Elior glanced at Magellan and the others. To him, they were nothing more than a group of weaklings standing in his way.
Still, Elior couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration for Magellan. A man willing to risk his own life for his duty and mission.
"Unfortunately... he's the enemy."
A brutal battle erupted—violent and one-sided.
Of course, it was more of a massacre than a battle. Elior and his crew completely overwhelmed them.
Ten minutes later, Magellan and his forces were once again sprawled helplessly on the ground, utterly defeated without suspense.
Just as Sengoku feared — the only way to suppress Elior and his crew would be to mobilize every high-ranking force in Marineford.
Half an hour later, Elior and his crew stepped out of Impel Down's main gate. Beneath the sea, a colossal octopus—threatened and forced into obedience by Elior—stuck its head out of the water. It quickly swam to the right side of the prison, where it retrieved Elior's ship from a hidden underwater passage.
He hadn't dared to leave the ship right at the entrance. Magellan could've easily destroyed it if things went wrong. This had been part of Elior's calculations. Although even without a ship, he could've left Impel Down effortlessly.
Additionally, this maneuver had conveniently prevented Dragon from destroying his vessel during the chaos.
But heading straight for Marineford... now that was an entirely different matter.
Another ten minutes passed. Elior and his crew of ten boarded the ship and set sail directly toward Marineford.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku sat back heavily into his chair after hanging up the last call. His expression was grim.
Present in the office were the three Admirals — Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru — as well as Vice Admiral Tsuru.
An emergency meeting was underway.
Everyone assumed Sengoku was about to discuss yet again how to deal with the Whitebeard Pirates.
But they were wrong.
"Earlier today" Sengoku began, "the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon, personally led multiple high-ranking members into Impel Down. They successfully rescued Straw Hat Luffy... along with the Revolutionary officer Ivankov, who had been hiding there for years."
"What?!"
Shock spread through the room. Some even felt a chill crawl down their spines.
"That cursed family again! Dragon... and Straw Hat Luffy!"
Akainu roared, steam bursting violently from his body.
"And it wasn't just the Revolutionary Army"
Sengoku continued grimly.
"The Elior Pirates... and the Blackbeard Pirates... both broke into Impel Down as well."
"Elior?!"
Kizaru raised an eyebrow, the smile fading from his face.
In the face of Elior, Blackbeard was nothing. The Admirals knew this very well.
The atmosphere turned suffocating.
Sengoku pressed on,
"From my analysis, Blackbeard used Ace as a bargaining chip to gain Shichibukai status. But secretly, he infiltrated Impel Down to recruit crew members."
Upon hearing this, the three Admirals grew visibly furious.
What the hell was Blackbeard thinking? Wasn't he supposed to be here, at Marineford, waiting for the war to start?
Sengoku's face grew darker.
"Indeed. We were all fooled by that bastard... but it doesn't matter now. Blackbeard is dead—killed by Elior. The Blackbeard Pirates are completely annihilated. We no longer need to concern ourselves with him."
"But here's what's truly terrifying..." Sengoku's voice dropped lower, his tone heavy. "Elior and his pirate crew didn't stop there. In Level 6... he took two monsters with him."
"The Red Count... and the World Destroyer"
"You should all be very familiar with those two names."
"Elior freed both of them. On top of that, everyone in Impel Down was left gravely injured. The prison has fallen... again. I've already dispatched forces to handle the aftermath."
"But what worries me the most... is whether Elior intends to come here, to Marineford."
"If they do... then not even the Gates of Justice, as mighty and secure as they are, could stop them."
"If Elior shows up at Marineford, it would be nothing short of a nightmare for us."
"Elior... Bullet... and even though they've aged or declined somewhat, both the Red Count and the World Destroyer remain absolute monsters."
"Those four alone are a terrifying force."
"This execution may not be as simple as we hoped. Marine Headquarters must have the resolve to win... but we must also accept the possibility of defeat—or even annihilation."
Sengoku's face was filled with heavy dread as he spoke. He deliberately avoided calling for a large-scale emergency meeting, fearing it would completely shatter the morale of the troops.
Because the enemy they were about to face... wasn't just the Whitebeard Pirates.
It could very well include the Elior Pirates...
And of course, the Revolutionary Army, showing up to stir chaos in an effort to stop the world from falling deeper into madness.
The situation was far more complicated than Sengoku had ever imagined.
Tsuru sighed, her expression tense. "The Elior Pirates... that kid's moves... Does he intend to reign supreme over the New World?"
Sengoku fell silent for a moment, then nodded grimly.
"Highly likely."
The entire room fell silent.
"Fortunately," Sengoku finally said, "the Gorosei have agreed to send someone down."
"Justice will prevail" Akainu growled, clenching his fists.
"If they come... none of them are leaving alive."
With that, Akainu stormed out of the room. In his mind, justice was absolute—no matter the cost.
...
By this time, it was already morning, and the temperature was steadily rising.
At Marineford's bay and main plaza, the entire area was packed with people. A hundred thousand elite Marines—summoned from across the world—stood in formation, filling every inch of the plaza and coastline.
The increasing heat, the suffocating mass of bodies, and the growing anxiety made the air feel even more oppressive.
As the time of the execution drew nearer, the tension grew unbearable. The soldiers felt agitated, restless... some even gripped by fear.
Today... they would face him.
The man who had dominated the seas of the New World for decades.
It was said that even his snores could cause tremors across the ocean, and that a single punch could unleash a tsunami that could drown islands.
Edward Newgate — Whitebeard. The world's strongest man.
A living legend. A figure who had stood shoulder to shoulder with Gol D. Roger during the Pirate King's era. And now... the greatest pirate alive in this era of chaos.
The Whitebeard Pirates... the largest, most powerful pirate crew in the world.
At this moment, even seasoned Vice Admirals couldn't suppress their nervousness.
Many of the Marines had never seen Whitebeard in person — but his monstrous legend was something every one of them had grown up hearing since childhood.