A few minutes earlier…
The ancient giant, Little Oars Jr., had stormed onto the battlefield of the Summit War, his massive frame tearing through enemy lines and drawing the eyes of every Marine and pirate alike.
But while all attention was locked on Oars' rampage—
No one noticed something else approaching.
Trailing quietly behind, hidden in the chaos, was the ship of the Fifth Emperor's crew—its prow shaped like a fierce lion's head.
---
500 meters from Marineford
From the deck of the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat crew—two years stronger—could already see the battlefield clearly. The roar of clashing armies thundered in their ears.
"This is… incredible! So this is the Summit War!!!"
The two Yamatos exchanged glances, both unable to hide their awe.
"Seeing it with my own eyes… it's even more overwhelming than I imagined!"
Sanji drew in a long, steady breath.
Zoro's hand rested instinctively on his sword hilt, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
He knew.
Two years ago, on this very battlefield, the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, had stood.
If he wanted to challenge him, now was the perfect time.
After two years of training under Mihawk himself—
After countless battles against the New World's strongest,
After clashing with two of the Four Emperors—Kaidou of the Beasts and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin—
After defeating Kaidou's right-hand man, King the Conflagration—
Zoro was ready. He had earned the right to fight the greatest swordsman in the world with everything he had.
---
"Luffy, the bay ahead is frozen solid—we can't sail through!"
From the observation deck—
"Frozen? So Admiral Aokiji's handiwork after all," Robin remarked calmly, her expression unshaken.
If it had been before…
Robin would never have dared come here. After all, she was once the Navy and World Government's most wanted fugitive.
Setting foot in Marineford was like walking willingly into the lion's den.
But now…
With these crewmates at her side, she could face even the Navy's headquarters head-on.
"The sea's frozen… so we'll have to push our way in? That's going to be slow!" Yamato frowned.
"Hey hey, Yamato-chan, don't be so quick to decide that," Franky grinned, pushing up his shades. "This is the Thousand Sunny we're on, remember?"
"Wait… you mean that?" Chopper's eyes lit up.
"Exactly," Franky smirked.
"Yohohoho, with that, we can burst right into the battlefield in one shot!" Brook laughed.
"What 'that' are you guys talking about?" Yamato (from two years ago) asked in confusion.
The crew only smiled mysteriously.
"Helmsman—ready!" Jinbe called.
"Aye!" Luffy raised his fist from the lion's head prow.
"Alright, everyone—get ready for our grand entrance into the battlefield!"
"Obey, Captain!"
Franky, Chopper, and Usopp rushed below deck, loading the Cola engines to maximum. Jinbe adjusted the rudder precisely.
"Everyone, hold on tight! Thousand Sunny—Special Move: Coup de Burst!!!"
BOOM!
A blinding light erupted from the Sunny's stern.
WHOOSH!!!
Powered by the explosive force of Cola energy, the Sunny shot forward like a cannonball.
The Yamatos' shouts of surprise were drowned out by the roar of the wind.
The Sunny pierced through the battlefield's thick mist—
Sailing clean over the outer ring of smoke and cannon fire—
And in a single bound, it landed right into the heart of the battlefield.
From another angle, the Kid Pirates—watching from afar—could only stare slack-jawed.
"Hurry, get us to shore! We can't let that Straw Hat brat steal all the glory!" Kid barked.
Now—back to the present.
At Marineford's crescent-shaped bay—
With a thunderous crash, the lion-headed ship slammed down onto the frozen surface, sliding dozens of meters before skidding to a stop—right alongside the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship, the Moby Dick.
The sudden appearance froze the entire battlefield—Marines and pirates alike turned to stare. Even the fighting momentarily ceased.
"That's… a pirate flag?"
"A skull… wearing a straw hat!"
"It's the Straw Hat flag!!!"
The first to notice was a sharp-eyed Marine.
"Smoker-san!" Tashigi's voice wavered as she looked to her superior.
"No doubt about it—that's the Straw Hat crew's flag."
Smoker's eyes narrowed. He had fought the crew more than once—there was no mistaking that emblem.
