Chapter 68 - Volume 2, Chapter 2: The Strongest Man in the World

A/N: Don't forget to check out my original novel: Can I Magic Please. It's like really good. 😉

ANYWHOOO. ENJOY THE CHAPTER

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Marineford buzzed with tension.

One hundred thousand Marines stood gathered beneath dark skies while the Seven Warlords of the Sea remained positioned near the front lines like monsters waiting to be unleashed.

Yet despite the overwhelming pressure filling the battlefield—

One person had completely stopped functioning.

Boa Hancock.

The Pirate Empress stood frozen in place.

Her beautiful eyes remained locked entirely onto Tenjin.

The green-haired Marine had absolutely no idea what kind of devastation his casual existence caused inside her heart.

Thump.

Thump.

THUMP.

Her face reddened further.

He was here.

Alive.

Safe.

And somehow even more handsome than before.

The Marine coat draped over his shoulders fluttered lightly in the wind while he stood among the elite trainees casually talking with Koby and the others.

Hancock's breathing became uneven.

Salome tilted his head slightly.

"Mama Snake senses danger."

Hancock barely heard him.

Tenjin finally noticed her properly.

His eyes widened slightly in recognition.

Then he smiled.

A completely normal smile.

Warm.

Friendly.

"Oh."

He raised a hand casually.

"Snake Princess."

Hancock's world exploded.

KYUN!!

Steam practically erupted from her head.

Her knees weakened instantly.

"H-he remembered me…"

The Pirate Empress swayed in place with a dreamy expression.

"He remembered me…"

Several Marines nearby collapsed immediately from seeing her expression.

"She's too beautiful!"

"Lady Hancock!"

Even Vice Admirals looked stunned.

Doflamingo slowly lowered his sunglasses slightly while staring at Hancock.

"…What?"

The Heavenly Yaksha had known Hancock for years.

He had seen her arrogant.

Cold.

Cruel.

Violent.

Prideful beyond belief.

But this?

This looked like a maiden seeing her crush for the first time.

Doflamingo's grin slowly widened.

"Heh…"

His gaze shifted toward Tenjin.

"…Who the hell are you?"

Nearby, Mihawk silently observed everything without comment.

Though even he looked mildly interested.

Hancock meanwhile remained completely lost in her own world.

"He greeted me…"

Her hands pressed lightly against her burning cheeks.

"He greeted me warmly…"

Doflamingo finally snapped his fingers in front of her.

"Oi."

Hancock jolted.

"Hm?!"

"You're drooling."

Instantly, Hancock regained composure.

"…Lies."

But her face remained bright red.

Doflamingo laughed loudly.

"Fufufufu! This is interesting!"

Her glare immediately sharpened murderously.

"Watch your tongue, Doflamingo."

But before things could escalate further—

Her thoughts drifted backward.

Back several days earlier.

Back to Amazon Lily.

The Kuja warriors had stood fully prepared for battle the moment a Marine warship approached their shores.

Arrows were drawn.

Weapons raised.

Killing intent filled the air.

At the center of the harbor stood Vice Admiral Momonga calmly waiting.

And seated upon her throne above him—

Boa Hancock stared down coldly.

"I refuse."

Her answer had come instantly.

Momonga sighed heavily.

"The summons of the World Government is mandatory for the Seven Warlords."

"I refuse."

"The Marines require your assistance in the upcoming war against Whitebeard."

"I refuse."

Momonga's eyebrow twitched.

Hancock rested her cheek lazily against one hand.

"Leave."

Her voice carried complete arrogance.

"Or shall I turn you all into stone?"

The Kuja warriors behind her laughed proudly.

Momonga exhaled slowly.

Then decided to try one last thing.

"All Marines will be gathered at Marineford for the war."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Hancock's head slowly turned.

"…What? Will Tenjin be there."

Momonga blinked.

"…Captain Tenjin?"

Her eyes sharpened immediately.

"He will be there?"

Momonga looked confused now.

"Well… probably."

He scratched his chin slightly.

"I heard he's dealing with some family troubles at the moment, but he should arrive before the war begins."

The moment those words left his mouth—

Hancock stood up instantly.

"I accept."

Momonga froze.

"…What?"

"I said," Hancock declared proudly, "I shall participate in this war."

The Vice Admiral stared at her blankly.

The abrupt change nearly gave him whiplash.

"…You just refused three times."

"That was before."

Momonga narrowed his eyes slightly.

Now that he thought about it…

The Pirate Empress asking specifically about Tenjin felt extremely suspicious.

