The high platform above the execution stand was where the Five Elders sat.
They looked over the battlefield, now in its final stage and completely one-sided, and smiled with satisfaction.
"With the Whitebeard Pirates destroyed, there is one less great enemy on the sea."
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn breathed a sigh of relief, and all the displeasure he had felt these past months was swept away.
The fifty-thousand-strong Whitebeard Pirates were annihilated, along with Whitebeard, known as the strongest man in the world.
For the World Government, this was a resounding victory.
This was the most glorious triumph since Roger opened the Great Pirate Era.
"Yes, for the past two months, we have been suppressed by that damned Caelan, with bad news coming one after another," Saint Nusjuro sighed. "Now that Whitebeard has been eliminated, we can finally hold our heads high."
"The Whitebeard Pirates are gone, Kaido's Beasts Pirates have also been wiped out, and the pirates' strength has been greatly weakened," Saint Mars said with a smile. "Speaking of which, we should thank Caelan for helping us remove Kaido, allowing us to focus our strength on dealing with him."
"With two of the Yonko gone at once, we can now free up our hands and the pressure will not be as great," Saint Shepherd Ju Peter agreed. "This Caelan is too arrogant. He is an enemy of both us and the pirates. He was so arrogant before, now he should suffer."
"Hahahaha, you are right!" Saint Topman Warcury laughed heartily. "Our strength is beyond his imagination. Even with the God-Slaying Spear, we will still be the winners."
"The World Government has accumulated power for eight hundred years. How could he win in a single generation?"
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn had not felt this happy in months.
The pressure and fear brought by Caelan were swept away the moment the Whitebeard Pirates were destroyed.
The Five Elders spoke loudly, completely forgetting how they had been frightened by Caelan and forced to move out overnight.
"Akainu has done a great job. Have him take over as Fleet Admiral as soon as Sengoku steps down."
Saint Nusjuro looked at the blood-soaked Akainu with admiration.
Such a brave and fearless hound was the perfect choice for Fleet Admiral.
"I second that. He is the only acceptable one in the Marines," Saint Jaygarcia Saturn also praised Akainu. "His performance today made the whole world feel our majesty."
They needed a Fleet Admiral who dared to charge forward when facing the enemy.
Look at how the Marines were run under Sengoku. Too much softness.
"It is a pity," Saint Topman Warcury said with regret, "that although the five of us came together, Caelan did not appear. If he had come today, he would not have left alive."
"I think he is afraid. Not everyone gets the privilege of the five of us mobilizing together," Saint Mars guessed.
"He is wise enough. Otherwise, today would have been the day he bled."
Saturn snorted.
Whitebeard was dead, and although many Marines had fallen, their top combat power was intact.
With the three Admirals, Sengoku, and the five of them, they truly could not see how they could lose.
However, after Sengoku answered a Den Den Mushi below, his expression suddenly changed.
"God Slayer Caelan just rode a blue dragon into Impel Down, killed all the prisoners, and the prison warden Magellan led a large number of guards to surrender. God Slayer is now riding the blue dragon toward Marine Headquarters!"
Sengoku's heart skipped a beat.
He never imagined that at this moment, Caelan would cause another major incident.
What was he trying to do by killing all the criminals in Impel Down?
Sengoku could not grasp Caelan's motives. Even if he hated evil, there was no need to expend energy killing prisoners with no power to resist.
What was Caelan's purpose?
What puzzled him even more was why Magellan, always dutiful and upright, would surrender to Caelan so quickly.
But there was no time to think.
Now that Caelan was arriving on the Azure Dragon, Marine Headquarters' unprecedented lineup would finally face a true opponent.
The three Admirals and the Five Elders had not gathered for an extremely old Whitebeard.
Sengoku suddenly stood and headed toward the Five Elders.
He approached them and said in a deep voice, "Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, Caelan has killed all the prisoners in Impel Down and will soon reach Marine Headquarters."
"He dares to come!?"
Saturn slammed the table, furious.
