Victor, Straw Hat Luffy, and his crew had completely escaped from Impel Down and were heading straight for Marineford.
Marineford itself was already in the middle of an unprecedented large-scale gathering.
Inside a lounge exclusively for the Seven Warlords of the Sea—
"My dear fellow Warlords, we've now reached the final stage of assembly. Please proceed to the port together!"
At the door, a group of marines came to deliver the order of Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
"Is the war about to begin? Husband… where are you? I'm so worried about you..."
One of the Seven Warlords, the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, gazed out at the distant sea with her peerless deep blue eyes. She didn't care about this war at all. The only person in her heart was Victor.
"Fufufufufu… it's about to begin! Hurry and get ready! A world where only true pirates can survive is coming! Those who are incompetent should flee quickly! With the waves surging and the winds raging, a new era of heroes is about to begin! Fufufufu!"
Among the Warlords, Donquixote Doflamingo seemed the most excited. His hunger for the so-called new era far exceeded that of the others, because he had his own twisted theory of strength.
Whitebeard's existence was an obstacle to that new era.
—
In a quiet attic of Navy Headquarters, marines finally found the person they had been searching for.
At this critical moment, Admiral Aokiji was… sleeping.
"You're here, Admiral Aokiji. The assembly is about to start. Please take your position quickly!"
"Oh? Is it lunchtime already?"
Aokiji lazily lifted his eye mask. Unlike his fellow admiral Akainu, who believed in absolute justice, Aokiji had his own brand of justice.
"Lunch?! What are you talking about? Admiral, the execution of Portgas D. Ace is about to begin!"
The marine asked in disbelief. If this had been Admiral Akainu, he would never have dared to speak out like this—but Aokiji didn't care much about formalities with his subordinates.
Among the three admirals, Akainu was the strictest, working seriously and holding firm to absolute justice.
"I get it. Don't be so uptight. Relax," Aokiji muttered as he stretched and walked out.
In another passage, Admiral Kizaru was also heading to the assembly point under the escort of soldiers.
"Please hurry, Admiral Kizaru!"
"They're really making us gather in the middle of the day. They sure know how to order people around. If Whitebeard himself shows up, there won't be much we can do anyway," Kizaru said vaguely.
—
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat in his office, his expression dark as he watched Akainu walk away.
Even with the Three Admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—the Seven Warlords of the Sea, fifty naval warships, and one hundred thousand elite marines, Sengoku still felt uneasy.
Their opponent was the man who stood at the very top of the pirate world, the most difficult existence of all—Whitebeard Edward Newgate.
Even with such unprecedented strength gathered, they could not afford to be careless.
And according to intelligence from Impel Down, Victor and Straw Hat Luffy had also escaped, and their target was most likely Marineford.
Where on earth did that man Victor come from, that even Magellan spoke of him with such caution and repeatedly emphasized his danger?
"Victor must be watched carefully. Very carefully…" Sengoku thought grimly.
And then there was his old comrade, the naval hero Monkey D. Garp. Sengoku could only hope Garp wouldn't do anything reckless this time.
—
The Naval Headquarters at Marineford quickly assembled into a powerful formation.
One hundred thousand elite marines were summoned from around the world. Fifty warships surrounded the crescent-shaped harbor and the island of Marineford itself. The shoreline bristled with heavy artillery.
At the forefront of the formation stood the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
The navy's greatest strength—the Three Admirals—took their golden seats before the execution platform:
Akainu Sakazuki.
Aokiji Kuzan.
Kizaru Borsalino.
Their very presence gave the marines confidence of victory.
Even against the Whitebeard Pirates, the strongest crew in the world.
Meanwhile, Fire Fist Ace—considered both the spark of this war and the man who held the fate of the world in his hands—was brought to the execution platform.
Once before, another man had stood on that same platform, awaiting death: the Pirate King.
Everything was ready. Fleet Admiral Sengoku stepped forward and announced a truth that shook the world.
Portgas D. Ace was the son of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
The navy was stunned.
The world was stunned.
Even Garp's eyes betrayed the weight of this revelation.
Ace, who carried the most hated bloodline in the world, could never be allowed to be rescued.
Even if it meant all-out war with Whitebeard.
Today, in Marine Headquarters, no one would save Fire Fist Ace.
The world held its breath, waiting for Whitebeard's arrival.
At that moment, Sengoku received a troubling report—the Gate of Justice had been opened, but no one knew who had given the order.
"It's so quiet… too quiet. This is going to be terrible. Victor… don't come here. I don't want you in this dangerous place…"
Boa Hancock gazed out toward the sea, fear in her heart for Victor's safety. She would rather he never set foot in Marineford.
"This is too unnatural. Come on, Whitebeard! Let the curtain of a new era rise!"
Doflamingo spread his arms wide, as though welcoming the chaos to come.
"They're here!! Everyone, prepare for battle! Whitebeard's fleet has appeared!!"
A cry went up across the island as countless pirate ships emerged on the horizon.
They were all famous pirate groups from the New World.
And then, the sea itself began to stir.
To everyone's shock—
The Moby Dick, Whitebeard's flagship, rose from the depths within the harbor!
—
"The Gate of Justice is open!!"
Victor and the others, who had been stalled once again at the massive gate, now saw the turning point he had been waiting for.
The door of justice had opened!
"Heheh! Let's go! Ace, here I come!!"
Luffy stood at the bow of the ship, his face blazing with excitement.
"We're finally here—Marineford!"
Victor's eyes shone with determination. His heart pounded, not only because Hancock and the Thunder Fruit were close at hand—
But also because he was about to step directly into the legendary Battle of Marineford itself.
And with so many of the world's strongest fighters gathered here, the rewards for his choices would surely be immense.