Aokiji, Kizaru, Tina, Coby, Helmeppo… every Marine who had ever crossed paths with the crew recognized it instantly.
And yet…
None of them believed it could actually be the Straw Hats.
Because ten days ago, during the Celestial Dragon incident at Sabaody—
The Straw Hat crew had been completely annihilated.
But reality has a way of defying expectations.
The wind howled.
Snow scattered as the figures on the Sunny's deck were revealed—plain for the whole world to see.
Dead silence.
Marineford's great plaza—
Sabaody Archipelago's central square—
Both fell into an eerie stillness.
No one knew how much time passed before—
"Whaaaaa!!!"
The uproar exploded.
"No mistake—that's the rookie with a 300 million bounty, Straw Hat Luffy!"
"And the 120 million bounty Pirate Hunter Zoro, Black Leg Sanji, Cat Burglar Nami, Iron Man Franky!"
"Cotton Candy Lover Chopper, Devil Child Nico Robin, Sogeking Usopp…!"
"But weren't they all wiped out at Sabaody?!"
"How did they regroup so fast?!"
"And why is the Warlord Jinbe on their ship?!"
---
Even other Supernovas reacted—
Capone Bege's sharp gaze narrowed.
"No… they're different. Just like when we saw Kid and Killer again—these Straw Hats feel… changed."
X Drake frowned.
"Could they be… another crew entirely?"
Jewelry Bonney bit her thumb.
Urouge smiled faintly.
Elsewhere, King the Conflagration watched from Wano.
Through the live feed, he spotted Yamato immediately—and guessed the truth.
"So Kuma sent them flying to Wano… and now they're here."
His eyes glinted.
"Fine… let this war erupt completely."
---
Back at Marineford—
The battlefield was silent again.
Those who knew the crew—Smoker, Tashigi, Tina, Coby—were rattled.
"How… how are they here?" Tina asked, confused.
"You escaped the Celestial Dragon incident… but today, Straw Hat, your luck runs out," Smoker muttered.
From the crowd—
"Helmeppo, look—it's Luffy-san! He actually made it here!" Coby's eyes shone.
Helmeppo frowned.
"They seem… different. Stronger."
Coby nodded slowly.
"Feels like… it's been years since I last saw him."
---
High above, Sengoku's voice cracked like a whip.
"Borsalino, explain this!!!"
Kizaru pursed his lips.
"Sengoku, I'd say this is all Kuma's doing."
Then something clicked—
"Wait… didn't I hear that Straw Hat broke into Impel Down recently? And Jinbe—wasn't he locked up there too? Why are they both here?"
Sengoku froze. His mind raced—
Luffy and Jinbe had been in Impel Down… and now they were here?!
Even Garp, staring at his grandson's sudden arrival, was at a loss.
"Luffy… why…"
On the execution platform—
"Luffy!!!" Ace's voice broke through.
"Ace!!!" Luffy raised both hands, shouting back.
"Wait for me! This time—I'm getting you out!!!"
---
From the Shichibukai:
Boa Hancock swooned.
Moria's rage boiled over.
Doflamingo laughed.
Mihawk's eyes locked on Zoro—sensing a change in him.
On the Moby Dick—
"That's him, Pops. That's Ace's little brother, Straw Hat Luffy," Marco confirmed.
Whitebeard's grin deepened.
Even the world's strongest man could sense it—
The monstrous aura rolling off Luffy.
"Let's see… this kid might surprise us yet."
But only one person truly knew the truth—
Hidden beneath Sabaody's plaza, Sabo froze the moment he saw his brother.
He knew instantly—
This wasn't the Luffy of this era.
This was his Luffy.
From two years in the future.
The Fifth Emperor himself.
Back in Marineford, the Straw Hats readied themselves.
"It's finally time," Usopp muttered, his knees knocking despite his words.
"I've decided—I'm graduating from the Cowards' Club!" Nami declared… only to shriek a moment later and hide behind Robin.
Even Zoro, Sanji, and Jinbe's expressions grew tense—
for standing before them were two of the Marines greatest powers:
Admiral Aokiji Kuzan.
Admiral Kizaru Borsalino.
The real fight was about to begin.