Chapter 121: The Great Pirate Edward Newgate

When news of this war spread across the world, one thought crossed everyone’s mind.

—Will the monster “Whitebeard” die?

People freely voiced their opinions. “Even Whitebeard couldn’t possibly beat both the Navy Headquarters and the Seven Warlords.” “Don’t lump him in with any old geezer. Even in old age, he’s still a monster.” “No matter who wins, the casualties will be massive.” —The reason people had so many different takes was because everyone feared what the world would look like after the war.

No—perhaps everyone had already sensed it. That the world was about to change.

As the war unfolded, people watched with unease, their hearts growing more restless with each escalation.

Everyone who witnessed that war, everyone who saw that moment, thought the same thing—“Whitebeard” would go on fighting “Kaido of the Beasts” and end his life there.

But that didn’t happen.

“Ze~hahahahahahahaha!!!”

“…!! Whitebeard…!!”

Stabbed through the chest from behind, Whitebeard coughed up blood.

Many people turned pale, and even those who didn’t furrowed their brows and broke out in a sweat.

During Whitebeard and Kaido’s final duel, someone struck in that moment of vulnerability—a surprise attack from the last of the Seven Warlords, one who had not shown his face at all during the war but was well known to the Whitebeard Pirates.

“Ze~hahaha…!! Got you… old man…!!!”

It was “Blackbeard” Marshall D. Teach.

“Whitebeard’s been taken down~~~~!!!”

“That’s… the Blackbeard Pirates!!?”

“Old man~~~~!!!”

After a brief moment of silence, Marineford trembled.

Whitebeard had been stabbed in the back. And behind him stood the Blackbeard Pirates—Teach and his crew, who had murdered their own comrades and fled from the Whitebeard Pirates.

“…!!? Who the hell are those punks…!?”

“Whitebeard…!!”

“Teach…!! That bastard…!!!”

“! Ace!!”

Even “Golden Lion,” Whitebeard’s sworn enemy, clenched his teeth in fury at the sight. “Big Mom” widened her eyes in shock.

And Ace—who had the deepest grudge—veins bulging on his forehead, turned back in rage and dashed toward the scene. Luffy tried to call his name to stop him, but Ace didn’t listen.

Even the marines retreating with all their might could only gape in disbelief. Alongside Blackbeard appeared others in prison uniforms—death row inmates from Impel Down’s “LEVEL 6,” men who weren’t supposed to be here at all.

“These guys… their past crimes were so atrocious they were erased from public records… the world’s most dangerous criminals…!!!”

“Not a single one of them should’ve ever been let out…!!”

“Why the hell are they here!?”

The marines were stunned by the unexpected lineup. So were the pirates, and the civilians watching the event unfold.

But only Nue, who had known something like this could happen, noticed it.

“They’re… all gone…!?”

“…?”

Even as he battled Garp, Nue was shaken not by anger like the others but by a different realization. Those who were supposed to be there—who had definitely been there just moments ago—had vanished.

He had stopped using Observation Haki to focus on the fight in front of him, but now wondered: where had they gone?

Garp, locked in a clash with Nue, noticed his opponent’s strange reaction, but didn’t understand what had caused it. Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Pirates, standing on the battlefield, scanned the area and reacted, but that wasn’t what mattered now.

What mattered—was that Blackbeard had ambushed Whitebeard.

“Teach… you bastard…!!”

“Ze~hahaha…!!! Looks like this is the end of the road for you, old man!! I’ll turn you into a beehive—”

“Look out!! Captain!!”

“!”

Just as Blackbeard moved in to follow up his attack on the bleeding, staggering Whitebeard—another massive shadow loomed over him.

“!!!”

“Whoa!!!”

At the last possible moment, the ground where Blackbeard had stood cracked open.

The one swinging his iron club in rage at the sneak attack on the monstrous Whitebeard—was none other than “Kaido of the Beasts.”

“You… you interrupted my fight, didn’t you?”

“…!!! W-Wait!! Kaido!! I’ve got a good proposition for you—”

“If you’re that eager to die, then forget Whitebeard—I’ll start by killing you.”

Kaido glared down at Blackbeard, his expression blazing with fury. Quietly, he channeled that murderous rage into his club—the most efficient tool to manifest his will—and swung it at the nuisance before him.

“!!! B—Gwaaaaaaaaahhh!!?”

“Captain!!”

Kaido’s club slammed into Blackbeard, sending him tumbling across the ground. Blood poured from his face as he groaned in pain. His crewmates called out in worry, but Blackbeard showed no signs of passing out. To everyone but the Blackbeard Pirates, this was unexpected—but apparently, Blackbeard had enough endurance to withstand Kaido’s blow.

“Ugh… aaagh…!! Hurts like hell!! Dammit… guess it’s no good after all!! In that case… I’ll just have to take it by force…!!”

“!!”

“What’s that bastard planning to do against Kaido!?”

Even as he rolled across the ground, Blackbeard rose and faced Kaido. He seemed prepared to fight, but to anyone who knew Kaido, it was nothing short of suicide. Queen voiced the question everyone had—what was Blackbeard thinking?

But Blackbeard understood. No matter how strong the opponent… the power of darkness would still work.

“Black Hole!!!”

“!!”

A black mist oozed from Blackbeard’s body and blanketed the ground in darkness.

