Chapter 120: Clash of the Monsters – The Ultimate Battle

Marineford, the heart of the Marine Headquarters, erupted with a roar at the news that Portgas D. Ace, commander of the 2nd Division of the Whitebeard Pirates and the very reason for this war, had been freed.

“ACE HAS BEEN FREED——!!!”

“YEEEAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

“Hurry up and get out of there, Ace——!!!”

The cheers, unsurprisingly, came mostly from the Whitebeard Pirates. Though they were cornered and bleeding, smiles broke out across their faces and shouts of joy filled the battlefield.

But jubilation wasn’t the only response.

“Fleet Admiral…!!”

“...! Doesn’t matter!! Focus on the enemy in front of you!!”

“...!!”

“Ace…!!”

The Marines who had temporarily allied with the Whitebeard Pirates wore conflicted expressions. Their hesitation was quickly swept away by Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s sharp command, and they refocused on their immediate foes.

Sakazuki clenched his teeth in frustration and returned to battle grimly, while Garp, unable to suppress the relief that his family member had been freed and was no longer his burden to capture, allowed a rare, crooked smirk to curl at his lips.

But next came the reactions from the other side—those considered the “enemy.”

“Ohhh… So he’s been freed. Didn’t even notice the small fry doing it… But hey, not bad!!”

“Tch… What a damn hassle…!!”

“Ha~hahaha, Ma-ma-ma-ma! Who cares!? He ain’t getting away anyway!!”

“Hell yeah!! Either way, we’re not letting him go!! We’ll slaughter every last one of them!!!”

The Pirate Alliance didn’t appear too shaken. Aside from a small click of the tongue from Shiki and a furrow of his brow, the rest were unfazed.

Still, they all had their sights set on Ace. Whether to kill or to capture, every one of them bore hostility. Not a single one intended to let him escape.

And the man at the center of it all—Ace himself—stood frozen, stunned.

“…………”

“H-Hey!! What are you doing, huh!? I broke you out, so hurry up and get me outta here!! We’re gonna die if we stay here!!”

Mr. 3 shouted in panic. But Ace simply stared at his hands, unmoving.

Was it really okay for him to escape? Could he even escape? After being saved by comrades and his little brother… could he still fight?

Ace looked out at the hellish battlefield before him, his resolve wavering.

But even as he questioned his next step, the decision he made didn’t come from logic.

It came from instinct.

“UAAAAAHHHHHH!!!”

“…! Luffy!!”

At the edge of the central square—the primary battleground—Ace saw his younger brother collapse.

His attacker? The infamous pirate who had just tried to threaten and recruit him: Golden Lion Shiki.

“Now that you’re outta your cuffs… guess I’ll just beat you half to death and threaten him with your body, eh!? Hope you’re ready to lose an arm or two!!”

“Damn it!! That hurts…!!”

“…!!”

“H-Hey! Wait up!!”

Ace didn’t hesitate. He moved.

There was no time to think—no room to. On this battlefield, hesitation was death. And so Ace chose to fight, driven purely by instinct.

“Don’t you dare lay a hand… on my brother!!!”

Without even hearing Mr. 3’s plea, Ace leapt from the execution platform. His right arm was already ablaze, aimed squarely at the lion who had hurt his brother.

“Keep your damn hands OFF MY BROTHER!!!”

“!!”

His fiery fist crashed into Shiki, knocking him down to the ground. Shiki staggered, struggling to regain his footing, while Ace landed between him and Luffy, shielding his younger brother.

“…!! Ji-hahaha…!! Not bad at all!! That’s what I’d expect from Roger’s son!! Worthy of being one of us!!”

“Shut up!! My old man’s not Roger!! I only have one father—and that’s Whitebeard!!!”

“AAACCCEEE——!!!”

As Shiki laughed and praised him, declaring the worth of Roger’s son, Ace shouted back in full-throated denial, glaring fiercely at him.

This fight wasn’t over. Not even close.

Ace turned to Luffy, who had just stood back up.

“Can you still fight, Luffy!?”

“Huff… Huff… You bet I can!!!”

“Ji-ha-ha… So you two brothers think you can take me on together, huh?”

Luffy and Ace squared off side by side against Shiki.

But danger was closing in fast—from behind.

A massive shadow loomed near them.

“You really think you can ignore me?”

“Jack’s coming!! Watch out, you two!!”

Jack, transformed into a mammoth of the ancient past, coated his massive trunk in Haki and swung it, aiming to flatten the two brothers. A member of the Whitebeard Pirates cried out in panic. Jack was that formidable.

“—And what makes you think you can ignore me!?”

“!!”

“Hancock…!!”

Someone stepped in to block Jack’s attack.

With Haki-charged legs, the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock countered the blow with a powerful kick.

Her action—despite supposedly being allied with the Beasts Pirates—was nothing short of betrayal. Jack frowned, and Luffy called out her name in gratitude… but Hancock couldn’t even spare the breath to respond.

