Not far away, Hina, who had already regained consciousness, stared at the battlefield in disbelief.
"How is this possible? Admiral Kizaru actually lost to him."
Smoker, standing beside her, was equally shaken. Aether's strength had completely exceeded expectations. Thinking of what he had just witnessed, he clutched his still aching chest and spoke in a low voice.
"Hina, going after Aether now is not rational. You should give up. You are no match for him."
Hina bit her lip, her expression firm and unyielding.
"Hina won't give up. Hina will send him to Impel Down sooner or later."
The battlefield shifted in an instant.
Just as Kizaru prepared to reengage and hold Aether back, Marco suddenly intercepted him. Blue flas erupted as Marco launched attacks infused with Armant Haki, forcing Kizaru to focus entirely on defense.
With no one blocking his path, Aether could have advanced. Instead, he stopped.
Standing before him was a breathtaking woman in a flowing purple dress, her eyes filled with emotion as she looked at him.
She was none other than the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
Everyone watching had expected Aether to head straight for the execution platform and clash with Monkey D. Garp or Sengoku. No one anticipated that a mber of the Seven Warlords would stand in his way.
"Is the Pirate Empress going to fight him?"
"No way. Even Kizaru lost. A Warlord stands no chance."
"Maybe she is trying sothing else."
"Shut up."
The surrounding chatter quickly dissolved back into chaos as fighting resud.
Hancock stepped forward slightly, her voice soft.
"I will wait for you to return."
Under the watchful eyes of Sengoku and the others, and mindful of the consequences for Amazon Lily, Aether only moved his lips silently.
"I will find you."
To him, it was a simple promise.
To Hancock, it ant far more.
Her face flushed as overwhelming happiness overtook her, and she collapsed, completely lost in her thoughts.
To the onlookers, it appeared as though she had been defeated without a fight.
"Was that a fixed match?"
"They definitely have sothing going on."
"Watch your mouth, she is my goddess."
"Pathetic."
Hancock's expression suddenly twisted in irritation as the noise around her disrupted her thoughts.
"Perfu Femur."
She moved like a gust of violet wind, her kicks turning everyone in her path to stone. Marines and pirates alike were petrified without exception.
A Marine Commodore, barely alive after losing an arm, shouted in anger.
"Boa Hancock, why are you attacking Marines as well? Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
Hancock tilted her head proudly, one hand on her hip as she looked down at him.
"No matter what I do, the world will forgive . Because I am beautiful."
So of the remaining soldiers wavered, their expressions turning dazed.
"We forgive you…"
"You fools…"
The Commodore coughed up blood and collapsed.
Aether rubbed his chin, unable to fully understand her reasoning. To those she cared about, she was gentle. To everyone else, she was completely unpredictable.
But there was no ti to dwell on it.
He raised his head and looked toward the execution platform. Sengoku watched him with a dark expression, while Garp's face remained conflicted.
On the other side, Silvers Rayleigh was being held back.
Charging forward alone would an facing both Garp and Sengoku at once.
Aether's gaze shifted toward Whitebeard.
It should have been decided already. Why hesitate now?
Fine. I will force your hand.
His Conqueror's Haki erupted instantly, surging toward Squard.
Whitebeard's eyes flickered.
Then, to Aether's surprise, he stepped in and blocked the Haki wave.
That single action gave Squard the opening he needed.
His blade drove straight into Whitebeard's chest.
Aether's expression shifted slightly.
So you chose this path.
Whitebeard had not changed. Even now, he refused to doubt his own sons. Even in betrayal, he chose to protect them.
"Newgate, why go this far?"
Aether said nothing more.
This was no longer his place to interfere.
The mont stunned the entire battlefield.
Whitebeard, the World's Strongest Man, had been stabbed by one of his own.
Even the shock of Kizaru's defeat paled in comparison.
Not far away, Akainu allowed himself a faint smirk. Sengoku, overseeing everything, finally felt a asure of relief.
This had been their plan all along.
To sow discord, to weaken Whitebeard from within.
Outside the battlefield, people watching the live broadcast were left speechless. Even in distant lands, Whitebeard's na carried imnse weight.
For a man like him to be betrayed by his own son was a bitter irony.
Back on the battlefield, Marco abandoned his fight with Kizaru and flew back to the Moby Dick. He slamd Squard to the deck, fury burning in his eyes.
"Squard, why? Why would you betray Pops?"
Squard hesitated, his emotions in turmoil.
He had been resolute before. But now, after what Whitebeard had done, doubt crept in.
Still, he shut his eyes and forced himself to speak.
"You left no choice. This war is a deal between Whitebeard and the Marines. Because Ace is the son of the Pirate King, you made an agreent. The Whitebeard Pirates and Ace would survive, and only the allied crews would be sacrificed."
He clenched his fists.
"The Pacifistas are targeting us, not you. Akainu promised that if I killed you, we could escape. If you can abandon us, then I have no reason to stay loyal."
The words hung heavily in the air.
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