章 57: New Job (III)
"You look like shit," Marco said bluntly as he walked beside me.
"I feel like shit," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. My body ached, and my head was pounding after pulling an all-nighter. "Starting to think I should've asked for more berries."
Marco chuckled, his voice light despite the tension in the air. "Guess you're learning how to negotiate like a pirate."
We were the first to arrive in the common room, the central gathering place on the Moby Dick. At the center of the room was a large map of Marineford, the battlefield where tomorrow's war would decide the fate of Portgas D. Ace—and potentially reshape the world.
One by one, the leaders began to file in. First came the captains of Whitebeard's allied ships, seasoned veterans from the New World whose loyalty to Whitebeard was unshakable. Then the commanders of the main crew arrived, with Whitebeard himself towering at the center of the group. Within half an hour, the room was packed with some of the most powerful individuals on the seas.
Marco joined the commanders as I positioned myself near the map. Taking a deep breath, I steadied my nerves. This wasn't just a presentation—it was my chance to prove that I was the right person to guide them through the chaos of Marineford.
---
"Thanks for gathering here, everyone," I began, my voice firm but not overbearing. "Before we start, I have one request: don't interrupt me until I've explained everything. If you have questions or concerns, save them for the end."
"Just get on with it!" Squard shouted, earning a few chuckles from the crowd.
I ignored the interruption and pointed at the map. "Your original plan to infiltrate Marineford—coating your ships and approaching from underwater—remains unchanged. It's still the best option we have for getting in undetected. But now, we need to address our formation and how we'll handle the Navy's forces once we're inside."
I gestured to the crescent-shaped harbor depicted on the map. "The four main ships will enter the center of the crescent, while the allied ships will spread out to surround the island on all sides. The Navy has the home-field advantage, so our first priority must be to neutralize their battleships. These warships are equipped with weapons developed by Dr. Vegapunk."
I placed a sketch of a Pacifista on the table, and murmurs rippled through the room.
"Isn't that Warlord of the Sea, Bartholomew Kuma?" one captain asked.
"Yes and no," I said. "This isn't a person—it's a weapon. It's a Pacifista. A mass-produced killing machine modeled after Kuma. These things are nearly indestructible. Normal weapons and cannon fire are useless against them. They shoot laser beams modeled after Admiral Kizaru's Devil Fruit powers. Only a haki user or devil fruit user can damage them."
The murmurs grew louder as the reality of the situation sank in. I raised a hand, silencing the room.
"Pacifistas are formidable, but I don't believe the Navy will deploy them in the main battle. One of the Commanders can easily destroy tens of them. And they're really expensive to make. Instead, they'll likely use them to encircle us and trap our forces. The real problem is that we don't know how many they have. And our Haki users can't afford to waste their energy fighting these machines when we're already outnumbered by at least 100,000 elite soldiers."
I paused for effect, then smirked. "That's why we'll bring in some unexpected reinforcements: the Supernovas."
A wave of skepticism swept through the room.
"Why would rookies help us?" Vista, the 5th Division Commander, asked, crossing his arms.
"Because pirates are competitive by nature," I replied. "One of the Supernovas is my former captain. I've already convinced him to show up. Once he does, the others will follow. This is the biggest war since the God Valley incident, and every pirate worth their salt will want to make a name for themselves here."
Vista frowned but nodded slowly. "And you're certain they can handle Pacifistas?"
I grinned, pulling out Eustass Kid's wanted poster and slapping it onto the table. "This guy can. His bounty is over 300 million berries. But the main strength of him is his Devil Fruit. It manipulates magnetic fields, making him the perfect counter to metal-based weapons like Pacifistas. For him, they're just scrap. He doesn't need to destroy all of them. He just needs to distract them long enough for us to enter the plaza."
The skepticism in the room eased, but I wasn't done yet. "Now, about the execution platform. It's too high for us to reach without help. That's where Little Oars Jr. comes in. We'll need him to raise our ships and breach the platform. He's unpredictable, but if we explain what's at stake, I'm confident he'll join us."
