Marineford, Oris Plaza. Akainu's attack struck Whitebeard square in the chest, forcing him to his knees. Sengoku seized the moment, withdrawing the massive Murakumogiri from above his head. "How unpredictable things are! Whitebeard..."
Golden light erupted from Sengoku's right palm as he channeled every ounce of his Conqueror's Haki. The air trembled. With a thunderous boom, a shockwave of unparalleled force slammed into Whitebeard's body.
Whitebeard poured every scrap of Armament and Haoshoku Haki into his defense, but the impact still sent him sprawling. His limbs screamed in pain, his head rang, blood streamed from every orifice, and his vision darkened. Consciousness flickered.
The blow tore open his already grievous internal injuries. Crimson blood gushed from his chest cavity, pooling beneath him. Sengoku watched, incredulous, as Whitebeard lay battered but alive, still struggling to rise.
Sengoku raised his palm once more, ready to deliver the killing blow. Before he could strike, Marco—locked in combat with Kizaru—wrenched free despite the laser piercing his abdomen. Wings flared, he shot towards Sengoku.
Marco's right foot connected, unleashing a torrent of blue-green flames. Phoenix Brand! The fiery shockwave hurled Sengoku backward. He crashed into a crowd of Marines, rolling several times before vomiting blood.
After his prolonged battle with Whitebeard, Sengoku's body was already riddled with internal injuries. Marco's attack shattered what remained of his defenses. The golden glow of his Great Buddha transformation faded, leaving him pale and shaking. Two Marines helped him stagger to his feet.
Marco didn't pursue. He rushed to Whitebeard's side, hands glowing with healing flames. "Whitebeard! How are you? I'll treat your wounds now..." Blue-green fire enveloped Whitebeard's body, staunching the bleeding and stabilizing his condition.
Marco's flames could heal his own injuries instantly, but their effect on others was limited. They could stop bleeding and accelerate natural recovery, but full healing remained out of reach. "Alright! Marco, I'm not dead yet..." Whitebeard coughed blood but managed a grin.
Leaning heavily on Murakumogiri, he struggled to his feet. His internal organs were shredded, blood still seeping from the wounds. That he could stand at all was a testament to the lingering effects of the Life Strengthening Agent and the Armament Haki wrapping his remaining organs. It was enough to keep him alive—for now.
The commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates and their allied captains quickly formed a protective circle around Whitebeard, shielding him from further Marine assaults.
Seeing his friends die one by one and Whitebeard severely wounded, Ace, kneeling on the high platform, couldn't hold back his tears. He shouted to the crew below, his voice raw with anguish.
"Whitebeard, stop fighting! Get out of here! Thank you—thank you all! I'm ready to die. I've got no regrets..."
Whitebeard, his chest pierced and scorched, let out a booming laugh that echoed across the battlefield. It was full of defiance, full of life.
"Gurararara! Ace, you dumb kid. Who do you think you're talking to? I'm Whitebeard! I don't abandon my family."
"Ace!" Whitebeard roared, his voice cutting through the chaos. Even battered and bleeding, he stood tall on Oris Plaza, a mountain of a man. His voice softened, just for a moment. "My sons! With me! We're saving Ace!"
He raised his massive naginata, pointing it toward the execution platform where Ace knelt, tears streaming down his face.
"Save Ace!" the Whitebeard Pirates shouted as one, their voices a thunderous roar. They surged forward, weapons gleaming, hearts burning with determination.
But Whitebeard, weakened by his wounds, couldn't lead the charge. He stayed back, supporting his crew, clearing paths when needed, always watching, always fighting.
Then, from the sky, a voice rang out—wild, desperate, and full of hope. "Ace!!! Sabo and I are here for you!"
Heads snapped toward the sound. There, riding a massive black crow, were Luffy, Sabo, Zoro, and Sanji. The Marines froze at the mention of Sabo's name.
"Sabo? The Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff?!" "What the hell's going on? Are the revolutionaries joining this madness?"
In Marineford town, Garp, locked in combat with Big Mom, hesitated at the sound of Luffy's voice. His eyes flicked skyward.