That darkness swallowed Kaido’s feet, holding him fast—leaving him unable to move.

And once Blackbeard touched his body, Kaido wouldn’t be able to use his powers anymore.

“Ze~hahaha!! Kaido!! That monstrous durability of yours—that’s part of your Devil Fruit power, right!? Once I get my hands on you, not even you’re immortal anymore!!! So!? You wanna find out what dying feels like…!?”

“…!!”

Blackbeard possessed the Yami Yami no Mi—he was a darkness human.

His ability could pull in a Devil Fruit user’s real body and, by touching them, completely nullify their powers.

Because of this, Blackbeard wielded unstoppable offensive power against all ability users.

Even the Four Emperors weren’t exceptions. Kaido, with his famously unmatched durability, was still a Zoan-type ability user, and his overwhelming physique was due in part to that power.

That’s why Blackbeard’s attack landed on Kaido. It was undeniable—Kaido furrowed his brow ever so slightly at Blackbeard’s punch.

But… that was as far as it went.

"Raimei Hakke!!!"

"!!!"

After Blackbeard struck Kaido, Kaido forcefully pulled his legs out of the gravity of darkness using sheer physical strength and stepped forward, swinging his kanabo infused with Haki straight at Blackbeard.

Blackbeard had overestimated himself. And he had been reckless.

It was foolish to think that someone counted among the Four Emperors—said to be the strongest in one-on-one combat—would rely solely on his Devil Fruit power.

Even without a Devil Fruit, Kaido excelled in close-quarters combat.

No matter how much one might suppress abilities with the power of darkness, if it came down to trading blows up close, there existed no being in the world stronger than Kaido—the Strongest Creature.

"Someone like you… thinks he can kill anyone…?"

"A...aah...!!!"

Blackbeard was struck by Kaido's kanabo and sent flying.

But what surprised even Kaido and the others was the fact that, despite being struck down and blown away, Blackbeard still hadn’t lost consciousness.

"Shit!! The captain’s gonna get killed!!"

"I told you…! Interrupting a fight between the Four Emperors…!!"

And so Kaido moved in to finish off Blackbeard for good. Seeing that, the members of the Blackbeard Pirates tried to intervene. But—

"You’ve done it now."

"!! The 'Phantom Beast'!?"

"You interfered in our fight… so you’re going to take responsibility… just like you wanted—I’ll kill you first!!!"

"Grh…!!"

"All the UFOs are opening fire at once...!!!"

Then, from above, the UFOs belonging to Nue—who had been battling Garp—began targeting them all at once. Most of the UFOs, which had previously been assaulting the Whitebeard Pirates and Marines from the sky, turned their firepower directly at the Blackbeard Pirates.

"I won’t forgive you…!!"

And then, led by Ace, the hot-blooded members of the Whitebeard Pirates turned around, aiming for Blackbeard. To them too, Blackbeard was the traitor who killed one of their own and caused this entire situation. There was no way they could forgive him.

But even that—was stopped.

"Don’t you dare lay a hand on him!!! All of you!!!"

It was none other than Whitebeard himself who halted them.

---

"Kaido… you too…!! This is our problem… I have to take this idiot’s life to settle things…!!!"

"…!!"

Even Kaido, who was aiming for Blackbeard, was stopped by Whitebeard.

There was no reason to save Teach, who could no longer be called a son. But that wasn’t the point.

The one who had to settle things with the man who killed his son was none other than himself — as both father and captain. That’s why, even if it meant interrupting the fight, he had to kill this man.

Besides, the battle was already decided. He didn’t know how Kaido would take it, but he would have to accept it. Whitebeard no longer had the strength to continue fighting Kaido anyway.

"Zeh… Zehahahaha…!! Pops… you can’t kill me…!! Back in the day, you were the unquestioned strongest… but you’ve grown old!!! You’re no longer the monster I once respected and admired from the bottom of my heart!!! With the way you are now, you can’t protect your family on this battlefield!!! They’re all gonna die!!!"

"That bastard…!!"

And so Blackbeard sneered at the weakened and aged Whitebeard.

Because of that, Whitebeard’s "family" turned back once more, ready to charge in a fury — but the more composed crew members held them back. Whitebeard, silently thankful they stopped, launched an attack on Blackbeard.

"Zehahaha…!! You can’t cause earthquakes anymore!! Before darkness, all powers are—"

"…………"

"!!! Gwoaaahhh!!! It hurts…!! Damn it…!!!"

"Overconfidence… carelessness… those are your weaknesses…"

"Wh… What!!? Hey, st—!!"

Whitebeard landed a blow with his naginata on Blackbeard, who had overestimated his darkness ability, knocking him down and pinning him by the scruff of his neck.

Then he poured the last of his strength into the next blow.

"Gyaaa~~!! Stop it!!! Pops!!! I’m your son, you’re seriously gonna kill me—aaAAaAahhhh!!!"

"!!!"

He unleashed his power — intending to crush Teach’s head along with the ground itself.

But…

…this is it for me…

Blackbeard wasn’t dead. Whitebeard no longer had even a shadow of the power he once held at his peak. Even if Blackbeard had grown stronger than expected… he had weakened to the point he couldn’t even kill a single traitorous subordinate. Just staying on his feet was all he could manage.

"You… ‘monster’…!!! You damn fossil!!! You just won’t die quietly!!!"