“Kh… So heavy…!!”

Jack’s attack was far stronger than she had anticipated.

Hancock knew the strength of the Lead Performers and Flying Six well—especially the younger ones like Jack. And yet he had grown even stronger than she remembered.

She held her ground with only a small retreat, but sweat trickled from her forehead. She was losing composure.

Jack looked down at her with a cold stare and said:

“Hancock… It’s one thing to mess with the Golden Lion, but now you’re getting in our way? You planning to betray us?”

“…! …I haven’t betrayed anyone. Men… enemies or allies… they’re all the same to me, that’s all…”

“…………”

Hancock deflected the accusation with a flimsy excuse, saying nothing of her true motives. Even if Jack saw through her, she couldn’t tell him the truth.

Besides, fully betraying them now would make it impossible to save him if the time came.

In her view, there was no hope left. The Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines… they were already past the point of turning the tide.

Ace had been freed—their goal was achieved—but it didn’t matter anymore.

“Luffy!! We’ve gotta break through this somehow!!!”

“Got it!!!”

“Ji-haha!! Look at you two! So fired up now…!! And both just as naive!! You really think you can escape from me!?”

Because against the Beasts Pirates… against Kaido and Nue… there was no victory to be had.

---

With Ace’s release, Marineford—the headquarters of the Navy—was thrown into chaos. Ten thousand meters above the battlefield, an island floated in the sky.

“Hey!! They’re out of ammo!!”

“All right, bring the next batch over here!!”

“We’ve got a severely injured man!! Medical team, get on it!!”

“Yes, sir!!”

That sky island, originally located near Wano in the New World, was part of the Beast Pirates' territory. Home to a weapon factory powered by cultivated Dial shells, it had been brought to Marineford’s skies by Kaido and Nue to serve as a frontline base for the war.

As a result, it was being used to transport supplies, tend to the wounded, and relay updates on the tide of battle.

“Hey, Fire Fist Ace has been freed!!”

“Gyahaha!! That’s rich!! Like that’s gonna make any difference!!”

“Yeah!! Whether it’s the Whitebeard Pirates or the Marines, none of ‘em are gettin’ outta here alive!!”

In the center of the island, a surveillance Den-Den Mushi transmitted footage of the battlefield outside the Birdcage. Many gathered to watch, cheering and laughing.

Among them were the Pleasures—soldiers who couldn’t stop laughing due to side effects from SMILE fruits—but even beyond them, laughter echoed. They were certain: this war would end in their victory.

“Hey, it’s here.”

“! All right, move it!!”

Alongside the supply depots and factories, a massive mirror had also been installed on the island. It wasn’t part of the original structure but a specially made tool prepared for this war. It was absolutely essential for transporting goods and personnel.

After all... the mirror was vital for activating a certain ability.

“──Ah, here it comes.”

“Wi-wi-wi!! Keep sending the troops, the supplies, and the injured!! Move as much as you want, I’ll handle it!!”

A man carrying supplies stepped into the mirror.

What awaited beyond was a warped, violet-hued space—a world of countless mirrors. The "Mirror World" (Mirro-World), where one could move between mirrors freely.

From the sky island, they transported goods through the Mirror World to the ships of the Beast Pirates and Big Mom Pirates. Inside this realm stood the logistics coordinator of the Beast Pirates, a Shinuchi, and a high-ranking minister of the Big Mom Pirates—Big Mom’s own daughter, who could freely manipulate the mirror world.

Beast Pirates Shinuchi “Stillwater Sono”

“The sushi delivery’s here too... Isn’t it about time for our break? What do you say? How about a little drinking party?”

Charlotte Brûlée, 8th daughter of the Charlotte Family – Mira Mira no Mi (Mirror Human)

“Sounds great! Booze and sushi—wait, what the hell are you saying!? We’re in the middle of a war!!”

“Overtime is inhumane…”

“...You slack off like that and Mama would’ve killed you by now, y’know…”

“Lord Kaido’s actually pretty fair for someone like him... As long as you do your job and get results, he doesn’t hand out punishments just for fun...”

Lying back on a tatami mat spread across the ground, Brûlée—a large woman with a grotesque scar across her face—chewed on sushi brought by subordinates. Watching her was Sono, a lethargic yet statuesque mermaid nearly eight meters tall. Brûlée looked at her in mild disbelief.

The two managed rear-line operations—resupply, coordination, and communication—playing a vital role in the joint operations of the Beast Pirates and Big Mom Pirates.

Currently, Marineford was completely sealed off by Doflamingo’s Birdcage. But with mirrors placed aboard their ships, they used Brûlée’s power to connect the sky island and the ships via the Mirror World, allowing free movement of people and goods.

This secret logistics route had been in operation since the war began—and it was tipping the balance toward their favor.

“At this point, it’s just a matter of time before we win... I think we’ll be done soon. —Or at least, I hope we are.”

