"Damn you, Whitebeard! Don't think you'll get away with this!"
On the execution platform, Sengoku watched the scene unfold, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
At last, he realized what had felt wrong about Whitebeard.
That old monster shouldn't have been able to use all three types of Haki anymore!
Yet the Conqueror's Haki erupting from him now was only slightly weaker than in his prime. Their assessment of his combat power had been completely wrong!
He could not simply stand by and watch Marine after Marine collapse.
An equally overwhelming surge of Conqueror's Haki burst from Sengoku!
Unlike Whitebeard's, Sengoku's Haki swept past the Marines—
And struck down many of the pirate grunts charging at the frontlines.
Then the two torrents of supreme willpower collided violently in midair!
BOOM—!!!
Though invisible, the clash exploded with thunderous force!
Even the clouds in the sky were blasted apart!
The clouds: We have split open.
The collision between Whitebeard and Sengoku's Conqueror's Haki left a vast vacuum zone in the center.
The ground was littered with unconscious Marines and pirates alike. The battlefield, which had been roaring moments ago, suddenly fell eerily quieter.
No matter what—
Whitebeard's goal of clearing the field with Conqueror's Haki had been achieved. The Marines' numerical advantage was drastically reduced.
On the execution platform, Sengoku's face turned frighteningly dark.
He immediately issued orders through a Den Den Mushi:
"Activate the encircling walls at once! Trap the Whitebeard Pirates here!"
Rumble—!
Massive metal walls rose from all sides of the bay.
The entire Whitebeard fleet, along with the Moby Dick, was completely sealed inside the inner harbor!
"We've already paid such a heavy price… The Whitebeard Pirates won't have a single survivor leaving today!" Sengoku declared coldly.
If Whitebeard managed to rescue Ace after all this—
The blow to Marine and World Government authority would be catastrophic.
They might as well stop chasing pirates and go home to herd sheep.
With the dense artillery barrage and manpower suppression weakened—
Little Oars Jr. finally had room to shine!
"Ace—! I'm here to save you!!"
Oars Jr.'s deafening roar shook the battlefield.
His enormous body ignored the rising encircling walls entirely, striding straight toward the execution platform!
The walls were nothing more than short fences to him!
"Hehihihihi! Another Ancient Giant, is it?!" Gecko Moria's eyes gleamed greedily.
"The last Oars got ruined… I was just in need of a replacement!"
But Doflamingo moved faster.
"Five-Color Strings!"
Sharp threads flashed through the air.
Oars Jr.'s massive ankle was instantly sliced open to the bone.
He screamed as his colossal body crashed to its knees.
Fast arrival, fast downfall.
"OARS!!" Ace shouted from the platform, pain and fury twisting his face.
In that moment of chaos—
Marco seized the opportunity, transforming into his phoenix form and shooting toward the execution platform at incredible speed.
"Hmph! Pirates won't succeed so easily!"
Kizaru, who had been "harassing" Whitebeard with Yasakani no Magatama while largely slacking off, couldn't afford to be distracted against such a major opponent and failed to notice Marco in time.
Aokiji, locked in fierce combat with Diamond Jozu, was too slow to intercept.
Fortunately—
The Marines' true workhorse stepped in.
"Meigō!"
A magma-wreathed fist shot forward, striking Marco before he could react!
BOOM!
Marco was blasted away like a kite with its string cut—another phoenix crash landing!
At this point, all three Admirals had entered the battlefield.
Especially Akainu, ruthless and merciless—the true MVP of the Paramount War.
All of this—
Was observed by Leno, who had just arrived at the edge of the battlefield, his aura concealed.
He didn't approach too close.
At the moment, everyone's attention was locked on Whitebeard, Ace, and the three Admirals.
Even Garp, who had been waiting for him, was seated at the edge of the execution platform, tears streaming down his face as he spoke to Ace, too preoccupied to notice anything else.
"Well, I'll be damned… Whitebeard actually used Conqueror's Haki?"
The stray Conqueror's Haki leaking into the air was quietly absorbed by Leno's Devil Fruit, nourishing his own supreme will.
"Who healed him? Guess I don't need to guide them into using Haki anymore."
He rubbed his chin.
"Still… it's not time yet."
"I have to wait until Luffy shows up. That's when that old geezer Garp will truly feel the pain…"
His gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield—
Until it landed on two Marines trembling behind a ruined barricade, faces pale as ghosts.
Koby and Helmeppo.
From the start of the war, the two had barely moved, utterly terrified by the hellish spectacle.
A cold curve tugged at Leno's lips.
"Well then… before the main course begins, collecting a bit of interest… wouldn't hurt."
With a soft chuckle, he led the women toward the trembling "future king of deserters."
—
Meanwhile—
The Luffy Leno had been waiting for was busy playing "Escape from Impel Down."
Luffy, Sabo, and Ivankov, along with a group from Newkama Land, were attempting to flee the prison.
Unexpectedly—
They ran straight into the Blackbeard Pirates.
Blackbeard Teach paused upon seeing Luffy.
Then burst into loud laughter. "Zehahahaha!"
"So you're the Straw Hat brat who stirred up this riot! Thanks! You opened the stage for us!"
Luffy tilted his head innocently. "Oh! You're welcome!"
He accepted the thanks at face value.
Sabo frowned, grabbing Luffy. "Luffy! Don't waste time talking! Ace is still waiting on the execution platform!"
At the mention of Ace, Luffy's expression hardened.
He nodded firmly. "Yeah! Let's go!"
However—
A furious roar echoed from the end of the corridor.
"Trying to leave?! None of you are escaping Impel Down today! You'll all stay here!"
Warden Magellan advanced, lethal purple poison oozing from his body, his expression darker than ever.
Ever since Leno had escaped right under his nose—
He had sworn to keep every new pirate locked in Impel Down forever!
And now they dared attempt an escape in front of him?
Did they think Magellan had no pride?!
Seeing Magellan, Blackbeard's eyes spun thoughtfully.
He immediately shouted to Luffy:
"Zehahaha! Straw Hat! We'll leave the poison man to you! Aren't we 'partners'? Hang in there!"
Without another glance, he led his crew deeper into the prison.
Magellan snorted at the direction Blackbeard fled.
He didn't pursue immediately.
Impel Down was already sealed. Running deeper only meant trapping themselves further.
Better to eliminate Straw Hat and his mysterious accomplice first—
And prevent another Leno-like disaster.
Decision made—
Magellan showed no mercy and unleashed his ultimate technique at once!
"Venom Demon: Hell's Judgment!"
A massive skeletal poison giant rose into being, radiating destructive aura.
Magellan intended to end this swiftly.
He would not allow another Leno incident to happen.
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