Marine Headquarters.
Marineford!
At this very moment, the Marine forces had laid out an ironclad formation across the entire base.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood at the helm.
Admirals Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu had all taken position.
Vice Admirals like Monkey D. Garp, Tsuru, Doberman, Onigumo, Burning Mountain, Strawberry, and Dalmatian… nearly every high-ranking Marine officer and top combatant had assembled.
Below them, a massive army of one hundred thousand elite Marine soldiers were stationed across the battlefield.
And that wasn't all.
Even the Seven Warlords of the Sea infamous pirates under the World Government had been summoned to support the operation.
The entire island was crawling with troops.
The Marines had mobilized every ounce of power they possessed to take down Whitebeard.
There was no exaggeration in saying that Marineford had been transformed into a trap of divine proportions an inescapable web.
No ordinary pirate crew could possibly face such a lineup without being crushed by despair.
But this wasn't just any pirate crew. This was the Whitebeard Pirates.
As one of the Four Emperors of the New World, Whitebeard commanded a power that demanded such caution.
On the towering execution platform, Ace knelt silently, both hands shackled with seastone cuffs.
Just moments earlier, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had revealed Ace's identity to the entire world through a Den Den Mushi broadcast.
"Your mother was Portgas D. Rouge. And a year and three months after your father's death… the child carrying the bloodline of the most evil man in history was born!"
Sengoku's eyes narrowed sharply as he stared down at Ace.
"That child… is you! Your father is none other than the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the world was stunned.
No one had expected that the Pirate King, who once conquered the Grand Line, had left behind a son.
And now, with this revelation, everyone realized just how significant today's execution was.
Ace remained silent, fists clenched tightly, head lowered in shame.
What no one could see was the pain etched on his face.
If he could choose, he would rather not be Roger's son.
To Ace, his only father… was Whitebeard.
The scheduled execution time was noon.
As the hour approached, the tension on the island grew thicker with each passing second.
Everyone knew the Whitebeard Pirates would come.
There was no doubt about it.
A war was inevitable.
"I still can't believe it… Ace is Roger's son…"
"Do you think he will come to rescue Ace?"
"That man… the one known as the strongest in the world… how terrifying must he be?"
"Don't worry. Even if Whitebeard does show up, they won't succeed. We have all of the Marine's power gathered here today!"
"Yeah, I agree. Maybe Whitebeard won't even show. Maybe he doesn't dare!"
"That'd be best. Fighting a monster like that is terrifying…"
Behind a cannon, a few young Marine soldiers whispered among themselves nervously.
Their superior snapped at them sharply.
"Too much time on your hands? If you've got that much energy, then clean your weapons! Stop gossiping!"
The young Marines quickly lowered their heads and scattered.
The officer let out a cold snort, then turned his gaze to the open sea with visible concern.
It wasn't just the young recruits.
Even seasoned officers like him were anxious about the battle to come.
The sun continued to rise higher in the sky.
Noon was nearly upon them.
Yet the sea remained eerily calm.
Everyone knew that Whitebeard would come, but the silence was nerve-wracking.
As a result, the entire island had fallen into a deathly quiet.
One hundred thousand soldiers, not a single word spoken.
The eerie stillness was suffocating.
Everyone could feel it the pressure of a storm on the verge of erupting.
"So quiet," murmured the Empress Boa Hancock, her beautiful face tinged with tension.
Doflamingo grinned madly.
"It's too quiet. Something's definitely coming."
Hawk-Eyes Mihawk, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.
"They're here."
His words were calm, but they struck everyone like lightning.
Instantly, all eyes turned to the horizon.
In the distance, a fleet of pirate ships began emerging over the sea.
A Marine lookout stationed on the tower screamed in panic.
"They're coming!!"
The Marines behind him immediately sounded the alarm.
Within seconds, a blaring siren echoed across the island.
"All units, prepare for battle!" a Vice Admiral barked.
All cannons locked onto the approaching ships.
Marines gripped their weapons tightly, ready for war.
On the platform, Sengoku's expression turned grim as he stared at the sudden fleet.
"How did they get here? They're already inside the bay?"
No one could answer.
As the ships drew closer, their flags came into view.
"Captain Doma of the Galloping Knights! Captain McGuy of the Thunder Tribe! The Decalvan Brothers! All the infamous captains under the Whitebeard Pirates are here!"
The scout shouted with a trembling voice.
Another Vice Admiral asked urgently, "What about Whitebeard? Can you spot him?"
The scout scanned the fleet.
"No sign of Whitebeard or the division commanders yet!"
"Should we fire now, Vice Admiral?"
"Not yet. Whitebeard is nearby for sure. He must be plotting something… keep your eyes on the sea. The moment he appears, report immediately!"
Just as the officer finished speaking…
Suddenly.
The calm waters of the bay erupted into a flurry of rising bubbles.
The strange phenomenon drew everyone's attention.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, along with the three Admirals, turned toward the inner bay.
Akainu's sharp ears twitched. His face immediately darkened.
Sengoku's eyes narrowed with a cold sweat trailing down his brow.
"Don't tell me…"
Vice Admiral Garp squinted toward the bubbling sea and muttered to Vice Admiral Tsuru beside him.
"He's coming from an unexpected direction, isn't he?"
As if responding to Garp's words…
In the next moment.
A colossal ship burst from beneath the sea, shattering the calm surface as it emerged into the inner bay.
The entire ship surfaced in an instant, appearing before everyone's eyes.
"The Moby Dick?!"
The Marines screamed in shock at the sudden arrival of the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship.
No one had expected this entrance.
On deck, the pirates stood proud and unflinching, drawing everyone's attention.
"First Division Commander: Marco the Phoenix! Third Division Commander: Diamond Jozu… all fourteen division commanders have arrived! And that man…"
The Marine scout could barely speak.
But he didn't need to.
Everyone's eyes were now locked on the massive, imposing figure standing at the center of the deck.
One look was enough to feel his overwhelming presence.
The strongest man in the world.
Edward Newgate… Whitebeard.
Standing tall on the deck of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard looked up toward Sengoku on the platform and let out a thunderous laugh.
"Been a while, hasn't it, Sengoku?"
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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