“...Yeah, well, maybe so. No matter how long this drags out, we’ve got the upper hand!! I’m looking forward to it!! I’ll have fun torturing the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines, then toss what’s left into a pot of stew!! Wi-wi-wi~~~!!”

“Nue and the Numbers would love that... sigh... Let’s just hope there aren’t any more surprises...”

As they chatted in opposite moods inside the Mirror World, Brûlée and Sono resumed their duties, sensing that the war’s conclusion was near.

“Ace has been freed!! Make an escape route, now!!”

“How!? There’s nowhere to run!!”

“Then figure something out!! I’m not dying here!!”

The pirates gathered in Oris Plaza—the Whitebeard Pirates and their allied crews—saw Ace’s release and knew: it was time to retreat. They raised their voices and moved into action.

But the reality was grim. The combined pirate fleet, including Whitebeard’s own, had already been reduced to less than half its original size. Worse, they were completely surrounded.

“Jyakiki—!!”

“Gokiki!!”

“Kunyunyu~~!!”

“Uwaaahhhhhh!!”

“Damn it...!! Someone stop them!! At this rate we’ll lose all our ships!!”

“These fences... They won’t budge!! Even if we had ships, there’s no way to escape unless we get rid of this cage!!”

Adding to the despair, many of the ships anchored around Marineford were being sunk by cannon fire from Beast Pirates ships and the ferocious Numbers.

Even if ships remained, the Birdcage surrounding the island would prevent any escape. Helpless, Whitebeard’s allies fell one after another.

Even the stalwart core of the Whitebeard crew wasn’t immune.

“Brilliant... Punk!!!”

“!!”

Whitebeard Pirates 3rd Division Commander “Diamond” Jozu transformed half his body into diamond and launched a high-speed tackle.

The sheer force shattered steel. Even a Warlord-class opponent couldn’t take a hit like that unscathed.

But... a small shadow stopped that charge with ease, halting Jozu’s movement entirely. Standing there was—a small monster.

“‘Diamond’ Jozu... Not a bad hit, lives up to the name. But you’re not gonna stop me with just that!!”

“...Ugh!!”

Facing Jozu head-on, the creature—Nue the Beastly Phantom—grinned wickedly. With her trident, she stabbed Jozu through the body, pushed him back with brute strength, then stomped on his face, slamming him into the ground.

As Jozu's eyes rolled back and blood gushed from his mouth, Nue yanked her spear free and addressed him.

“Don’t worry. That fancy diamond body of yours? I’ll make sure it gets put to good use—as an accessory to decorate me♡”

“Muhaha!! Great idea, Nue-san!! With a body that huge, you’ll get a lot of diamonds out of it!!”

“Commander Jozu~~~!!”

“...Dammit!! We can’t stop the Phantom Beast!!”

“Even Commander Jozu’s down!!”

With overwhelming numbers and sheer power, even the Whitebeard commanders were falling. Panic was spreading among the pirates.

In contrast, the pirate alliance showed no signs of slowing.

“I’ll leave the rest of the commanders to you, Queen. I’m off to find someplace more fun...!!”

“You got it!! I’ll mop up what’s left, no problem!!”

"Shit... so we're just leftovers now...!!"

"Don't screw with us!! You think we're a joke!? We'll at least take down one of the All-Stars...!!"

"Let's take them down together!!"

"Yeah!!"

"Muhahaha!! Idiots!! You think teaming up will be enough to beat us!? You’re not getting out of here alive!!!"

As Nue took off toward the center of the plaza, the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines bravely charged into Queen’s squad. She led the All-Star forces. And where Nue was heading—was exactly where the fiercest battle of the war raged: the very heart of the battlefield.

“──Sorry to keep you waiting~~!! The star of the show has arrived~~!!”

“You’re late, Nue.”

“Mamamama!! It’s almost over, y’know. I thought you weren’t coming!!”

There, in the very center, the two Emperors—Kaido and Big Mom—greeted Nue as she descended, settling into a floating position slightly above and beside Kaido. Casually chatting with a sidelong glance, she faced the four monsters standing before them.

“Ahh... yeah, this looks like it's wrapping up. But hey—no curtain call is complete without me, the world’s number one idol!! The final scene needs all of us to fight it out, full force... and then end it with a bang!!”

“You’re always hung up on weird stuff like that...!!”

“That’s just how she is... but I’ve got no complaints!! Let’s finish this!!”

“...!!”

“Guh...!!”

“Huff... huff...!!”

Standing in front of Kaido, Big Mom, and Nue were four men, all bleeding, their breathing ragged.

Whitebeard, Garp, Sengoku, Sakazuki... each of them among the world’s strongest. True monsters who couldn’t be taken down easily.

But even they were being pushed back, overwhelmed by just two of the Four Emperors.

They still held their weapons, still stood in fighting stances, but unlike the composed Kaido and Big Mom, their faces clearly showed panic, pain, and exhaustion from accumulated injuries.

