Red Hair had never believed he could talk anyone into giving up the fight, so after reaching an agreement with Arceus, using force to threaten the Navy became his goal.
Hundred Beasts and Red Hair didn't bring many people, but every one of them was top-level combat power.
Arceus, Kaidou, Yamato, Shaina, King, Queen, Beckman, Shanks—add these to the Whitebeard Pirates, and even the Navy Headquarters wouldn't be able to bear it.
The key was Arceus's strategic deterrence. Red Hair believed there were still some clear-headed people inside the World Government; that kind of world-ending strike was enough to make them pull back.
Reality matched his guess. Faced with Red Hair's threat, the faces of the Navy present all turned dark and grim, and even Sengoku pressed down on Garp's shoulder.
"Garp, your grandson's problem is already solved. Don't tell me you've gotten so old you can't handle your grandson's punches anymore."
Earlier it had been Garp's grandson, so Sengoku couldn't push him too hard, but with these monsters in front of them, if Garp kept slacking off, then their brotherhood was over.
"I know… just now I only slipped up a bit, that's all."
"Take this seriously."
To be fair, Sengoku no longer wanted the war to continue. The current situation gave the Navy no advantage at all, but they hadn't achieved any results; to give up like this was something he simply couldn't explain.
And while Sengoku was stuck in that dilemma, the Radio Snail on Tsuru lit up and rang—latest orders from the Five Elders finally reached Navy Headquarters.
"Five Elders, are you serious?"
"Of course, Sengoku. Execute the order. On the basis of the order, minimize the impact as much as possible—that's what you need to do next."
"Understood."
The nearby Navy officers had all heard the Five Elders' order. Garp and Tsuru seemed used to this kind of thing already; Kizaru acted utterly indifferent, while only Sakazuki stared wide-eyed.
If Sengoku hadn't already hung up the Radio Snail, he would definitely argue with the Five Elders.
But faced with a decision already made, all he could do was carry it out.
"The war can end, but we have to cut that Radio Snail's live broadcast first."
Ceasing the war—that was the Five Elders' command. In their eyes, since even that weapon had failed to achieve any effect, continuing the fight was pointless, so they simply chose to stop the loss.
This lined up with Sengoku's own thinking, but on one condition: they could not admit defeat on a live broadcast.
There were tens of thousands on the battlefield; this kind of news couldn't be completely blocked. But rumors spread afterward could still be twisted; if they admitted defeat straight to the Radio Snail, then the Navy's dignity would truly be ground into the dirt.
In an instant, the Buggy holding the Radio Snail became everyone's focus.
"Beckman, do me a favor and go find Buggy. I've already told you what he looks like."
"Shaina, King, you two go with him. Remember to bring the Radio Snail back."
Shanks and Arceus in turn issued orders to their subordinates, intending to seize the Radio Snail first, and Sengoku also gave new orders.
"Borsalino, go bring Kuzan back. Have the messengers spread the word: the war is over, but mind the optics."
Before the recording was cut, the Navy couldn't possibly announce the ceasefire to the world. That was their last bottom line.
With top-tier combat power staying out of it, the casualties from the fighting below would still be within acceptable limits. To the high command, the Navy's face was more important than some Soldiers' lives.
"Newgate, you heard that too. Now you can fight without worry, right?"
As for how this war would ultimately end, Kaidou didn't care. Right now he just wanted to fight—a peak battle with no one interfering.
"Gura la la la, brat, if you die in my hands, don't complain."
"Ogre ogre ogre, if that happens, it only proves I was too weak. Come, Newgate—this battle, it's either you die, or I do!"
With the biggest issue resolved, Kaidou couldn't wait any longer.
Whitebeard had been fighting Akainu and Kizaru before, while Kaidou had been fighting Sengoku and Zephyr. Both sides had already spent a fair bit of stamina, which could be counted as somewhat fair.
Arceus wouldn't interfere in Kaidou's fight, and Red Hair wasn't joining in due to his prior agreement. The Navy had even less reason to stop them. From the Navy's perspective, Kaidou and Whitebeard taking each other out was the best outcome.
So the rest simply entered a mutual standoff. For the Navy, they still had to contain the shockwaves from those two monsters' battle, keep them from wrecking an even larger area.
...
After receiving Whitebeard's clear answer, Kaidou's body was already in motion.
"Kaidou, you really are impatient!"
Murakumogiri swung in Whitebeard's hands, chopping down toward the charging Kaidou. Amid wild laughter, Hassaikai and Murakumogiri smashed together.
The two exchanged no nonsense; Wolf Fang Club and greatblade clashed in the simplest way possible, blow after blow—no tricks, just pure contest of strength.
Whether Hassaikai or Murakumogiri, both were heavy weapons, and Whitebeard and Kaidou were men whose power had reached the absolute peak.
The booming roar of weapon-on-weapon impacts rang out continuously, but to the two of them, this was only the beginning.
"Ogre ogre ogre, Newgate, we're old acquaintances. There's no need for this level of probing, is there?"