Shanks pondered in the heavy silence, knowing that his next move would not only affect his own crew but could also irrevocably alter the balance of power across the entire sea.
However, just as he hesitated, weighing the cost of further conflict, Sengoku's voice, low and dangerous, broke the silence.
"You think you can leave just like that?" he growled, his golden form still radiating a suppressed fury.
"After all this? What about the catastrophic losses to Marineford? You will leave behind everything you've stolen first."
Sengoku's words were a clear threat.
In his view, even if they couldn't continue the fight, the Marines could not afford to be so thoroughly humiliated.
They had to save some face.
Otherwise, after this battle, they would have lost both their dignity and their supplies—a weakness they'd be mocked for across the world.
Moreover, an opportunity to cooperate with a rival Emperor was almost unheard of.
It would be a shame not to take advantage of it.
Hearing Sengoku's demand, Shanks glanced at him, his expression unreadable.
Though he felt a surge of frustration, he didn't respond immediately.
"Oh?"
A low, amused sound came from Ron.
He wasn't surprised in the slightest.
It wouldn't be Sengoku's style to let them simply walk away after all this.
He had clearly anticipated this situation.
A hint of amusement flickered in his eyes, as if he was savoring every last moment of this grand, dangerous game.
Then, under the puzzled gazes of Sengoku and Garp, Ron slowly clapped his hands together, producing a single, crisp sound that cut through the tense atmosphere.
Immediately after, Ace and Jozu stepped forward, dragging the bound and gagged form of Vice Admiral Momonga before the crowd.
"Ughhhh!!!" Momonga's face turned a shade of green with pure, unadulterated rage, his eyes burning with a fury that could melt steel.
The situation was painfully obvious—these pirates were planning to use him, a Vice Admiral of the Marines, as a common bargaining chip to secure their escape.
Seeing him brought forward, Sengoku's, Garp's, and the other Marines' expressions darkened instantly.
Their gazes were filled with a potent mixture of anger and helplessness, along with a deep, profound disgust for the pirates' underhanded tactics.
The other elite Marines, including Tokikake and Momousagi, also scowled, despising the pirates for such dishonorable behavior.
"Damn pirates!" Onigumo, who had just managed to get back to his feet, roared furiously, his voice dripping with hatred.
"They actually kidnapped Momonga!"
"Only pirates would resort to such cowardly methods!" Tokikake chimed in, his tone full of disdain.
"Release the Vice Admiral now," another officer shouted, "and we'll make your deaths quick!"
Ron stood there, facing their taunts with a calm and indifferent expression.
For him, maximizing the use of all available resources was simply the most logical approach.
His gaze shifted from the bound Vice Admiral to the furious Fleet Admiral.
"Well, Sengoku?" Ron's voice was even, almost conversational.
"Ending this battle right now in exchange for the safe return of a Marine Vice Admiral. That should more than make up for your material losses. It's a pretty good deal, isn't it?"
Sengoku remained silent for a long moment, giving Ron a deep, piercing look.
'This young man… he's truly remarkable,' he thought, a cold fury mixing with a grudging respect.
'They had an escape route planned from the very beginning.'
'No matter the outcome of the battle, as long as they held a high-value hostage, we wouldn't dare act recklessly.'
This strategy left Sengoku both furious and completely helpless.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions, then loudly declared, his voice heavy with defeat.
"Fine! Release Momonga—and this war ends here!"
Garp stood nearby, grinding his teeth so hard his jaw ached.
'These damn pirates… using such shameless tactics to end the battle. It's utterly despicable!'
But he also understood that, under these circumstances, the Marines had no choice.
They had to compromise to ensure Momonga's safety.
Despite the overwhelming resentment in his heart, Garp suppressed his fury, merely glaring coldly at Ron and Whitebeard, searing their faces into his memory.
Shanks finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
He glanced deeply at Whitebeard, who had now returned to his normal state, and felt a slight easing in his chest.
'That Thunder God form… This old man still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve.'
Aokiji, Kizaru, and the other top brass also felt a great weight lift from their shoulders.
They knew this battle had begun too hastily, catching them unprepared.
That was precisely why things had turned out this way.
Otherwise, with the full, mobilized strength of the Marines, they would never have allowed the Whitebeard Pirates to leave this battlefield alive.
Soon after, the Admirals began to withdraw, overseeing the evacuation of the severely injured soldiers.
Amidst his crew's protection, Shanks slowly made his way back to his ship.
'Even if I took a slash, it was worth it,' he thought.
'If it means ending the war and maintaining the balance!'
"Boss, what exactly does Whitebeard want with your blood?" Yasopp asked, shouldering his sniper rifle, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Yeah, Boss isn't even a Devil Fruit User. What are they gonna do, try to make some kind of 'Four Emperors Fruit'?" Lucky Roux joked, taking a big bite of his chicken leg.
"Hahaha, don't be ridiculous!" Rockstar laughed along.
"...Whatever the reason," Benn Beckman said after a moment of thoughtful silence, his voice low and serious.
"Whitebeard must have his own motives for taking his blood. It's not a trivial matter."
Listening to their discussion, Shanks just shook his head and smiled faintly.
"Whatever they plan to do," he said, his gaze on the distant horizon, "as long as it maintains the balance of this chaotic sea, it's a price worth paying." He then waved his hand, signaling for everyone to follow.
"Let's go. Let's check on Uta."
With their captain's words, the crew nodded and the Red Force slowly sailed away from the devastated island, leaving behind a sea of chaos and the Marines struggling to restore order.
As Shanks departed, however, several of the Supernova crews showed no intention of leaving.
On the contrary, they seemed deeply curious about what had just transpired, particularly fascinated by the monstrous performance of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Eustass Kid was the most conspicuous, his blazing, aggressive gaze fixed on the victors.
Just then, Scratchmen Apoo was the first to act, stepping forward with a cocky grin to greet them.
However, as he approached, he realized the atmosphere wasn't as relaxed as he had imagined.
Jozu who had noticed him drawing near, instantly turned vigilant.
His once-jovial eyes sharpened, and he looked like a beast ready to strike at any moment.
"Scratchmen Apoo," Jozu's voice was a low, dangerous growl.
"What are you doing here? Are you looking for a fight?"
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