On the outskirts of Marineford.
"Damn it! Fire! Stop him now! Don't let him get close…" Marine Vice Admiral Momonga shouted. He gripped his sword tightly — a futile effort against a giant of such scale.
The Marine warships turned their cannons, aiming at Little Oars.
"Bang, bang, bang!" Shells, like fiery serpents, struck Little Oars' body and exploded, filling the air with smoke.
"Ace… I'm coming to save Ace," Little Oars muttered through the roar of battle. He raised the massive machete in his hand and brought it down in a savage chop. Even without any Haki coating, the ancient Giant's swing was powerful enough to split a warship in two.
Then Little Oars seemed to burst with raw power. Though he lacked the strength to take down Marine Vice Admirals outright, the forty-meter machete in his grasp cut through warships like they were nothing more than watermelons. With each swing he continued breaking ship after ship. Marines aboard those vessels were overcome with terror — they feared being crushed like meat under his overwhelming force.
"Run! This monster is beyond anything we can handle!"
"Cannon fire can't even stop him? What chance do we have against a body that huge?"
The marines panicked. The Vice Admirals tried to stop Little Oars using Flash-Step — their sword-energy attacks cracked across his flesh, leaving gashes and blood, but the wounds were shallow, not fatal, and failed to hinder his advance.
"Ace is a good man. He's my friend. I'm coming for him. Don't stand in my way." Little Oars growled in annoyance at the Marines. The Vice Admirals moved impossibly fast, and he couldn't hit them. He resorted to swinging his giant fists through the air, generating gusts of wind that forced back those who tried to block him.
"This can't be stopped!" Vice Admiral Yamakaji yelled in frustration. None of them had ever faced a monster this massive — bigger even than a Giant Tribe warrior.
"Stand aside, let us handle this." A group of Giant-Tribe Vice Admirals charged forward. Yet Little Oars' strength far exceeded theirs; he dispatched them with ease.
Suddenly, a figure with black wings descended onto the Moby Dick. It was Marco.
"Pops, we can't let Little Oars get any closer to the plaza. The Admirals and the Warlords are all there. With his size, he'd be an easy target if he reached them."
"Marco…" Whitebeard's eyes widened at his sudden arrival. He sensed something different — an aura stronger than just two days ago. Could it be Conqueror's Haki? he wondered. Despite his surprise, he nodded. "Little Oars, stay back for now. Help deal with the warships and turrets."
Little Oars paused at Whitebeard's command, confusion flickering across his face. "But… Ace is my friend, Pops. I must save him."
Marco frowned, his tone sharp. "Little Oars — that's an order from Pops himself. The plaza is crawling with Admirals and Warlords. With your size, you'd be a walking target. Your job is to take out the Marine warships."
Still, Little Oars clenched his teeth and shook his head stubbornly. "Don't stop me, Marco. No matter who stands in my way, I'll smash through. I'm saving Ace."
Marco's voice lowered with anger. "You're too stubborn."
He turned to Whitebeard with urgency. "Pops, if he goes now, he'll die for sure."
Little Oars had the strength of a Yonko Commander-level fighter — a rare asset among the Whitebeard Pirates. But in this situation, if he fell, the whole crew might be trapped. The Marine fortress walls were likely built with Sea-Stone, which even Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit couldn't shatter. Only someone of Little Oars' massive size could possibly break through.
Whitebeard studied Marco's anxious face for a moment, then sighed and turned to Little Oars. "Ace isn't just your comrade — he's family to all of us. Listen to my command. First, deal with the warships. We will rescue Ace."
Little Oars hesitated, his jaw clenched. "Pops…"
"Are you really not going to listen to my orders?" Whitebeard's tone hardened.
After a tense moment, Little Oars gave a barely audible nod. "Understood, Pops…" Without another word, he turned and lumbered away toward the outer waters of Crescent Bay, ready to tear apart the Marine warships.
From behind, Sengoku watched — displeasure creasing his face. If Little Oars got any closer to the plaza, the Admirals and Warlords wouldn't hesitate. Though enormous, Little Oars didn't possess the speed to evade their attacks.
As Little Oars departed, Marco turned to Whitebeard. "Pops, while fighting those Marines just now I discovered their plan."
Whitebeard's brow furrowed. "Oh?"
Marco nodded. He had held back before, unsure how to explain the truth properly. Now, after witnessing the chaos and destruction firsthand, he spoke with urgency. "The Marines are about to execute what they call the 'Surrounding Wall' plan."
Whitebeard's expression hardened. He had suspected something, but hearing it from Marco made the danger real and immediate.
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