"Whitebeard is dead, why don't you surrender!"
Akainu stood beside Whitebeard's body and shouted with all his might.
Although he was covered in wounds and pain throbbed everywhere, he felt relaxed both physically and mentally.
He had personally killed Whitebeard, one of the Yonko and the man known as the strongest in the world.
Of course, Akainu knew that the so-called strongest man in the world was not as strong as Caelan, whom he had fought at Sabaody Archipelago.
However, Caelan had never fought Whitebeard, and in the eyes of the world, the title of the strongest still belonged to Whitebeard.
He had slain Whitebeard, and the glory was his.
This was the greatest honor the Marines had earned since the dawn of the Great Pirate Era.
"Admiral Akainu killed Whitebeard, he is a hero of the Marines!"
Onigumo took the lead in shouting.
He was also proud that it was the hawk faction's standard-bearer who felled Whitebeard.
As a die-hard hawk, he knew this was the best time to expand Akainu's prestige.
With the momentum of this moment, he could help Akainu vie for the position of Fleet Admiral.
The entire Marine force erupted.
That was Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world. His attacks had been like natural disasters. The aftershocks alone were enough to stun everyone.
And such a terrifying pirate had died at the hands of Admiral Akainu. How powerful was Admiral Akainu?
So what if they were Yonko? If they dared to come to Marine Headquarters and rampage, they would be killed.
The sailors looked at the blood-soaked figure with eyes full of admiration.
They had three Admirals this strong.
Tomorrow would be better. All pirates would be captured and eliminated.
…
"Pops is dead."
Marco and the surviving division captains cried out in grief.
Their beloved father had died at Akainu's hands.
Although they had expected this, when it truly happened, the sorrow was unbearable.
The Whitebeard who protected them had finally fallen.
"Akainu!"
Marco, Jozu, Vista, and all the survivors of the Whitebeard Pirates glared at Akainu with hatred, wanting to tear him apart.
They would never forgive the one who killed their father.
"Fight them!"
The members of Whitebeard's crew bared their fangs.
Unfortunately, they could no longer fight.
Marco was pinned to the ground by Kizaru, his strength exhausted in the previous battle.
The other captains were besieged by several enemies of equal rank and had no power to strike back.
Jozu and Vista tried to break away from the fight with Hawkeye, but Aokiji stopped them.
Even if they wanted to die together, they did not have the ability.
The remaining pirates fell one after another under the Marines' encirclement and suppression.
The Whitebeard Pirates were officially wiped out.
…
At that moment, pirates around the world watching the live broadcast fell silent, filled with fear and grief.
The Whitebeard Pirates had been a mighty crew sailing since Roger's era.
They had witnessed the rise of the Great Pirate Era and were acknowledged by all pirates as kings. Countless challengers had tried to topple Whitebeard, and none succeeded.
Such a legendary pirate, undefeated in life, the so-called strongest man in the world, had died at the hands of a Marine Admiral.
Along with the formidable fifty-thousand-strong fleet that ruled the New World, they vanished today.
"Another Yonko has fallen. Is the Great Pirate Era ending?"
Countless pirates were lost in confusion.
First, the God Slayer Caelan defeated the Beasts Pirates in a single day. Then Marine Headquarters surrounded and annihilated the Whitebeard Pirates.
Within a month, two of the Yonko fell from their pedestals.
The once lofty Emperors of the Sea suddenly seemed fragile.
But pirates knew well that it was not that the Yonko had grown weak.
Even the elderly Whitebeard had displayed calamity-level power in the live broadcast.
That was the exclusive domain of the Yonko. None could stop them except other Yonko and the Admirals.
The two titans fell so quickly because their opponents were too strong.
On one side stood the World Government, which had ruled for eight hundred years. On the other stood the God Slayer rising like lightning.
Both were forces far beyond a single Yonko.
They were even more powerful and domineering than the Yonko who ruled their own territories, true contenders for global sovereignty.
Perhaps the Great Pirate Era had ended, and what followed was an era of struggle between these two sides.
---
"This is the strength of the World Government. It is truly terrifying." Monkey D. Dragon stared at the screen, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "The Revolutionary Army must develop further. We cannot confront the World Government."
Akainu alone was enough to kill Whitebeard. Aokiji and Kizaru were also handling division captains, and Sengoku had yet to move.
The Marines were so powerful that his Revolutionary Army could not match them.
The World Government also had CP and other forces, together forming an invincible might.
"Chief, wipe your sweat."
Sabo handed him a tissue.
He was no longer surprised to see Dragon sweating.
Their leader was powerful, but the pressure was immense.
"Oh, thank you."
Dragon accepted it naturally and wiped his forehead.
"Chief, that pirate wearing a straw hat and the one about to be executed look a bit familiar."
Sabo spoke with confusion.
Looking at those two stirred a dull ache in his heart.
It was the first time he had felt that since losing his memory.
"They are your former friends." Dragon looked at Luffy, captured by Garp, and said worriedly, "The one in the straw hat is my son."
He had only met Ace a few times and felt little connection.
But his son Luffy had rushed there, and it looked very dangerous.
Even though he had never raised him, he was still his son, and worry gnawed at him.
"My former friend, your son?" Sabo asked in surprise. "Should we go save them?"
"No. The Revolutionary Army is not yet strong enough." Dragon refused. "We must be patient and not act rashly."
"Yes, Chief."
Sabo answered, a little downcast.
He suddenly thought of something and asked, "By the way, Chief, we can be patient, but what if our allies act?"
He thought of Caelan's Neo Navy.
No, this was not the time to dwell on that.
That God Slayer's Neo Navy had always been showing its edge, far more impulsive than the Revolutionary Army. They seemed ready to clash head-on with the World Government.
Someone with Caelan's drive could jump into the fray at any time.
"Caelan will not act," Dragon said confidently. "He is a smart man like me. He will not act on impulse."
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi Dragon carried rang.
"I am Ivankov. Caelan attacked Impel Down and freed me. He is heading to Marine Headquarters."
"What?"
Dragon drew a sharp breath, shocked and bewildered.
Why could he not be as patient as they were and wait to grow stronger before fighting the World Government?
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)