Whitebeard could sense the guns of Blackbeard and his crew aimed at him — but he had no strength left to stop them.

"Finish him!!!"

"!!!!"

—A barrage of bullets.

His body, already numb to pain, was riddled with bullet holes and slashes.

All around, he heard the cries of his family and Blackbeard’s triumphant laughter.

But what came to his mind then were flashes of memory — like a dying light.

『…No!! I’m Gol D. Roger!!!』

『I run into them from time to time. Guys with the “D” name… even on my crew, there’s a Teach. What the hell is this “D”…?』

『Oh, you wanna know? Alright, I’ll tell you… It’s a story from a long time ago…』

A conversation with Roger before he turned himself in — about the “D”… and the past.

『Gihahahaha… hey Newgate… do you believe in fate?』

『Fate?』

『Yeah. I’m not even sure if it’s real. There’s no way to prove it… but I think it exists. And I… I want to destroy that fate. That preordained ending to the future.』

『…Something like that…?』

『Hard to believe just from hearing it, huh!! Then I’ll tell you a little. About the ending I know…』

On the night before Rocks went to his final battle — the future he saw, the fate he wanted to destroy.

"…Huh. Outta bullets…"

"—It’s not you…… Hah… Hah…"

"!! You’re still alive!?"

"Roger… No, they’re the ones waiting… And Teach… that’s not you…"

"Hah!?"

The words came naturally as the images rose in his mind.

"Just like there are those who inherit the will of Rocks… there are also those who carry on Roger’s will… No matter what happens to bloodlines in the future… no matter what… their flame will never be extinguished…"

He pictured the two sworn brothers.

"—That will has been passed down since ancient times……!! And in the future… someday… someone will appear who shoulders the weight of hundreds of years of history and challenges this world in battle……!!!"

And the other pair — two sworn siblings as well.

"Kaido… Nue… even if you destroy and rule the world, it still won’t be over… The time will come — a massive war that will engulf the entire world!!!"

"…………!!"

"…Whitebeard…"

Even if the World Government falls, that time will come.

Even if those carrying on the will here are wiped out, others will rise again — and the time will come, without fail.

"I don’t care about it myself… but when someone finds that treasure… the world will be turned upside down…!! Someone will find it… and the time for the final clash will come…"

He speaks.

Because this flame, too, must be passed on.

"The One Piece… does exist!!!"

"!!!?"

And so, the seeds are scattered across the world.

So that even if the world crumbles, the flame won’t die out.

—Forgive me, my sons… I’ve brought about a hell of a situation… This is where my journey ends.

And so he apologizes to his sons.

—You all gave me everything.

He remembers that day, when he voiced the one thing he had truly wanted.

『You’re crazy. A pirate who doesn’t care about treasure? What the hell do you want, huh!? Hey, Newgate!!』

『………There’s something I’ve wanted since I was a kid.』

『Oh!! You do, huh? Tell us, let’s hear it!』

『………………Family.』

『What the hell’s that? Gyahahahaha…』

──I’m grateful. Farewell… my sons…!!

And with that, he offered his final words of thanks.

His consciousness quietly faded into the darkness.

"………Hm? …Ah……!!"

"…H-he’s dead… while still standing!!"

"……!! …Pops……!!!"

And so, Whitebeard dies.

Even in death, his body never fell—despite losing his heart, he remained standing, cutting down his enemies. Truly, a monster.

The sword wounds he sustained in this battle: three hundred and twenty-six.

Gunshot wounds: one hundred and ninety-four. Cannon blasts: sixty-two.

And yet, in his proud life as a pirate…

"He’s gone… Whitebeard."

Not a single wound… on his back!!!

---

At that moment, like many others, I could only hold my breath and watch.

The legendary man who once stood against the “Pirate King” on these seas… Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, the “Great Pirate” Edward Newgate.

Known as “Whitebeard,” he was feared despite his benevolence—feared, just as we were, and that awe never ceased. And now… he had died.

“…………”

In that instant, I even forgot about fighting, lost in thought.

I had prepared myself for this. I had understood. That Whitebeard would die here.

Unlike the others—I alone had known he would die here. No, even if he hadn’t, I had come prepared to kill him. That was the resolve I brought to this final battle.

Up to a point, things had gone surprisingly ideal.

Even after I stabbed him, Whitebeard never lost his fighting spirit. He even exchanged blows with Kaido.

Strangely, I felt no disappointment that he didn’t die from my attack, nor did I have any complaint about his absurd tenacity in fighting even after death.

I was shocked—and thrilled—that Whitebeard continued to exceed our expectations, even now.

Kaido must have felt the same. He thought he’d die fighting me, yet found himself up against a monster who could give him a proper deathmatch. That must’ve stirred his blood too.

That’s why we paid our respects.

Not just because he was an enemy—no, precisely because he was one of the rare “enemies” strong enough to fight us, we resolved to defeat him head-on, with all we had.

Whitebeard was undoubtedly old, but even so, to fight at that level—he was a “monster,” through and through.

No one would call it a disgraceful end. Let no one say he tarnished his legacy. By fighting him ourselves, by killing him with our own hands, we sought to give that fearsome man named “Whitebeard” the most glorious death—and complete him as a man.

Kaido must have thought the same. And so did I. A great man doesn’t deserve a meager death like some feeble old man passing from age. He needs a magnificent death.

