"Dark Vortex!"
With no other choice, Blackbeard unleashed his Devil Fruit's power, attempting to devour the incoming ice pillar.
Ominous black smoke surged outward, coiling like hungry tendrils.
The Dark-Dark Fruit had many weaknesses—it lacked Logia intangibility and came with double the pain debuff—but it was still one of the most fearsome Devil Fruits in existence.
The ice pillar screamed through the air, its sheer momentum threatening to obliterate anything in its path. Even the toughest warriors would be in serious danger if it hit them head-on.
But as soon as it came into contact with the swirling darkness, it began to shrink.
A chilling crunch echoed through the battlefield as the massive ice structure was rapidly consumed and compressed, as if invisible beasts were gnawing it away.
"Absorption and compression… What a gluttonous power."
Esdeath smirked coldly, instantly analyzing the nature of Blackbeard's ability.
"Let's see how much you can eat, then."
Just as Blackbeard was about to breathe a sigh of relief—
The light dimmed again.
This time, the shadow covering him was even larger.
"You've gotta be kidding me!"
Blackbeard's face twitched violently.
Above him, a titanic ice mountain had appeared—easily one-third the size of Marineford itself.
The Dark-Dark Fruit had once swallowed an entire town. But compared to the monstrous mass of ice looming over him, that was nothing.
"Damn it! Does she want to destroy Marineford?!"
Even Akainu, who was locked in a fierce battle with Shanks, couldn't ignore the sheer scale of Esdeath's attack.
If that mountain came crashing down, Marineford would never recover.
Even if it didn't completely obliterate the island, it would wipe out countless Marines and pirates alike.
Akainu didn't care about individual Marine casualties—he would personally execute any soldier who dared to flee the battlefield.
But losing entire battalions to some unknown woman? That, he couldn't tolerate.
"What a monster… Just where the hell did Borsalino find someone like her?"
Even Shanks was visibly shaken.
The world was full of hidden powerhouses. But only a handful had the strength to wage war at this level.
In the Red-Haired Pirates, only Benn Beckman might be able to match her in a fight. And even then—Shanks wasn't sure if he'd win.
"Like hell I'm dying here! Dark Star: Full Power!"
Blackbeard roared toward the sky, his voice filled with rage and desperation.
Endless black smoke surged from his body, condensing into a massive, all-consuming black sphere that shot toward the falling ice mountain.
The hundred-meter-long ice spike, which had barely survived the previous attack, was instantly swallowed upon contact—disappearing without a trace.
A colossus weighing billions of tons collided with a force capable of devouring all things.
As the ice mountain was rapidly consumed, the dark sphere itself began to tremble violently.
"Hold it together, dammit!"
Blackbeard's face contorted in a savage grimace, veins bulging from his forehead as he bellowed.
If he fell here—then decades of planning, deception, and ambition would amount to nothing but a joke.
His dreams, his destiny—everything would come to an abrupt, humiliating end.
That was unacceptable.
Perhaps it was his willpower pushing past its limits, or perhaps his strength had truly evolved in this moment.
Because despite the overwhelming force bearing down upon him, the dark sphere held out—until every last remnant of the ice mountain had vanished within it.
Then, as if its purpose had been fulfilled, the sphere popped like a bubble, dissolving into nothingness.
---
Meanwhile, atop a watchtower overlooking the battlefield, Kizaru remained as relaxed as ever, observing the chaos below at a leisurely pace.
Not far from him, Baby-5 clutched an ornately decorated Den Den Mushi.
Every so often, the restless Five Elders would call in, making sure that the Pure Gold was still in his hands.
Had he not flatly refused, they would have ordered him to ignore the entire Marineford battle and bring the Pure Gold directly to Mary Geoise.
Kizaru chuckled softly.
"Thirty-five percent… No, thirty percent will do. It's about time I claimed the title of the world's strongest."
His golden eyes flickered with amusement as he calculated exactly how much power he needed to reveal.
---
While Blackbeard was suffering an absolute beatdown, Akainu and Shanks were locked in a vicious duel.
Fueled by rage and bloodlust, Akainu relentlessly attacked, completely indifferent to his own survival.
Their battle had transcended strategy—it was a pure, life-or-death struggle.
Elsewhere, Fleet Admiral Sengoku found himself stalled by Dark King Rayleigh, who had yet to fully reveal his identity.
Much like when he previously stalled Aokiji, Rayleigh wasn't aiming for victory—just causing trouble.
And when a top-tier powerhouse is only focused on disruption, even another top-tier opponent struggles to deal with them.
Speaking of Aokiji, he was currently fighting Dragon.
In a way, they were peers, both once part of the Navy.
Had Dragon never defected, the Marine Headquarters could have had four Admirals instead of three.
Their strength was almost equal, though Dragon held a slight edge.
Even so, their fight wouldn't reach a conclusion anytime soon.
As for Garp, he was busy dealing with Benn Beckman and Marco, who had joined forces to hold him back.
Every major figure had found a worthy opponent, ensuring that no quick victories could be achieved.
Well—almost everyone.
One man was in a league of his own.
Edward Newgate.
The "Strongest Man in the World."
For Whitebeard, this wasn't even a fight—it was a massacre.
He tore through Marine officers with utter disrespect, showing no mercy to the so-called "rising stars" of the Navy.
Even Giant Vice Admirals fell before him like dominoes.
But it wasn't out of cruelty—it was necessity.
