The storm of war was brewing.
At the other end of the Grand Line, in the heart of the World Government—
Marineford.
The stronghold that symbolized the supreme military power and absolute justice of the World Government had now become a cold, precise, and colossal war machine.
In the harbor, over a hundred massive warships bearing the seagull emblem stood like steel titans. Their black, yawning cannon mouths all pointed outward, toward the boundless sea.
Each and every barrel was aimed directly at the single entryway—
The Gate of Justice.
In the central plaza of the stronghold, 100,000 elite Marines had already assembled.
They wore uniform white coats, capes emblazoned with the word "Justice" on their backs, and stood in formation with military precision.
No one spoke.
No one whispered.
At this moment, they stood in full battle readiness, awaiting the coming day of execution.
To the side—
Towering over the soldiers—
Stood the Marine Giant Unit.
Dozens of giant Vice Admirals, each over 20 meters tall, held massive weapons matching their scale. Just their presence alone was like an impenetrable wall.
And this—
Was only the strength on the surface.
In the shadows of the stronghold—
Within the enormous warehouses—
Rows upon rows of identical, lifeless-eyed Bartholomew Kuma clones stood silently.
The Pacifista Unit was fully prepared.
This—
Was the depth of the World Government's arsenal.
This—
Was the terrifying war power that Marine Headquarters could muster.
They had laid a perfect inescapable net.
Now, they waited for the enraged world's strongest man… to charge straight into it.
But that wasn't all.
At the front of the plaza, near the harbor—
Seven figures stood casually, yet their very presence drew countless wary gazes from the surrounding Marines.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea!
Dracule "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, stood with his black blade Yoru in hand, eyes closed as if asleep, utterly disinterested in the chaos around him. Donquixote Doflamingo, the "Heavenly Yaksha," wore his signature pink feathered coat and twisted smile, letting out his eerie "Fufufufu" laugh as he schemed in silence. Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress, stood with regal pride, casting a scornful gaze around her as though even looking at others was beneath her. Bartholomew Kuma, "The Tyrant," held a Bible in his hands, unmoving and silent like a lifeless statue. Gecko Moria, the "Moonlight" pirate, let out an obnoxious "Kishishishi" as he lurked in the shadows, hungrily eyeing the Marines, as if selecting his favorite shadows. And among them—Teach, the traitor who joined the Warlords by using Ace as his offering.
These seven legendary pirates, summoned by the Government's compulsory order, were now gathered in one place.
Each possessed overwhelming power.
And for now…
They were weapons in the hands of the Marines.
Beyond the hundred-thousand troops…
Beyond the Warlords…
Three figures stood atop the highest point of Marineford.
They were the Admirals—Marine Headquarters' ultimate force!
On the right: Aokiji (Kuzan), emanating cold air, leaned lazily against a pillar, legs crossed, as if he might fall asleep at any moment. On the left: Kizaru (Borsalino), wearing a sly grin, sat casually filing his nails while muttering, "Ooh~ scary, scary…" And in the center—
Akainu (Sakazuki), radiating murderous intent.
Arms crossed, eyes shut, yet the sheer malice pouring from him was enough to distort the very air.
These three—
Were the embodiment of Marineford's highest power.
Any enemy daring to break through this wall of might…
Would be turned to ash.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marineford—
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, known as the "Buddha," stood before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the fortress-like plaza below.
Behind him stood Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Grand Strategist, along with several of Marine HQ's core Vice Admirals.
"Report, Fleet Admiral! All combat units are in position!"
"Report, Fleet Admiral! All Warlords have arrived!"
"Report, Fleet Admiral! The three Admirals are present and accounted for!"
Voices of reports echoed one after another.
Sengoku's face remained unreadable. He simply nodded slowly.
Everything—
Was going according to plan.
Whitebeard would come—he knew.
And Whitebeard would come with full force—that too, he anticipated.
So he mobilized every available resource in Marine HQ and turned Marineford into a fortress of no return.
Here—
Before the eyes of the entire world—
He would end an era.
"Whitebeard..."
Sengoku looked out at the calm sea, and a flash of icy light gleamed in his eyes behind his lenses.
"Your era… ends today."
The gears of war had locked into place.
Marineford was fully fortified.
The eyes of the world were now fixed upon this place.
But—
While all of Marineford was locked in high alert, awaiting the arrival of the Whitebeard Pirates...
A single Marine warship—its sail marked with a dog's head—quietly left the harbor, sailing in the opposite direction of the New World.
At the prow—
An elderly man stood tall against the wind. His white hair flowed freely, but his face bore no wrinkles.
He wasn't particularly tall, but just by standing there, he felt like the center of the sea.
The Hero of the Marines—
Monkey D. Garp.
He had not stayed behind to defend Marineford.
Instead, at the most critical hour… he chose to leave.
No one knew where he was going.
No one dared ask.
Garp stared silently at the surging waves ahead. The usual carefree grin was gone, replaced by a heavy, complex expression no one could read.
His fists clenched… then relaxed.
Then clenched again.
His destination—
Was not any battlefield in the New World.
But a location deep within the Calm Belt—
An underwater fortress known as the most impregnable prison in the world—
Impel Down.