“That’s what I thought, and yet…”

But—Whitebeard was killed just as I remembered.

Whatever the steps that led there, the end result was the same.

This battlefield where the odds were stacked against him. Even in a situation where interference would be a suicide mission—Blackbeard went for it.

He couldn’t have known I had taken my attention off him, but it wasn’t coincidence.

He must’ve anticipated that we would be too focused on the fight. Even warriors like me, with highly trained Observation Haki, must concentrate entirely when fighting someone of equal strength. That means we lose awareness of what doesn’t directly involve us.

In other words, amid this chaos, he judged he could find an opening. He took a gamble—figuring he could still escape afterward.

I thought no one would make a move under these conditions. That it would be suicide. I misjudged Blackbeard’s recklessness. And truthfully, I was more pressed in this war than I realized. I let him go unchecked… which is why I couldn’t stop his interference.

“Guess I’m not really cut out for strategy…”

Well, maybe it couldn’t be helped. I’m not especially smart, after all—I scoff at myself.

So this, too, must be… because I lacked the “power.”

This isn’t some storybook. It’s life—things don’t always go smoothly.

“Wait!! Ace!!”

“Don’t stop me!! That bastard Teach… I’ll kill him!!!”

I regret not being able to give Whitebeard the great death he deserved. I’m angry at myself.

But still—what I have to do hasn’t changed.

“──Out of my way.”

“!!”

“Ace!!”

A kid charged forward, hell-bent on killing Blackbeard, and I sent him flying with a punch. I held back more than I meant to, but even so, Ace was left coughing blood from his nose and mouth, his back slammed into the ground. Luffy caught him, supporting him.

These kids are enemies just like the rest, since they’re here on the battlefield. But they’re not the ones I want to kill.

At least, not right now.

“Reckless little brats… Don’t get in my way. That guy… he’s mine to kill…!!! He’s my prey…!!!”

“……!!!”

If they want to run, let them. I don’t turn around, but I let my pressure say everything.

Whatever happens, it starts with killing Blackbeard. He has to pay the price for that reckless gamble. I’ll make him understand. Everything else can wait. Once I’m done, I’ll kill the rest.

I’m not in the mood to put on a show anymore. I’ll kill Blackbeard fast and make an example of him—and everyone else still on this battlefield, I’ll wipe them out.

If I’m in the mood again by then, maybe I’ll do something more.

“Hah… Hah… Hehehe!! All right, boys, grab him—we’re taking him back!!”

“You really think I’ll let you?”

“!!! Damn it…!! Knew it!!”

──For now, I’ll just kill. That’s all that matters.

I dove at the cocky, grinning Blackbeard from above, launching a surprise assault.

“I said I’m the one who’ll kill you… So just die quietly, you damn brat…!!!”

“Tch… Damn it!! Guess we’ve gotta compromise for now…!! Boys, we’re retreating!!!”

“I said you’re not getting away…!!!”

“!!? GYAAAH!! It hurts!! AAAAH…!!”

I moved in front of Whitebeard’s corpse—Blackbeard’s apparent target—and fired a laser blast at him as he tried to flee.

But it wasn’t a fatal blow. He took damage—but he’s pointlessly tough. I figured the best course was to aim for the head and finish this, and readied my spear—this time, I’d skewer him. I locked onto him and—

“Hah… Hah… Idiot!! You think I’d show up without a plan!? ──All right, get in, quick!!! We’re escaping!!!”

“Ready when you are, Captain!!”

“…!!? That’s…”

And then, another unexpected twist.

Blackbeard, panting yet still grinning, gave the order. What he pulled out… was a massive mirror—and—

“!!? ──Brûlée!!!”

“……!!”

Katakuri shouted in alarm, his face contorted.

Reflected in the mirror held by the Blackbeard Pirates was Brûlée—gagged, bound, and held captive by members of their crew who weren’t even on this battlefield.

“……!! We’ve been played…!!!”

“Zeha ha ha ha!!! We took a peek at your ship to see if we could snag anything interesting—and just look what we found!!! We’ll be making good use of her!! Nothing better for an escape than this ability!!!”

Blackbeard was already halfway inside the mirror, gloating as he provoked us. My rage flared again—I tried to pursue, but I already knew—

Too. Late.

“Nue-sama!!”

“! Sono…!!”

As I ground my teeth in frustration, a familiar voice called out—an ally. One I most wanted to hear from right now.

Bloodied, but alive—having fled, barely surviving. The mermaid under my command, who had been tasked with support in the rear: Sono, one of my top fighters.

“Hah… Hah… I’m sorry for the delay in reporting… ‘Mirror World – Mirroir World’ was attacked… and Lady Brûlée was taken…!!”

“……!! I see now. So that’s why they came out, even knowing they’d provoke our wrath…!!”

It made sense. They had their escape planned from the start—that’s why they risked everything.

“Zeha ha ha ha ha…!! Later, you remnants of the old Rocks Pirates!! I’ll let you have this win, but you better be ready!! One day, I’ll show you the worst nightmare you’ve ever had!! Now that Whitebeard’s dead… the era ahead—will belong to me!!!”

“…………!!!”

That arrogant declaration—so smug and self-assured—caused even me, Kaido, Linlin, and Shiki to scowl.

Just empty boasting. In the end, Blackbeard only killed Whitebeard by interfering. He didn’t accomplish anything.

