THE STRONGEST CREATURE OF THE BEAST PIRATES

Before leaving, he placed a few video Den Den Mushi on Marinford to ensure that the world could witness the chaos unfolding.

In fact, the Navy's execution of Fire Fist Ace had originally been broadcast live to the entire world, but as the war broke out in full force, Sengoku cut off the live broadcast signal, preventing the outside world from witnessing the full brutality of the conflict.

Through the large screen, it was clear that Garp was relentlessly pounding Blackbeard, who was struggling but defiantly resisting despite his deteriorating condition. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed across the battlefield.

Whitebeard was advancing toward Blackbeard, his body showing signs of immense wear. A large gaping hole was visible in his chest, caused by Akainu's devastating magma punch. Despite this fatal injury, Whitebeard stood strong, his body radiating steam, as though his very life essence was evaporating.

A terrifying aura surrounded Blackbeard as Whitebeard closed in. Blackbeard's eyes widened in disbelief.

"This aura… it's dad!" Blackbeard thought in shock. His original plan had been to boldly declare himself as Whitebeard's successor, boasting of his rise as the next Pirate King. But after being kicked by Alastor, his streak of good fortune had come to an abrupt end.

First, Garp delivered a crushing blow, followed by Hancock, who had incapacitated one of Blackbeard's key subordinates, Badgers. The combined hostility from both the Navy and the pirates was now fully directed at him.

Now, the figure of Whitebeard loomed over him. As Blackbeard raised his head, Whitebeard's shock-covered fist came crashing down on him with overwhelming force.

"Father, what are you doing? I'm your son! Are you really going to kill me?" Blackbeard pleaded in desperation.

Whitebeard remained silent, only responding with more powerful, relentless punches.

Boom!

Blackbeard's face was pressed into the ground, his head distorted by the shockwave.

"Oh, no, no, father!" Blackbeard screamed in terror.

As a ruthless pirate who would do anything to achieve his goals, Blackbeard didn't care about surrendering or begging for mercy in his current desperate state.

"There's only one of you unworthy of being my son, Teach!" Whitebeard declared, continuing his relentless assault.

When Alastor in the submarine witnessed this scene, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. "Whitebeard… even a hero like him can't escape the limits of time."

Whitebeard might still possess the strength to beat Blackbeard, but his body was clearly on the brink of collapse.

"Let me collect your body, Whitebeard," Alastor whispered to himself.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as he sensed a presence approaching from the sea. His Haki tingled as dozens of unfamiliar auras drew closer.

Alastor gestured to his Heart Pirates, who immediately scanned the sea through their telescopes.

"Bepo reporting! There's a strange ship without any markings, and on board is the legendary leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon!" Bepo announced.

It was the Revolutionary Army.

Of course, it made sense—both Luffy and Sabo had already joined the battle, so it was inevitable that Dragon would show up. In the original story, it was Alastor's submarine that helped Straw Hat Luffy escape. However, that option was no longer available.

Alastor narrowed his eyes. "Dragon… even you've come. Well, this changes things."

"You wait for me here," Alastor ordered his crew, then vanished in a flash of lightning.

This time, he wasn't making any grand entrances. Instead, he moved stealthily from beneath the waves, concealing his presence as much as possible.

On the Revolutionary ship, Dragon stood with a calm expression, his dark green coat billowing in the wind. Suddenly, his brow furrowed as his gaze shifted downward toward the sea.

"What's wrong, Mr. Dragon?" Kerla asked, noticing his unusual reaction.

Dragon had taken the risk of coming to Marinford to ensure Luffy and Ace's safety. However, sensing something beneath the waves unsettled him.

"No… nothing," Dragon said, shaking his head as if dismissing his earlier instincts.

Even so, deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching from beneath the surface.

He refocused his attention on Marinford, knowing his role was simply to protect his comrades.

The sailors and pirates continued to clash, their mutual hatred and jealousy evident on both sides. The navy soldiers believed they had already won, convinced that all that remained was to eliminate the severely injured Whitebeard and mop up the remaining pirates to secure their victory.

