"Hmph!"
Seeing Hawkeye wisely avoid her, Hancock proudly lifted her head like a victorious peacock and let out a soft, teasing laugh.
...
On the battlefield, the entry of several Shichibukai had turned the tide for the Marine once again.
Their power far exceeded that of the average Marine soldier, and among these elite pirates, they harvested lives as easily as reaping wheat.
Faced with such overwhelming strength, the pirates could only flee in panic, praying not to cross paths with the rampaging Shichibukai.
Heart-wrenching screams echoed, but they were quickly drowned out by the chaotic sound of pounding footsteps.
This… is the sea.
This… is war.
Right or wrong hardly mattered—war always demanded the sacrifice of the weak and became a feast for the strong.
Only those who survived could claim strength.
But… the Whitebeard Pirates could not simply allow a few Shichibukai to decimate their numbers.
The captains, who were simultaneously clearing Marine forces themselves, instantly shifted formations to confront the Shichibukai.
Vast waves of energy, flashing sword strikes, flying sand and rocks—
In an instant, the world-class warriors turned the battlefield into a terrifying vision of apocalypse.
Chasms appeared, disasters rained down—
The level of war escalated from mere pirate-Marine clashes to a contest between the truly powerful.
This also slowed the rate of casualties on both sides.
Even if each Shichibukai was unmatched globally, the Whitebeard captains, using sheer numbers, managed to regain control of the battle!
"Damn the Whitebeard Pirates!!!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, surveying the chaos, lost all composure and cursed loudly, his face twisted in frustration.
"Guhahahaha…"
As if hearing Sengoku's insults, Whitebeard suddenly laughed from his position, reminiscing about past battles with the admiral.
He swung his Murakumogiri forcefully, pointing its tip toward the Marine's execution platform.
"Whitebeard Pirates! Full speed ahead!"
"Rescue Marco!!!"
"Rescue Captain Marco!!!"
"Kill!!!"
...
At Whitebeard's thunderous command, the crew roared in response, and the battlefield erupted once more.
The morale of the Whitebeard Pirates surged, pressing like a black tide toward the execution platform.
"Dad… Ace… everyone…"
On the high platform, Marco's hands and feet shackled in Seastone, he lowered his head and wept silently.
Sengoku, however, was furious.
The flames of cannon fire reflected in his keen eyes, now blazing with anger.
From afar, he glared at the calm Whitebeard.
Explosions continued to light the sky with streaks of orange and red fire.
Facing this tipping tide, Sengoku had to make a final decision.
"In that case… we go all out!!!"
He pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and silently muttered an order.
Quickly raising the receiver, he shouted across to the other side:
"This is Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
"I order: Deploy the SSG immediately!"
"Yes!"
The Den Den Mushi's eyes blinked sharply in response, serious and precise.
Squeeee…
Soon, the massive, cannon-filled walls of the Marine's stronghold emitted the sound of gears turning, a section of the wall sliding open to reveal a dark inner passage.
Thud! Thud!…
Thud! Thud!…
A row of heavy, uniform footsteps echoed from within, like war drums, pounding on the hearts of everyone nearby, chilling their heated blood.
"What… what is that!?"
The pirates near the passage were the first to notice the massive forms emerging from the darkness.
Huge, bear-like humanoids, expressionless and imposing, slowly walked out.
"What… what is that!!?"
Other pirates shouted in confusion.
An older pirate's eyes widened in recognition as he pointed at the towering figure:
"Wait! I… I've seen his bounty before!!!"
"Bartholomew Kuma… years ago he was a ruthless pirate with a bounty of 296 million Berries."
"He suddenly disappeared from the seas, causing quite a stir."
One pirate asked aloud:
"Has he joined the Marine? But… why are there so many of them!?"
No one could answer.
...
A formation of Pacifistas, modeled after Kuma's body, quickly arranged themselves into a massive wall.
