Squard's voice grew louder, filled with agitation as he completely ignored the consequences of his actions. He pointed toward the outer battlefield, where the subordinate pirate crews were being overwheld by the Pacifista.
To stop those war machines, they were using their own bodies as shields.
Each beam of light claid lives with terrifying precision. Severed limbs and fallen bodies littered the battlefield, painting a grim picture of sacrifice.
Yet even Squard found sothing unexpected.
By his calculations, the outer pirate crews should have collapsed by now. Instead, they continued to resist far longer than anticipated. What he did not know was that Bentham had arrived as reinforcent, buying them precious ti.
The pirates nearby gradually stopped fighting as Squard's accusations echoed across the battlefield. Despite their disbelief, they wanted to hear Whitebeard's answer.
After all, their resolve to stand against the Marines ca from their faith in him.
If that faith shattered, their fate would be sealed.
After speaking his piece, Squard spread his arms wide, awaiting judgnt, or death. Whitebeard's earlier action of protecting him had already shaken his resolve, but he forced those thoughts aside.
He wanted an answer.
He needed to know whether the man he called Pops had truly betrayed them, or if he himself had committed an unforgivable mistake.
Nearby, Crocodile erupted in anger after dealing with several Marine soldiers. He did not understand the bond between Whitebeard and his crew. What enraged him was seeing the once invincible man appear so weakened. This was not the Whitebeard he had long sought to defeat.
Beside Whitebeard, Marco's emotions were in turmoil. If this had been the Whitebeard of the past, Squard's attack would never have succeeded. As the crew's doctor, he knew the truth better than anyone.
Whitebeard's body was failing.
Whitebeard dropped to one knee, an action that even Sengoku did not expect.
Then, he reached out and pulled Squard into an embrace.
"Squard, I will not bla you. It is my failure for not protecting all of you, allowing others to exploit your doubts. Many of you resent Roger, but you cannot abandon Ace because of that. In my heart, all of you are my sons. No matter who is in danger, I will risk everything to save my child."
His voice was steady and sincere.
Squard's eyes widened as tears stread down his face. Regret and guilt overwheld him, leaving him unable to speak.
Despite the pain and illness ravaging his body, Whitebeard's anger burned fiercely.
Gripping his weapon, he leapt down from the Moby Dick and unleashed a devastating slash. The vibrations from his power swept away the Marines in front of him.
Even weakened, his presence alone made the Marines tense.
Whitebeard inhaled deeply, then shouted across the battlefield.
"Roger, let us fight together."
The na instantly silenced the battlefield.
Only a handful truly believed it, including Monkey D. Garp and Sengoku, who recognized the familiar presence of Conqueror's Haki.
The rest turned their attention toward Aether.
Was he truly Gol D. Roger?
Many Marines looked to Sengoku for denial, but none ca.
Aether remained calm.
At this point, denying it would achieve nothing. No matter what he said, people would believe what they wanted. Letting Roger take the bla for everything was far more convenient.
A sudden beam of light shot toward him.
It was Kizaru, who had broken free from Marco's interference. The usual laziness in his deanor was gone.
Aether blocked the attack and used the montum to retreat toward the frozen inner bay.
With Akainu back on the battlefield, advancing recklessly was no longer an option. Facing multiple top-tier fighters at once would be dangerous, even for him.
Silvers Rayleigh was still locked in battle with Aokiji, leaving Aether without support.
That left only one choice.
Cooperate with Whitebeard.
By the ti Aether reached the inner bay, Whitebeard had already approached him.
"Roger, I do not know what you plan to do in the future. Whether it is to overthrow the World Governnt or sothing else entirely, you are here because you do not want Ace to die."
Aether said nothing.
Whether Ace lived or died did not truly matter to him. At most, it would earn him a few complaints from Portgas D. Rouge in his dreams.
Instead, his gaze shifted to Whitebeard's aging body.
"Newgate, your body is failing."
Whitebeard gave a quiet response.
"That is true."
Aether's tone remained calm.
"Then do not slow down."
Whitebeard let out a deep laugh.
"Such arrogance, Roger. I am Whitebeard."
Having reached an understanding, Whitebeard unleashed his full power.
He clawed at the air itself, distorting it as massive shockwaves spread outward. The vibrations tore through the battlefield, tilting the very ground beneath Marineford.
Buildings collapsed one after another.
The sea itself split and surged violently, as if the world were being torn apart.
"This is the power to destroy the world…"
Monts later, the chaos settled slightly.
More than half of Marineford lay in ruins. The ground was cracked and broken, the battlefield reduced to devastation.
Watching everything he had built crumble, Sengoku struggled to maintain his composure.
Then he spoke, his voice firm.
"Garp, do not forget the justice you carry. They are coming."
Garp remained silent for a mont.
Then he stood.
With a simple motion, he loosened his tie, his gaze sharpening.
Both he and Sengoku removed their Marine coats and leapt down from the execution platform, stepping forward to et their enemies.
"Sengoku, leave Roger to ."
"Do as you wish, Garp. But rember, you carry the justice of the Marines. Tsuru, command is yours."
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