Thick fog suddenly appeared outside Marineford's plaza, and one pirate ship after another emerged through the mist.
"Everyone! Battle stations!"
The unexpected appearance of the pirate fleet caused every Marine present to instinctively tighten their grip on their weapons.
The dark muzzles of the coastal cannons all turned simultaneously toward the entrance. From the watchtower, Marines peered through their binoculars, fear etched on their faces as they stared at the approaching pirate ships.
"Bohemian Knight Doma!"
"Thunder Lord McGuy!"
"The Decalvan Brothers!"
"The Maelstrom Spider Squard!"
The names of captains famous across the seas made even the Marines atop the watchtower tremble as they spoke.
Forty-three pirate ships slowly rose from the sea, facing an enemy several times their number.
The suffocating tension began to spread through the air of Marineford.
"Where's Whitebeard? Has anyone spotted him yet?"
The Marines frantically searched for Whitebeard. Without his presence, the already tense atmosphere couldn't be eased.
"Ahahaha… This is going to be interesting! Absolutely exhilarating!"
Doflamingo roared with excitement, his face void of any anxiety, instead glowing with bloodthirsty mania.
Beneath the waters outside Marineford's plaza, the calm sea suddenly erupted with dense bubbles. The continuous gurgling sounds made every expert present sense that something extraordinary was about to happen.
At the center of the crescent-shaped plaza, ripples began to form in the water, spreading outward in waves. Then, a ship completely covered in colorful bubbles shot up from the sea, leaping high into the air before everyone's eyes.
"The Moby Dick has appeared!"
All the Marines along the shore gawked in astonishment as the ship surfaced.
Following the Moby Dick, three more ships of the Whitebeard Pirates emerged from the water, moving into the bay.
From the watchtower, a Marine holding binoculars immediately shifted focus to the three newly surfaced ships.
"First Division Commander Marco, Third Division Commander Diamond Jozu… all fourteen division commanders are aboard."
Staring at the scene, the Marine cried out in shock.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The dense metallic clanging suddenly echoed from the Moby Dick.
The entire plaza—and the world—seemed to hold its breath at the sound.
"Ahahaha… It's been decades since we last met, Sengoku!"
At the bow of the Moby Dick, a towering figure climbed to the deck, exuding confidence as he gazed toward the execution platform.
The man, clad in a white cloak and wielding Murakumogiri, was none other than one of the Four Emperors of the New World: Edward Newgate, Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard!"
Sengoku ground his teeth, looking down at the man with deep apprehension in his eyes.
"My beloved son… are you alright?"
Whitebeard calmly surveyed the battlefield ahead. His composure was unshaken, and his voice radiated limitless confidence, as if the entire Marine force before him were merely a minor pirate crew.
Elsewhere, at the Gate of Justice, Mizuchi looked at Buggy, who was stirring the crowd at the bow, and sighed in helplessness.
"Speaking of which… Whitebeard should have appeared by now."
Mizuchi approached the bow, peering through the dense white fog at the distance.
At the edge of the fog, Whitebeard smiled slightly at Ace, crossed his arms over his chest in a hugging gesture, and then unleashed his attack.
Whitebeard spread his arms apart and struck the air on either side of his body. Tiny fissures appeared at his fists, quickly spreading to the surrounding waters.
Columns of water shot up into the sky, leaving the Marines dumbfounded.
"Tsunami!"
Whitebeard's power caused two towering water spouts to rise on either side of Marineford. The sheer magnitude of this ability left every Marine gaping in shock.
"Here it comes…"
Mizuchi's face lit up with excitement as he watched the retreating waters.
"What's happening? Ah…"
The surging retreat of the waters, combined with the tremendous force, caused the Marine ships to move backward as if they were in reverse.
Shortly after the tide receded, even stronger pulling forces sent the backward-moving ships racing toward Marineford at alarming speeds.
The colossal waves surged from afar, carrying unstoppable might toward the plaza where the Marines stood. Every person present realized one thing:
"The war… has officially begun!"
The horns of the era had sounded. The drums of war beat relentlessly. In this momentous battle, whether it was Whitebeard or Sengoku, Marine Admirals or the division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates, all had entered the chessboard of history. The outcome of this war would leave an unpredictable mark on the world.
The waves seemed to dance to this war song, continuously rising, reaching their peak as they neared Marineford plaza.
Rumble…!
The concentrated water, carrying immense power, instilled boundless terror in every Marine standing on the plaza.
Just as the tsunami was about to unleash its full force, a figure flashed from the golden throne and ascended into the air.
Thick ice pillars rapidly extended from midair, piercing into the surging waves.
"Ice Age!"
Aokiji's voice cut through the air as piercing cold radiated from him. The ice walls froze the threatening waters midair, transmitting the bone-chilling cold to the ships below, eliciting cheers from those watching.
"Aokiji! You little brat!"
Whitebeard glanced skyward, frowning slightly.
"R… rescued!"
The Marines stared upward in relief. If not for Aokiji's timely intervention, the tsunami would have been unstoppable.
"Dual Thorn Spears!"
After freezing the tsunami, Aokiji immediately launched an attack at Whitebeard.
Squeak!
Whitebeard swung his fist violently through the air, shattering the ice spears sent his way.
With the ice spears destroyed, Aokiji dove toward the bay, radiating freezing energy that instantly immobilized the entire surface of the bay.
All ships docked at Marineford now found themselves stuck in an awkward, immobile state.
"Attack!"
"Attack!"
As the Marines and Whitebeard Pirates braced for battle, the world's most anticipated war had officially begun.