The declaration Arthur had left hanging over Marineford did not disappear with the roar of battle.
It lingered.
The Marines continued exchanging fire with Whitebeard's forces, pirates pushed deeper into the frozen harbor, and explosions erupted from one end of the battlefield to the other. Yet despite the chaos, a strange tension surrounded the Athena.
The ship had entered Marineford.
But its guns remained silent.
Arthur stood at the bow, his eyes calmly following the battlefield ahead. Rayleigh remained beside him, watching the same scene with a more experienced eye. Behind them, the members of the ART Pirates had taken their positions along the deck, each studying a different part of the battlefield.
Robin's eyes moved between the Marine formations and the execution platform.
"They've prepared every defensive line around Ace," she said quietly. "Even with Whitebeard's forces already inside the bay, the Marines haven't lost control of the center."
Law rested one hand against the railing. His gaze followed the movement of the Pacifistas.
"They're trying to push them into a closed cage and defeat Whitebeard immediately, but they've failed because Whitebeard ordered the allied captains to stay at the outer ring."
Koala looked toward the frozen battlefield. "And everyone caught between them is being crushed."
Another explosion erupted in the distance.
Smoke rose above the ice.
Koala's expression tightened.
Arthur heard her but said nothing. His attention remained fixed on the battlefield. Whitebeard was advancing. The Marines were responding. Admirals and Warlords were gradually becoming more active.
Yet Arthur had no intention of throwing his crew into the middle of it.
He finally turned toward his crew.
"Listen carefully." The conversations on the deck stopped. "We stay aboard and don't attack unless we're attacked."
Arthur's voice remained calm.
Robin nodded first.
Law gave a brief glance toward the battlefield before answering, "Understood."
Koala followed. "We'll hold our position."
The others acknowledged the order as well.
Arthur looked back toward Marineford.
The decision was simple.
This was Whitebeard's war.
Luffy's reason for coming was Ace.
And Arthur had his own reason for being here.
For now, it was enough to watch.
Rayleigh glanced sideways at him. "You're surprisingly patient."
"There's no reason to rush." Arthur gave him a faint smile.
Rayleigh chuckled softly. "That's one way of putting it."
The Athena continued moving until it reached a position where the ART Pirates could observe the battlefield without becoming directly involved. Its sails gradually slowed, and the ship settled into a controlled course along the outer edge of the conflict.
For several moments, nothing happened.
Then a Marine warship changed direction.
Law noticed it first.
"Captain Arthur."
Arthur followed his gaze.
A Marine vessel had broken away from the main formation. Several smaller boats accompanied it, spreading outward to create a partial barrier around the Athena.
Their cannons turned.
Koala's expression hardened. "They're coming toward us."
"Looks like someone finally decided to test the waters." Rayleigh glanced at the approaching ships.
Arthur remained completely still.
The Marine ships stopped at a distance.
A Den Den Mushi amplified the voice of the officer standing at the front.
"ART Pirates! You are entering a restricted military zone!"
Arthur said nothing.
"The Fleet Admiral ordered you to halt immediately and state your intentions!"
Still nothing.
The officer's voice became harsher.
"This is Marine Headquarters! Any unauthorized movement will be considered hostile!"
Several cannons were raised.
The ART Pirates watched without drawing their weapons.
Arthur's expression remained unchanged.
Then the Marine commander made the mistake of giving the order.
"Fire a warning shot!"
Cannons erupted.
The projectiles tore through the air toward the Athena.
Arthur didn't even turn.
Robin raised one hand.
A cluster of arms bloomed across the deck and caught several cannon barrels before they could reach the ship.
Law moved his fingers.
"Room."
The remaining projectiles abruptly changed direction, their trajectories twisting away from the Athena before exploding harmlessly over the sea.
Monet sent a gust of freezing wind across the deck, scattering the smoke left behind by the explosions.
The entire exchange lasted only seconds.
No one aboard the Athena had even stepped forward.
The Marine ships fell silent.
Their commander stared in disbelief.
"What…?"