"Whoa—whoa—"
Seeing Sengoku deploy the Pacifistas, Yellowbeard, previously battling Jozu, stepped back in awe:
"Now… the full army is out…"
Within the Marine, Yellowbeard primarily assists the SSG , maintaining security and participating in experiments.
The laser cannons used by these Pacifistas were all based on his Glint-Glint Fruit abilities.
Dozens of Pacifistas arrived silently, opening massive, dark barrels from their mouths.
Sunlight reflected off the steel, casting a blinding gleam—a cruel and cold edge.
"Pacifistas! Fire at will!!!"
Behind them, Sentomaru, seeing the formation complete, swung his huge axe and gave the order.
Energy surged through the Pacifistas' barrels, shaking the space unnaturally.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!…
In an instant, dozens of destructive laser beams erupted, striking the densest pirate clusters.
Each beam carried Admiral-level power, each strike signaling countless lives lost.
In mere moments, wails of agony filled the Whitebeard Pirates' ranks.
"…Cyborgs!? Interesting!"
Even the Shichibukai paused, witnessing the destructive power of this series.
One Pacifista alone might be manageable, but science allowed mass production, and ordinary people could wield it.
If the Marine assembled a force like this… the seas might truly become quiet.
Even allies of the Marine had to reconsider their options.
...
Gururur…
"You really know your stuff, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Seeing the reinforcement and the pirates being decimated, Whitebeard furrowed his brow, eyes flashing with sharp authority.
Without anger, he radiated power.
He raised his massive arm, palm aimed at the Pacifista formation.
"Quake!!!"
At Whitebeard's thunderous roar, the air rang with the crisp sound of shattering glass.
Instantly, the clouds churned, the earth trembled.
A massive crack appeared in his palm, splitting the void.
The destructive shockwave surged forward, aiming straight for the Pacifistas.
From the high platform, Sengoku saw Whitebeard deployed and shouted at Kizaru, who had remained idle:
"Kizaru! The Marine cannot make another mistake!"
"I understand!"
A hoarse yet resolute voice rose, calming Sengoku's frantic mind.
With that, a hulking figure leapt into the air.
Though not as massive as Whitebeard, every inch of this man exuded unrivaled strength.
His Marine cloak flowed behind him, spotless and pure.
Without theatrics, Garp launched a punch wrapped in black Armament Haki toward the space crack.
BOOM!!!
A thunderclap shook the battlefield!
"It's Vice Admiral Garp!!!"
"It's the Marine Hero, Garp!!!"
...
At that moment, pirates and marines alike stopped, eyes fixed on the sky, witnessing the clash of the strongest.
The force stirred the air over the entire island, forming a monstrous storm centered on Marineford.
Towering waves rose, sweeping toward the seas beyond.
Above, the moves clashed with the shockwave, energy striking like lightning—a battle of titans.
"Garp!"
"Edward!"
The two veterans locked eyes, filled with boundless fighting spirit.
Decades of conflict had forged a silent understanding between them.
Let fists and blades speak!
Whitebeard swung his massive Murakumogiri, his cloak whipping violently.
Garp sprang forward with explosive steps, like a cannonball, toward Whitebeard.
"Meteor Fist!"
Sizzling energy tore through the air, carving a vacuum channel as they collided.
Howling winds created space for the duel.
Both Marine and pirates watched.
They knew…
This would decide the true outcome of the battle!
But then…
Something completely unexpected happened.
A pink flash appeared from the distant horizon.
None of the strongest present sensed its aura.
Yet the flash stopped directly between the two titans.
Thunk…
A slender arm suddenly appeared, firmly grasping Whitebeard's Murakumogiri, overflowing with shockwave power.
Instantly, Marineford fell silent.
All eyes focused on the new figure.
Whitebeard, surprised, tried to pull his weapon free, but it wouldn't budge.
"… kid, who are you!?"
Eyes wide, he asked in disbelief.
The pink-haired boy lifted his chin, determination blazing in his gaze.
"I?"
"I'm Koby of the Starry Sky Pirates!"
"Just a cabin boy!!!"