And with Nue’s arrival, the situation turned even more hopeless. Though their temporary alliance let them hang on, if the fight continued, even that wouldn't be enough. Defeat was inevitable.

“Oyaji!! We can’t hold the line anymore!!”

“Fleet Admiral Sengoku!! We can’t stop the pirates’ advance!!”

“…………”

“...It can’t be helped...”

That’s when it happened. In this desperate moment, Whitebeard and Sengoku—the heads of their respective forces—reached the same conclusion. It was a slim hope, but a path to survival.

“Oyaji!! We have to retreat now—!”

“...Listen up, you bastards...!!”

“!”

They had long since steeled themselves.

To protect his beloved family... Whitebeard forced down the blood pouring from his organs, struggled to control his ragged breathing, and spoke to them.

“What I’m about to say... is the final captain’s order...!!!”

“!!?”

The Whitebeard Pirates erupted in shock at those words.

“Final?! Oyaji, don’t say stuff like that!! It’s bad luck!!”

“I don’t wanna hear that kinda crap!!”

“We’re supposed to go back to the New World together!!”

“Oyaji...!!”

Everyone called out to his back.

They didn’t want to hear that this was the end. They couldn’t believe it.

They had saved Ace. Now all that was left was escape. If Ace had made it out, then surely Oyaji could too.

Everyone clung to that dream, called out to him, but... without turning around, Whitebeard gave his final command.

“This is where we part ways!!! All of you!!! Live!!! And make it back safely to the New World!!!”

“!!?”

“O... Oyajiiiii!!?”

“You’re planning to die here!?”

Whitebeard’s voice rang out across the battlefield, reaching the ears of every crew member.

But he didn’t spare even a glance at their confusion or sorrow. He summoned the last of his strength—to protect his family.

“I’m already a relic of a dead era...!!! There’s no ship in the new age for a man like me...!!!”

“...! Get back!! Doflamingo!!”

“!!?”

Still facing Kaido, Big Mom, and Nue, Whitebeard clenched his fist, the power of earthquakes gathering there. Nue shouted a warning.

The one who unleashed the quake was not Kaido, nor Big Mom, nor Nue... but Whitebeard—targeting none other than the man who had trapped them all in this battlefield: Doflamingo.

“...!! A dying old man...!! You think I can’t dodge such an obvious attack!?”

But even as he spat venom, Doflamingo moved to evade—desperately.

And that’s when it happened. Claws wreathed in sand clamped onto his leg.

“...Then I won’t let you dodge...!!”

“...!! You bastard... Crocodile!!”

Doflamingo snarled, veins bulging on his forehead, as Crocodile pinned him down.

He wouldn’t escape in time. Whitebeard’s quake-charged fist came crashing down.

“!!!”

“GOOOOO!!!! ALL HANDS, MOOOOOOVE!!!”

Nue’s warning came too late. Doflamingo couldn’t react in time, and Whitebeard’s quake punch slammed into him directly.

The impact drew blood, sent him flying, and even cracked and shattered the fortress behind him.

At that moment, the massive cage enclosing the sky and the island began to collapse.

“The Birdcage... it’s disappearing...!!”

“Does that mean... we can escape...!?”

“But we can’t just leave Oyaji behind!! Oyajiiiii!!”

“It’s a captain’s order...!! We go, damn it!!”

"Old man!!"

"Pop…!!"

As Doflamingo lost consciousness, the Birdcage began to vanish. Whitebeard’s attack—no, the blow he had secretly been preparing to land on Doflamingo to ensure his family’s escape—had landed, carving out a path for them.

"Ahhh… guess not even he could take a direct hit from Whitebeard… I did warn him, didn’t I? He’s getting punished later for sure."

"That bastard Doflamingo…!! Got careless, damn him…!!"

"You think you’re getting away now!? Like hell I’m letting you!!!"

Nue sighed in disbelief, while Kaido growled in frustration at seeing part of their carefully planned trap collapse. But it wasn’t going to be that easy. Big Mom, with a face twisted in fury, shouted toward the Whitebeard Pirates, making it clear: escape wouldn’t come that cheap.

And it wasn’t just one final order that was issued—someone else raised their voice as well.

"Akainu!! Aokiji!!"

"!?"

"Sengoku-san…!?"

The Fleet Admiral of the Navy, Sengoku the Buddha, followed Whitebeard’s lead. It was a command born of conviction—a final order to protect the future.

"As Fleet Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, I ORDER YOU!! Lead the remaining Marines and withdraw from this battlefield!!!"

"!!!?"

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!! What are you saying…!?"

Now it was the Marines’ turn to falter in confusion.

Calling for a retreat… yet entrusting command to the Admirals. That could only mean one thing: Sengoku had resolved to do what Whitebeard had—to stay behind and ensure others escaped.

"We’ll hold the line here!! All Marines, withdraw… and survive!!!"

"That’s…!!"

"But… still…!!"

Yes, Sengoku fully intended to die here.

