Under the stunned gazes of everyone present, Garp's figure vanished into the smoke cloud created by the clash.
Meanwhile, Luffy's body was sent flying straight toward Whitebeard's position.
BOOM!
The next moment—
two loud impacts rang out almost simultaneously.
The Marines who had been standing there dumbfounded finally snapped out of it.
When the smoke cleared, the scene became visible.
Luffy lay beside Whitebeard.
A huge lump had formed on his head. His eyes had rolled back, and he had completely passed out.
Not far away, Garp stepped out from the pile of broken stone where he had landed. He brushed the dust off his coat calmly.
His gaze shifted toward Luffy, whom he had just punched away.
Inside, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
This battlefield—
was not a place Luffy could participate in yet.
If Garp hadn't reacted fast enough just now, and the Five Elders had attacked instead…
the consequences would have been unimaginable.
The kimono-clad elder glanced coldly at Garp as he walked over.
He had already seen through Garp's deliberate restraint.
A legendary Marine whose strength surpassed that of an Admiral—
being blown back by a rookie pirate?
Even ordinary Marines could sense something strange.
How could it possibly fool him?
Still…
Luffy had already lost the ability to fight.
To the elder, that was enough.
His gaze turned toward the battlefield again, his hand resting lightly on the sword at his waist.
The next moment—
his foot tapped lightly against the ground.
BOOOOM!
The earth exploded beneath him.
Cracks spread outward like a spiderweb across the frozen battlefield.
Where he had been standing, a crater dozens of meters wide instantly formed.
And his body—
had already turned into a streak of light shooting toward the heavily injured Whitebeard.
Seeing the elder move, Sengoku and Kong both relaxed slightly.
With the Five Elders involved, the outcome of this war was already decided.
The Marines watching were shocked beyond words.
"The Five Elders are making a move!"
"That speed… I couldn't even see him move!"
"He only tapped the ground and the power was like thunder!"
Even the civilians watching the broadcast around the world were stunned.
The power of Marine Headquarters—
was far beyond their imagination.
And this was only one of the Five Elders.
At that moment, almost everyone believed the same thing:
The pirates were doomed.
On the Moby Dick's deck—
the instant the kimono elder vanished, Whitebeard sensed a killing intent locking onto him.
His aura exploded outward.
Battle spirit surged in his eyes.
His arm tightened around the shaft of Murakumogiri, veins bulging like twisted steel cables.
A pale white glow—his quake power—gathered along the blade.
Without hesitation—
Whitebeard swung.
Murakumogiri cut forward with terrifying force.
CLANG!
The sound of steel colliding echoed across the battlefield.
At the instant their weapons met—
a violent shockwave erupted.
Invisible pressure swept outward like blades of wind, slashing across the surrounding battlefield.
The air itself seemed to shatter.
Cracks spread through the sky like broken glass.
The impact that followed was catastrophic.
The frozen sea created by Aokiji shattered instantly.
The ocean surged violently, massive waves rushing toward Marineford like another tsunami.
"Ice Age!"
Aokiji leapt lightly into the air.
With one frost-covered hand, he froze the towering waves once again.
"Tch."
"Remnants of the old era."
The kimono elder sneered.
"Even in this condition… you still have some strength."
Whitebeard's attack had sent shockwaves blasting outward, but apart from the wind whipping his robe—
the elder seemed completely unaffected.
"If that's all…"
"Then you can die now."
His eyes sharpened.
His body jumped back slightly as he raised the First Generation Kitetsu.
The next second—
a massive purple-black sword slash exploded forward.
The terrifying blade of energy tore across the battlefield.
Where the slash passed, the ground split open into a giant trench.
Even the sea in the crescent bay was cut cleanly in half.
"What terrifying swordsmanship…"
Mihawk murmured quietly.
The world's greatest swordsman stood with his arms folded, his sharp eyes watching the elder's attack.
"So this is the power of the Five Elders…"
At that moment, Mihawk realized something.
Even he—
might not be able to produce a slash with such overwhelming authority.
The man represented the pinnacle of power and authority in this world.
Not just politically—
but in pure combat ability.
Nearby, Shiki and Kaido's expressions darkened.
With Whitebeard already badly injured—
this attack might truly kill him.
The two exchanged a glance.
Their auras exploded outward.
They were ready to intervene.
But—
the other four elders behind the kimono man suddenly sneered.
"We've been waiting for this."
Their bodies vanished instantly.
Just then—
some Marines noticed something strange.
The ground beneath their feet…
was shaking.
Then the entire crescent bay began trembling.
The massive purple-black sword slash—
suddenly stopped midair.
It could not move forward even an inch.
Because in front of it—
a gigantic wall of wood had appeared.
Countless thick vines twisted together like an ancient forest barrier.
"What is that?!"
"Wood… coming out of the sea?!"
"How did that block the Five Elders' attack?!"
"What the hell is happening?!"
The people watching the broadcast around the world were equally stunned.
The slash of one of the Five Elders—
had just been stopped by a wall of living wood.
Even the kimono elder's expression changed slightly.
Because the moment he saw the vines—
a terrible premonition surfaced in his mind.
The other four elders had also stopped attacking Kaido and Shiki.
They returned immediately to stand beside him.
All five released their Observation Haki, scanning the battlefield.
Their brows slowly furrowed.
Because deep down—
a name surfaced.
A name none of them wished to speak aloud.
At that moment—
the ocean began to boil.
Between the Marines and pirates, the seawater churned violently.
The disturbance began at the ocean floor.
Then spread to the mid-layers.
Then erupted on the surface.
It looked as though some colossal force was pushing the sea itself apart.
Massive waves surged in opposite directions.
The wind howled.
Clouds above the battlefield began swirling wildly.
Everyone stared in horror.
An ominous feeling gripped their hearts.
Then—
between the parted ocean waters—
a gigantic green wall rose from the sea.
Its shadow alone covered all of Marineford.
At its peak bloomed a massive red flower.
Standing upon that flower—
was a man with green markings on his face, a toothpick between his teeth.
He looked down at the battlefield calmly.
Like a god overlooking the world.
And countless voices screamed in shock—
"Rōmu!!"
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