Whitebeard had one goal: secure a retreat for his crew, allied captains, and even his temporary Revolutionary Army allies.
Unfortunately, Sengoku's leadership had turned the Marines into an unshakable force of resistance.
They refused to back down, forcing Whitebeard to brutally cut a path through them.
"Gurararara! If you wanna stop me, you'd better be ready to break some bones!"
With a single swing of his naginata, Whitebeard sent hundreds of Marines flying.
"Don't let him through!"
"This is Marine Headquarters!"
"For justice! Kill him!"
Despite the overwhelming power gap, the Marines charged without hesitation.
Even knowing that their strength was laughably inferior, they refused to falter.
Even Giant Vice Admirals couldn't withstand Whitebeard's fists, but still—his enemies kept rushing forward.
They may have been outmatched, but their courage was real.
And in that alone, they were worthy of the justice they upheld.
"…Just a bit stupid, though."
Kizaru felt a strong urge to facepalm.
Most of the ones getting obliterated were from the Hawk Faction or Dove Faction, which had little to do with his Neutral Faction.
But once this war ended, these battle-hungry fools would still end up being his subordinates.
A frustrating thought.
While the Hawks and Doves were busy getting crushed under Whitebeard's might, the truly intelligent officers, like Vivian, had avoided him entirely—choosing to hunt down other pirates instead.
"These are necessary sacrifices. However many the Navy loses here, the World Government will provide… compensation."
The Den Den Mushi cradled in Baby-5's hands crackled to life once more, transmitting the voices of the Five Elders.
They didn't care about Marine casualties—or rather, in the face of the temptation of eternal life, the losses of the Navy were utterly insignificant.
But no matter how much they threatened or coaxed, Kizaru refused to "prioritize the bigger picture."
He had no intention of rushing the Pure Gold to Mary Geoise immediately, much to their frustration.
And after the betrayal of Delocas and the CP agents getting forced to die pointlessly by Borsalino, there weren't many trustworthy forces left in Marineford.
At this moment, the only one capable of safeguarding the Pure Gold was Borsalino himself.
Considering his past behavior, the Five Elders—desperate beyond reason—had no choice but to grit their teeth and placate this infuriating Admiral.
"I still can't agree."
Borsalino's voice was as leisurely as ever, yet it carried a hint of false concern.
"Watching my comrades fight and bleed while I sit safely on the sidelines, refusing to engage? What will my peers think of me in the future…?"
In reality, before handing over the Pure Gold, he planned to "adjust" it a little.
Nothing major—just enough to ensure he remained in control.
Right now, however, in the eyes of the Five Elders, he was the most valuable man in the world.
If he didn't seize this golden opportunity to negotiate, what kind of example would he be setting for his subordinates?
"What do you want?"
The voice on the other end sounded weary—even exasperated.
Had they not been so obsessed with acquiring the Pure Gold, they would never have tolerated Borsalino speaking to them this way.
"Ahem. About all those disciplinary actions and warnings I've accumulated over the years…"
Borsalino raised an eyebrow.
If he didn't cash in his leverage now, it would be wasted forever.
After all, expecting the World Government dogs to repay favors was wishful thinking.
"Consider them erased."
The Five Elders didn't even hesitate.
For the sake of immortality, they would have made him Fleet Admiral on the spot if he asked.
Besides, at the level of Admiral, disciplinary warnings were meaningless.
The Marines could fire a Vice Admiral, sure.
But removing an Admiral? That was practically impossible.
"My flagship was sunk by the Whitebeard Pirates…"
As Borsalino spoke, he casually beckoned to Nami, signaling her to bring over the pre-prepared "wish list."
Originally, he had planned to use it for negotiations with Sengoku, but this was an even better opportunity.
"…When you become Fleet Admiral, submit a budget request yourself."
The Five Elders sounded utterly disinterested, as if they were dismissing a minor expense.
Borsalino smiled as he accepted the list from Nami, but just as he was about to continue extorting them—
A sudden movement caught his eye.
Vivian—what the hell is that idiot doing?!
Instead of following Borsalino's teachings (which clearly advised staying as far away from Whitebeard as possible), she had done the complete opposite.
Why?
Because she had just witnessed Vice Admiral Dalmatian—a close friend of hers—get brutally wounded by Whitebeard.
The impulsive nature of the Giants surged forward, overriding all reason.
Dropping her "easy prey" targets, Vivian roared in fury and charged at Whitebeard.
"WHITEBEARD!"
With a furious cry, Vivian swung her 20-meter-long nodachi downward, aiming directly for the Emperor's head.
CLANG!
Whitebeard didn't hesitate.
He swung his own colossal blade—Murakumogiri—upward to meet hers.
Both weapons, coated in Haki, collided with a force that shattered the air itself.
A shockwave exploded outward, sending nearby Marines and Pirates flying.
Vivian had severely underestimated Whitebeard's raw power.
Despite being a Giant, she was still forced back dozens of steps, struggling to maintain her footing.
And her beloved nodachi?
It now bore a gaping, palm-sized notch—permanently damaged by the legendary Supreme Grade blade, Murakumogiri.
For a brief moment, she didn't even care about the fight anymore—she just mourned the state of her sword.
"Gurararara! Not bad, little lass!"
Whitebeard's laughter boomed across the battlefield.
Despite her determination, the difference in their strength was far too vast.
This wasn't a fight she could win.
°°°
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