And yet… we couldn’t deny the bitter sense of having been outplayed. That fact alone filled us with no small amount of fury.

But that hatred—that murderous intent—couldn’t be unleashed immediately.

“……!! Damn it… Brûlée…!!”

“Big Sis Brûlée’s been taken!!”

“That damn brat…!! How dare he touch my daughter!!”

At that moment, like everyone else around me, all I could do was hold my breath and watch.

The legendary man who once stood equal to the Pirate King on these seas... Edward Newgate, the "Great Pirate" and captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.

Known as "Whitebeard," he possessed kindness, yet was feared by others just like us—and that fear never waned. And now, he was dead.

“…………”

In that moment, I forgot to fight. I simply fell into deep thought in silence.

I had prepared myself. I had understood this would happen. That Whitebeard would die here.

Unlike the others, I knew—knew that he would die here. And even if he didn’t, I had come prepared to kill him myself in this final battle.

Up until a certain point, things had gone unexpectedly, yet ideally.

Whitebeard, even after being stabbed by me, didn’t lose his fighting spirit. He even brawled with Kaido.

Strangely, I felt no disappointment that he didn’t die from my attack. I had no complaints about the absurdity of a man who kept fighting even after death.

I was surprised—and elated—that Whitebeard had, once again, exceeded our expectations.

I’m sure Kaido felt the same. Kaido, who thought he would die in battle with me, must have been thrilled to face a monster who could truly go toe-to-toe with him. His blood must have boiled with excitement.

That’s why we gave him our respect.

He was an enemy—but not just that. Precisely because he was one of the few “enemies” who could truly fight on our level, we aimed to defeat him head-on, with everything we had.

Yes, Whitebeard had grown old. But even so, if he could still fight like this, then he was undoubtedly a monster.

We would not let anyone say he withered away and tarnished his legacy. By fighting him directly and killing him, we would grant this incredible man the greatest death possible, completing him as a warrior.

I believe Kaido thought the same, and I had hoped for it too. A man of his greatness deserves more than a pitiful death from old age, like some common geezer. He deserved a death as grand as he was.

“I thought so, at least…”

But… Whitebeard was killed exactly as I remembered it.

The events leading up to it may have differed, but the final result remained the same.

This battlefield, this reckless gamble. Even in a situation where any interference could easily be suicide—Blackbeard made his move.

It’s not as if he could’ve read my mind and known I had taken my attention off him. But it wasn’t by chance either.

He must have anticipated that we would be focused solely on the fight. Even someone like me, a master of Observation Haki, cannot pay attention to matters that don’t concern me when facing an opponent of equal strength.

In the chaos of this battle, he judged that he could strike. He gambled. He believed he could still get away.

No one would dare act in such a moment—that was what I believed. I underestimated Blackbeard’s recklessness, and because this war had drained us more than I realized, I left him alone… and failed to stop his interference.

“I really suck at making calculations, huh…”

Well, maybe I can’t be blamed for the misread. I’ve never been particularly clever anyway—I sneer at myself.

So in the end, it all came down to one thing—power. I simply didn’t have enough of it.

This isn’t a story. It’s real life. Things don’t always go the way you want them to.

“Wait!! Ace!!”

“Don’t stop me!! Teach… that bastard… I’ll kill him!!!”

I regret not being able to give Whitebeard the grand death he deserved. I feel frustrated at myself, too.

But even so—what I must do hasn’t changed.

“──Out of my way.”

“!!”

“Ace!!”

I blew the kid rushing ahead to kill Blackbeard away with my fist. I held back a lot out of frustration, but still, Ace crashed onto the ground, blood coming from his nose and mouth. Luffy ran to support him.

They’re enemies on this battlefield too, but they’re not the ones I want to kill.

At least, not right now.

“Stupid brats who act without thinking… Don’t get in my way. That bastard… He’s mine to kill…!!! He’s my prey…!!!”

“……!!!”

If they want to run, let them. If they can, that is. I didn’t even look back—just released my intimidation.

No matter what comes next, it starts with killing Blackbeard. He has to pay for the gamble he took. I’ll make him understand. Everything else can wait. After that, I’ll kill the rest of them.

I’m not in the mood for theatrics anymore. I’ll make an example of Blackbeard—kill him quickly. And while I’m at it, I’ll wipe out everyone else still left on this battlefield.

If my mood returns by then, good. But if not—

“Huff… huff… Hehehe!! Alright, boys, take it back!!”

“You think I’ll let you?”

“!!! Dammit…!! Knew it wouldn’t be that easy!!”

──Anyway, I’ll kill him first and figure out the rest later.

With purpose, I launched a surprise attack on the smirking Blackbeard from above.

“I said I’m the one who’s gonna kill you… So just lie down and die already, you little shit…!!!”

“Tch… Damn it!! Guess I’ve got no choice right now…!! Boys, we’re retreating!!!”

“I told you, you’re not getting away……!!!”

“!!? Gyaaa!! That hurts!! Aaaaah…!!”

I moved to stand in front of Whitebeard’s corpse—Blackbeard’s likely objective—and fired a laser at him from a distance as he tried to flee.

But it wasn’t a fatal blow. He took damage… but the bastard’s too damn tough. Better to take his head clean off. I raised my spear. I’d skewer him. That was the plan. But then—

“Huff… huff… You fool!! You really thought I’d show up without a plan!? ──Oi, get in there and let’s go!!!”