Arthur finally looked toward them.
His voice carried across the water.
"I said we wouldn't attack." He paused. "Don't mistake that for weakness."
The Marine officer swallowed.
Behind him, several soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
Arthur turned away.
"Continue."
The Athena resumed its course.
The Marine ships did not pursue.
They had received their answer.
Arthur had no interest in fighting them.
But if they forced the issue, the result would be different.
The battlefield continued raging behind them.
Arthur's eyes returned to the execution platform.
Ace was still there.
Luffy had not yet appeared.
Sabo had not yet appeared.
And neither had the people Arthur had expected to hear from.
Arthur reached inside his coat and took out a Den Den Mushi.
He pressed the receiver.
"Baby-5."
The creature's eyes opened.
For several seconds, there was only static.
Then a familiar voice answered.
"Your Master!"
Baby-5 sounded breathless.
"Where are you?"
"We're at the top of the frozen tsunami."
Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Everyone?"
"Yes. Luffy and Sabo are safe. The additional forces include former Shichibukai Jinbe and Crocodile. We also brought Okama Ivankov, Bon Clay, and the others. They're all here."
A violent crash sounded through the receiver.
Arthur looked toward the battlefield.
"What's happening?"
"Luffy tried to break the ice!" Baby-5 quickly continued before he could respond. "He doesn't want to leave the ship, but it'll take time to thaw the Sunny Go."
Arthur's expression relaxed slightly.
A second voice could be heard faintly in the background.
Luffy.
"LET'S GO SAVE ACE?!"
"He's already asking about Ace." Baby-5 pulled the Den Den Mushi away for a moment.
"Of course he is." Arthur almost smiled.
"We'll join you at Marineford shortly." Baby-5 continued.
"Good. Make sure you keep Luffy and Sabo safe."
There was a brief pause.
"Arthur…"
Her tone changed.
Arthur immediately noticed.
"What?"
"Near Impel Down. I couldn't see them clearly, but I think someone was watching us." Baby-5 continued. "We noticed movement before we left. It wasn't Marine soldiers. At least, I don't think so. They never attacked us. They just stayed there."
His eyes became sharper.
"How many?"
"At least five. I can't be sure if there was a sixth because the distance was too great."
Arthur's gaze slowly shifted toward the open sea. "Did you recognize anyone?"
"No."
"Could it have been Teach?" Arthur's eyes narrowed.
Baby-5's voice became quieter. "I don't know. That's why I'm telling you."
Arthur looked down at the Den Den Mushi.
"If you'd been certain, I'd be more concerned."
He closed his eyes briefly.
Teach.
The name had been absent from Marineford.
No sign of him.
No ship.
No declaration.
Nothing.
And yet, that silence bothered Arthur more than a direct appearance would have.
Marshall D. Teach had never been the type to reveal his hand before the moment benefited him.
Arthur opened his eyes.
"Stay with Luffy and Sabo until they reach Marineford. Then return here."
"Understood."
The connection remained open for another second.
Then Baby-5 spoke again.
"Young Master."
"What?"
"Be careful."
"You too." A faint smile crossed his face.
The Den Den Mushi went quiet.
Arthur slowly lowered it.
Rayleigh had been listening from nearby. "Teach?"
Arthur nodded.
"That man has a talent for appearing where he's least expected." Rayleigh's expression lost its amusement.
"That's what concerns me." Arthur looked toward the horizon. "He's not here."
Rayleigh followed his gaze.
Neither said anything more.
The war continued around them.
A sudden explosion erupted near the outer Marine line.
The Athena rocked slightly from the distant shockwave.
Arthur looked toward the battlefield again.
Whitebeard's forces had pushed farther forward.
The Marines had responded by blocking several routes to the execution platform.
The situation was becoming increasingly unstable.
Arthur remained at the bow.
He had entered Marineford.
He had shown that he would not be intimidated.
But he still had not chosen a side.
That uncertainty had begun to spread throughout Marineford.
From the fortress walls, Marine officers continued watching the Athena.
One officer lowered his binoculars.
