At this moment, Garp was seated on the Fleet Admiral's throne — the very seat Akainu had occupied earlier. As a legendary figure of the Marines, hailed as their greatest hero, Garp's mere presence here was enough to intimidate countless pirates. And if anyone deserved to sit there, it was him.
"Garp!"
Sengoku immediately realized what Garp's actions meant.
As expected, there was no way Garp would ever abandon his duty or his sense of justice. If it weren't for the Celestial Dragons, he would've long since become an Admiral—firm in his beliefs and unwavering in the justice he upheld.
Marco, who had just been slammed to the ground by a single punch, felt a splitting pain in his skull. That one blow from Garp nearly shattered his head. Against a punch like that, even the so-called Phoenix meant nothing.
"Damn it! We're running out of time!"
Marco was growing desperate, and so were the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"That bastard Garp!"
Whitebeard forced himself up from the ground. The area was surrounded by marines, but none of them dared approach him directly. They stood around him, trembling, each one hoping someone else would be the first to step forward.
Whitebeard's might was something no marine on this battlefield could ignore.
However, seeing him so gravely wounded, his body drenched in blood, the marines found their courage. They surged toward him all at once — led by Rear Admirals, shoulder to shoulder, packed together in a human wave.
Enough ants can drag down an elephant. This was the Marine's strategy—overwhelm him with sheer numbers.
After all, he was just a sick, injured old man who had already taken several stab wounds.
Victory seemed close.
"You brats think this is all I've got left?"
"I am Whitebeard!!"
His voice boomed with strength. He clenched his right fist, and the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit enveloped it. Then, he smashed it into the air to his right.
Crack!
A clear, shattering sound echoed. Like broken glass, spiderweb cracks spread across the sky itself.
"Run! That monster's using his power again!"
"He's splitting the atmosphere again!"
"Don't lose hope! He's almost dead!"
"Evil pirates will always fall to justice!"
As his fist shattered the air, the ground below shook violently. Massive fissures split open the battlefield, sending scores of marines flying—or swallowing them whole.
"Sengoku, did you think I'd just stand by and let this happen?"
Whitebeard advanced once more. But after just one attack, another wave of marines rushed in, hoping to stop him—maybe even slay him outright.
To the Marine, Whitebeard now looked like a dying beast. Yet even so, they were on edge.
Ailing body, a stab from Squard, several other blade wounds, and old injuries flaring from the strain…
Could he even make it out of Marineford alive?
That was what excited the Marine. If any of them landed the killing blow on Whitebeard, it would immortalize them in history—perhaps even earn them the title of Hero of the Marines like Garp.
"Whitebeard! Give it up! You can't stop this!"
Sengoku's voice rang out from the execution platform. Not just to taunt Whitebeard — but to boost Marine morale as well.
Ever since the days of Rocks, Whitebeard had ruled the seas. After Rocks fell, it was Whitebeard and a few others who dominated the era. His reign had lasted far too long. As the man closest to the Pirate King's throne, both the Marines and the World Government agreed — Whitebeard was the greatest threat to their rule.
Today was the perfect opportunity to erase him.
Victory was within reach!
"Pops!!"
From hundreds of meters away, Ace looked on with teary eyes. Watching Whitebeard sweep through the Marine with his naginata… it was overwhelming. He blamed himself. If he hadn't been so stubborn, Whitebeard and the others wouldn't have needed to come here!
"You senile old man… You really think you can stop an execution?"
A flash of yellow light streaked forward at impossible speed, piercing through Whitebeard's abdomen.
It was Kizaru.
Against Whitebeard, Kizaru's light beams worked flawlessly — unlike with Elior, where no matter how many he fired, they were all canceled out.
Whitebeard felt a stab of intense pain in his gut, yet didn't even bother looking down at the wound.
"You damn punk!"
Whitebeard swung his naginata toward Kizaru—now infused with Tremor-Tremor power.
Zzzt!
Another light beam shot through his stomach. Whitebeard paused mid-swing, blood nearly spilling from his mouth. Though Marco and the others screamed in alarm, Whitebeard's strike was too slow to hit the speed-based Admiral.
Step step…
"Kizaru, go to hell!!"
A roar of fury exploded as Jozu crashed into Kizaru, his body glowing like a diamond. The force of the blow shattered Kizaru's glasses and launched him a hundred meters away.
"Pops!!"
Jozu's heart sank as he saw the two gaping wounds in Whitebeard's stomach.
"This… This is nothing. Go—save Ace!"
Whitebeard glanced up at the platform. The executioners were in position—that meant the time had come.
Splurt!
He tried to step forward… but coughed up blood and dropped to one knee, his face pale.
"Pops!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates screamed in despair, but nearly all of their top fighters were being held back by the Marine.
"Some things aren't up to you to stop."
Victory was near. Vice Admiral Onigumo sneered at Vista, whom he had pinned down.
"Damn it!"
Vista was just as desperate. Ace was about to be executed, yet none of them could even get near the platform. Both Sengoku and Garp—two of the Marine's strongest—were guarding it.
"Damn marines!"
Seeing the executioners standing firm, Marco's rage boiled over. His phoenix flames surged around him as he prepared to charge again. But a shadow appeared. His instincts screamed danger. He barely dodged in time, but his right leg was hit by some strange force—and went limp, hanging like a rag.