He did not care about the prisoners in Impel Down. Their main enemy now was Caelan, and those prisoners were insignificant.
"Does he not know we are all here?"
Saint Nusjuro was astonished.
This time, they had cast a wide net with great fanfare.
It was understandable for Whitebeard to rush in to save Ace, but what reason did Caelan have to join the fray?
"Whatever his reason, bury him here."
Saint Topman Warcury sneered.
"Fortunate day. Whitebeard just died, and now Caelan comes to die as well!"
Saint Mars was full of confidence.
In his eyes, if Caelan dared to break into Marine Headquarters now, he would not leave alive.
"Sengoku, proceed with the execution immediately. Execute the Pirate King's evil bloodline first, then deal with Caelan the traitor."
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn suddenly looked to Sengoku and said in a deep voice, "Anyone hostile to the World Government, pirate or otherwise, will meet only one end, death."
"Yes, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn."
Sengoku moved to the execution ground.
He stood on the platform and issued the order before the world's live broadcast. "The time for judgment has come. Execute."
"The sinful bloodline of the Pirate King ends here. The so-called great treasure is an empty fantasy. Any pirate who dares commit crimes will meet only death."
Marine officers watched with excitement, chests swelling with pride. Even if the Yonko came, this sinful bloodline would still be ended.
Garp's heart bled at the sight.
Ace was also a grandson he acknowledged, and he had spent more time with him than with Luffy.
Garp stared at Ace with bloodshot eyes, struggling to suppress the urge to rush forward.
"Vice Admiral Garp, calm down. Luffy is still with you."
Aokiji took Sengoku's role and held Garp tightly.
He also used the Ice-Ice Fruit's power to cool Garp down.
Garp clenched his fists, dark Armament Haki coating them, but in the end he did not charge forward.
The pirates were terrified, and even the most arrogant Supernovas were silent.
Whitebeard had been killed by an Admiral, and the Pirate King's bloodline was to be cut off by the Marines. Roger and Whitebeard were the symbols of the entire pirate world, and their tragic ends dealt a brutal blow to all pirates.
Zephyr and Gion, far away in Dressrosa, could not help but sigh. At this moment, the Marines' reputation reached its peak. Although their paper strength had not changed, if nothing else happened today, this Marine force would be several times harder to deal with than before.
However, with Caelan on the move, it remained uncertain whether this World Government event would end in joy or sorrow.
Under the gaze of people around the world, the executioner raised his blade and chopped toward Ace's neck.
Bang.
A bullet whistled from afar, blowing the executioner's head apart and sending the blade tumbling.
Sengoku looked toward the bullet's origin and saw a massive red ship cutting through the waves.
"Red Force. The Red Hair Pirates are here!"
Sengoku's face darkened.
Unexpectedly, Caelan had not arrived yet, but Red-Hair had.
"Sengoku, give me face and let Ace go."
Shanks stood at the bow, an overwhelming Conqueror's Haki surging in all directions.
Boom.
In an instant, black and purple lightning filled the sky.
Most of the seventy thousand elite soldiers remaining in all of Marineford collapsed beneath that absolute Haki.
Even the headquarters' Lieutenant Commanders and branch Captains were like ordinary people before the world's most domineering will.
"Is there hope for Ace?"
A glimmer of hope flashed in Garp's eyes.
Although he knew that Shanks could not match Marineford's current lineup, he could not help but hope.
"Another Yonko!"
Pirates worldwide grew excited at Shanks' appearance.
They had suffered too many injustices today and hoped to see another representative of pirates strike back.
"I will not give face to pirates." Sengoku's face was solemn. He spoke decisively. "Execute."
"Hell Hound!"
Akainu did not even wait for Sengoku to finish.
His right arm immediately launched a torrent of searing magma toward Ace.
Boom.
A hole burst through Ace's chest, wide enough to see straight through.
Under the eyes of the world.
Even with two Yonko arriving one after another to save him.
The last bloodline of the Pirate King was cut off by the Marines.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ 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.)