Whitebeard's strike, heavy with fury, shook the entire sea.
A tremor wave carrying the momentum to annihilate Marine Headquarters pressed down from the sky.
At that very moment, three figures who had already reached the front lines moved without hesitation.
Akainu.
Kizaru.
Aokiji.
The Admirals struck simultaneously.
"Great Eruption!"
Akainu's right arm transformed into a ferocious magma dragon, roaring as it surged upward toward the fractured sky.
"Yata Mirror!"
From Kizaru's fingertips shot a golden beam of light. It refracted through the air, instantly appearing at the tremor wave's weakest point before detonating into countless particles of light.
"Ice Block: Pheasant Beak!"
Aokiji's breath condensed into a massive ice bird. Spreading its frozen wings, it slammed directly into the heart of the destruction.
Three Admirals.
Three completely different powers.
Yet in this instant, they fused with unprecedented coordination.
Boom!!!
A deafening explosion tore through the heavens.
Magma, light, and ice collided violently with Whitebeard's tremor power above Marineford.
The sky was ripped apart, forming a distorted vortex of energy. One half burned crimson, the other froze blue, with shards of golden light swirling between them.
The storm slowly dissipated.
The Navy's highest combat power had jointly blocked the enraged strike of the world's strongest man.
Marine Headquarters stood unharmed.
"..."
On the deck of the Moby Dick, every member of the Whitebeard Pirates fell silent.
The fury on their faces solidified into pure shock.
Their father's strike, powerful enough to split islands, had been stopped.
And the Navy had paid no price at all.
The gap between expectation and reality left their minds blank.
Akainu slowly lowered his arm as magma dripped to the ground. He lifted his head toward the towering figure at the bow of the ship, a cruel curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
A cold, contemptuous laugh echoed clearly across the battlefield.
"Is that all you've got, Whitebeard?"
"Remnants of the old era should stay buried in the old era."
Those words were like a spark tossed into a powder keg.
The Whitebeard Pirates exploded.
"Bastards!!!"
"Kill them!"
"Everyone, attack!"
"Avenger Ace!"
"Let the Navy be buried with him!!!"
The commanders and crew of the Whitebeard Pirates completely lost control.
Like a broken dam, they roared as they leapt from their ships and charged toward the Navy formations.
"..."
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes.
Something felt wrong. Very wrong.
The Navy seemed far too prepared today, as if they had been waiting for him to charge straight in.
But his son was dead.
No matter what the Navy had prepared, they would pay in blood.
"Gurararara!"
He gathered power once more into his bisento, preparing to strike again.
A massive magma fist crashed down in front of him, blocking his path.
"Whitebeard, you're not taking another step forward!"
On the other side, a sharp cry rang out.
Marco transformed into the phoenix, his wings beating as blue flames trailed behind him. He dove toward the Navy ranks.
"Phoenix Brand!"
But a golden figure was faster.
"Scary, aren't you, Mr. Phoenix?"
Kizaru's voice sounded beside Marco's ear.
He had already appeared at Marco's side. A laser fired from his fingertip, piercing Marco's wing and scattering blue flames.
Marco's heart lurched.
"Armament Haki?!"
Kizaru's attack carried powerful Armament Haki.
His regeneration was being suppressed.
"Phoenix, you ever…"
Before Kizaru could finish, his body vanished again.
A foot glowing with golden light slammed directly into Marco's face.
Kizaru's voice carried a teasing tone.
"…been kicked at the speed of light?"
Bang!!!
Marco had no time to react before his vision was swallowed by blinding gold.
His body was sent flying.
"Hm…"
Aokiji ignored the charging pirates and walked straight toward the bay.
"According to Hawk's plan…"
"Since you came, none of you are leaving."
He pressed both hands against the sea.
Endless cold erupted outward, spreading across the entire bay.
"Ice Age!"
In mere seconds, the surrounding waters froze solid.
"Now you've got nowhere to run."
"Damn it!"
Diamond Jozu roared as he charged forward, his entire body turning into gleaming diamond, like an unstoppable war chariot.
Aokiji flickered and appeared in front of him, gently placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Ice Time."
Crack crack crack!
Extreme cold surged along Jozu's diamond arm and spread across his entire body.
The shock on Jozu's face was frozen forever inside the ice.
Aokiji lifted his leg, preparing to shatter the ice sculpture.
"Aokiji, you bastard!!!"
Whitebeard sensed Jozu's danger and swung his bisento.
The tremor force struck from afar, forcing Aokiji back for a brief moment.
"Whitebeard!!!"
"Your opponent is me!"
Akainu's magma fist smashed forward again, colliding head-on with Whitebeard's bisento.
Whitebeard spat out a mouthful of blood. Old wounds and rage gnawed relentlessly at his aging body.
"..."
Renn Hawk's gaze slowly swept across the battlefield.
Whitebeard was pinned down by Admiral Akainu.
Marco was suppressed by Admiral Kizaru.
Jozu had been neutralized by Admiral Aokiji.
The remaining commanders were powerful, but not enough to overturn the battle.
"It's time."
Hawk's voice was calm, yet it carried clearly to every Navy soldier.
"Zoro. Sanji. Hibari."
Three figures instantly broke formation.
Zoro and Sanji turned into streaks of light, charging straight toward their targets.
Zoro locked onto Vista, the elegant swordsman wielding twin blades.
Sanji set his sights on Izo, the commander in kimono whose marksmanship was deadly precise.
Hibari flashed several times and reached the highest point of the execution platform, setting up her customized sniper rifle.
From above, she would use lightning to support the Navy officers, sniping pirate officers who posed the greatest threat to ordinary soldiers and minimizing casualties.
"..."
Hawk's gaze returned to the surging tides about to collide below.
Pirates possessed overwhelming individual strength. They were veterans forged through blood and fire in the New World.
But war had never been a game for one man alone.
Hawk swung his arm down sharply, his voice echoing across all of Marineford.
"All forces… advance!"