The Whitebeard Pirates, however, showed no signs of retreating. Ace's death had deeply devastated them, leaving only rage and sorrow in its wake. They couldn't fathom running away, not while Whitebeard was still standing and fighting against the man responsible for Ace's demise—Blackbeard.

Marco, though struggling to maintain composure, understood the situation more clearly than anyone. Ace's death had broken their morale, leaving only grief and fury. What concerned Marco most, however, wasn't just the loss of Ace—it was Whitebeard's condition.

He had witnessed firsthand Whitebeard's massive injury from Akainu's magma punch. The massive hole in his chest, caused by Akainu's devastating attack, left Marco filled with worry. Despite his own nearly immortal phoenix-like flames, they had little effect on someone else's body, especially someone as critically injured as Whitebeard.

As Marco prepared to rush to Whitebeard's side, his expression suddenly twisted with shock.

"Father!"

Whitebeard, despite his apparent exhaustion, had managed to stand. Blackbeard, seeing the opening, had seized the moment. With his Dark-Dark Fruit powers, he nullified Whitebeard's shockwave and landed a devastating punch on his chin.

"Ze hahaha! Did you see that, dad?!" Blackbeard roared, standing over the bleeding Whitebeard. "This is the power I took from killing Thatch! The strongest ability in the world!"

His voice was filled with arrogance as he declared, "Little ones, let's finish this! Let's kill Whitebeard once and for all!"

Blackbeard, bloodied and battered, no longer cared for caution. His plan to obtain Whitebeard's powers had driven him to madness.

Lafitte, Shiliew, and the rest of Blackbeard's crew followed, opening fire on Whitebeard, who was now weakened beyond recognition. Ordinary bullets and knives tore into the already wounded body of the "Strongest Man in the World."

"Father!" Marco, Joz, Vista, and the other leaders of the Whitebeard Pirates let out anguished cries.

"Ze hahaha! Die, Whitebeard! It's my time to shine, the greatest performance of all!" Blackbeard declared triumphantly.

Blackbeard ordered his subordinates to keep him protected while Badgers, who had lost an arm, moved to cover Whitebeard's body with his dark cloth.

But just as Blackbeard gloated, Whitebeard's closed eyes suddenly snapped open. A terrifying, almost ghostly aura radiated from his weakened form, causing Blackbeard to recoil in fear.

"Aren't you dead yet, you monster?!" Blackbeard stammered, his confidence wavering.

Whitebeard, in his final moments, uttered his last words. His breath was labored, but his resolve remained.

"The biggest mistake I made in this life… was leaving you alive"

Blackbeard staggered backward, visibly shaken by Whitebeard's presence.

With his final breath, Whitebeard muttered, "Sengoku…"

Sengoku's expression froze, the mention of his name cutting through the battlefield.

"Your world government has always feared… the great war that will engulf the world." Whitebeard's voice grew weaker. "There is no ship that can carry me into the new era. But the new era will birth more powerful men to challenge your world government. The era of great pirates started by Roger—"

Whitebeard struggled to speak, but his resolve was clear. His knowledge of the Void Century and the true origins of the Pirate Age were something even Sengoku had feared.

"One Piece—" Whitebeard managed to whisper, his voice barely audible.

The battlefield fell silent as those words echoed across Marinford.

"It really exists!" Whitebeard's voice, despite his weakness, resonated through the sky.

The revelation sent shockwaves throughout the world. For over 20 years, the question of One Piece's existence had lingered. Many had doubted its truth, but Whitebeard's declaration now confirmed its reality.

As the battlefield stood stunned, none noticed the shadow silently approaching Whitebeard's lifeless body.

Blackbeard, however, was the first to spot the figure. His eyes widened in recognition, and panic set in.

"Who… Who is that?!" Blackbeard roared. "Stop! Whitebeard's body belongs to me!"

But it was already too late. The figure, who had been watching from the shadows, now stepped forward into the light. It was none other than Trafalgar D. Water Law.

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