To give the young ones a chance to live, he ignored their protests and left behind words for the future.

"Even if we die here… as long as the next generation of young Marines survives, justice will not perish!! We fight to preserve order and justice in this world…!! Make your decision! TAKE ACTION! NAVY HEADQUARTERS!!!"

"!!!"

All of it—for the future of the young, and for the justice they would carry forward.

Sengoku was ready to sacrifice his life to buy them that future.

And the man standing beside him—he too had steeled his resolve.

"…You’re not going to tell me to run, Sengoku?"

"…Wouldn’t matter if I did. You wouldn’t listen, Garp."

"Heh… damn right. Glad you know me that well…!!"

"Hmph… what do you think these decades together mean? Of course I know you…!!"

Sengoku and Garp. Comrades who had fought pirates on these seas since before the Great Pirate Era. Now they stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to do their final duty.

Sengoku cracked a rough, familiar grin, speaking like the man he used to be. Garp, ever the same, answered in kind.

And side by side with Whitebeard, the two clenched their fists, wearing defiant grins.

"Still… never thought I’d end up teaming up with a pirate in the end… no, with you, Whitebeard."

"Aye. I didn’t see this coming either… but if it’s the end, might as well go out with a bang…!!"

"Pirate or Navy, it no longer matters…!! We fight now for the future!!!"

And so, these three legends charged headfirst into what could only be called a true battlefield of death, determined to stop the monsters.

"Whitebeard… you’re seriously still gonna fight!!?"

"Yeah… it’s been a damn long journey………… time to settle it… Kaido!!!"

The earth itself trembled, as the legendary monsters entered their final battle.

Whitebeard, pouring every last ounce of power into his Quake-Quake Fruit, shouted for the sake of his family’s future—his sons cried out, trying to stop him through their tears.

"POOOOOP!!!!"

"We’re not leaving you behind!!! Let’s go home together!!!"

"Can’t follow a direct order from your captain, huh!!! MOVE IT, YOU DAMN FOOLS!!!"

"! Ghh… ugh…!!"

"KAIDO!!"

Whitebeard slammed Kaido with a full-powered quake punch.

What hadn’t worked at all earlier now made Kaido grunt in pain. Though past his prime and barely clinging to life, Whitebeard still managed to knock Kaido back. Nue was stunned—but someone else was already closing in on her.

"…! Garp…!! You’re ready to die too?"

"Don’t ask stupid questions…!! I’ve got a responsibility to settle…!! For letting you get away back then……!!!"

"…I was going to repay that debt, you know!! But if you’re charging me down like this… guess I’ve got no choice but to kill you!!!"

"I’m going to kill you too!!! I’m a Marine, and you’re a pirate…!! If you owe me a debt, then you’ll repay it here—by dying, NUE!!!"

"……!! That’s one request I can’t grant…!!"

With a cold and stern look, Nue made her meaning clear—I might’ve entertained a reasonable request, but this? Never.

She had intended to repay her debt someday—but now that he’d said die here, the lines were irreversibly drawn. They had parted ways long ago. If he was going to demand the impossible, then she’d grant him death—with her own hands. Nue truly intended to kill Garp.

And nearby, the Navy’s strongest hero was squaring off with a monster of his own.

"Ha-ha-ha-mamamamama!! So you’ve made your peace, Sengoku!! But resolve alone doesn’t win battles in this world!! A man like you should know that by now!!"

"……!! Your victory… and ours… are not the same, Big Mom!! If we can save even one more life, if we can just increase the number who survive… that is our victory!!!"

"Hah!! Is that so!! Then suit yourself!! We’ll just kill as many as we can!!!"

The born monster unleashed her might against Sengoku. He transformed into a giant golden Buddha, clashing against her while doing his best to minimize the destruction—fighting to hold her here.

And across the battlefield, the Whitebeard Pirates and Marines began moving to escape.

"…! Aokiji!! You go on ahead!!"

"! …You sure…?"

"Yeah!! I can still hold on a bit longer!! You’ve got work to do, don’t you!!?"

"…Thanks. I will repay this…!!"

Marco, the 1st Division Commander, made the decision to let Aokiji escape first. It was a necessary move for their joint retreat. Cooperation was the only way out—dividing their forces and trusting one another.

Aokiji had to move. And someone needed to stay behind to slow the enemy down. Marco took on that burden so Aokiji could fight for both their chances of survival.

"…You’ve got some nerve… you think you can really escape from here?"

"You plan on stopping us all by yourself? Don’t think it’ll be that easy…!!"

Big Mom’s Sweet Commander Katakuri and Kaido’s Lead Performer King—two of the most powerful pirate executives—stood before Marco, exuding deadly pressure. There was no way he could beat both of them alone. Even Marco grimaced at the odds.

Still, he flared his blue flames higher and snarled back—determined to follow through on his father’s final order.

"No matter what, we will escape!! I’m not letting you bastards kill my family as you please!!!"