“We’re ready, Captain!!”

“……!!? That’s…!!”

Once again, something happened that I hadn’t expected.

Blackbeard, still panting, gave a confident smirk and barked orders to his crew. What he pulled out next was a huge mirror—and—

“!!? ──Brûlée!!!”

“……!!”

Katakuri screamed, face twisted in fury. Reflected in the mirror held by the Blackbeard Pirates were Brûlée—mouth covered, hands and feet bound—and members of Blackbeard’s crew who weren’t even here until now.

“……!! We’ve been had…!!!”

“Zehahahaha!!! I thought I’d snoop around your ship, see if I could steal it—and what do I find? Something interesting!!! I’ll be helping myself to it!!! There’s no better escape ability than this one!!!”

Halfway through entering the mirror, Blackbeard taunted us with a triumphant grin. My rage surged even more, and I moved to attack again—but I already knew—it was too late.

“Lady Nue!!”

“! Sono…!!”

Grinding my teeth, I heard a voice—an ally, and one I’d most wanted to hear from just now. Bloodied, but clearly having escaped alive, the person who appeared was Sono, one of our elite fighters tasked with rear support.

“Huff… huff… I’m sorry for the delayed report…!! ‘Mirror World’—Miroir World—was attacked… and Lady Brûlée was taken…!!”

“……!! So that’s it…!! That’s why they were bold enough to show their faces, even knowing they’d earn our wrath…!!”

It all made sense. They had planned their escape from the start. That’s why they were willing to take such a risk.

“Zehahahahaha…!! Later, remnants of the Rocks Pirates!! I’ll let you have this round—but be ready!! Someday, I’ll give you the greatest nightmare you’ve ever seen!! Whitebeard is dead!! And the next era… will belong to me!!!”

“…………!!!”

That cocky declaration made me, Kaido, Linlin, and Shiki all furrow our brows.

Just sore loser talk. In the end, Blackbeard only stole the kill. He accomplished nothing else.

But even so… I can’t deny we feel like we were played. That feeling sparked no small amount of rage within us.

Still, none of that hatred—or killing intent—can be acted on right now.

“……!! Dammit… Brûlée…!!”

“Big Sis Brûlée’s been taken!!”

“That brat…!! How dare he lay a hand on my daughter!!”

---

—The battlefield, thrown into confusion and stagnation by Blackbeard’s intrusion, begins to move once more.

“Hurry!! Don’t let Pops’ wish go to waste!!”

“Run for the sea~~~!!!”

Though the Whitebeard Pirates are shaken by the death of “Whitebeard,” they hold back their tears and run for the ships, determined to honor his final order. There’s no time to stop.

“Hurry up and die already, Sengoku~~~!!! I’ve gotta kill that brat called Blackbeard who took my daughter!!! I’ll bring peace to this sea in your place, so die without worry!!!”

“Guh… ah…!!!”

“Fleet Admiral Sengoku!!”

Behind them, an enraged “Emperor” is trampling the soldiers who failed to escape and wiping them out.

“Akainu… With Whitebeard dead, there ain’t a soul left on this battlefield who can satisfy me… Not even your half-dead self…!!!”

“Ugh…!! Guh… What nonsense…! Huff… Huff… You and Nue both…!! Acting high and mighty for trash…!! Whitebeard’s too good for scum like you… We’re enough to carry on!!!”

“…I’ll give you credit for still breathing. But… this is the end.”

“!!!”

“Admiral Sakazuki~~~!!!”

Those who stayed behind as the rear guard fall one by one before the Emperor’s wrath.

Even when they witness the brutal sight of Akainu, who stayed behind to protect his comrades, being struck down by Kaido’s kanabo and beaten again and again as he lies on the ground—there’s no turning back.

Even if just one more person lives, that’s what those left behind wish for.

“Inazuma-san!!”

“Iva-samaaaa!!!”

Even the veterans trying to escape turn back in an attempt to block the pursuing forces to protect the fire of “will”… but it’s unstoppable.

At this point, everything is far too late. The enemy won’t stop until everyone on this battlefield is dead.

“Hah… hah… Luffy… Ace, listen carefully…!!”

“!”

“Huh…?”

Sensing what’s to come, the Marine Hero turns to his grandsons with a grave expression.

“The sea ahead is dangerous… Even I can’t protect you anymore. If anything happens… Luffy, rely on your father—on my son.”

“!!? W-What the hell are you saying, Gramps!! You’re coming with us…!!”

“Gramps…!!”

“…Jinbe. I’m counting on you to take care of Luffy and Ace.”

“…!! Yeah… I got it…!!”

That too was a farewell—his final words to his grandsons.

Ignoring Luffy and Ace’s cries, Garp entrusts them to Jinbe and heads back into the battlefield.

Just like Whitebeard, he was prepared to give everything to protect his family.

And yet—

“—Gungnir!!!”

“!!!”

Escaping from this hell won’t be easy.

“Uwaaaaahhhh!!!”

“The ground split…!!”

“It’s Nue’s doing…!! This is bad!!”

The one who hurled the spear and split the ground stands before Garp, her voice cold as ice.

“Garp… Sorry, but even if you stay here, your grandsons won’t escape.”

“…That’s not decided yet. There’s still hope… No matter how many people you kill, no matter how much fear you sow… Those who resist your rule will rise again!!! Just like you once did, Nue…!!!”