"An opening!" Big Mom cackled, her grin savage. Seizing the moment, she swung her Emperor Sword Napoleon, wreathed in Prometheus' flames. The blade struck Garp with brutal force, sending him crashing into the Navy Headquarters building.
The impact was catastrophic. Garp's momentum carried him through the structure, slamming into Akainu, who had just struggled to his feet. Both men tumbled into the streets, a tangled mess of limbs and curses.
"Hahaha! That old hag's got no shame!" Garp laughed, brushing himself off as if nothing had happened. He ignored Akainu, who lay crumpled beneath him, and charged back toward Big Mom without a second glance.
Akainu groaned. "Should've checked the almanac today..."
On the execution platform, Ace's eyes widened in shock. "Luffy? Sabo? Why are you here—"
"Why?" Luffy interrupted, grinning fiercely. "Because we're brothers, idiot!"
He bit into his arm, inflating it rapidly as he shifted into Gear Fourth: Bounce Man. With a powerful leap, he launched himself from the crow's back, aiming straight for the platform.
But before he could reach Ace, a massive figure intercepted him. Kong—towering, white-haired, and radiating power—sprang from the platform, blocking Luffy's path.
Without hesitation, Kong swung his fist, dark red lightning crackling around it. Luffy met him head-on, his King Kong Gun blazing with the same energy.
Their fists collided in a cataclysmic explosion of power. Dark red lightning arced wildly, tearing through the air with terrifying force. The clash sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, a testament to the raw, destructive might of their collision.
He swung his right fist, wrapped in dark red lightning, toward Luffy with earth-shattering force.
On the execution platform, the two executioners flanking Ace collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they fainted from the clash of Conqueror's Haki. The force of the collision was too much for their weak constitutions. After their initial exchange, Kong disengaged, using Moonwalk to hover in the air. His piercing gaze locked onto Luffy like a blade.
"Straw Hat," Kong said, his voice commanding. "You truly are Garp's grandson. To wield such strength at your age? This old man can't help but admire you. But mark my words—I won't let you succeed."
"Wait, you know my grandpa?" Luffy asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"Indeed," Kong replied casually. "Garp served under me and trained under my guidance."
"Is that so?" Luffy shrugged, unfazed. "Doesn't matter. Even if you try to stop me, it won't work. I didn't come alone."
As he spoke, Sabo, Zoro, and Sanji arrived near the execution platform, carried by enormous black Crows. Kong chuckled, his face brimming with confidence. "Our Marines aren't pushovers either, boy."
In the next instant, Kizaru materialized before the four, clad in his yellow suit, white justice coat, and signature toad-shaped sunglasses. He raised his hands, yellow light flickering between them. "Yasakani no Magatama!" he announced.
A barrage of blinding yellow light bullets erupted from his palms, engulfing Sabo and his companions in an instant. But before the attack could tear them apart—Ya! Ya! Ya!—swarms of black Crows burst forth from the coal dust bodies of their mounts, intercepting the onslaught. Boom! Boom! Boom!
The collision of light bullets and Crows triggered a series of explosions, kicking up clouds of dust. Seizing the moment, Sabo, Zoro, and Sanji leaped from their mounts, preparing to charge the platform from the ground.
As the dust settled, the black Crows coalesced in midair, forming the imposing figure of a muscular, bald man clad in a black feathered coat and a beak-shaped mask. His pale skin contrasted sharply with his dark attire.
"How terrifying," Kizaru drawled, his tone laced with mock surprise. "Crow, Commander of the Revolutionary Army's Northern Army. What business does your Revolutionary Army have in this war? Do you have some scheme involving Ace?"
Crow's response was calm and dismissive. "I owe no explanations to Marines."
"Is that so?" Kizaru smirked. "Then, regardless of your plans, this old man can't let you pass so easily." In a flash, he appeared behind Crow, his right foot swinging toward the back of the man's head. "Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
Boom! Crow's head exploded into a cloud of black coal dust, his body dissolving into a swarm of black Crows that surged toward Kizaru. "Crow Soul!" Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment each Crow crashed into Kizaru's body, the bodies of those Crows immediately exploded, scattering his form into countless yellow light points across the sky.