RUMBLE—!!!
The entirety of Marineford, along with the frozen sea around it, began to tremble violently!
The sound was like a dragon stirring beneath the earth—or a monstrous beast awakening in the abyss.
"W-What's going on?!"
"An earthquake?!"
The pirates fighting the Marines on the ice staggered and looked around in alarm.
The next instant—
Their pupils dilated in horror, reflecting the image that stunned them all.
From the outer edge of the Crescent Bay, enormous steel walls made of special alloy—meters thick, hundreds of meters tall—rose slowly from the seafloor, accompanied by a thunderous rumble!
East, west, south, north...
All directions!
The enormous shadows loomed over the battlefield like the cloak of the Grim Reaper.
Sunlight vanished.
The bay was plunged from bright daylight into darkness in an instant.
"W-Walls…!"
"We're surrounded!!"
"Run! Get out of here!"
Panicked screams rang out from the pirates as they realized too late—they'd fallen into a meticulously prepared trap!
And then, it was over.
With one final CLANG, the walls sealed shut, trapping Crescent Bay entirely in a cage of steel.
The Whitebeard Pirates, along with dozens of New World pirate crews and tens of thousands of elite pirates—were all locked inside!
There was no escape.
"Gurararara... So this is your trump card, Sengoku?"
Whitebeard looked up at the steel dome covering the sky. There was no fear on his face—only a wild, defiant grin.
"You think something like this… can keep me trapped?!"
He gripped Murakumo Giri tightly, every muscle bulging as his body surged with terrifying quake energy.
"Sakazuki!"
On the execution platform, Sengoku ignored Whitebeard's roar and issued orders to Akainu below.
"Hold off Whitebeard!"
"Kizaru!"
"Aokiji! Assist him!"
Kizaru turned into golden light and flickered around Whitebeard, firing precision laser beams at his vital points.
Aokiji, having just reformed from beneath the ice, unleashed waves of freezing power to restrict Whitebeard's movement.
At that moment, the Navy's three greatest powers joined forces—pinning the world's strongest man in place!
With the trap complete, Sengoku's cold gaze swept across the pirates inside the steel cage.
His expression was that of a god passing judgment.
"Now…"
"Begin the final cleansing!"
"Open fire!!!"
At his command—
The inner walls of the cage slid open, revealing hundreds—no, thousands—of black cannon muzzles!
At the same time—
Lined up along the top of the encirclement wall were rows of identical figures.
Tall and imposing, they looked exactly like Bartholomew Kuma, one of the Warlords of the Sea.
They were the Navy's ultimate weapon—Pacifista units!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—!!
SHWEEE SHWEEE SHWEEE—!!
The next second, thousands of cannons roared to life!
Beams of deadly laser fire rained down like a storm of death.
The steel cage instantly transformed into a hellscape of bombardment and lasers.
"Aaahhh!!"
"Dodge!!"
"There's nowhere to run!!"
Desperate screams erupted.
In such a tight and sealed space, escape was impossible. All they could do was watch helplessly as explosions and laser fire swallowed them whole.
Flesh was shredded. Limbs flew through the air.
In just one volley, countless members of the Whitebeard Pirates were slaughtered.
But that—was only the beginning.
"Meteor Volcano!!!"
With Whitebeard tied down by Kizaru and Aokiji, Akainu was free to act!
His arms transformed into magma as he launched a barrage of massive molten fists into the sky!
The magma soared upward—then rained down like a real meteor shower across all of Crescent Bay!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Each impact unleashed a massive explosion, melting ice and turning nearby pirates into charcoal!
The skies were filled with laser beams, cannon fire…
And magma.
Despair.
Unending despair spread like wildfire through the hearts of the pirates.
"My sons!!!"
Watching his family fall one after another before his eyes, Whitebeard's eyes turned blood-red with fury.
A rage like never before erupted from his chest.
"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!!!"
He let out a thunderous roar that shook the heavens.
WUUUUM!!!
A shockwave of visible white energy exploded from his body!
Kizaru and Aokiji were sent flying by the blast of power!
Even Akainu, made of magma, stumbled backward from the impact, barely keeping his footing!
With all three Admirals blown back, Whitebeard wasted no time.
He raised Murakumo Giri high overhead, infusing it with the full might of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
He was going to—
Destroy the cage in a single blow!
Smash the Navy's encirclement wall!
But—
Just as his strength reached its peak—
SPLURT—!!!
Whitebeard's body seized up, and a mouthful of hot blood burst violently from his lips!
His once-imposing face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Years of strain from using the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, combined with old wounds and illness, struck all at once—as if on cue.
The backlash was devastating.
His strength drained away like a tide.
He could no longer hold up the naginata. He staggered, then fell to one knee.
"Pops!!!"
Fighting nearby, Marco, Jozu, and others cried out, eyes filled with rage and disbelief.
The Navy, of course, wouldn't let this chance slip by.
"My, how pitiful you look, Whitebeard."
A golden flash zipped by.
Kizaru appeared like a phantom beside Whitebeard.
He raised a single finger, light condensing at the tip.
"Yasakani no Magatama..."
No—he didn't even use a named attack.
Just a standard laser.
ZAP!
The golden beam pierced Whitebeard's massive arm with perfect precision.
Blood sprayed into the air!
Time seemed to freeze.
The entire battlefield went silent.
All the pirates stared in shock at the kneeling figure—his chest bleeding, arm pierced.
They stared at the man they once believed to be invincible. God-like.
Their father.
And their faith—began to crumble.
"Pops… got hurt?"
"No way… Pops…"
Panic and despair spread like plague through the pirate ranks.
Morale—plummeted.
"Hahahaha! Whitebeard's finished!"
"Kill them all! Leave no one alive!"
The Marines surged with new vigor, launching a renewed assault.
On the execution platform, Sengoku's face curled into a victorious grin.
Everything was going according to plan.
The era of Whitebeard…
Was over.
At the bow of the Moby Dick—
Lucian Thorn stood silently, taking in every detail of the chaos below.
And he saw Sengoku's smug smile—sure of his victory.
For the first time, the calm expression on Lucian's face cracked.
A slow, chilling curve appeared at the corner of his lips.
He quietly lifted his foot and walked—step by step—to the edge of the ship, standing directly behind Whitebeard.
Sensing something, the kneeling Whitebeard turned his head with great effort.
And froze.
Lucian's eyes—had turned to pure gold.
"Are you out of cards to play?"
Lucian's voice was soft, but it echoed clearly across the battlefield.
He looked toward Sengoku on the execution platform… at the three Admirals… at the raining fire and lava.
His grin grew wider—brighter—yet terrifying.
It was a smile twisted with fanaticism, cruelty, and boundless killing intent.
"Then..."
"Are you ready—"
"To receive the surprise I've prepared for you?"