The Rocks Pirates, a massive pirate crew from 38 years ago, had a roster that was utterly absurd.
Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom, Golden Lion Shiki, and even Captain John—whose treasure Buggy had been chasing—were all part of this infamous crew.
It was only through the combined efforts of Garp and Roger during the battle at God Valley that this world-dominating crew was finally defeated.
Now, nearly four decades later, the Marineford War unfolded with a scale and intensity that rivaled, if not exceeded, that legendary battle.
While Garp, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom were all present in both conflicts, their strength at the time of God Valley was far superior to their current state—except for Garp, who remained as formidable as ever.
This chaotic war not only obliterated the original Marine Headquarters at Marineford but also turned the surrounding sea into a dead zone. Even the nearby Red Line collapsed for hundreds of kilometers due to the ferocity of the battle.
The clash between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines was later known as the "War of the Best," while the final showdown among the strongest was dubbed the "Endgame War."
The term "Endgame War" signified the ultimate battle that marked the demise of an era or a faction. With participants including Emperors of the Sea and Marine Admirals, the battle was a defining moment of the age.
News of the war's outcome didn't reach the public until a week later, and newspapers sold out instantly as the entire world was desperate to learn the final results.
"Captain, are you really planning to cut all ties with the Marines? Does this mean you're giving up your identity as an undercover agent?"
Nico Robin held the latest newspaper in her hands, glancing at the headline before turning to Wood, who was lying on a deck chair basking in the sun. A long scar ran across his bare chest, a reminder of the war he had just survived.
On the day of the war, Robin had remained on Dark Abyss Island, anxiously monitoring the battle between the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines.
She initially believed that with the strength of Wood and Ruth, they would easily survive the chaos of Marineford.
But what she hadn't expected was that Wood, who claimed he was just there to "play a minor role," had somehow become one of the main players in the conflict.
In addition to the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines, the war was thrown into even greater turmoil when Blackbeard's crew, the Beasts Pirates, and Big Mom's crew all joined the fray.
As the situation spiraled out of control, Robin considered leading a team to Marineford to assist.
But after recalling the monsters Wood was up against, Robin forced herself to stay calm.
Though she had awakened her Devil Fruit powers and could now hold her own as a strong fighter on the seas, she was nowhere near the level of the freakishly powerful individuals gathered at Marineford.
Heading there would only add to Wood's burdens, so she focused on gathering information through the networks and resources her weapons company had built over the years.
It wasn't until three days after the war that Wood, Ruth, and Perona finally returned to her.
The moment Wood saw Robin, he didn't even have the strength to speak. Carrying the injured Ruth and Perona, he collapsed on the spot, unconscious.
When Robin rushed to support him, she discovered a horrifying wound across his chest—a massive slash that had fractured multiple ribs and damaged his chest cavity.
Ruth wasn't in much better shape. His left flank had been almost completely torn away, as if a beast had taken a massive bite out of him. His survival was purely thanks to the incredible vitality of his Ancient Zoan abilities.
Perona, by comparison, was in the best condition. Though unconscious, she had no visible injuries.
While Ruth and Wood were being treated, Perona was the first to regain consciousness. But when Robin questioned her about what had happened, the girl burst into tears, repeatedly stating, "Moria is dead…"
Perona had been fortunate. With multiple users of Conqueror's Haki clashing on the battlefield, she had passed out early from the overwhelming pressure. Wood only found her in the rubble as he was retreating and brought her back with him.
Ruth woke up the next afternoon, his Ancient Zoan abilities allowing him to recover more quickly. He explained that during the war, he had faced a combined assault from King, who wielded the Pteranodon form of the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, and Queen, who had the Brachiosaurus form. Ruth's organs had been nearly devoured, yet he managed to survive.
Through Ruth's account, Robin pieced together the events of the war.
In the midst of the battle, Wood ultimately refused Kaido and Big Mom's proposal to form an alliance and chose to side with the Marines.
With Wood joining their ranks, the Marines gained a significant advantage over the Emperor Alliance.
However, as the tides turned, Whitebeard—who had been under Wood's magical control—broke free due to Wood's exhaustion and attacked the Marine forces.
Whitebeard's defection restored the balance, allowing Kaido and Big Mom to regain their footing. The battle ended in a deadlock, with neither side gaining a decisive victory.
The cost of the war, however, was staggering. On Big Mom's side, Cracker and Smoothie, two of the Sweet Commanders, were killed, leaving only Katakuri as the strongest among them.
From Kaido's crew, both King and Jack perished, while Queen barely escaped with his life, gravely injured.
Kaido and Big Mom were severely wounded but managed to survive.
Whitebeard's body finally gave out, and the magic binding him faded. This time, his death was final, with even his soul departing.
On the Marine side, Garp and Sengoku were gravely injured, with Sengoku losing an arm. Aokiji lost a leg, and Kizaru was blinded in one eye.
Gion, though injured, escaped relatively unscathed compared to the others, making her the least injured among the Marines.
Among the Warlords of the Sea, Gecko Moria and Bartholomew Kuma were both killed. Doflamingo, ever opportunistic, fled early with Crocodile.
Hawkeye Mihawk, though injured, emerged with only minor wounds.
As for Boa Hancock, she faced Smoothie during the battle. With Smoothie being one of the weaker participants, Hancock remained virtually unscathed.