But before he could think further—

Hancock turned around dramatically.

"Prepare my ship."

The Kuja warriors stared in disbelief.

"Sister?!"

"You're actually going?!"

Hancock lifted her chin proudly.

"Of course."

Though inwardly—

She was already imagining Tenjin praising her for helping the Marines.

Back in the present at Marineford, the Warlords stood gathered together near the front lines.

Gecko Moria laughed loudly while looking across the battlefield.

"KISHISHISHI!"

His eyes gleamed greedily.

"So many powerful corpses…"

He spread his arms excitedly.

"This war is going to be wonderful for my zombie army!"

Doflamingo scoffed beside him.

"You're already thinking about grave robbing?"

"Of course!" Moria laughed. "Do you know how valuable Whitebeard's commanders would be as zombies?!"

Doflamingo smirked.

"Fufufu… you're disgusting."

Meanwhile—

Tenjin's eyes suddenly landed on one specific figure.

Bartholomew Kuma.

Instantly—

His expression darkened.

"…You."

Koby blinked.

"Huh?"

Tenjin's veins bulged immediately.

"YOU!"

His voice exploded across the battlefield loudly enough to make nearby Marines jump.

Kuma slowly turned his head toward him.

Tenjin pointed furiously.

"You sent me straight into Emperor territory!"

Several Marines nearby immediately looked horrified.

Wait—

What?

THAT was the Marine Captain Big Mom captured?!

Kuma remained silent for a moment before speaking calmly.

"…Forgive me."

Tenjin twitched.

"It was my mistake."

Silence.

Then—

"MISTAKE?!"

BOOOOM!!

Plant life exploded wildly around Tenjin as rage burst from him.

"You launched me into BIG MOM'S TERRITORY and called it a MISTAKE?!"

Nearby Marines scrambled backward in panic.

Even some Vice Admirals looked nervous.

Tenjin genuinely looked ready to fight a Warlord right now.

Kuma simply stood there silently.

"…I apologize."

"That doesn't fix anything, bastard!"

Tenjin immediately started marching toward him aggressively.

"I almost died because of you!"

Koby and Helmeppo panicked instantly.

"T-Tenjin-san!"

"Calm down!"

Kujaku hurriedly wrapped her whip around his arm.

"Oi! Not now!"

Prince Grus grabbed his shoulder.

"You can't attack a Warlord before the war starts!"

Even Hibari joined in trying to restrain him.

Tenjin still struggled furiously.

"LET ME GO!"

Kuma remained completely motionless.

"…I understand your anger."

"That makes me MORE angry!"

Doflamingo burst out laughing nearby.

"Fufufufufu! This war hasn't even started yet and the Marines are already fighting themselves!"

Hancock meanwhile stared dreamily at Tenjin again.

"He's so passionate…"

Salome blinked.

"…Mama Snake thinks your standards are broken."

---

Marineford had become a fortress of war.

The sea surrounding the island was packed with Marine battleships lined in perfect formation. Cannons pointed outward. Thousands upon thousands of Marines stood at attention across the plaza, rifles clenched tightly in nervous hands.

Tension covered the battlefield like a storm cloud.

Above it all—

Upon the execution platform—

Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood with his arms folded behind his back, eyes narrowed toward the distant horizon.

Beside him sat Ace.

Bound in thick chains.

Head lowered.

And nearby—

Vice Admiral Garp sat silently on a chair.

Unlike his usual loud and carefree self, he remained completely still.

Quiet.

Sengoku glanced sideways toward him briefly before speaking to the woman beside him.

"Tsuru."

Vice Admiral Tsuru calmly adjusted her coat.

"What is it?"

Sengoku's eyes narrowed.

"The Gates of Justice remain closed."

His gaze shifted toward the sea.

"No pirate fleet should be capable of entering Marineford unnoticed."

Tsuru nodded slightly.

"Whitebeard didn't become Emperor by being predictable."

Sengoku frowned deeper.

"How does he plan to infiltrate this place?"

Even with all his experience…

Even Sengoku could not see the path forward.

Marineford was surrounded.

Fortified.

Prepared.

There should have been no way in.

Tsuru calmly answered.

"We cannot guess."

Her eyes remained sharp.

"We wait."

Far below them, nervous murmurs spread through the Marines.

"He's really coming…"

"The Strongest Man in the World…"

"I heard Whitebeard can destroy islands…"

Koby swallowed nervously within the elite trainee group.

Helmeppo adjusted his glasses shakily.

Even experienced soldiers looked tense.

