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"Woo… woo…"
From the broadcast at the harbor, the voice of a Marine on guard came through urgently.
"Emergency! The Supernova Straw Hat Pirates have raided the bay!!"
Hearing this broadcast, countless onlookers turned their heads in shock toward the ship that had broken into the battlefield.
"What?"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku was stunned, his eyes locked on the distant sea as his face twisted in disbelief.
Marines and pirates alike tensed, spreading out across the battlefield while their peripheral vision caught sight of the ship barreling into the chaos.
Unaware of the attention they had drawn, Usopp and Chopper were in a panic, tears streaming down their faces as they shouted at their captain.
"Luffy! Are you crazy? This is the heart of the battlefield!!"
Sanji, however, took a quick glance around and remained composed. "It might be the heart, but there are other Whitebeard Pirates nearby. We're not completely alone—this is good news."
"Good news?!" Chopper cried in distress.
Ignoring his crewmates' protests, Luffy was already perched atop the lion figurehead of the Thousand Sunny, scanning the battlefield for one person. His eyes locked onto the execution platform in the center, and there, he spotted Ace.
A grin spread across his face as relief flooded through him. Puffing out his chest, he inhaled deeply and bellowed:
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaace!!"
"Luffy!" Ace's voice rang out in response, raw with emotion.
Hearing his brother's voice and seeing him alive lit a fire in Luffy's eyes. He clenched his fists, determination etched into every fiber of his being.
"Wait for me, Ace! I'm going to save you!"
Without hesitation, Luffy leapt from the Sunny, charging into the fray. His crew followed suit, each one springing into action. Usopp and Chopper, however, hesitated, staying behind to guard the ship alongside Franky.
"It's your family again!" Sengoku growled, his frustration mounting. Seeing Garp's grandson crash into the battlefield, this time as an enemy, was almost too much for him.
"Luffy?!!" Garp's voice was strained with shock and dismay as he clutched his head. "What are you doing here?!"
Whitebeard, watching the scene unfold, narrowed his eyes at the figure sprinting through the chaos.
"So that's the little brother Ace values so much," he mused, observing Luffy's reckless charge. "He's even more impulsive than his older brother."
Before Ace had set out on his solo journey, he often mentioned his younger brother to the Whitebeard Pirates. Later, when Luffy had gained his first bounty, Ace had used a Den Den Mushi to proudly announce the news to his crewmates, a testament to how much he cared for his brother.
"But that straw hat…" Whitebeard muttered, his brow furrowing.
He recognized it immediately—the same straw hat that once belonged to Roger and then to Shanks.
"So this is the one they've chosen to carry the new era forward."
The Straw Hat Pirates, entering the war as a wildcard, lacked the mastery of Haki that was crucial for survival in the New World. Yet their audacity, creativity, and sheer willpower drew all eyes to them as they pressed forward, undeterred by the elite Marines surrounding them.
"Gum-Gum Gatling!"
A flurry of fists erupted from Luffy, slamming into the Marine officers blocking his way and scattering them like leaves in a storm.
"Thunder strike!"
"Veau Shot!"
Sanji and Enel fought alongside their captain, dispatching Marines with ruthless efficiency. Three or four Marines fell with each strike as the Straw Hats carved a path through the battlefield.
Sengoku, however, remained unimpressed. His lips curled into a cold sneer as he watched Luffy's group approach.
He wanted to see how far this 'unexpected pirate' can go.
The Marines surrounding Luffy grew stronger, with higher-ranking officers now entering the fray.
Garp, standing nearby, looked on in anguish, his face a mask of conflict. "This battlefield… it's no place for the likes of Luffy."
Despite the relentless opposition, Luffy pressed forward. However, as the Marines closed in, only Sanji and Enel managed to keep pace with their captain. The rest of the Straw Hats were gradually forced to split up, each member fending off their attackers as the chaos deepened.
Despite pushing forward with everything he had, Luffy found himself battered by increasingly powerful opponents. Even with the use of Second Gear and Third Gear, his relentless advance left his body riddled with wounds.
Thanks to his mastery of Observation Haki and Armament Haki, he managed to mitigate some of the damage, but it wasn't enough to prevent injuries from piling up. Still, Luffy's determination remained unshaken.
From the execution platform, Ace's heart clenched as he watched his younger brother fight through the battlefield, taking injury after injury in his effort to save him. Memories of his oath to Sabo to protect Luffy resurfaced, filling him with guilt and anguish.
Unable to contain his emotions, Ace roared at his brother, his voice trembling with desperation. Using harsh words, he tried to drive Luffy away, demanding to know why he had come to such a dangerous place.
But Luffy, as stubborn as ever, shouted back with equal emotion.
"I'll save you, even if it costs me my life!"
The sincerity and resolve in Luffy's words struck Ace to his core, tears welling in his eyes. His brother's declaration not only moved him but also earned the admiration of many of the Whitebeard Pirates. In that moment, Luffy's determination became a rallying cry that inspired everyone around him.
Recognizing the unexpected effect of Luffy's words on the morale of the Whitebeard Pirates, Sengoku made his move. His voice boomed across the battlefield as he revealed a shocking truth.
"Don't let yourselves be swayed by a mere rookie pirate! That Straw Hat Luffy is no ordinary pirate—he is the sworn brother of Fire Fist Ace!"
The battlefield fell silent as Sengoku continued, his words cutting through the chaos like a blade.
"Though he is not the son of the Pirate King, he carries the bloodline of one of the world's most dangerous criminals. His father… is none other than the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon!"
The revelation sent shockwaves through the battlefield and beyond. On the Sabaody Archipelago, reporters scrambled to broadcast the news, causing an uproar among viewers worldwide.
On the battlefield, Blackbeard and Doflamingo smirked ominously, their expressions hiding layers of calculation. Meanwhile, Bartholomew Kuma—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—stared intently at Luffy and his crew. Though his expression was unreadable, a flicker of his diminishing humanity seemed to resurface as he silently recalled a mission he had yet to complete.
"That kid… He must not be allowed to live."
As more Marines turned their weapons toward Luffy, the Whitebeard Pirates surged forward to protect him. Even the division commanders took action, intercepting high-ranking Marines like Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals to clear Luffy's path.
Sengoku's scowl deepened as he watched the tide of battle shift ever so slightly. While Marine forces still held the upper hand, the unpredictable variables introduced by the Straw Hat Pirates and their allies posed a growing threat.
Adding to his frustration was the lackluster performance of most of the Warlords. Apart from Edward Weevil—Weevil's brutal assaults had decimated Whitebeard's allies—most of the other Warlords seemed to be holding back, showing little interest in aiding Marine efforts.
"Deploy the Pacifistas!" Sengoku barked into his Den Den Mushi.
It was time to unveil the Marine's secret weapon. If nothing else, it would serve to remind the world of the might of the World Government and Marine Headquarters.
Moments later, as the Pacifistas entered the battlefield, the live feed from Marineford captured their arrival. Across the world, viewers stared in disbelief at their screens.
"What are those?!"
"Why are there so many Kumas?!"
"What kind of monster has the Marines unleashed?!"
Marching onto the battlefield were several humanoid weapons—identical in appearance to Bartholomew Kuma. The pirates recognized them instantly, and dread washed over the square.
Many of them had seen Kuma in action moments earlier, delivering a devastating blow to Little Oars Jr. The sight of multiple Kumas, each potentially as strong as a Warlord, was enough to chill even the bravest among them.
If they all possessed the same combat power as the Shichibukai, a shiver ran through the hearts of every pirate. The mere thought of it was too terrifying to dwell on any longer.