Although it was merely a clash of lead bullets, the added force of Armament Haki gave them devastating power.
This was the true terror of a top-tier marksman.
Unfortunately, in this world—or rather, in the New World—whether pirate or Marine, the majority of those who rely on firearms do so because they are not proficient in Armament Haki.
This fact was evident during the Dressrosa arc, where the Marines aiding in resisting the Birdcage were mostly swordsmen and martial artists proficient in Haki, while those wielding firearms were generally not.
In an environment where those who cannot master Haki often turn to guns, those who do grasp Haki rarely walk the path of a marksman.
This, in turn, highlighted just how rare and valuable a true top-tier gunman was.
Seeing his Armament Haki-infused bullets intercepted in such a manner, Maude's eyes narrowed. His gaze shifted toward the deck of the icebreaker, where a man stood, holding two smoking guns—Izou.
The twelve shots just now had all come from him.
Noticing Maude's stare, Izou tilted his head slightly and, with a hint of provocation, blew the lingering smoke from his gun barrels.
The New World was teeming with powerful figures, as numerous as the fish in the sea.
But those who had elevated gunplay to its peak were exceedingly rare.
And any warrior who could wield firearms with such mastery was not to be underestimated.
Maude ignored Izou's provocation.
Though his attack had failed, more opportunities would arise.
With a calm expression, he turned his attention back to the harbor.
The Whitebeard Pirates had easily neutralized the three descending meteors, but in doing so, they had inadvertently given Akainu's "Meteor Volcano" the perfect window to unleash its full power.
The icy surface of the entire harbor was rapidly melting.
With no footing left, many pirates plunged into the sea.
Boom! Boom!
The distinctive explosive sound of Moonwalk echoed.
Maude turned to see Marine officers launching themselves skyward, landing atop the encircling fortress walls.
Below the execution platform, Kizaru and Aokiji wasted no time either. Their bodies shifted into elemental form, instantly appearing atop the fortress.
At the same time, the cannons mounted on the fortress turned, aiming their barrels at the pirates now struggling in the water.
As for Whitebeard's main forces aboard the icebreaker, they were completely ignored.
This was the right tactical choice.
At this moment, the Marines wouldn't waste firepower on the icebreaker.
...
Beneath the execution platform—
Fujitora had retracted his attack, but Akainu's arms once again transformed into flowing magma, preparing a second volley of "Meteor Volcano."
It was clear what would come next—devastating, concentrated fire from the Marines upon the pirates floundering in the bay.
This was the ultimate trap the Marines had set for the Whitebeard Pirates.
The moment Aokiji froze the harbor, this plan had already been quietly set into motion. Now, it was reaching its conclusion.
In the original timeline—
It was only due to Little Oars Jr.'s heroics that the Whitebeard Pirates had managed to grasp a fleeting chance at victory, allowing them to break through the encirclement and reach the plaza, thereby avoiding annihilation.
But Maude's presence had completely erased Little Oars Jr. from the equation.
And as a result, he had effectively extinguished the Whitebeard Pirates' chances of survival.
With their path to the plaza cut off, the Whitebeard Pirates now faced two choices.
One: stubbornly remain in the harbor and be annihilated by the Marines.
Two: abandon Ace's rescue and retreat.
However—
The Whitebeard Pirates would never retreat before saving Ace.
Maude knew this. So did Sengoku and the others.
Even if the Whitebeard Pirates chose to flee, the warships stationed at the harbor entrance, carrying an army of Pacifistas, would immediately cut off their escape.
This was already a dead-end.
Even if Whitebeard had laid down a secret contingency plan beneath the sea, it wouldn't be enough to change the situation.
Izou's timely intervention had allowed the division commanders to land safely on the icebreaker.
But the situation was still grim.
On the deck of the icebreaker, Whitebeard and his commanders all looked up toward the Marines stationed atop the fortress walls, prepared to unleash long-range attacks.
A crushing pressure bore down on them all.
They knew exactly what was coming.
"Jozu, bring in the fourth ship."
Before the Marines could unleash their firepower, Whitebeard glanced at Jozu.
"Understood."
Jozu immediately took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number—a silent signal for deployment.
A few seconds later—
The call ended.
Suddenly, the turbulent waters erupted into towering waves.
A mast ship, nearly identical to the Moby Dick but slightly smaller, burst forth from the depths, scooping up many of the pirates who had fallen into the sea.
All around, pirates struggling in the water immediately swam toward the newly emerged vessel.
If they could get aboard, they had a fighting chance.
But if they remained in the sea, they were as good as dead.
"Ohhh~~ hiding a trump card, huh? Scary, scary~"
Atop the fortress walls, Kizaru smirked at the sudden appearance of the backup ship, rubbing his chin lazily.
Despite his words, his right foot was already raised, gathering a dazzling light.
Not far away, Aokiji nonchalantly waved his hand, forming several razor-sharp ice spears.
"It's almost over for them, huh? The Whitebeard Pirates..."
Meanwhile, the Marines stationed atop the fortress finished their preparations—Rokushiki's "Tempest Kick," long-range slashes, shoulder-mounted cannons—each ready to rain destruction upon the pirates below.
At that moment, a streak of blue flames shot skyward—Marco, in his Phoenix form.
With his ability to fly and near-immortal regeneration, he paid no mind to the gathered Marines, nor to the Warlords like Maude standing above. He soared past the encirclement, heading straight for the plaza.
"Even if I can just draw some of their fire—!"
Marco's expression was grim.
But—
None of the forces atop the fortress reacted.
They simply let him pass.
"Damn it!"
The Marines' absolute refusal to take the bait sent a chilling realization through Marco.
"In that case..."
Gritting his teeth, he flapped his blazing wings, accelerating straight toward the execution platform.
If he could reach Ace and free him, he could use his flight to escape the encirclement and return to the ship.
That would be their last hope.
On the execution platform—
"Naïve."
Sengoku coldly observed Marco's reckless charge.
Beside him, Ace clenched his fists, his face twisted with regret.
Because of him, his crewmates were facing this nightmare.
"Marco…"
Ace looked up at Marco's approaching figure.
Even the draining effect of Seastone couldn't stop him from biting his lip and clenching his fists.
If he wavered now, he would be insulting the resolve of his comrades, who were risking their lives for him.
"No matter what happens… I will face it head-on."
The deathly stillness in Ace's eyes faded. His fists, once clenched, slowly relaxed.
Sengoku noticed the change and glanced at Ace.
Too late.
Unless something completely unforeseen happened—
The Whitebeard Pirates' fate was sealed.
Marco locked eyes with Ace, sensing something shift within him. His expression hardened.
"Ace, hold on!"
Marco pushed his speed to the limit, closing in on the platform—
Suddenly—
A crushing gravitational force slammed down on him from above.
"What?!"
The airborne Marco was yanked downward, violently crashing into the ground.
Below the platform, Fujitora slowly lowered his head, sliding his partially unsheathed blade back into its scabbard.
"My abilities are limited, but they still have their uses."
"Limited? Don't be so modest."
Under the weight of the relentless gravity, Marco struggled to rise, his expression darkening.
With the surrounding Marines closing in, his situation had turned dire.
"Our one chance..."
A sinking feeling settled in Marco's heart.
Fujitora's gravity had extinguished their final hope.
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