...
"I agree to Red-Hair's request!"
Sengoku repeated once more, his voice resolute and unyielding: "I alone will bear and be responsible for all consequences!"
"Fleet Admiral!!"
Doberman and the other Vice Admirals still wanted to argue.
"No more discussion!"
Sengoku swung his hand sharply, unleashing the absolute authority of the Fleet Admiral as he barked: "Right now, the most important task is to immediately and fully treat the wounded! Clear the battlefield! Carry out the order!"
Though some Vice Admirals still looked unwilling, under Sengoku's long-established prestige, they could only grit their teeth, accept the command, and turn away resentfully to organize rescue operations.
Shanks gave Sengoku a deep look. The tightly pursed corner of his mouth finally lifted slightly, tracing an almost imperceptible arc.
He nodded gently toward Sengoku—this man who represented the highest will of the Marines.
It was a tacit understanding that transcended factions, forged above mountains of corpses and seas of blood, concerning "finality" and "dignity."
Without lingering further, Shanks turned and walked toward Marco and the others.
The Red Hair Pirates flanked him in perfect coordination. Together with the surviving Whitebeard Pirates members, they began collecting the bodies of Whitebeard and Ace, preparing to withdraw from this heartbreaking place.
Watching their departing backs and the devastated, hell-like Marineford…
Sengoku took a deep breath of air thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder smoke, then summoned all his strength to declare toward the sky:
"The war… is over!!!"
"Ohhhhhhh!!!"
"We won!!"
"Long live the Marines! Long live justice!!"
…
The surviving Marine soldiers were stunned for a moment before erupting into deafening cheers!
They waved their weapons, embraced one another, tears streaming down their faces.
Though the cost had been heavy and Headquarters lay in ruins, they had indeed achieved their strategic objective: successfully executing "Fire Fist" Ace and completely severing the bloodline of Pirate King Gol D. Roger.
They had slain the legend who had dominated the seas for decades—"Whitebeard" Edward Newgate!
Without question, this was a brutal yet undeniable victory for the Marines!
Thus concluded the Summit War of Marineford—the largest-scale conflict since the Great Pirate Era began, involving the greatest concentration of top-tier powerhouses, the most brutal process, and the deepest long-term impact.
Its bloodstained curtain finally fell.
All of this was destined to be eternally engraved upon the stone tablets of history.
However, the end of the war did not mean the end of strife.
The scenes on the screen began to shift, showing the rapid post-war actions of Marine Headquarters: through Den Den Mushi, they broadcast a worldwide message to every corner of the globe.
The content was nothing more than an all-out propaganda of the Marines' "glorious" victory in this battle, emphasizing their success in defending justice and eradicating immense evil!
They attempted to calm the terrified populace, rebuild the image of the invincible Marines, and minimize the shock caused by Whitebeard's dying declaration about "ONE PIECE."
But everyone understood: the old balance had been utterly shattered. Whitebeard's final words spread like wildfire across the world.
A far more turbulent, far wilder "new era"—full of unknowns and opportunities—had arrived unstoppable with the gun smoke of Marineford.
The Marines' victory broadcast appeared pale and feeble in the face of this impending massive upheaval—even carrying a hint of hysterical desperation at the end of an era.
Though the flames of Marineford had been extinguished, Whitebeard Edward Newgate's earth-shattering dying declaration—"ONE PIECE is real!"—had struck like a massive stone thrown into a calm lake, its ripples spreading across the entire world at astonishing speed.
Countless people harboring dreams, craving wealth, or dissatisfied with reality set sail upon hearing the news, throwing themselves fearlessly into the grand waves of the Great Pirate Era.
The Marines' so-called "victory" had not only failed to stem the pirate tide—it had poured hot oil onto raging flames.
Could the outcome of this war truly be called a Marine victory?
Every clear-sighted observer in the world placed a huge question mark over that.
The post-war world faced not peace, but a far more chaotic and unpredictable future.
The New World had originally been ruled jointly by four Emperors of the Sea, maintaining a delicate yet dangerous balance: Whitebeard, Red-Hair, Kaido, and Big Mom. These four powerhouses checked one another, keeping the pirate forces in the New World strong but in a relatively stable state of division.
Yet the Summit War mercilessly tore apart this web of balance. With Whitebeard's death, his vast territory and influence instantly became masterless.
Blackbeard Teach emerged as a dark horse, forcibly claiming a place among the Emperors through his dual Devil Fruit powers.
The old order collapsed completely. The future New World would inevitably plunge into an even bloodier and more brutal power reshuffle and struggle for dominance.
The course of this world's story had already veered completely off any track that any single faction could control—like a wild horse breaking free, galloping toward an unforeseeable horizon.
On the screen, the view returned to the war-ravaged Marineford.
Marine Headquarters had begun the difficult work of reconstruction. Amid the ruins, engineers and soldiers bustled back and forth, attempting to raise the flag of "Justice" once more from the broken walls.
However, the atmosphere inside Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office was heavier than the wreckage outside.
"Fleet Admiral… this is an urgent report from Impel Down!"
Brannew reported with a pale face: "Warden Magellan was gravely wounded in fierce combat against the invading Blackbeard Pirates and the chaos they triggered—he is in critical condition! He is currently receiving emergency treatment!"
Sengoku's brows knitted tightly together.
He knew Magellan's strength well. For someone to push that poison master to such a state raised the danger level of Blackbeard's crew once again.
"But…"
Brannew paused, his tone carrying a trace of admiration: "Even while unconscious, Warden Magellan kept insisting he must take responsibility for his failure in duty…"
Sengoku let out a heavy sigh. Magellan's loyalty and bravery were beyond reproach, but the bad news was far from over.
"What's even more serious is… the situation in Level 6: Eternal Hell of Impel Down…"
At this point, Brannew's voice began to tremble. "It's… simply horrific. According to surviving guards and residual footage from surveillance Den Den Mushi…
After Blackbeard Teach invaded, he didn't simply take away his accomplices—he… he made the prisoners in that level slaughter each other!"
"What?!" Sengoku shot to his feet, staring straight at Brannew.
...