"Madness. This is absolute madness."
"With defenses like this, do they even need inner defenses at all?"
For a moment, everyone looked toward Fleet Admiral Sengoku standing at the highest point.
They simply could not understand what he was planning.
With such a lineup, defeating one Emperor seemed trivial. Even marching directly into the New World and sweeping it clean would not seem impossible.
"They're here!"
"The Whitebeard allied fleet has arrived!"
At that moment, the Marine sentry department transmitted a report.
Standing at the highest platform, Sengoku remained calm. "Report the situation."
"Yes!"
"'Great Whirlpool Spider' Squard!"
"'Ice Witch' Whitey Bay!"
"The Decalvan Brothers!"
"A.O.!"
"Palms!"
"McGuy!"
The sentry department rapidly relayed the incoming intelligence.
Then the report suddenly stopped.
The observer stared at the enormous figure before him in disbelief.
Even giants were usually only around ten meters tall, twenty meters at most.
But this monster was nearly forty meters tall.
"L-Little Oars Jr. has appeared!"
After recovering from the shock, the sentry immediately continued the report.
"Report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"The Whitebeard allied fleet consists of forty-three affiliated pirate crews, along with elite forces from islands and nations under their protection."
"Estimated total manpower: nearly fifty thousand!"
"I see."
Facing such an enormous force, and more than a hundred fighters at the level of Supernovas, Sengoku remained completely calm.
To him, these numbers seemed almost insignificant.
After a brief moment of thought, Sengoku spoke again.
"Has the main crew of the Whitebeard Pirates appeared?"
"Yes."
Everyone understood the real objective of this war.
As long as Edward Newgate himself did not appear, the battle had not truly begun.
Even if fifty thousand people came.
Even if five hundred thousand gathered.
Without Whitebeard, they were nothing more than a loose gathering driven by righteousness.
"Report. There are currently no additional ships on the sea."
"For now, we conclude that the Whitebeard Pirates themselves have not appeared."
"What?"
Hearing this report, Sengoku frowned slightly.
He did not believe that Whitebeard would send his allies as mere cannon fodder.
But for the moment, even he could not understand what his old rival was planning.
Sengoku gazed toward the distant sea, his expression growing serious.
"You old bastard…"
Even the man known as the "Strategist" could not figure it out.
The opponent who had fought him for an entire lifetime.
The man he had always wanted to defeat.
"What exactly are you planning?"
"Boom!"
A massive explosion erupted across the bay in front of Marineford.
Countless tons of seawater shot high into the sky before crashing down across the entire island.
"I see."
As the seawater gradually settled, four ships appeared before Sengoku.
"So you coated the ships and came through the seabed."
"You old bastard. Even at your age, you still have quite a few tricks."
Sengoku's lips curved slightly.
His mobilization had been enormous. With hundreds of Marine warships patrolling around Marineford, there was no way Edward Newgate would fail to notice.
Avoiding the fleet was clearly the best option.
Otherwise, if all those cannons fired at once, even Whitebeard would have trouble dealing with it.
This unexpected entrance had indeed surpassed Sengoku's expectations.
But that only made things better.
After all, this was exactly what made Whitebeard his greatest rival.
Surrounded by the division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates, the massive ship emerged fully into view.
"They've appeared!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates have appeared!"
Instantly, every reporter and Marine observer turned their cameras toward the towering water column.
"Whitebeard has arrived!"
"And the commanders under him are here as well!"
As the sea calmed, the coating around the Moby Dick shattered.
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates were now clearly visible.
First Division Commander: Marco, the "Phoenix."
Third Division Commander: Jozu, the "Diamond."
Fifth Division Commander: Vista, the "Flower Sword."
Sixth Division Commander: Blamenco.
Seventh Division Commander: Rakuyo.
And many more.
"They're here!"
"Fifteen out of the seventeen division commanders have arrived!"
Very quickly, the elite forces of the Whitebeard Pirates were identified, along with the selected warriors from their forty-three allied pirate crews and the islands and nations under Whitebeard's protection.
Thousands of fighters had bypassed more than three hundred Marine warships and appeared directly inside Marineford's bay.
"What a sight… truly magnificent!"
The reporters began writing furiously again.
Every Den Den Mushi camera focused on the Moby Dick and its three escort ships.
The dozen figures standing atop them looked like heroes arriving to save the world.
Even though they faced over a hundred thousand elite Marines.
Even though the enemy had more than a dozen giant Vice Admirals and dozens of elite Vice Admirals.
Even though five members of the Seven Warlords of the Sea were present.
Even though all three Marine Admirals had arrived.
And even though the Fleet Admiral himself commanded the battlefield.
The Whitebeard Pirates showed not the slightest fear.
Their expressions did not resemble those of people attacking Marine Headquarters.
Instead, they looked as relaxed as if they had returned home.
At that moment, the commanders slowly stepped aside, opening a path.
A towering giant nearly seven meters tall walked forward under their escort.
His steps were slow and steady.
Yet his mere presence was enough to silence the entire battlefield.
Even the roaring sea seemed to calm itself.
A king.
This was a king of the seas.
The sudden silence felt like the ocean itself welcoming its ruler home.
Even the Marines fell quiet.
Standing at the highest platform of Marineford, Sengoku stared at the approaching figure and murmured his name.
"Whitebeard."
Only one man could command such presence.
A man who made pirates submit and even forced the Marines into silence.
Ever since the death of Gol D. Roger, he had been widely recognized as the king of the seas.
The strongest man in the world.
The uncrowned Pirate King.
Edward Newgate.
"Sengoku."
Standing at the front of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard looked directly toward the platform above.
After years as enemies, the two old rivals faced each other again.
Their reunion came with quite the "welcome ceremony."
"Gurararara!"
Whitebeard's bold and iconic laughter echoed across the battlefield.
"If my opponent is you… then this war might actually be worth it."
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