"...It's nice that you care about your comrades, but too bad—just holding us back won’t stop the pursuit!!"

"You might be able to take it alone...!! But your allies are already at their limit!!"

"Say whatever the hell you want!!"

Katakuri’s arm, hardened with Armament Haki, and King’s sword, blackened with Haki, came crashing down on Marco. Marco held them off, sometimes by brute force, sometimes by leveraging his regeneration, doing everything he could to stall them in place.

"Admiral Aokiji!!"

"...! Fleet Admiral’s orders. Break through enemy lines and run to the remaining warships!! Now!!"

"Y-Yes, sir!!"

Under Aokiji’s command, the Marines began retreating toward the warships, working together with the Whitebeard Pirates. But even as they moved, Aokiji glanced toward another commander—Akainu, Sakazuki—and called out to him.

"Hey, Sakazuki!! You too—hurry—"

"...I'm not going."

"Huh? What the hell are you saying—"

"I said I'm not going!!!"

"! Dammit, quit spouting nonsense…!! Didn’t you hear what Sengoku said?!"

Aokiji urged Akainu to fulfill the same duty as himself, to lead the retreat. But the answer was a firm rejection—a clear sign that Akainu had no intention of leaving. A direct violation of orders, fueled by unrestrained fury. Aokiji snapped back, half in anger, questioning if Akainu planned to waste Sengoku’s final directive.

But Akainu, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth and breathing raggedly, didn’t take his eyes off the pirates. Without even turning to Aokiji, he responded.

"Hmph... Not even now, huh... you and I... always butting heads over everything…!!"

"...This isn’t the time to be saying that crap…!!"

Those words hit something inside Aokiji. They had never gotten along well—frequent clashes over operations and strategy weren’t uncommon. But now wasn’t the time for reflection. He tried again to convince Akainu to take command of the retreat.

But Sakazuki wasn’t budging.

"...If it were Borsalino, maybe he could’ve smoothed things over between us..."

"...! That’s..."

And with his next words, Aokiji finally understood, even deeper than before. The recently slain Kizaru—Borsalino. Both Sakazuki and Kuzan had known him since their days as recruits, comrades for many years.

Of course Sakazuki would want revenge. Including for their mentor, Zephyr. Kuzan understood that desire. But—

"...! Still, even so—!!"

"I know, damn it!! But even if I understand it in my head, there are things I can’t just swallow!! I... I can’t tuck tail and run from this scum...!! Not until I’ve burned down as many of them as I can!!!"

"!?"

Sakazuki’s fury reached Kuzan. He felt it viscerally. As Marines, orders from above were near-absolute. But Sakazuki had chosen to ignore them—he chose to destroy the enemy, even at the cost of everything.

And Kuzan—

"...You’re more than capable of leading the retreat alone...!! Get moving. I’ll hold this place myself...!!"

"Sakazuki... you..."

"This is what you’ve always wanted, isn’t it? You always tried to save your subordinates, the citizens... Now you can. Rebuilding the Navy... that’s a job you’re better suited for than me...!!"

Then Sakazuki declared it.

His body turning into bubbling lava, his seething fury finally fully unleashed.

"I’ll wipe out evil no matter the cost...!! I’ll do anything to eradicate the evil known as pirates...!! My justice is ‘Absolute Justice’...!!"

Yes. And that’s why—

"If that’s the case, then sacrificing myself is only logical, ain't it!!!"

"!!"

And with that, Sakazuki launched himself into a suicidal charge—ready to sacrifice his own life to halt evil’s advance.

"UWOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!"

"I-It’s Akainu!!"

"GYAAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"It’s burning hot!!"

To wipe out the pirates, to let even one more comrade live.

"Prepare yourselves, you bastards!!! I ain’t dying easy!!! I’ll drag as many of you to hell with me as I can!!! Anyone ready to die—COME AT ME!!!"

Sakazuki then slammed his right hand into the ground, unleashing his full power.

His ability—magma. It incinerates anything it touches, regardless of friend or foe.

And if you disregard collateral damage... it rivals even Kuzan or Borsalino in sheer destructive scale.

"Sea of Lava!!!"

"!!"

"UGYAAAAAHHH!!!"

A flood of magma burst forth from the earth. Heat scorched the air, flames erupting wherever the lava touched, transforming the battlefield into a literal hellscape in moments.

Sakazuki then stood in the magma’s path, blocking the pirates’ way. No one would pass. His intent was clear—he would kill every last one of them.

"Hurry up and go, Kuzan!!!"

"...!! Got it...!! But—don’t you dare die that easily, Sakazuki!!"

"Hmph...!! Who do you think you’re talking to...!!"

Without turning back, Sakazuki continued fighting. Watching him, Kuzan, too, made up his mind and began to retreat.

But that path was no less thorny—perhaps even more so than Sakazuki’s decision to stay.

Sparing the lives of the Marines, staying true to his own form of justice... protecting the future from evil—Kuzan had chosen a burden no one else could bear.

