"Gurararara…"
Whitebeard laughed deeply, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spoke in a relaxed tone.
"You came out because you want revenge on the Marines, didn't you?"
"Hm?"
Douglas Bullet was not some mindless brute who only knew how to rely on strength. He simply preferred solving problems with force rather than words, but that never meant he lacked intelligence.
He saw through Whitebeard's intentions instantly.
"Old Man Whitebeard, you want to use me as a pawn? To help you suppress the Marines?" Bullet laughed loudly, his voice filled with mockery. "That's a very interesting thought."
He scrutinized Whitebeard carefully, then shook his head and let out a strange, regretful laugh.
"But I'm afraid I'll disappoint you. This time, I didn't escape just to stir up chaos and disappear again."
Bullet's gaze shifted toward the Marine forces below. A twisted, chilling smile crept onto his face.
This time, I intend to erase these hypocritical Marines from this world completely.
To restore the order and peace this world should have had from the beginning, so it never again resembles my childhood, filled with endless war and gunfire.
To extinguish the flames of chaos entirely.
"If that future really comes to pass…"
As memories of the future Shirogai had spoken of resurfaced in his mind, Bullet slowly clenched his fist. His eyes locked onto Whitebeard with sharp intensity.
"Whitebeard, the fate of your crew has nothing to do with me. You should face your own destiny."
Bullet's mindset was closer to that of a martyr than a conqueror.
I have my destiny.
You have yours.
The Captain has his as well.
The Captain will not escape. I do not intend to escape. And you cannot escape either.
"History will remember us. Everything we do now will become history."
Bullet stared at Whitebeard with anticipation, as if already envisioning a new world born from destruction.
…
Whitebeard felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
From Bullet's words and the strange light in his eyes, something felt fundamentally wrong. Both Bullet and crocodile were pirates who should have been ferocious, lawless, and overflowing with killing intent.
Yet now, they were unnaturally calm.
It was as if some invisible hand had already smoothed the sharp edges of their madness.
"Am I overthinking this?"
Whitebeard suppressed the doubt rising in his heart and turned his gaze toward another tall figure who was quietly chuckling to himself.
"World Destroyer, World…"
They had crossed paths before, though they had never truly fought. Neither friendship nor hatred existed between them, only mutual awareness born from reputation.
If these two monsters could be persuaded to act, then even if the Marines did not lose outright, it would at least give the Whitebeard Pirates enough breathing room to rescue Ace with minimal losses.
Unfortunately, despite Whitebeard's status as one of the Four Emperors, to pirates as arrogant as Bullet and World, he was merely a famous name from an older era.
There was no chance of intimidating them into acting on his behalf.
"There seem to be some old acquaintances as well…"
Whitebeard tilted his head slightly, his eyes focusing on the shadows deep within the warship.
…
Within those shadows, a familiar presence lingered, quietly observing him.
"Whitebeard…"
The moment he realized he had been noticed, the figure withdrew into the darkness and vanished without a trace.
Strange.
That unsettling feeling returned once more.
These pirates, who all held deep grudges against the Marines, were far too composed. Worse still, the expressions on their faces carried a quiet anticipation that felt unsettling.
What exactly were they waiting for?
And who could possibly be the object of expectation for pirates of this level?
A vague possibility crossed Whitebeard's mind.
But…
Forget it. None of that matters right now.
Whitebeard took a slow breath, burying his doubts deep within his chest.
"Was the news of the early execution leaked intentionally, or by accident?"
His gaze shifted to the execution platform, locking onto the Fleet Admiral wearing a seagull-themed cap.
"Are they trying to lure us into tightening their encirclement? Whether it's real or not, we have no choice but to advance."
As soon as that thought settled, Whitebeard clenched his empty left hand.
The air itself trembled.
Clang!
Invisible vibrations surged outward, spreading across the entire battlefield.
The moment they felt it, the pirates of the Whitebeard Pirates stiffened in shock.
"That's Pops' signal!"
"Advance immediately, stay alert for ambushes!"
"Attack! Save Ace!"
The Whitebeard Pirates erupted with renewed fervor, roaring as they charged forward with reckless determination.
"Don't even think about breaking through!"
The Marines responded just as fiercely. Though confused by the pirates' sudden surge, they raised their weapons and blocked the advance with equal resolve.
On this battlefield, pain had long since lost its meaning.
Victory was no longer determined by endurance or hesitation, but by who could land a fatal blow first.
It was not uncommon for a pirate to suddenly collapse mid-fight, lifeless before he even realized what had happened.
Without pain to warn them, many never noticed how much blood they had already lost.
"Hmph, they took the bait."
Vice Admirals stationed across the battlefield watched the pirates accelerate, sneering coldly.
"Feign weakness and fall back gradually. Guide the main force of the Whitebeard Pirates toward the center of the ice."
Soon, the pirates noticed the shift.
"The Marines are retreating!"
"They can't hold us back anymore!"
Excitement surged through the ranks of the Whitebeard Pirates as they waved weapons and pressed the attack relentlessly.
"Heh."
In the VIP viewing area, Shirogai stopped tossing the fruit in his hand. A faint, knowing smile appeared as he looked toward Whitebeard's towering figure in the distance.
"The Marines' net has already closed around your crew. If you move any slower, you'll walk straight into it and get trapped for good."
"…Something isn't right."
Whitebeard watched as his men advanced far more easily than before. The situation was progressing too smoothly.
"Are the Marines really this weak?"
His sharp eyes soon caught something else.
The warships frozen in the inner bay were arranged far too neatly.
The Marines were not fools. Simply lining up ships would never intimidate the Whitebeard Pirates.
Those gaps between the warships, if sealed and bombarded with cannons…
Whitebeard's expression darkened.
Those ships were not meant to fight. They were meant to block retreat.
"Where is Squard?"
A Transponder Snail crackled to life in the hands of one of the allied pirate captains.
"He's been missing for a while. Did he push too far ahead?"
Several captains scanned the battlefield but found no sign of him.
"Forget it," Whitebeard said calmly through the Den Den Mushi.
"Destroy all those warships. If we don't, the Marines will use them to cut off our escape later."
"Yes, Pops!"