Pops stood at the frontline, the senior officer of Marco behind him watching with worry that tightened his chest.
"Pops, let's go. We still have time. Once we return, we'll definitely find another chance to catch Blackbeard. I… I don't want this anymore."
Kaito's lips twitched slightly. So the script was shifting again. Interesting. Would Whitebeard actually listen to Ace this time? Things were only getting more unpredictable.
"Ace. Thatch's revenge belonged to me from the beginning. Now that Blackbeard has appeared, I'll use this chance to deal with him myself. Even if it means war with the Marines, I won't allow a traitor to roam the seas freely."
Whitebeard's gaze sharpened as he raised his bisento with overwhelming majesty.
"I know, Pops. But this is my revenge. I'll finish it myself. Alone. I'll kill him later."
Ace's expression was firm and solemn.
Marco looked at Ace with rare approval. This situation was terrible for fighting the Marines. Leaving was the best option. After all, this was Marine territory and now that the battle had stopped, provoking a second war would only lead to their defeat.
And Kaito had made it extremely clear: He was only repaying a debt. If they restarted the battle now, it would be seen as disrespecting Kaito. There was no chance he would help them again.
As the first division commander, Marco processed everything in an instant.
Ace can stop Pops. That means our side won't start another pointless fight. Good. At least Ace has learned something.
"Ace. Are you truly prepared? Once Pops kills Blackbeard, the Whitebeard Pirates can finally rest. But if you insist on doing it yourself, it might take a very long time."
Whitebeard's eyes were deep and heavy.
"I've made up my mind."
Ace's tone was unwavering.
A coarse laugh erupted.
"Zehahahahaha. Are you two serious? You're going to kill me because you feel like it? Don't let your tongues trip on your own fantasies. Whitebeard might be able to do it. But you, Ace, who gave you that confidence?"
Blackbeard stood beside Sengoku, his expression twisted with cruelty.
Sengoku frowned at Blackbeard's taunting. Was he trying to provoke them into restarting the battle? Or was he simply that reckless?
"Die!!"
Whitebeard no longer bothered holding back. He wanted to kill Blackbeard before, but now the rage had grown too intense to control.
He swung his bisento sharply, releasing a wave of pure quake force.
It wasn't sword energy.
It was destruction itself.
A crescent of compressed quake-force howled toward Blackbeard. It looked plain, almost harmless, but Blackbeard froze in terror. He had spent decades beside Whitebeard. He knew this attack well.
It was the shockwave slash, one of Whitebeard's most terrifying techniques.
A technique that locked onto its target so they couldn't dodge at all.
Blackbeard's body erupted in black mist. Darkness surged like a demonic tide as he gathered it into a massive black sphere that swelled like an ominous moon.
"Hahaha. I'm not who I used to be. Don't underestimate me, Whitebeard."
Blackbeard hurled the darkness-infused sphere toward the incoming quake crescent.
The moment they collided, the white crescent exploded in blinding brilliance. Cracks spread across its surface like a spiderweb before it expanded into a full white sphere and detonated with terrifying force.
The black sphere disintegrated instantly.
The remaining quake force struck Blackbeard head-on.
"What… impossible!"
His eyes widened in disbelief, but he was swallowed by the white explosion before he could even move.
The frozen ground cracked apart violently. An enormous crater formed as icy shards shot into the air.
Blackbeard's screams echoed from the abyss for minutes before finally going silent.
When he emerged, his body was battered and miserable. His expression was twisted with hatred as he stared at Whitebeard.
"Marshal Sengoku, Whitebeard openly attacked a Shichibukai. This is a direct challenge to the Marines. He's not putting you in his eyes. We must go to war."
Sengoku's eyebrow twitched.
All the other Marine officers shared the same expression.
You attacked him first. We thought you were starting a fight with Whitebeard, yet now you want us to fight on your behalf?
Sengoku sighed heavily.
"I didn't see anything."
To him, whether Whitebeard or Blackbeard won didn't matter. As long as Blackbeard didn't die, everything else was irrelevant.
"You… you, Marshal Sengoku, is this how you treat the Shichibukai?"
Blackbeard's expression warped.
"I really didn't see it. I dropped my glasses. My apologies."
Sengoku said with a perfectly straight face.
Blackbeard's fury boiled.
But he couldn't leave. Everyone knew Whitebeard wanted to kill him. As long as he stayed beside Sengoku, he couldn't die.
Leaving now would be suicide.
"Are you all fighting or not? If not, then we'll head out first."
Kaito stretched lazily and exhaled.
"Let's go."
Whitebeard gave a final glance at Kaito before turning toward Sengoku and Blackbeard.
Ace brightened immediately.
"Yes, Pops."
Ignoring Sengoku entirely, the Whitebeard Pirates broke the ice and began sailing away.
Sengoku exhaled in relief.
They didn't want a war, and neither did he. Had Whitebeard truly wished for one, he would have started it through the Blackbeard incident.
Not to mention Kaito was still present, and Blackbeard's ambition was too troublesome to handle.
Within minutes, the Whitebeard Pirates withdrew together with Luffy's reinforcements.
As Kaito watched their fading silhouettes, he turned to Yamato.
"You really aren't going to say anything to Ace?"
"No need. He's alive and safe. That's enough. I'll continue to give everything I have to the Pirates."
Yamato's voice was steady.
"As you wish."
Kaito shook his head lightly.
"Let's go."
Kaito ignored Sengoku and the others completely as he boarded the Kunpeng with Kaido and the others.
"I'll leave you all a small gift before I go."
His lips curved into a slight smile as he tapped his index finger.
A streak of gray-black lightning shot out like a piercing arrow and struck Blackbeard before he could even react.
_____
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