—And yet, even with Whitebeard and the other Marine elites staying behind to cover them, the enemy numbers were still overwhelming.

"Musashi!! We have to go!!"

"...No. I’m staying!!"

"What?! Why!? If you don’t come now, you’ll—!!"

Musashi didn’t respond to Deuce, formerly of the Spade Pirates, or the others. She simply stood firm, and then with a resolute expression, replied to Deuce’s plea.

"Have you forgotten? I was originally with the Beasts Pirates... I’m Kaido’s biological daughter."

"! ...But that’s..."

"Heh... Don’t worry. Even if I get captured, they won’t kill me. But... that’s not the case for you all—or for Ace."

Yes. Given her lineage, no matter how this war ended, Musashi wouldn’t be executed.

Now speaking aloud the truth of her origins—something she had long kept to herself—Musashi declared with unwavering conviction what only she could do.

"If my bloodline can help Ace, Luffy, and the rest of you—then I welcome it!! Leave this to me and get out of here!! I am Musashi, the peerless swordswoman Wano can boast to the world!! I will hold this line!!!"

"!!"

"! Musashi!! You...!!"

With a swift slash, Musashi cut down one of Who’s-Who’s subordinates. As Who’s-Who turned in shock and rage, Musashi flashed a fearless grin.

"Deuce... give Ace a message for me—"

"...! ...Understood..."

"I’m counting on you... Now GO!!! The Birdcage is gone... You can make it out!!!"

"Tch...!! Yeah!!"

Though torn about abandoning Musashi, Deuce and the others knew staying would only mean death—and would weigh her down even more. With anguish etched on their faces, they ran, hearing the clash of Musashi against the Beasts Pirates fading behind them.

"Tch... That damn Doflamingo... Useless when it really matters...!! Oi! I’ll handle Musashi!! The rest of you chase the others down!! Don’t let a single one escape!! Don’t you dare trouble Kaido-sama or Nue-sama with this!!"

"Yes, sir!!"

“Papa… Facing off against Who’s-Who makes holding off multiple enemies difficult… but even so, I’ll pin down as many as I can!! I’m going in!!”

As Musashi locked horns with the unit led by Who’s-Who, the Whitebeard Pirates and Marines began their escape. Even Crocodile had vanished from the scene before anyone noticed.

But they were still surrounded—pirates from the allied forces formed a tight net around them, obstacles piled as high as mountains.

"Honestly... Running away in the middle of a battle? How tacky."

"Ugh!?"

"What the hell!? Spider silk!?"

Just as many of the fleeing pirates made a break for the bay to reach the Whitebeard Pirates' ships, their feet were caught in something sticky, holding them in place.

What appeared were women in kimonos—crew members of the Beasts Pirates.

Leading them was a towering woman, equal in size to Whitebeard or Kaido, dressed in a kimono, her legs transformed into those of a massive eight-legged creature.

—Tobiroppo of the Beasts Pirates, Black Maria — Spider-Spider Fruit, Ancient Zoan Model: Rosamygale grauvogeli

"Ufufu♡ Sorry, but the order’s clear—don’t let a single one of you escape. You’re all going to be food for us♡"

"Black Maria...!!"

"Damn it...!! These threads... I can’t break free!!"

Transformed into a monstrous ancient spider, Black Maria grinned seductively as her subordinates, each changed by their own abilities, blocked the escape route.

And they weren’t the only threat. From above, yet another danger was descending to halt their retreat.

"Looks like my adorable drones are doing their best too!! Here’s a fresh batch of support UFOs!!"

"!!!? More UFOs!? Seriously!?"

"The barrage is intensifying again...!!"

From the skies, Nue unleashed another wave of remote-controlled UFOs, filling the air with suppressive fire to prevent their escape.

It wasn’t something they could ignore—but they had to. Staying meant certain death. No matter how much they resisted, surrounded like this, they’d be crushed. Their only option was to break through—by force.

"Ace-san!! Luffy-kun!! Go on ahead!! You two are being targeted above all else!!"

"...Gramps...!! Old man...!!"

"...Yeah!! We know!! We won’t waste your sacrifice!!!"

Then came Luffy and Ace.

With both now squarely in the crosshairs of the infamous Golden Lion, Shiki, Jinbei rushed to shield them as they ran.

They were being chased by a relentless, overwhelming enemy force.

"Oi oi... Someone of your caliber is really underestimating us, huh? Jinbei... All you lot can do is fight and die—or run and die...!! Thinking you can escape without fighting and still survive? Now that’s just insulting...!! I’ll kill you all where you stand!!!"

"Fools. The bay is full of savage beasts...!! And the outer perimeter’s sealed tight. There’s no way out."

The Beasts Pirates’ “Tobiroppo”—Sasaki, charging through escapees while transformed into a Triceratops—and one of the All-Stars, Joker, chased after them.

Yet Ace kept glancing back toward the center of the plaza.