"They're still not attacking."
Another glanced toward the battlefield.
"Then why did they come?"
"No idea."
A senior officer looked toward Arthur's ship.
"That's what makes them dangerous."
Back on the Athena, Robin watched the officers observing them.
"They're afraid of what you'll do."
"They should be more worried about what Whitebeard and the Marines are already doing." Arthur gave a quiet response.
Law glanced at him. "We're really planning to sit this out, Captain?"
Arthur looked at the battlefield.
"Not yet." Arthur's eyes settled on Ace. "I'm waiting."
For what, he did not say.
But everyone on the Athena understood.
Law raised an eyebrow.
Something was coming.
The war had not yet revealed all its pieces.
And somewhere beyond Marineford, another force was still moving through the sea.
"Looks like the real trouble is about to begin." Arthur looked toward the sky.
For the first time since entering Marineford, a faint smile appeared on his face.
The brief clash near the Athena ended as quickly as it had begun.
The Marine units that had attempted to test the pirate ship's defenses were forced back, leaving behind only smoke and scattered debris upon the water. Arthur's order remained unchanged. The ART Pirates did not pursue them, nor did they advance farther into the fighting.
They simply held their position.
From the bow of the Athena, Arthur watched Marineford continue to tear itself apart.
Cannons thundered across the frozen harbor. Pirates and Marines fought among shattered ice, while flashes of magma, ice, and golden light repeatedly illuminated the battlefield. The execution platform remained visible beyond the chaos, with Ace still restrained at its summit.
Arthur turned his attention toward the center of the battlefield.
Whitebeard's forces were pushing deeper into Marineford. The old Emperor remained at the heart of his men, his presence alone enough to keep the pirates advancing despite the overwhelming Marine defenses.
Arthur watched him for several seconds.
Then he stepped down from the bow.
"I'm going to speak with Whitebeard."
"Hmm, I'm coming. There's something I want to ask him too." Rayleigh raised an eyebrow.
The two men left the Athena while Robin and Law watched them descend toward the battlefield.
"Arthur isn't planning to fight Whitebeard, right?" Koala said quietly.
Law folded his arms. "No. He's planning something else."
"Whatever it is, he clearly considers it important." Robin's eyes followed Arthur's retreating figure.
Arthur and Rayleigh moved along the edge of the battlefield without interfering in the fighting.
Several Marines noticed them immediately.
"It's Arthur moving!"
"And Rayleigh!"
"Don't engage them unless you want to die. Report this to the Fleet Admiral!"
The two legendary figures continued forward.
Pirates also noticed their approach.
Some stepped aside instinctively.
Others stared at Rayleigh with open disbelief.
The Dark King was walking beside one of the new generation's most dangerous pirates as though they had done so a hundred times before.
Eventually, Arthur reached the Moby Dick.
Whitebeard noticed him approaching.
The old Emperor's eyes narrowed briefly before a familiar grin appeared beneath his mustache.
"Gurararara! So you finally decided to come over."
Arthur stopped several meters away. "I wanted to ask you something."
"Ask away." Whitebeard leaned against his bisento.
"It's about Ace." Arthur glanced toward the execution platform.
Whitebeard's expression immediately became more serious.
"What about him?"
"Do you need help?"
The question was direct.
There was no pride behind it.
No hidden demand.
Whitebeard studied Arthur for several seconds.
Then he laughed.
"Gurararara! You really are a strange one, brat."
Arthur remained silent.
Whitebeard looked toward his commanders, then back toward the platform.
"This is my war."
Arthur nodded. "I thought you might say that."
"You already have your own reasons for being here."
"That's true."
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed slightly. "And you're not the kind of man who follows someone else's flag."
"No." Arthur gave a faint smile.
The old Emperor laughed again. "Then we're in agreement."
"I won't interfere with your rescue." Arthur turned his gaze toward the battlefield.
Whitebeard's expression softened.
"But if the Marines attack my crew," Arthur continued, "I'll respond."
"I'd expect nothing less." Whitebeard gave a knowing grin.