"What the hell…?"
Marco's eyes widened as he realized his leg wouldn't move.
"If you want to pass through here… you'll have to kill me first."
It was Tsuru. Against Marco and the others, she could now use her powers freely.
Marco flapped his flaming wings to pull back and put distance between them.
"Damn it… Another Marine legend."
Marco was cursing under his breath. Around him, all the commanders were being locked down by the Marine. These Marines fought like iron walls—ready to die if it meant keeping the Whitebeard Pirates from advancing.
...
"Don't think you can save Fire Fist here, brat! That boy carries the sinful bloodline of Roger!"
Akainu growled as his magma-coated fist clashed with Elior's electricity-wreathed one. A dome of clashing energies formed around them, lightning crackling violently.
"Roger's son has nothing to do with me."
"You think I came to Marineford to save someone who means nothing to me?"
"Akainu, you're overthinking it."
Elior smiled.
"What…?"
Akainu was stunned. If Elior hadn't come to save Ace… then what the hell was he here for?
BOOM!
Elior suddenly ramped up his electrical output, the repulsive force launching Akainu backward.
He dashed in, slamming a foot down toward Akainu's chest. The Admiral barely rolled away in time—unlike the unfortunate CP0 commander earlier.
Akainu spun away and landed on one knee before forcing himself upright again.
Now, he was even more confused. Elior was clearly manipulating lightning.
But wasn't his power supposed to be some unknown kind of ice? Cold, mysterious energy?
Now lightning too?
Electricity… and ice?
Akainu frowned. Was he like Big Mom, who could manipulate fire and lightning with her Soul-Soul Fruit? Or like Dragon, who controlled both wind and thunder?
Just what was Elior's power?
What kind of Devil Fruit had given birth to this monster?
Suspicion and dread crept into Akainu's heart.
He lunged again, unleashing a massive magma blast. Elior met it with a punch—lightning burst like reality itself had been torn apart.
BOOM!
In the next instant, Akainu's lava fist shattered, and even his arm exploded from the impact.
A moment later, Elior teleported forward, appearing directly in front of him. Before Akainu could react, Elior's right hand was already pressed atop the brim of his cap—armament haki surging.
Against a Logia user, Elior never forgot to use Haki.
Then—
BOOM!
The ground beneath Akainu exploded. A massive crater formed from the sheer force of the blow. Akainu lay crumpled inside, groaning in pain—completely overpowered.
Above him, Elior hovered midair using Moonwalk, glaring down coldly.
"I can't let you have the chance to become the next Fleet Admiral."
Elior said something that left Akainu visibly shaken.
"Those who challenge justice… must die!"
Akainu leapt up from the crater, both fists turning into molten magma as he launched a furious assault toward Elior.
BOOM!
A shockwave of terror erupted in all directions. In an instant, smoke and debris filled the air, obscuring everyone's vision.
KRAK-BOOM!
A peal of thunder echoed through the battlefield as bolts of lightning rained down from the darkened sky, striking through the swirling smoke.
Within the haze, a faint red silhouette could be seen — Akainu, seemingly torn apart by the violent lightning!
"Admiral Akainu! Did that monster overpower him?!"
"No way! Admiral Akainu is the strongest of the three! How could he be losing to Elior?!"
"But that monster is terrifying!"
"I hope Admiral Akainu can turn the tables soon!"
As the battle between Akainu and Elior raged on, it became increasingly clear that Akainu was being pushed back.
The regular marines were horrified. Every time the three Admirals appeared together, Akainu was always in the center — a symbolic position representing either supreme authority or sheer power. Within the Marine's structure, most believed that Akainu was the strongest Admiral of the current era.
But now… the strongest Admiral was being overwhelmed?
How could this be?
In truth, the average Marine had no idea that Kaeya possessed power rivaling an Admiral. If they had known, they wouldn't have been so shocked. These troops were gathered from Marine branches all over the world; many of them had little understanding of what was really happening within Marine Headquarters, let alone the inner workings of the World Government.
"Is that monster controlling thunder and lightning too?"
Sengoku's eyes twitched, a hint of dread flashing across his face. Thunder and lightning now rained down as Akainu clashed with Elior. Was it Akainu's doing? Unlikely. If not Elior, then who else could it be?
"Could he be a multi-fruit user? No… that's impossible. Maybe it's a rare Paramecia… or perhaps he's pushed a single ability to an absurd level. Just like Big Mom, who uses the Soul-Soul Fruit to manipulate natural forces—weather, fire, lightning, even tidal waves and rainstorms…"
Sengoku's mind raced to compare Elior with Big Mom, a known anomaly capable of turning one Devil Fruit into an arsenal of power.
But now wasn't the time for speculation.
Sengoku raised his right hand.
"Prepare for the execution!"
"Our Marine Headquarters will prevail! Justice will triumph!"
His voice echoed across Marineford through the loudspeakers of the Den Den Mushi, carrying even to the citizens watching from the Sabaody Archipelago.
Everyone held their breath.
On the execution platform, the two executioners — positioned on either side of Ace — raised their blades high in unison.
The moment of execution had arrived. They were just waiting for Sengoku's final command.
Time was up.