The air temperature plunged abruptly. The pile of ice chunks that had fallen into the sea rapidly froze the surrounding seawater, then reformed into a human shape.
Kuzan was seen touching the seawater, and starting from him, the water was frozen at a speed visible to the naked eye. In an instant, the entire bay transformed into a transparent ice plain.
"Heh heh heh heh~ Quick reactions."
Aeridar couldn't help but praise Kuzan, watching him turn the bay into a sheet of ice after falling as a pile of chunks.
While this provided the Whitebeard Pirates with a solid place to land, it also allowed the Marines to hold the Whitebeard Pirates at the entrance and minimize the damage to Marineford, all while utilizing the advantage of their shore defense cannons.
In unison, the Marines reacted. Seeing the three Moby Dick ships frozen in the ice, the heavy shore defense cannons in the bay immediately opened fire.
Boom, boom, boom, boom…
Black, searing cannonballs soared toward the three Moby Dick ships. The air, which had been frigid, suddenly grew hot again.
"Let's go!"
"They've given us a perfect place to fight!"
"Let them see what we can do!"
Indeed, with the bay frozen and providing an excellent landing, the members of the Whitebeard Pirates leaped off the Moby Dick, led by their commanders, charging toward the port.
In the vanguard were commanders such as 5th Division Commander Flower Sword Vista, 7th Division Commander Rakuyo, 10th Division Commander Curiel, and 11th Division Commander Kingdew, all leading the charge.
"The commanders have moved out!"
"Don't cease fire!"
"We're going to meet the attack!"
The Marine shore defense cannons continued to fire, bombing the Whitebeard Pirates on the ice.
Similarly, Marine elites, spearheaded by Smoker the White Hunter, Hina the Black Cage, and Yukimura the Thousand Slayer, actively moved out. The Vice Admirals positioned in the rear also rushed toward the port.
Out on the open sea, the pirate fleets under Whitebeard's flag also reached the mouth of the bay, and the cannons on their ships began to fire toward the Marine warships and the shore.
Swish, swish, swish…
However, dozens of cannonballs were sliced apart as a host of Marine Vice Admirals made their appearance.
Doberman, Onigumo, Yamakaji, Momonga, Strawberry, and over ten other famous Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals stood blocking the port.
"It seems it won't be that easy!"
"The Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals have all shown up!"
"I've never seen so many Vice Admirals gathered together!"
"Even a Buster Call would be scared white! But against Pops and us, it's a different story!"
The pirates clamored as they approached the frozen bay. Large numbers of pirates jumped from their respective ships and rushed toward the Marines.
It must be said, if this were a movie, Aeridar's position at the port was undoubtedly the best spot. Watching the fierce battle erupt between the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates, the blood in his veins began to boil.
Nothing could be more exciting than witnessing this great war in person.
"This is troublesome. Hawk-Eyes Mihawk, and Golden Ring Aeridar. They are both tricky opponents." Marco, on the Moby Dick, rubbed his forehead as he looked at the five figures standing at the port. "I really hope that guy Aeridar shows some restraint for an old customer's sake."
"Gurarararara! Ask the enemy to hold back? What foolishness is that!" Whitebeard scanned the five figures at the port and laughed heartily. "I am Whitebeard! Gurarararara"
Tap... tap...
Suddenly, Mihawk jumped onto the shore embankment in front of him.
"What? Are you going in?" Doflamingo asked, surprised.
"Oh~ Are your hands itching too?" Aeridar glanced at Mihawk, a smile playing on his lips.
"I am merely going to test the true gap between that man and us," Mihawk's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes grew exceptionally sharp, using Aeridar's earlier words.
"Even the strongest men would tremble and be unable to move just by meeting his gaze. He truly is the man known as Hawk-Eyes," Hancock grew cautious upon seeing Mihawk's eyes.
As much as she despised other men, she had to admit the strength possessed by Hawk-Eyes Mihawk.
"That gaze… It seems Oliver still has a ways to go." Similarly, Mihawk's sharp eyes and the faint aura he radiated made even Aeridar feel a great sense of danger.
Shing...
The Black Blade let out a soft cry.
Mihawk slowly drew the Black Blade from his back, the sword looking like a massive crucifix.
One of the 12 Supreme Grade Swords, the Black Blade: Yoru!
A famous sword fit only for the World's Strongest Swordsman!
In the next moment, the world seemed to darken, focusing only on Mihawk.
Whoosh!
The Black Blade swung down, and a verdant light erupted. A fierce, massive sword wave appeared, directly splitting the ice surface and rushing straight toward Whitebeard.
Dong!
A booming sound erupted, and the air shook. The seemingly unstoppable green sword wave seemed to collide with a hard, black shadow, unable to advance an inch.
"Ugh!"
After a brief stalemate, the black figure threw both hands upwards, and the massive green sword wave soared straight into the sky, exploding hundreds of meters high before dissipating.
"It was blocked. How boring," Aeridar pouted, bored.
A long crack spread across the ice. At the end of the crack stood a powerfully built, tall figure, his entire body covered in glittering diamond, with only his left cheek retaining its dark skin.
Whitebeard Pirates, 3rd Division Commander Diamond Jozu.
"What powerful defense," Hancock said solemnly.
The world's number one slash was blocked. Although it wasn't Hawk-Eyes Mihawk's full-power strike, it was not something an ordinary person could take. Coupled with the hardness of diamond, and surely the augmentation of Armament Haki, Diamond Jozu's defense was truly formidable.
After a moment of eye contact, Mihawk indifferently sheathed his sword, choosing not to strike again. His purpose was only to test the difference between himself and Whitebeard, not to fight the Whitebeard Pirates to the death.
Boom, boom, boom, boom…
Cannons roared, shattered ice flew everywhere, and immense explosions thundered incessantly. The Marine shore defense cannons were bombarding the pirates under Whitebeard's flag, clearly intending to block their reinforcements.
The battle on the ice was now fierce. Facing the formidable Whitebeard Pirates, the Marines were clearly suffering continuous casualties.
Below the execution platform, Borsalino couldn't sit still and decided to attempt a king-capture maneuver to minimize Marine losses.
He immediately unleashed a killing blow. First, countless dazzling light pellets appeared, followed by a torrent of dazzling light that rained down, covering the main Moby Dick ship. The target was clearly Whitebeard.
Unfortunately, there was another person on the Moby Dick—Marco the Phoenix. As the 1st Division Commander and Whitebeard Pirates' second-in-command, Marco transformed into a massive, blue-flame bird, successfully blocking Borsalino's attack.