Sengoku's Haki was completely overwhelmed, most of the Marines had pulled back to a safe distance.
"Now… this is where the real slaughter begins."
Tsuru looked over the battlefield, her expression heavy.
The low-tier combatants were gone. What followed would be a direct clash between monsters.
The enemy had Whitebeard, Bullet, Rayleigh, and Gaban, four top-tier powerhouses.
On their side stood the three Admirals, Sengoku, and Garp. They weren't inferior at all.
The only concern was Garp.
Tsuru glanced at him subtly.
Who knew whether this old man would hold back and let Ace be rescued.
***
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