Chapter 365: Convergence
The Whitebeard Pirates have no path of retreat left!
From the moment the encirclement walls closed in, the Whitebeard Pirates were left with only one option—
To utterly destroy Marineford!
Otherwise, they would all perish within the walls of this naval stronghold that had stood for centuries!
"Gurararara... Bold words, brat!"
Despite battling Akainu for so long, Whitebeard bore only scorch marks across his body, with no fatal wounds in sight.
The real fight was just about to begin—yet, at this critical moment, an unwelcome voice rang out:
"Ahahahaha! Marine Headquarters! Looks like you're in quite the bind! How about I lend you a hand... and send you all straight to hell!"
"So, he's finally shown himself…"
Sengoku muttered as he turned his gaze toward the massive figure standing atop the encirclement wall, a hulking man clad in a horned helmet and hefting a colossal cannon over his shoulder.
"The World Destroyer"—Byrnndi World!
"Arrogant fool!"
Sengoku stepped forward onto the high platform, his entire body beginning to radiate a faint golden light.
"For centuries, Marineford has stood as a symbol of justice! Yet pirates like you dream of destroying it—nothing more than the fantasies of madmen!"
"Fleet Admiral, as the supreme commander of this battle, it would be unwise for you to engage directly..."
Standing before the now-sealed encirclement wall, Issho raised his head, his white, pupil-less eyes "gazing" toward Byrnndi World's position.
"Justice will not be trampled by terror. This pirate... leave him to me!"
The golden light surrounding Sengoku slowly faded. He cast a glance at Akainu and Wright, both locked in combat with Whitebeard, before giving a slow nod.
"Very well, I leave this to you, Issho!"
The Revolutionary Army...
They seem to be here for Kuma. What's their connection to him?
So far, they haven't made any moves to aid Whitebeard. They don't seem to be here to help him, nor are they escalating the battle… What exactly are they planning?
We can't engage them just yet... If Dragon himself is nearby, things will get even more complicated…
Thoughts raced through Sengoku's mind as he made a swift decision.
Whitebeard must remain our primary focus. That is the most crucial matter right now!
And then there's that terrifying old man…
Redfield—where the hell are you?!
"Red the Aloof"—Patrick Redfield.
His innate Observation Haki was terrifyingly strong, capable of effortlessly reading people's thoughts and memories. If he wished to stay hidden, even those with exceptional Observation Haki—like Issho, Wright, or Enel—would have a hard time detecting him.
Among the Impel Down escapees, only he remained unaccounted for. Given his notorious solitary nature, it was already shocking that he had appeared at this battlefield. Now, lurking in the shadows, he was an unpredictable and dangerous threat!
Meanwhile, Issho had already engaged Byrnndi World. The overwhelming power of the Moa Moa no Mi granted World unparalleled strength, speed, and durability. Even with his Admiral-level combat ability, Issho couldn't take him down quickly.
"The key to this war has always been Whitebeard!"
"As long as we can gravely wound him, the battle will turn in our favor—over a third of the pirates have already fallen, whereas our casualties remain under ten percent thanks to Wright's presence…"
Vice Admiral Tsuru carefully observed the battlefield, her keen strategic mind assessing every shift in momentum. Wright's support capabilities in war were nothing short of extraordinary.
The Whitebeard Pirates had started with over 50,000 fighters, against 100,000 elite Marines. Now, even though Marco and the others had broken free, the battle had shifted to 30,000 pirates versus 100,000 Marines!
"However, the remaining pirates are all elites… They won't go down easily."
Tsuru sighed, a hint of regret in her voice.
"If only Kuina weren't occupied with an important mission, she could have been a tremendous asset here."
She pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed.
"Kuina, what's the situation in the New World?"
...
New World—Aboard the "Dawn".
Kuina stood at the prow of the "Dawn," the wind whipping through her Justice coat as the ship soared through the sky, showcasing the full mobility of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru! I was just about to report in!"
Her expression was solemn.
"BIG MOM's forces remain inactive for now, but Kaido had been making moves toward Whitebeard's territories before the war began. However, he was stopped by Red-Haired Shanks."
This was intelligence that the Marine Headquarters had already received. But Kuina's next words made Tsuru's expression shift.
"Senior Brother asked me to keep an eye on the Red-Haired Pirates. While Kaido has backed down… Red-Haired Shanks hasn't returned to his previous position!"
"Oh? Then where has he gone?"
Kuina's face grew even graver as she spoke a name that even Tsuru found shocking.
"The Red Force has set sail for…"
"Elbaf—the Strongest Kingdom of Giants!"
"What?!"
Tsuru's shock was evident. She fell silent for a moment before swiftly issuing an order.
"Continue your surveillance! Elbaf is of monumental significance. If Red-Haired is heading there at a time like this, he must have a purpose!"
"But above all, ensure your own safety!"
"Understood!"
...
Marineford—The Battlefield.
The battle between the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates had reached a fever pitch.
The pirates knew the encirclement wall was too sturdy for even Whitebeard to break through in a short time. Their only path to escape was to defeat the Marines in front of them, seize their ships, and flee to the sea!
But the sight before them was crushing their morale.
Even when they struck down Marines—injuring them, sometimes even dealing grievous wounds—those who weren't finished off quickly were soon back on their feet, ready to fight again!
"How the hell do we win this…?"
"That Admiral, Wright—his flagship, the Dawn, grants this power… but he himself is far worse than the ship!"
"He's still fighting Pops, yet he can still heal thousands of Marines at the same time?! What kind of monster is he?!"
All across the battlefield, civilians watching the live broadcast were in awe. Golden light frequently flickered across Marineford, reviving fallen Marines and allowing them to continue fighting.
Justice was unyielding!
"Admiral Wright!"
"Justice will prevail!"
...
Whitebeard was already breathing heavily. No one could withstand the combined assault of two Admirals—especially with Wright, who could recover indefinitely, in the fight!
Supporting the entire force required a portion of Wright's focus, so Akainu took the lead in the offensive, shouldering the brunt of Whitebeard's attacks.
With Wright's assistance, Akainu could fight without restraint, unleashing relentless, all-out attacks—strike after strike, blow after blow!
As the user of the most explosively powerful Logia ability, the Magma-Magma Fruit, Akainu unleashed devastating barrages with near-limitless stamina. Even Whitebeard, the world's strongest man, found himself momentarily overwhelmed by Akainu's relentless, mad-dog offensive.
To make matters worse, Wright's Observation Haki—so refined it bordered on a cheat-like ability—allowed him to foresee the future, creating a massive headache for Whitebeard.
Countless opportunities that could have dealt serious damage to Akainu were abruptly cut off by Wright's incredible preemptive reads. In fact, Wright even turned those openings against Whitebeard, leaving him with two deep, bone-exposing wounds!
Whitebeard's attempts to destroy Marineford's townscape to create an escape route for his crew were also thwarted time and again—
With his exceptional mobility, whether through flight or short-distance "teleportation," Wright intercepted him at every turn. He single-handedly took on the role of Fujitora, ensuring Whitebeard's destruction of the town was reduced to nearly nothing!
"Tch… What a troublesome brat…"
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