บท 69: 69. The Battle On The Top Is Completely Over
"Why should I believe Blackbeard's nonsense?" Shiryu thought as he glanced at the top fighters from the Naval Headquarters, who seemed clueless about surrounding them. Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, Sora, Kizaru, Aokiji, Gion—when this bunch gathered, any pirate or criminal would feel a deep, deep despair. That's exactly how Shiryu feels right now.
He wished he could turn back time, go back to a few hours ago when he was still in the prison of Impel and shut Blackbeard up with a knife before things got this bad. Then, he wouldn't be in this mess.
"Shiryu, do you know the power of the Dark Fruit? It can change the world, take us to the top," Blackbeard said confidently. "I can extract Devil Fruit abilities from capable individuals. Imagine the possibilities. We can create an unstoppable army. Even the World Government wouldn't stand a chance against us."
"What? You don't believe me? Look outside. Once we take down Whitebeard, I'll take his strongest Shock Fruit ability from his corpse," Blackbeard continued, trying to persuade Shiryu to join him.
"Join us, Shiryu. We'll rule the seas," Blackbeard laughed.
Shiryu still heard Blackbeard's ambitious words echoing in his ears, but the harsh reality hit him. In just a few hours, he had gone from being the deputy warden of Impel's prison to a regular criminal in the sixth level of the prison, Eternal Hell. All his privileges and recognition were gone—all because of a decision he made a few hours ago.
"Damn you, Blackbeard," Shiryu shouted, but before he could do anything, the Marines struck. Kizaru, Aokiji, and others appeared, ready to subdue them. They were in Marineford, surrounded by the highest-ranking Marine forces.
As Shiryu lay on the ground, barely conscious, he wondered, "How did Whitebeard manage to win with this kind of power?"
Sengoku ordered the Marines to tie them up and take them back to Impel's prison. It was a stroke of luck that Blackbeard had brought them here. Despite being legendary pirates and Shichibukai, the group Blackbeard brought were some of the most ruthless criminals from the sixth level of the prison.
Soon, Marines approached with seastone handcuffs and chains to restrain them, ensuring they wouldn't escape again. Gion and Momonga were tasked with guarding the prisoners.
"Dealing with these criminals is a breeze compared to the monsters we're facing," Gion remarked, relieved to have them under control.
Kizaru couldn't help but twist his mouth into a concealed, wretched smile. Lately, he had been feeling a bit defeated. First, at Sabaody, he was bested by the Straw Hat Boy. Now, he found himself struggling against Blackfoot Sanji, whose bounty was less than 100 million. It made him wonder if he was getting old and losing his strength, unable to keep up with the younger generation.
But after effortlessly dealing with Blackbeard's crew, he felt a glimmer of confidence return. It wasn't that he was weak; it was just that the Straw Hat Pirates were exceptionally strong.
As the top fighters of the Marines finished off Blackbeard's crew, Sengoku glanced at Fire Fist Ace and Phoenix Marco, who were standing nearby. They had just teamed up to take on Blackbeard's men. Although they were within striking distance, Sengoku refrained from making another move.
Ace had managed to break free from the seastone handcuffs, and his strength rivalled that of an Admiral. Killing him wouldn't be easy. Plus, the formidable strength of the pirates made Sengoku hesitate.
"Do you want to fight, Sengoku?" Bullet, who had recently escaped from Impel, taunted Sengoku with a crazed smile.
Sengoku frowned at Bullet. The Demon heir was arrested because of Buster Call's actions and his own, and after years in Impel Prison, he seemed even stronger and more menacing. Standing alongside Rayleigh and Byrnndi World, Bullet's strength surpassed even these legendary figures.
Despite Bullet's madness and dangerous aura, Sengoku couldn't make a move, not with Rayleigh and Shanks by his side.
"Hey, Shanks, Vice Captain Rayleigh, want to team up?" Bullet proposed, but both Shanks and Rayleigh declined. Bullet's transformation into a more dangerous figure than before troubled them.
"I've grown stronger, and I'll keep getting stronger until I'm the best," Bullet declared loudly, his eyes fixed on the Marines as if he might attack at any moment.
However, despite his thirst for power, Bullet wasn't foolish. Just released from Eternal Hell, he hadn't reached his peak yet, and attacking the Marines now would be suicide.
"It's all over," Whitebeard's voice cut through the tension as he approached. With a firm grip, he held Blackbeard's unconscious body, his face bloodied and battered from the fight.
"That's one resilient body. After enduring Dad's grip so many times, he's still breathing," Marco remarked, following Whitebeard's lead as they approached Blackbeard's swaying form.