“!!”

Nue’s eyes widen slightly at Garp’s words. He speaks from knowledge of her past, and for someone who once clawed her way up from rock bottom, it’s a truth she can’t dismiss.

“…Thanks for the advice. I’ll remember it. So—is that your last will?”

“Heh… Too bad. I don’t plan on dying just yet…!!!”

“—Gramps!!!”

“Kh…!!!”

Luffy and Ace, separated by the fractured ground, watch Garp prepare for battle against Nue. They can no longer reach him.

“Luffy-kun!! Ace-san!! Run now!!!”

“But…!!”

“There’s nothing you can do if you go back!! The strongest pirates in the world are the ones chasing you…!! If you stand still here, you’ll make a waste of the sacrifices the others made!!!”

“…!!”

Jinbe hammers reality into Luffy and Ace.

They both have strong wills. Confidence. They’ve overcome hardship by believing in their strength, their will, and with help from others—and luck.

But all of that is shattered mercilessly by the enemies before them.

No matter how badly they want to fulfill their own desires, no matter how much they fight with everything they have, no matter how lucky they get—in this battlefield, they’re just two rookies. Powerless.

“—Muhahaha!! Found you, Fire Fist!!!”

“!”

“It’s Queen…!!”

Beasts Pirates troops encircle Ace.

At the center, the All-Star “Plague Queen” points and steps forward.

“You’re a wanted man in our crew!! You ain’t gettin’ away!! —Ain’t that right, Ko-mu-ra-sa-kii~~!!”

“…Let’s just end this quickly.”

“Still cold as ever!! But that cool side of yours is cute too~~~!!”

“…………”

“Even the Flying Six are here…!!”

Whether it’s something she’s feeling or simply her nature, Komurasaki also draws her blade with few words. This time, it’s not Enma—she draws Sotomusou.

Luffy and Jinbe are both alarmed by the enemies surrounding Ace, but they too are being targeted.

“—No one’s getting away…!!”

“!? Doflamingo!!”

Bloodied and staggering, the one who appears is none other than the former Warlord of the Sea, Doflamingo, who should’ve been incapacitated after being struck by Whitebeard.

Swaying like a ghost, he leaps at them with a desperate, deadly expression.

“Hah… Hah… I can’t let you get away…!! If I screw up again… I’m finished…!! The end of the world’s right in front of me, and I can’t afford to blunder here…!!!”

“…What tenacity…!! This is bad…!!”

Jinbe prepares to engage Doflamingo, but this is a worst-case scenario. If Doflamingo regains his strength and manages to set up Birdcage again, escape will be nearly impossible.

So he makes a decision—he tells Luffy to go on ahead and prepares to stay behind. He means to shield Luffy from Doflamingo’s attack.

But—

“Muhaha… You’re doin’ your best too, huh? But in the sky or on the ground, there’s no end to the enemies comin’ your way!”

"!!? Damn it…!!"

Where Queen pointed, flying units of the Beasts Pirates hovered in the sky. Several UFOs created by Nue were targeting Luffy.

"Unidentified Fire Aerial Weapon — Foo Fighters!"

"U…uwaaaaaaaah!!!"

"! Luffy!!"

A barrage of heat beams rained down and pierced Luffy. His internal organs scorched, he writhed in agony on the ground. Ace and Garp watched in alarm, but they were both held back by enemies in front of them, with no chance to go to his aid.

And then—

"Jiha-ha… jiha-hahahaha!!! Don’t underestimate us…!!! That bastard Blackbeard who ambushed Whitebeard… and you damn brats too…!!!"

"!! What’s happening!?"

"The island’s shaking…!!"

The sudden tremor confused both pirates and Marines alike. Whitebeard was already dead, so the threat of the Quake-Quake Fruit should have ended. So why an earthquake?

But the answer was obvious. The one shaking the island wasn't Whitebeard—it was the Golden Lion.

"So it’s simple… we just don’t let any of those brats get away either… that’s all there is to it!!!"

"……!! Damn it… that’s what this is about…!!"

Those familiar with the Golden Lion's abilities within the Whitebeard Pirates quickly realized it. They didn’t know where the alliance had escaped to, but either way, they’d need to return to the New World. Before that, the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines had to be wiped out.

What the Golden Lion did to make that happen was simple.

"He’s made the entire island… float!!!"

"!!?"

Using the power of the Float-Float Fruit, Shiki had lifted not only the island, but ships, the sea—everything—into the air and was moving it.

"Jiha-hahahahaha!!! Now you see, don’t you!? You can’t escape our grasp!!! That idiot Blackbeard, no matter where he runs, we’ll chase him down and kill him!!! The world belongs to us!!!"

"Damn it… what do we do!?"

"We’ve no choice…!! Ace-san!! I’ll try to take Luffy and fall into the sea!!! You try to—ugh!!"

"Jinbe!!!"

"I told you… you’re not getting away… give it up already…!!!"

Jinbe had picked up the fallen Luffy and was calling out to Ace, intending to leap off the floating island—when Doflamingo struck him from behind in a surprise attack.

"Kuzan-san!! There’s a warship below…!!"

"…!! Don’t give up!! I’ll handle it somehow!!! Just run to the edge of the island!!"

"Y-yes sir…!!"

