BOOM!
A crimson longsword tore through the sky.
The overwhelming killing intent made Blackbeard's skin crawl—his scalp practically exploded with dread.
Staring at Whitebeard, just within reach, and the prize of the strongest Paramecia—the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—Blackbeard hesitated for a heartbeat, then his eyes turned vicious. He roared:
"I refuse to believe I can't buy myself a few seconds!"
"Dark Surge: Black Curtain!"
BOOM!
Darkness erupted from within him, surging skyward and forming a thick veil of shadow meant to block the descending Susanoo blade.
At the same time, Blackbeard charged toward Whitebeard, determined to kill him and seize the Tremor-Tremor Fruit before the defense was breached.
In his mind, Luo Yu was strong—but with the power of the strongest Paramecia added to his own, he could at least stand against him.
But just as that thought formed—
CRACK!
The dark curtain in the sky, meant to buy him a few breaths, shattered instantly.
Before Blackbeard could even take another step—
A crimson blade, carrying the weight of a mountain, pierced the heavens and came crashing down.
Everything in its path was shredded like paper.
Feeling the deathly aura descending from above, Blackbeard screamed:
"Pops! Save me!"
BOOM!
The massive Susanoo blade slammed into the earth.
The shockwave it unleashed swept across the battlefield like a hurricane.
Blood sprayed.
Blackbeard was flung like a ragdoll, crashing into the ruins dozens of meters away.
The impact carved a massive crater into the ground, embedding his body deep into the rock.
Before Burgess and the others could react—
Blood burst from Blackbeard's chest.
Deep, jagged wounds bloomed across his body like a lotus of slashes.
His screams echoed through the ruins.
One of his arms was severed, landing with a sickening thud.
Everyone's pupils shrank.
No one had expected this.
Blackbeard—former Warlord, challenger of Whitebeard—had been devastated in a single strike from above.
And lost an arm.
As they stared at the massive blade buried in the earth, they looked skyward.
What kind of power could summon such a weapon?
Then they saw it—
A towering, nearly hundred-meter-tall War God Susanoo, tearing through the sky.
Clad in heavy armor, with three heads and six arms, it looked like a death god incarnate.
Was this even human?
In that moment, they understood why it wasn't Kaido who had come.
It was the new Marine Admiral—Luo Yu.
Because only someone like him could wield such a godlike weapon.
"Haha! Sengoku, you see that?"
Garp landed beside him, laughing.
"I told you—pay him enough and he'll take down Kaido. That bonus was worth every berry!"
Everyone finally snapped out of their daze.
They looked at Luo Yu with awe and reverence.
After all, who else here could claim to have defeated a Yonko?
Even Whitebeard hadn't done that.
But Luo Yu had—and returned alive.
If that didn't command respect, what could?
"Damn you, Admiral! You dare take my arm? Aren't you afraid I'll switch sides and join Whitebeard against you?"
Blackbeard howled from the rubble, driven mad by the loss of his arm—and his prize.
He used his Devil Fruit powers to stop the bleeding, then shouted again:
"Pops! Let's join forces! Help me drive the Navy back! Give me a chance to redeem myself!"
He rushed toward Whitebeard.
On the Moby Dick, Ace and the others panicked.
They knew Blackbeard's nature—his cunning, his treachery.
This sudden plea for alliance was too suspicious.
Before anyone could act, Whitebeard slammed his naginata into the ground, using it to prop himself up.
He laughed loudly:
"Haha! Teach, I spared you once when you called me 'Pops.' That was enough. I won't fall for it again!"
"Don't forget—I'm Whitebeard. This is still the era of Whitebeard!"
"Boys! Let me show you what it means to be Whitebeard!"
BOOM!
A violent quake erupted from within him.
The shockwave blasted Blackbeard away again.
He coughed up blood, face twisted in rage.
"Damn you, Whitebeard! I called you 'Pops' my whole life! Why won't you give me what I deserve?"
"I'm the one best suited to be Pirate King—not just in your crew, but in the whole sea!"
"Without me, how will you escape Marineford alive?"
"Escape?"
Whitebeard laughed, clenching his fist.
Shockwaves rippled like spiderwebs from his hand.
He turned and punched toward the harbor behind him.
"Teach, you still underestimate me."
"I'm Whitebeard. I never planned to leave this place alive."
"If I started the era of Whitebeard—then let me be the one to end it."
"Boys—set sail!"
"Seaquake!"
BOOM!
His fist struck.
A massive, invisible tsunami of force blasted the pirate ships at the harbor.
Even the mighty Moby Dick was launched forward, riding the wave.
The entire battlefield watched in stunned silence.
Whitebeard had just drawn the curtain on his own era.
And no one could stop him.