I gestured back to the map. "We'll also coat three additional ships as insurance. The Navy will undoubtedly try to destroy our ships, and without them, we'll be sitting ducks. Once we enter the plaza, the formation will be standard: captain-level fighters in the front, melee fighters forming a protective ring around the ranged units. Keeping up the formation will help us to minimize casualties. But let me be clear: Nobody below the rank of captain should even think about engaging a Warlord. The Warlords are too dangerous for anyone but the strongest among us."
Whitebeard grunted in agreement, his massive hand gripping his gourd.
"There will be five Warlords present. Jinbei has already chosen to be imprisoned rather than fight against Whitebeard."
"Still as honorable as ever," Whitebeard muttered.
"The other Warlord is Marshall D. Teach—Blackbeard," I continued.
The room's atmosphere shifted instantly, killing intent filling the air. I ignored it and pressed on.
"Blackbeard hasn't responded to the Navy's call, but knowing him, he'll show up when both sides are weakened. Be prepared for anything. I've already given you the details of his Devil Fruit powers, and I've taken care of most of his crew. But he's still dangerous. Nobody other than the commanders will engage with him. Remember, our objective is to rescue Ace. Not killing as many marines as possible, nor killing Teach. Don't lose sight of our main objective, and we won't lose."
"Now, and this is critical: Do not enrage Vice Admiral Garp. If he enters the fight, we're fucked. But there's a silver lining. Ace is his grandson, so there is very little possibility that he will actively engage in the fight. And, even Sengoku can't control Garp, so most probably he'll be asked to stay on the sidelines to show the face of the 'Hero' of the Navy."
The key points were all conveyed. I really hope that I didn't miss anything. Marineford was one of the earlier episodes in comparison. So, I don't exactly remember all the details. But this should be enough for now.
"Now, let's go over force distribution and individual assignments," I said, shifting into the more tactical details. The meeting stretched on as we refined the plan, addressing every concern and ironing out every detail.
By the time we finished, it was well past noon. Exhausted but satisfied, I called Law to update him on the plan before heading to Whitebeard's chambers.
"Come in, you brat," Whitebeard's booming voice called out after I knocked.
Whitebeard was lying down in his bed. The number of medical instruments in this room was staggering. This man already had one leg in his grave. And yet, he was still so strong. Truly an outstanding person. A man who was kind yet not weak. He knew to show his kindness as well as his wrath. A man who set sail not to find any treasure or fame. Rather, he just wanted a family. And he has succeeded in doing that. He had a family that will live and die by his words. He was the same as them. He would gladly give his life to save a single member of his family. He loved all of them with all his heart, just as they loved him. He was a good person.
And that's why I can't let him die like he did in the original story. The story of a man of such greatness should not end this way.
So, I cut through all the bullshit and asked directly,
"You plan to die tomorrow, old man."
He didn't reply, and that gave me the answer I wanted. So, I continued, shifting towards a more respectable tone.
"I heard that you didn't get a single scar on your back by running away from a fight. Is it true?"
"Only cowards have scars on their back! True warriors take everything head on."
"Admirable! Truly a response I would expect from a man of your level. But I have a request, old man. Tomorrow, after we rescue Ace, you need to retreat. You need to get back to the ship with your crew. Don't do something stupid like sacrificing yourself. That's not a win for us. A true victory is one where all the Whitebeard Pirates survive—including you."
Whitebeard's expression didn't change, but I could see the conflict in his eyes.
"What's better?" I asked, my voice softening. "Dying in enemy territory while shaking the world, or living long enough to die peacefully, surrounded by your family?"
I didn't pressure him or anything. He was a stubborn old man, and he'll only listen to his own convictions. But I at least want to give him a nudge towards a better story.
I turned to leave, but before I walked out, I added one last thought.
"Try to be selfish for once, old man. Decide on what you truly want."
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