Jinbe's opponent during the war had been "Jack the Drought," one of Kaido's top three Calamities. Although Jinbe managed to defeat him, his entire skeleton was fractured by Jack's terrifying brute strength.
That battle might have continued until one side was entirely annihilated if it hadn't been for the unexpected arrival of the last "Emperor of the Sea," Red-Haired Shanks.
The man, said to have eaten the "Face-Face Fruit," immediately demanded that everyone present give him some respect and put an end to this meaningless war.
Under normal circumstances, the people gathered at Marineford would never have humored Shanks.
Sure, Red-Haired Shanks was one of the Four Emperors, and his reputation on the seas was considerable. Many people wouldn't dare to disrespect him.
But this battlefield was no ordinary gathering. The individuals present—Marine Admirals, Yonko, and other top-tier fighters—were all on equal footing with Shanks, if not stronger.
In the eyes of legends like Whitebeard and Sengoku, Shanks was little more than a young upstart. They wouldn't have hesitated to smack him down, let alone show him any "face."
Yet Shanks didn't flinch in the face of their disdain. With simple directness, he unsheathed his sword and unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, saying, "From where I'm standing, it looks like the two sides here are evenly matched, don't you think?
Now, I may not be much compared to the likes of you, but if my crew and I were to join one of these sides... what do you think would happen?"
At Shanks' words, the combatants on both sides paused. Sengoku and Kaido simultaneously glared at him and shouted, "Are you threatening us?!"
Shanks, maintaining his signature smile, replied, "Not at all. I'm simply here to stop this pointless battle.
But if you insist on continuing, then the Red-Haired Pirates will have no choice but to pick a side. And whoever gives me some respect will be my friend, and I always look out for my friends."
Hearing this, everyone's expressions turned grim.
Shanks hadn't explicitly stated it, but his meaning was clear: this was a threat.
The two sides were locked in a precarious balance, with neither gaining the upper hand. While Shanks and his crew weren't invincible, their intervention would undoubtedly tip the scales.
"Fine. In that case, I'm done. After some thought, I realized it doesn't really matter to me whether the Marines or the pirates win.
And Shanks, you've helped me before. Consider this my repayment—I'll give you this one," Wood said, breaking the tense silence.
At that moment, Wood's battered state was unmistakable.
The horrifying slash across his chest, left by Big Mom's Napoleon, was matched by fractured ribs courtesy of Kaido's Thunder Bagua. While his injuries weren't immediately apparent on the surface, they were severe.
Yes, Wood was powerful, but no one here was weak.
Kaido and Big Mom had arrived in peak condition, while Wood had already fought a gauntlet of battles—Mihawk, Aokiji, Kizaru, and even the Level Six prisoners like Shiryu of the Rain. His magic and stamina had been nearly drained.
Wood's sudden withdrawal left Fleet Admiral Sengoku momentarily stunned. Marineford was gone, and while the Whitebeard Pirates had been broken, the results were at best a stalemate.
If they could have captured Big Mom and Kaido, this war would have been a resounding victory for the Marines.
But without Wood's help, the Marine forces couldn't possibly contend with the remaining strength of the Yonko alliance.
Sengoku wanted to convince Wood to stay, but seeing Shanks standing there, ready to intervene, he fell silent.
If the war continued and Shanks joined Kaido's side, the Marines—even with the Seven Warlords and Wood—would stand no chance.
Kaido and Big Mom faced the same dilemma. They didn't want to abandon the fight, especially after losing key members of their crews.
The Big Mom Pirates had lost two of the Sweet Commanders, Cracker and Smoothie, leaving only Katakuri. The Beasts Pirates had lost two of the Calamities, King and Jack, with Queen barely escaping in critical condition.
Ending the battle now felt like an enormous loss.
But even Whitebeard ultimately planted his Murakumogiri into the ground and agreed to give Shanks "face." He requested only that Shanks look after the remaining members of the Whitebeard Pirates and help avenge him by eliminating Blackbeard Teach.
With Wood and Whitebeard withdrawing, Sengoku, Kaido, and Big Mom had no choice but to follow suit. To prevent Shanks from joining the opposing side, they reluctantly chose to end the war.
And so, a battle that could have reshaped the world ended with surprising abruptness. Shanks emerged as the "Most Respected Man in the World."
This man had stood before a Marine Fleet Admiral, Marine Admirals, a Marine Hero, the World's Strongest Man, the World's Strongest Creature, natural-born destroyers, and even so-called Ancient Weapons—and every one of them gave him respect.
The title "Most Respected Man in the World" was well-earned. After the news broke, a new saying spread across the seas: You might not know who the Pirate King is, but you'd better give Red-Haired Shanks some respect.
On the journey back to Dark Abyss Island, Wood was barely holding on. Though his body had reached its limit, he didn't dare show any weakness.
He had too many enemies—none of them pushovers. Showing vulnerability could lead to an ambush and his untimely death.
This was why Wood collapsed immediately upon reaching Robin, carrying the unconscious Ruth and Perona.
The relentless battles had left him utterly exhausted.
Fighting Marine Admirals and Yonko was no simple feat.
And anyone who believed Whitebeard had genuinely broken free of Wood's control was clearly fooling themselves.
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