Even the Marines, finally realizing they were being left behind on the floating island, ran desperately, trying not to face the terrifying reality—because there was nowhere left to run.

"All that’s left is to clean them up…!!"

"That bastard who interrupted Lord Kaido’s fight… Blackbeard or whatever…!! I’ll never forgive him!! I’ll crack his skull open!!"

"We’ve gotta rescue Brûlée too…!! Hey, contact the New World now while we still can!! Once this is over, we’re hunting down Blackbeard too!!"

"Yes sir!! Right away!!"

The edges of the island were already surrounded by the elites of the Beasts Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, and Golden Lion Pirates. At the center of the island stood the Emperors and other monstrous figures. Once they finished off those who stayed behind, they would move immediately to annihilate the rest.

"Jiha-ha!! Once we kill the stragglers, this war is over!!!"

Shiki looked down on the desperate Whitebeard Pirates and Marines, proud and triumphant—but he hadn’t yet fulfilled his objective. That’s why he turned to Ace, still remaining in the plaza.

"But… if you agree to become my crewmate… then I’ll let you live!!! So what do you say, Ace!? Join my crew!!! If you do, I’ll even let you help take revenge on that idiot Blackbeard!!!"

"……!"

Even as he threatened, Shiki dangled a tempting offer. Not only would Ace survive, but he’d get a shot at avenging Whitebeard by killing Blackbeard.

To Ace, that offer might have real weight. It wasn’t something to dismiss outright.

"…Don’t screw with me…!!"

"Huh?"

But still, Ace answered with his shoulders trembling. Surviving alone meant nothing. And more than anything—

"I don’t care what anyone says… I’m Whitebeard’s son…!! A proud member of the Whitebeard Pirates!!! I’d rather die than abandon my family and survive alone!!!"

"……!!"

"Ace…!!"

Shiki’s expression twisted, and the Whitebeard Pirates’ faces contorted for an entirely different reason.

Ace had made up his mind. Even if it meant death, he wouldn’t throw away his pride.

"This is a fight, Golden Lion!!! I’ll defeat you and clear a path for everyone to escape!!!"

"………Tch… That reckless mouth of yours really is just like Roger’s…!!! So that’s your answer, huh!? You’re saying you want to die right here and now!!?"

"It means I’m gonna smash every one of you bastards to pieces!!!"

Ironically, Ace flung back the exact same words his biological father had once said to Shiki.

Ace leapt, fire-covered fist raised. At the same moment, Shiki took his stance in mid-air, ready to meet him head-on.

"Uooooooooooooooooh!!!"

"Heh… Cocky brat doesn’t know his place…!!! Fine, then go meet Roger or Whitebeard in the afterlife and tell them yourself!!! —‘I couldn’t become the next Pirate King’!!!"

Shiki resolved to kill Ace. Ace was strong—but still young and nowhere near Shiki’s level. His bold words weren’t backed by enough strength.

Still, Ace steeled himself for death. He knew he couldn’t win—but the chance wasn’t zero.

And so, he couldn’t afford to give up—not if he wanted to protect his family, his crewmates.

"Uooooooooooooooooh!!!"

"—DIE!!!"

And so—Shiki’s deadly blade surged forth, aiming to pierce Ace.

But even if that was his fate… as long as he could protect his brother, his family, even just a little, he’d have no regrets.

That’s why Ace accepted it—he chose to buy even a few more moments here…
to die.

---

But—at that very instant.

“!!!?”

Shiki’s blade was intercepted by another.

“……!! ………Huh?”

“……!! T-That’s…!!!”

Everyone who witnessed the scene widened their eyes in disbelief.

The one who had stopped Shiki’s blade just before it struck Ace—was someone no one had expected.

“Wha…………!!? Wh-What the hell…!?”

“…………Huh?”

“...! Now’s our chance!! We’re jumping into the sea, Luffy-kun!!”

“Eh… w-wait… Jinbe…!!”

“No time!! We’re going!!”

The one who had slammed Doflamingo’s face into the ground with a single blow, stopping him from attacking Luffy—

Two figures suddenly appeared in this battlefield that looked like hell itself.

They were well-known to everyone here—leaders of factions that had yet to appear in the battle until now.

“Looks like we made it just in time…”

“That was a close call… Ace.”

The man who saved Luffy—dressed in a black robe, his face marked by tattoos—left the onlookers speechless. Even Ivankov and Inazuma, shocked at first, began to show signs of hope returning to their eyes.

And the man who saved Ace—with three scars over his left eye and flaming red hair—also left everyone stunned. Even Luffy couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

What’s more, people began disembarking from a ship that floated above, swaying as though carried by the wind—much like Shiki’s Fuwa Fuwa powers. Every person who descended was someone recognizable. Globally famous powerhouses.

Seeing this sudden turn, Nue couldn’t help but let out a dry chuckle and mutter their names.

“...Ah—so that’s how it is. Ahaha, I figured ‘Red-Hair’ would show up… but I didn’t think the Revolutionary Army would come too…!!!”

Yes—just as Nue said, the ones who appeared were the only remaining Emperor’s crew not yet involved in the battle.

And alongside them, the will of the people who stood against the World Government itself—the Revolutionary Army.

Both of their leaders had stepped onto the battlefield. To protect the order of the world, and with unwavering conviction, they declared:

"We will not let this war end… with your victory!!!"