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Squard was trembling all over in Whitebeard's arms."Stop joking around!" he shouted."You're planning to throw away our lives—"
Whitebeard cut him off, his deep voice rumbling like thunder."Who was it that twisted your loyal, honest heart into darkness?"
"It was… the Navy traitor!"
Squard's mind replayed Akainu's words again and again:
"I oppose this strategy. To those who don't know the truth, they call him a legendary pirate!"
"But the Whitebeard you worship isn't what you think. In the end, he only cares about saving himself—he's already struck a secret deal with the Navy!"
"A wretch who sells out his comrades!"
"All those so-called legends? Lies!"
"The one who deserves judgment in this war is Whitebeard!"
"We can't let him slip away alive!"
"Help me, and your men will be spared!"
"Assassinate Whitebeard!!!"
Whitebeard's gaze bore into Squard."So that's what he told you—that only by stabbing me in the back could you save your men?"
"I can feel the hatred you carry for Roger," he went on, his voice softer now."But Squard… the idea that a son must repay his father's debts—how ridiculous is that?"
"What did Ace ever do to you?""You fought alongside him. No matter the hardship, didn't you and your comrades overcome them together?""Who his father is doesn't matter at all!"
"This sea is vast. We met out here, you and Ace and everyone else—not just the two of you. All of you are my sons."
"Squard, don't let jealousy eat at you. Ace isn't the only one who's special.""You're all my family."
Squard's sword slipped from his trembling hands, clattering to the ground. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
Whitebeard straightened to his full height."Still not too old for a fight, eh, Sengoku?" he boomed."You played me well—spreading the lie that I'd sell out my sons' lives!"
A monstrous aura exploded from him. His eyes turned sharp, and he slammed his massive fists into the very air.
Cracks like spiderwebs split open in the sky itself as the terrible power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit erupted.
The towering ice walls shattered instantly, and the ground beneath Marineford shook like the end of the world.
"So he's forcing open a path for his pirates to escape," Sengoku muttered grimly. "What a troublesome man…"
Whitebeard roared, his voice carrying across the battlefield:"As pirates, it's up to you to decide what you believe!"
At last, Squard understood he had been deceived. He fell to his knees, weeping, his whole body shaking."Forgive me, Pops! I'll never doubt you again! I'll follow you for life!"
Whitebeard only thought to himself:"Call me weak, call me a monster—it doesn't matter. I'm just a man with one heart. No one stays the strongest forever. If I can carry one young life into the future, then my duty is done."
Then, raising his voice once more:"Anyone who dares to follow me—throw away your life and come!"
His words ignited the pirates' spirits like fire. Their war cries shook the air.
Whitebeard leapt down from his ship, charging toward Marineford itself.
"Brace for battle!" Sengoku roared."The world's strongest man is about to show his power!"
The Navy responded in unison: "Attack!!"
Whitebeard landed with a crash that shook the earth, his very presence making the battlefield tremble.
Cannon fire rained toward him. He simply threw a punch. The air itself shattered, twisting the cannonballs in midair and hurling them back toward the Navy batteries.
The explosions lit up the battlefield. Fear spread across the Marines' faces.
"Activate the encirclement walls!" Stone fortifications surged upward around Marineford.
Then a giant Marine charged, swinging a massive blade down at Whitebeard. The force of it split the air itself.
Whitebeard met the strike with his own bisento, the collision rattling the heavens. The countershock blew the giant's weapon from his hands, sending him stumbling back, blood spraying.
"You're in my way, brat," Whitebeard growled.
He released his weapon, clapping both hands in the air. The very ground tilted, Marineford itself slanting as if the world were breaking apart.
The giant vice admiral in front of him coughed blood and was blasted backward, his weapon shattering.
The battlefield became chaos—Marines sliding helplessly across the tilted ground. Even the sea behind Marineford sloped unnaturally, waves bending under Whitebeard's power.
Luffy's eyes widened in shock."He tilted the ocean itself… what kind of power is this?!"
The great Marine fortress began to collapse, buildings crumbling layer by layer into rubble. The earth split open with yawning cracks, swallowing soldiers whole.
"Is this the end of the world?!" a giant vice admiral spat blood, staggering to his feet."Even so—by the name of Absolute Justice, I won't let you pass!!"
He raised his colossal fist and swung it down.
Whitebeard jumped high, his fist smashing into the giant's gut. The air split open, white cracks spreading outward as his power tore through the man and blasted forward in a wave of destruction.
The shockwave ripped across the battlefield, tearing buildings apart until it slammed into the execution platform itself.
BOOM! The energy burst outward, rocking the plaza.
As the dust cleared, the execution platform still stood.
"The Admirals…!" the pirates cried out in disbelief.
The three Admirals had joined forces, blocking Whitebeard's earth-shaking strike.
Across the Multiverse
One Piece world:"That old man's insane… all three Admirals had to step in at once!" Usopp shook in terror.
Sanji exhaled slowly. "That's why he's called the strongest man alive. The legend's real."
Luffy's eyes sparkled like stars. "I'll beat him someday—and then I'll be Pirate King!"
Naruto world:Naruto's whole body trembled. "He changed the land and sea with just a punch… what kind of jutsu is that?!"
The Third Hokage clenched his fists tightly. Even he knew he could never do such a thing. Fear gnawed at his heart."Could even the First Hokage stand against a monster like that…?"
Sasuke scowled at the screen. "So many strong people in the world… If power is what it takes, I'll sell my soul if I must."
Dragon Ball world:"Krillin, I'm shaking with excitement!" Goku laughed, his Saiyan blood boiling. "That old man's so strong—I wanna fight him so bad!"
Krillin swallowed hard, thinking to himself: Yeah, but I don't want to face a monster like that…
Bleach, One Punch Man, Hunter x Hunter, Fairy Tail worlds:Across countless worlds, warriors stared at the screen in awe, their hearts trembling.
Throughout the multiverse, one truth echoed loud and clear:Whitebeard—the strongest man in the world, the legendary pirate.
Now, every world knew his name.
"..."
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