If both sides now sought balance, there was no reason to continue the conflict. After successive clashes involving Whitebeard, Roger, Rayleigh, and Blackbeard, the Marines, especially the lower and middle ranks, had suffered devastating losses, nearly matching those of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Shanks drew his sword, Gryphon, and spoke in a firm voice.
"If anyone still wishes to fight, then I will be your opponent. Who else wants to continue?"
As his words settled over the battlefield, a powerful surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him. Even without a specific target, the pressure alone made many Marines tremble and instinctively step back.
The wave of Haki passed over Aether, who stood observing nearby, causing a faint glint in his eyes. So this was Shanks' presence.
"Shanks' Conqueror's Haki has reached this level. In less than two years, he might rival Roger. The new generation may truly surpass the old."
Aether was not the only one who noticed. Rayleigh, Sengoku, and Garp all recognized the strength behind Shanks' Haki. Among the current Four Emperors, his Conqueror's Haki already stood at the peak, even surpassing the late Whitebeard slightly.
No Marine responded. In this situation, only Fleet Admiral Sengoku could make the decision. However, one person had no intention of yielding.
Akainu continued advancing toward Emporio Ivankov, her magma surging as she pressed forward with lethal intent.
Shanks, who had just finished speaking, imdiately stepped in. With a faint sigh, he raised Gryphon and intercepted the incoming magma fist.
The clash rang out sharply.
Akainu's attack was stopped completely, just as Aether had done earlier. Her sharp eyes burned with killing intent, but before she could press further, Sengoku's voice echoed from behind.
"Sakazuki, stand down. The war is over."
Those words brought visible relief to many Marines. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them, both physically and ntally. Facing another Emperor's crew now would shatter whatever morale they had left.
"...Akainu?"
The Red Hair Pirates, having just arrived, were caught off guard. Benn Beckman narrowed his eyes slightly, and when he noticed Ivankov behind Aether, realization dawned.
"So the Horm-Horm Fruit can be used like this."
Even Shanks struggled to keep his composure for a mont, though he quickly steadied himself.
Akainu said nothing. The magma around her body intensified briefly as she stared at Shanks, then gradually subsided. She turned and walked back. Having regained clarity, she understood that fighting now would only lead to disaster.
While the Marines accepted the end of the war, Blackbeard was unwilling to do so so easily.
He glared at Shanks.
"Red Hair Shanks,..."
Before he could finish, Shanks' gaze sharpened, his killing intent pressing forward like a blade. Blackbeard froze, swallowing the rest of his words. The difference in strength was clear. This was not a battle he could win.
Shanks chose not to pursue Blackbeard. Attacking now could easily reignite the entire battlefield, dragging both the Marines and the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates back into war.
The situation remained volatile. One spark could ignite another massive conflict.
In Shanks' view, the Marines were still necessary to maintain balance in the world. Their complete collapse would bring chaos.
Blackbeard, already preparing to retreat, cast a wary glance at Aether in the distance. However, before he could speak again, Shanks approached Aether and spoke first.
"Captain Roger, I would like to speak with you later, if you are willing."
Aether smiled lightly.
"Of course. Though I go by Augustus D. Aether. Nice to et you, Red Hair Shanks."
"Then this is truly our first eting. I'm Shanks. You should at least know of ."
Their exchange stunned Blackbeard and his crew. Several of them stared as if they had seen a ghost. So had once crossed paths with Roger, which made Aether's resemblance impossible to ignore.
Aether's gaze shifted briefly toward Shiryu of the Rain, a hint of curiosity passing through his eyes. He had not expected Shiryu to be evaluated so highly, even outside his forr position at Impel Down.
Van Auger stepped beside Blackbeard, his tone calm and detached.
"So you once provoked the Pirate King. No wonder you nearly lost your life."
"Roger... just a relic of the old era, like Whitebeard. Let's go."
Even as he spoke, Blackbeard kept a cautious eye on Aether. Learning his identity had forced him to temporarily abandon any thoughts of revenge. The possibility of Aether joining forces with the Red Hair Pirates made him even more uneasy.
Both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Red Hair Pirates had deep ties to Aether. If they chose to unite, Blackbeard would be in serious danger.
Without further delay, the Blackbeard Pirates withdrew from Marineford.
Aether watched them leave with mild regret. If they had lingered just a little longer, he would have considered making a move.
As for cooperating with the Marines, that was out of the question. Neither side trusted the other, and both would be ready to strike at the first opportunity.
With both sides stepping back, the greatest war in decades finally ca to an end.
The losses were catastrophic.
The Whitebeard Pirates had lost their captain, Whitebeard, along with Little Oars Jr. Nearly twenty of their forty-three allied crews were wiped out. More than half of their main crew were killed or injured, and three of their Moby Dick-class ships were destroyed. The only relief was that none of the division commanders had fallen.
Even so, without Whitebeard, they would no longer hold the status of a Yonko crew.
The Marines, despite claiming victory, suffered just as heavily. More than half of their lower-ranked soldiers were dead or wounded.
Two Giant Vice Admirals were killed, and the rest were severely injured. Among the Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals, one died and several were critically wounded. Admiral Kizaru also sustained notable injuries.
Akainu's condition remained uncertain after being altered by Ivankov's powers, raising questions about her future.
Beyond Marineford, Impel Down had been devastated. Most of its forces were incapacitated, Level 6 prisoners either escaped or died, and Magellan was left gravely injured.
In a single day, the Marines lost dozens of warships, Pacifistas, and much of Marineford itself. The base was nearly destroyed and would require imnse resources to rebuild.
The total loss exceeded 200 billion Berries, and that estimate did not even account for future costs such as pensions, dical care, and recruitnt.
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