Then suddenly—

A massive alarm rang out.

BEEEEEEEEEP!!

The entire battlefield froze.

Sengoku's eyes sharpened instantly.

"What happened?!"

A Marine operator shouted in panic through a Den Den Mushi.

"F-Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"

"The Gates of Justice—!"

"They're opening!!"

"…What?"

Far in the distance—

The gigantic Gates of Justice slowly began opening outward.

RUMBLE!!

Massive waves spread across the ocean as the colossal doors separated.

Shock exploded throughout Marineford.

"They're opening?!"

"Who opened them?!"

"That's impossible!"

Sengoku's face darkened instantly.

"No one was authorized to open those gates."

Tsuru's expression became serious.

"…This is bad."

Then—

Far beyond the gates—

Ships appeared.

One after another.

Dozens.

The lookout Marine atop the tower nearly lost his voice.

"T-THEY'RE HERE!!"

His voice cracked from panic.

"The Whitebeard Pirates have arrived!!"

The battlefield erupted.

The lookout frantically began naming them.

"'Bohemian Knight' Doma!"

"'Thunder Lord' McGuy!"

"The Decalvan Brothers!"

"'Maelstrom Spider' Squard!"

"'Ice Witch' Whitey Bay!"

"Karma of the Takotopus Pirates!"

"A O of the A O Pirates!"

"Epoida's fleet!"

"And more—!"

"There are over forty allied pirate ships!!"

The sheer number alone sent chills through the Marines.

Sengoku's face hardened.

"…That's nearly his entire fleet."

Even veteran Vice Admirals looked grim.

Thousands of pirates.

All gathered for one war.

But Sengoku's eyes narrowed further.

"…Who opened those gates?"

His voice became colder.

"And where is Whitebeard?"

Because despite the enormous fleet—

The Emperor himself was nowhere to be seen.

Nearby, Tenjin stared toward the sea with narrowed eyes.

"…A spy?"

Koby looked toward him.

Tenjin crossed his arms.

"There has to be one."

He frowned.

"How else do pirates casually open the Gates of Justice?"

Then he clicked his tongue.

"Honestly though…"

His expression looked disappointed.

"This is boring."

Koby blinked.

"…Boring?"

Tenjin nodded.

"I expected Whitebeard to smash through the gates himself or something."

He pointed dramatically toward the distance.

"An Emperor should make an entrance!"

Hibari instantly smacked the back of his head.

"THIS IS A WAR!!"

Koby panicked.

"Tenjin-san please take this seriously!"

Tenjin rubbed the back of his head.

"Ow."

Nearby, some Marines actually looked offended.

At the Admiral section—

Kizaru lazily scratched his cheek.

"~Well then…"

His eyes drifted toward the fleet.

"~Where is Whitebeard?"

Surely the Emperor would not send everyone else while staying behind.

Akainu snorted.

"He'll come."

Magma-like fury seemed to radiate from him naturally.

"A man like Whitebeard would never abandon his son."

Aokiji merely yawned while leaning against a wall.

"So troublesome…"

Back atop the platform—

Sengoku scanned the battlefield carefully.

"Where…"

His eyes sharpened.

"…are you planning to appear from?"

Then—

The water inside Marineford suddenly rippled.

At first—

It was subtle.

Small waves.

Tiny vibrations.

Several Marines frowned.

"…Huh?"

"The water…"

One Marine looked downward nervously.

"…Something's wrong."

Then suddenly—

BOOOOOOOOM!!!

The sea exploded upward.

Gigantic tidal waves erupted into the sky as massive ships burst directly out from beneath the ocean itself.

Entire warships surfaced from underwater coating the battlefield in seawater and chaos.

The Marines froze in absolute horror.

"T-THEY CAME FROM BELOW?!"

"Impossible!!"

"It's Whitebeard!!"

At the center ship—

A gigantic figure stood proudly at the bow.

Massive.

Towering.

Like a mountain of muscle and power.

Then footsteps from below sounded.

THUMP

THUMP

THUMP

Until he appeared. The coat on his shoulder bearing the Whitebeard Pirates logo on his back fluttering in the wind.

Whitebeard.

Edward Newgate himself.

His crescent mustache gleamed beneath the sunlight as his enormous bisento rested in one hand.

Beside him—

All sixteen division commanders stood assembled.

Marco.

Jozu.

Vista.

And the rest.

The Whitebeard Pirates had arrived.

And suddenly—

The pressure across Marineford changed completely.

Even hardened Marines trembled.

Because now—

The Strongest Man in the World had entered the battlefield

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