Chapter 222: The Move
BOOM!
When the attacks of both sides collided, an unprecedented explosion resounded throughout the battlefield, like meteors colliding.
The air suddenly froze, then violently shook in all directions, forming a vast shockwave that rippled outward.
CRACK!
The extreme shockwave seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth—terrifying beyond measure.
The ground between Whitebeard and Garp suddenly cracked open, creating a terrifying abyss that spread in both directions.
The towering headquarters building was devastated by this collision, nearly splitting in two.
Even the battlefield of the Admirals in the distance paused.
But the combined power of Garp and Sengoku was truly terrifying.
Although Whitebeard's shockwave shattered Sengoku's attack, it was fiercely torn apart by Garp's iron fist as he closed in and unleashed a devastating punch.
But in that instant—
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed, and a white halo appeared around his body.
BUZZ!
Caught off guard by this sudden shockwave, Garp was directly sent flying.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Whitebeard gasped for breath, then coughed up a mouthful of blood. He looked again at Sengoku and Garp in the distance, but was too weak to advance.
Sengoku and Garp were both legendary figures of their era, and could naturally see that Whitebeard was on the verge of death, so they stopped in their tracks.
"Whitebeard..."
Rhodes murmured the name, truly awestruck.
"Pops..."
"Whitebeard..."
The vast battlefield was temporarily silenced by this clash, and everyone's eyes were fixed on that figure that resembled a demon god.
Just then, a loud laugh suddenly echoed from near the execution platform:
"Zehahaha! Pops, what a pathetic sight!"
Everyone was startled and turned to look.
They saw a group of figures—clearly villains—who had appeared on the platform at some point.
It was none other than Blackbeard and the crew he had recruited from Impel Down.
"You bastard..."
Seeing the newcomers, Whitebeard subconsciously gripped his bisento, his eyes flashing with fury. The root of all this was because of this man—this bastard who had killed his family.
"Long time no see. I never thought I'd see you before you died, old man."
Blackbeard said slowly, completely ignoring Whitebeard's murderous gaze.
"Teach..."
Whitebeard murmured in a low voice, then clenched his fist and slammed it forward. A spherical ball of white light formed in the air and flew toward Blackbeard and the others.
BOOM!
The already broken execution platform was shattered completely, burying Blackbeard and his crew. However, they quickly rose from the ruins.
"You really don't care about our history together. But then again, you won't show me any mercy either."
Blackbeard walked up to Whitebeard and said with a grin.
"Only you are unworthy to be my son, Teach."
"You violated the only ironclad rule on my ship—killing a comrade."
"The final wish of Fourth Division Commander Thatch will be fulfilled by me, you bastard, so he can rest in peace!"
Whitebeard was covered in blood and on the verge of death, but this powerful man still stood firm.
Meanwhile, a large amount of black smoke appeared around Blackbeard's body, and he rushed toward Whitebeard.
Seeing this, Rhodes knew he had to make a decision.
Actually, he didn't need to act yet.
He realized that Blackbeard's men had already completely surrounded the battlefield. To deal with Blackbeard, he would have to break through Shiryu and the others' defenses.
This was probably why Blackbeard had gone to such lengths to enter Impel Down and recruit crew members—he feared interference from the Navy.
"I'm afraid I only have one chance to act..."
Rhodes felt a bit overwhelmed.
Those crew members recognized by Blackbeard were undoubtedly powerful—almost all at the level of great pirates.
He had initially thought that the Blackbeard Pirates' strength would have significantly declined due to their imprisonment in Impel Down, but to his surprise, the decline wasn't as severe as he'd imagined.
Each of them possessed a profound aura and boundless vitality.
Under their combined assault, Rhodes' life was even in danger!
After all, they were once great pirates who roamed the New World—incredibly powerful.
"What's the point of this hellhole, Impel Down? Is it just to prevent Devil Fruits from re-emerging?"
Rhodes couldn't help but complain. These vicious prisoners should all have their legs broken.
Just then, Rhodes suddenly narrowed his eyes, feeling a cold gaze directed at him.
He turned his head and saw it was Van Augur, the sniper of the Blackbeard Pirates.
Van Augur's eyes were filled with vigilance, seemingly sensing Rhodes' malicious intent.
"..."
Rhodes was speechless. Did snipers have the right to do whatever they wanted?
He had only taken a few steps.
"Should I report to Sengoku? That would be too undignified, and there wouldn't be enough time."
Rhodes' mind raced with thoughts. His thinking was incredibly fast, and he came up with many ideas in the blink of an eye, but ultimately, his strength was insufficient.
"Forget it. I won't kill any members of the Blackbeard Pirates."
"Reputation is the most important thing. I should disrupt Blackbeard's operation."
In the end, Rhodes made his decision.
Killing any member of the Blackbeard Pirates would at most yield a considerable amount of power from the Yomi Yomi no Mi, which was meaningless in the grand scheme.
Disrupting Blackbeard's operation and causing him to fail at the last minute was the most important thing.
And now, it was just a matter of waiting for Whitebeard's death.
After Whitebeard gave Blackbeard a sound beating, he was ultimately too badly injured to kill him.
Blackbeard and his crew, each employing their own methods, began attacking the dying Whitebeard.
BANG BANG BANG BANG...
A fierce barrage of attacks.
Blackbeard and his crew stopped, because no one believed Whitebeard could still be alive.
"That's definitely enough."
But just then, the man who should have died suddenly spoke, startling Blackbeard:
"Still alive?!"
Whitebeard paused, then uttered words that shook the world.
"One day in the future, someone will appear who can bear the weight of centuries of history and challenge this world!"
"Sengoku, your World Government fears that day!"
"It will be a massive war that will engulf the entire world!"
At this point, Whitebeard paused slightly, the images of several figures flashing before his eyes: Luffy, Ace, and Rhodes.
"Although I have no interest... when that treasure is discovered, the world will be turned upside down!"
"That day will come!"
Hearing this, Sengoku already sensed something was wrong.
Sure enough, Whitebeard took a deep breath and roared:
"ONE PIECE IS REAL!"
The only video Den Den Mushi still functioning on the battlefield transmitted this scene precisely to the Sabaody Archipelago, and then throughout the world.
Everyone was shocked—some ambitious souls felt their blood boil, while others foresaw the coming chaos...
Seeing Whitebeard, now completely dead after uttering these final words, Blackbeard laughed heartily.
"Zehahaha! Truly magnificent last words!"
After confirming Whitebeard's death, Blackbeard's subordinates covered him with a black cloth.
Blackbeard, brimming with confidence, laughed loudly and prepared to slip inside to seize Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi powers.
But in that very instant, as Blackbeard and his crew were filled with excitement—
Nine silver lightning bolts, like dragons, swept across the sky, piercing through the void in an instant. The lightning moved with extreme speed, striking Blackbeard and his nine companions almost simultaneously, temporarily paralyzing them.
At the same time...
A sword-wielding figure, gleaming with dazzling silver light, traversed over a hundred meters at supersonic speed, arriving before Blackbeard and bringing his sword down in a single strike.
Although he wasn't sure he could kill him, how would he know if he didn't try?
(End of Chapter)
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