Marco was well aware of Whitebeard's devastating strength. Despite being grabbed by the weakest part of his neck and receiving three powerful shocks, Blackbeard was somehow still alive. It was a testament to the incredible durability of his body.
The first time, Blackbeard had only one breath left and felt like he was on the brink of death. After two more attacks, he lost consciousness completely.
"Time to go home, youngsters," Whitebeard declared, hoisting Blackbeard's body with one hand and his long sword high into the air.
The Whitebeard Pirates raised their weapons in celebration, cheers of victory filling the air. Despite the losses suffered in the war, they stood strong, united in their resolve.
As Whitebeard carried Blackbeard back to the Moby Dick, passing by Luffy and the others, Chopper whispered to Luffy, "Whitebeard is dying."
Each member of the crew had their own unique perception abilities. Luffy had an enhanced emotional perception, Usopp had a heightened distance perception, and Chopper, being a doctor, had a keen sense of vitality.
Chopper could sense that Whitebeard's vitality was fading fast. Under normal circumstances, someone with such low vitality would be on the verge of death. Yet, Whitebeard not only survived but also managed to hold his own against Admiral-level opponents and defeat monsters like Blackbeard.
Luffy, too, sensed Whitebeard's pain and resilience. Despite the immense suffering he endured, Whitebeard remained steadfast and resolute. His willpower was awe-inspiring, transcending even the limits of his own body.
Though Luffy couldn't fully grasp the depth of Whitebeard's emotions, he recognized a familiar tenderness akin to what Garp showed him at times. It was a bond that went beyond mere partnership, a willpower that defied death itself.
"Just give him a hand, Ace," Luffy said, looking at the smiling Ace with a mixture of emotions.
In this moment of reunion and homecoming joy, Luffy couldn't find the right words to express himself. He knew Ace shared a special bond with Whitebeard, and he wondered how Ace would cope with the grief of Whitebeard's passing.
As the Whitebeard Pirates took care of the battlefield and tended to the wounded, there was a strange understanding between the pirates and the Marines.
"Then we'll be on our way," Shanks said, pressing his hand on the hilt of his sword and addressing Sengoku.
Sengoku didn't object. This group of pirates had dealt a significant blow to the Marines and the World Government. If the Marines couldn't recover and strengthen their position, their control over the world would diminish in the coming years. But Sengoku felt somewhat relieved after the battle, knowing that the trial of the Five Elders would determine the next steps.
"Before we go, I'll give Marine's Buster Call a second look," Bullet chuckled.
"I'll make them pay for every scar they've left on me," Bullet declared, his eyes cold and determined, clutching gravel in his hands like a vengeful beast.
Crocodile observed the two men beside him, their madness apparent. Sengoku watched them board Whitebeard's ship, his expression ugly with frustration.
"These two troublemakers," Crocodile muttered.
"These two lunatics," Sengoku added, his gaze fixed on Bullet and Byrnndi World as they departed.
These two guys are a real handful. If it weren't for the Whitebeard Pirates, Red Hair Pirates, and Straw Hat Pirates backing them up, Sengoku would have had to personally deal with those arrogant lunatics. But now, all he could do was watch as they fought their way out and left gracefully.
"The war is over. Let's focus on treating the wounded," Sengoku ordered the surrounding Marine soldiers as he watched the Whitebeard Pirates' ships depart.
Seeing the devastation around him—the wounded, the damaged Naval Headquarters, the distant residential area of Marineford—Sengoku felt weary. The war, which had taken so much effort to prepare for, was a complete failure because of the Straw Hat Pirates. He had lost comrades and suffered significant damage to his forces. And this was just the immediate aftermath. The real repercussions were yet to come. In a few days, the World Government officials, the leaders of the alliance countries, and the media would all condemn their failure.
Sengoku himself was exhausted. The wound he received from Whitebeard, Roronoa Zoro, and Dark King Rayleigh continued to bleed, causing him intense pain. If not for his formidable defence in his Buddha form, he might have been killed outright. Even so, he had lain in the ruins for a long time before regaining his ability to move.
As he tried to clear his mind, a Marine soldier approached with a phone bug. It wasn't the Five Elders calling for accountability but a message from Impel Prison. Sengoku took a deep breath before answering the call.
"I'm Sengoku," he said.
"Sorry, Admiral Sengoku, but Impel Prison has been breached. Shiryu has defected and joined Blackbeard," Magellan's voice came through the phone bug, filled with guilt.
Sengoku assured Magellan that he knew about the situation and would send someone to assess the damage at Impel.
He understood that berating Magellan now would serve no purpose. The breach at Impel was a result of Naval Headquarters spreading their forces too thin and Blackbeard exploiting the situation.
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