Because there stood the strongest of them all—Whitebeard, holding back the fiercest enemies.

If he went back now, he’d only be a burden... only get in the way.

Still, Ace couldn’t shake the urge to go to him. Torn, he pressed forward but kept looking over his shoulder toward Whitebeard.

Sensing this—Whitebeard raised his voice without turning around.

"...No need for words!! Ace!!! Just answer me one thing...!!"

"! Oyaji...!!"

Then came the question.

The one feeling Whitebeard had kept buried for so long. Wanting to cast away his doubts—he asked to hear Ace’s true heart.

"...Was I a good father... to you...?"

"...!! Of course you were...!!!"

"…Gurararara…!!"

Ace was momentarily taken aback by the question, but he clenched his teeth, halted his retreat, and shouted out a wholehearted affirmation. At that, Whitebeard let out a booming laugh. With a grin that defied his dying body, he summoned his last reserves of strength, and with a fearless smirk, turned to face the monster before him.

"That’s all I needed to hear…!! —Now, Kaido!! I’m your opponent!!!"

“…! You can still move…?”

Kaido, seeing Whitebeard’s undiminished will to fight, voiced his disbelief. From Kaido’s perspective, Whitebeard was already a dead man. Stabbed by Nue and bearing countless wounds, there should be no reason he could still stand, let alone fight.

And yet, Whitebeard had just struck him with overwhelming force—and was still standing. That near-immortal persistence naturally stirred doubt in Kaido.

But Whitebeard declared there was a reason he could still fight.

"A monster can only be matched by another monster…!!!"

"…………"

Yes—Kaido’s opponent could only be him.

"That’s why… for the future of my beloved sons… this monster still has a job to finish…!!! I’ve gotta leave them some hope… I can’t die just yet, can I…!!!"

"!!"

His life may be fading fast—but if it can protect even a fraction of his sons, then he has no regrets.

"Come at me… Kaido…!!! You want to be the strongest, don’t you…!!? —Then come take my head yourself… and prove it!!!"

"…!! ‘Whitebeard’…"

With the pride and conviction of the monster—the strongest pirate, Whitebeard.

Even if it was a cheap provocation, it didn’t matter. There was no way he could ignore this—the so-called “Strongest Creature.”

"Worororororo…!!!"

Whitebeard was already dying.

The smart move would be to let him perish on his own, and go hunt down the others fleeing the battlefield.

But even understanding that… the monster Kaido curled his lips into a grin and immediately cast that logic aside.

If he truly wanted to claim the seat of the strongest, there was no reason to ignore Whitebeard’s head—even if he was wounded.

And even if it meant nothing—

"Worororororororo!!! Fine then!!! Whitebeard!!!"

—there was no way he could ignore the current Whitebeard!!

"If you say you can’t die yet, then I’ll stay with you till the end!!! Show me the very last ounce of your strength, monster Whitebeard!!!"

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Thus begins—their first and final clash, as two monsters fight for one throne.

Neither defends, each unleashes—shockwaves and thunderous roars tear through the air as their blows cross.

“C-Can’t get close…!!”

“Th-They’re both monsters…!!”

Pirates watching from afar, unable to do anything but witness the collision, gasp and pale with fear.

The sheer terror and scale of this battle between two monsters was unlike anything else.

When the strongest pirate Whitebeard’s quake-infused Haki punch lands on Kaido—

“Guh…!! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

—Kaido retaliates with a crushing blow to Whitebeard’s body, making him stagger.

Each attack sends shockwaves through the battlefield, shaking the heavens and the earth.

It’s a fight that goes beyond human limits—a true clash of monsters.

“Haah… haah… I ain’t done yet!!! You think this is enough to kill me!?!”

Fueled by sheer will, bloodlust, and battle spirit—the essence of Haki—they clash with godlike force.

Whitebeard fights on with stubborn grit, while Kaido answers that spirit by accepting every blow. Each passing second was dense with intensity… enough to make everything else seem like a blur.

Even though only moments had passed, it felt like hours. Whitebeard pressed forward with a demonic expression, while Kaido watched, grinning, savoring every second.

—But then.

"…!! Now’s the time…!!"

"—Huh…?"

The end came too suddenly.

In the chaos, just as the monster had recoiled from a heavy blow, it crept close behind him—the hand of darkness.

"!!!?"

A wicked blade pierced Whitebeard’s back once more—and faces across the battlefield froze in stunned silence.

Even the fiercest warriors locked in battle.

"…W-Whitebeard is…!!"

"…!! This is bad…!! If we don’t move now, it’ll be too late!!"

Civilians watching from the Sabaody Archipelago and across the world. Even the third force.

And… even Kaido, who had been reveling in their final battle.

All of them watched as the last flame of Whitebeard’s life began to fade—

"Zehahahaha…!! I gotcha… Old man!!!"

"…T-Teach…!!!"

"…!!!"

—And in that moment, the world fell silent.