In the end, Marco chose to upgrade his Armament Haki.
With a decisive thought, ten thousand attribute points were consumed, and his Armament Haki advanced from Advanced to Top-tier.
As the upgrade completed, a new line appeared on the panel.
Armament Haki, Top-tier to Legendary, required thirty thousand attribute points.
Marco frowned in confusion. A Legendary rank above Top-tier? He immediately spoke up, his tone sharp with disbelief. "System, what is this supposed to mean? There is a Legendary rank above Top-tier now?"
The system's mechanical voice responded evenly, "Legendary Armament Haki exists above the Top-tier level."
Marco rolled his eyes. That explanation barely clarified anything at all.
With no better option, he invested his remaining two hundred plus attribute points into Strength. When he finished, his Strength reached 9,054, leaving him just under a thousand points away from his long-term goal.
He opened the attribute panel once more.
Name: Marco
Age: 43
Attribute Points: 0
Devil Fruit: Zoan Type, Mythical Model, Phoenix Fruit, Unawakened
Haki: Armament Haki Top-tier, Observation Haki Advanced, Conqueror's Haki Beginner
Body Techniques: Soru Beginner, Rankyaku Beginner, Moonwalk Beginner, Tekkai Beginner, Finger Pistol Beginner, Kami-e Beginner
Strength: 9,054
Speed: 4,500
Defense: 8,800
Recovery: 45,000
Stamina: 8,100
Spirit: 4,800
System Combat Power Assessment: Weak Emperor level
Marco felt a flicker of excitement. "So I've finally stepped into Emperor level territory," he muttered, even if it was only at the weakest tier.
Considering that he had spent ten thousand attribute points to raise his Armament Haki to Top-tier, such a leap in combat power made sense.
Still, his thoughts drifted to Straw Hat Luffy in the original timeline. Advanced Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki coating, and then Awakening. That kind of growth speed was terrifying. Even with a system like his, Marco could not replicate something so monstrous.
"Marco, you're awake."
Jozu's voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Jozu approached, his entire body wrapped in bandages.
Marco closed the system panel, nodded, and replied calmly, "Mm."
"How far are we from Sphinx?" Marco asked.
"About another day," Jozu answered. Sphinx was Whitebeard's hometown. Marco had suggested burying their captain there, letting him rest where his roots lay, and everyone had agreed without hesitation.
Jozu grinned faintly. "You collapsed yesterday and scared everyone. But it's good to see you up again."
Marco let out a small, helpless smile. After escaping the Marines, he had immediately taken charge of organizing the crew and settling matters. Only once everything was done did the exhaustion finally overwhelm him.
Though the Phoenix Fruit allowed him to recover from injuries almost instantly, mental fatigue was another matter entirely. Constant regeneration amid pain and battle had drained him deeply. Even without visible wounds, his body and mind had reached their limits.
"Sorry for making everyone worry," Marco said lightly.
Vista walked over as well, his body also covered in bandages. He chuckled. "You were out for more than ten hours this time. Still, we saved Ace, retrieved Captain's body, and brought everyone back alive. That was because of you, Marco."
Marco glanced at Vista's injuries and sighed softly. "Looks like everyone paid a heavy price."
Vista's expression turned serious. "That's putting it lightly. This war cost us dearly."
Marco's tone sharpened. "What happened?"
"The casualties have been counted," Vista said. "Since you're awake, we should gather everyone."
Marco nodded. "Alright."
Before long, the division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates and the captains of their allied crews gathered on deck. There was no attempt to hide the meeting from anyone. Marco gave Vista a brief nod. "Go ahead."
Vista took a breath. "Among the Whitebeard Pirates, two-thirds of our crew fell. Only five hundred and fifty-seven of us remain. Of our allied crews, forty-three suffered losses exceeding half their numbers, leaving just over twenty-five thousand survivors. The Great Whirlpool Spider Pirates were completely wiped out while covering our retreat. Little Oars Jr., Arthur, Bagley, Rash, and Squard, five captains in total, all fell at Marineford."
Silence spread across the deck.
Ace lowered his head, guilt etched across his face. "I'm sorry. This all happened because of me."
Jozu shook his head firmly. "No one blames you, Ace. We are the Whitebeard Pirates. We never abandon our own. One day, Teach will pay for this."
Izo added with a dry smile, "If Teach is still alive, that is. I heard he drew the attention of both an Admiral and Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Marco's voice remained calm. "Alive or dead, it doesn't change what we must do. If Teach lives, we will kill him ourselves."
He paused, then continued, his tone steady and resolute. "For now, there are two priorities. First, we lay Captain to rest. Second, we choose a new captain."