Little Oars emerged from the seawater, his massive body scarred by extensive burns. The moment Akainu withdrew, he exhaled a long, trembling sigh. The sheer destructive power of the Admiral was unlike anything cannonballs could achieve.
"Little Oars, are you alright?" shouted the pirates. "Ship doctor, tend to him quickly! First Division Commander Marco said his strength will be invaluable later!"
"I'm fine," Little Oars grunted, rising despite the burning pain. Gripping his massive saber, he growled, "Whitebeard gave me the mission of destroying these Marine warships. I won't fail."
Marco's gaze swept across his crew. "The next battle will be even tougher, Little Oars. You must be careful."
"I understand."
Marco's voice rose decisively. "Brothers, Akainu has left! Strike while the iron is hot and land at Marineford!"
"Oh…" the crew responded, but before they could advance, Marine Vice Admiral Yamakaji charged forward, slashing at Marco with his saber.
"Claw…" Marco responded with a swift kick, colliding with Yamakaji's weapon and forcing him several steps back.
"We won't let you land, pirates," came the simultaneous advance of Momonga, Onigumo, Doberman, Strawberry, Bastille, Dalmatian, and other veteran Vice Admirals.
"Oh, they're Vice Admirals!" exclaimed the subordinate pirates. "Mere Vice Admirals? Even an Admiral can't match First Division Commander Marco."
"Captain Marco, show these Marines your power!" they cheered, their admiration clear.
Marco blushed faintly at their praise, then focused using his level detection ability. 'Captain level,' 'weak Captain level,' 'strong Vice Captain level,' 'strong Captain level.' He assessed the Vice Admirals—mostly Captain-level, with a few slightly weaker.
"Take care of the Vice Admirals," Marco instructed Whitey Bay behind him.
"Why?" Whitey Bay asked, slightly confused. "You can handle them yourself, right?"
Marco grinned. "I need to conserve stamina for the Admirals. This battle is intense, but it's not the peak yet. Once we rescue Ace, the Marines will go all out. That's when it matters most."
Whitey Bay nodded. She had been a Whitebeard Pirate for over thirty years and understood that even among the captains, only a few could match an Admiral.
"In that case, we'll handle the Vice Admirals," agreed Lightning McGuy.
The subordinate pirate crews moved swiftly, engaging the Vice Admirals while Marco continued clearing Marines to gain attribute points. Defeating Vice Admirals was manageable, but not trivial; they were experienced and not easily taken down. Marco focused on efficiency, knowing the main challenge was yet to come.
On the execution platform, a Marine reported to Fleet Admiral Sengoku. "Sir, the Whitebeard Pirates' subordinate crews are attacking aggressively. Our warships are suffering heavy losses, and First Division Commander Marco is among them."
Sengoku's expression darkened. "Hmph, Whitebeard actually sent Marco to support his crews. I did not anticipate this. Never mind, minimize casualties—let the plan begin."
He gave the order. "Cut the video transponder snails and execute Fire Fist Ace. This war aims to annihilate the Whitebeard Pirates. Ordinary people do not need to witness the carnage. The final result must be a clear Marine victory."
"Yes, Admiral."
Almost immediately, Crescent Bay erupted in explosions as beams of light struck pirate ships.
"What's happening?" "Our ships are exploding!" "Where are these cannonballs coming from?!" Fortunately, Marco had warned his crews to disembark, minimizing casualties.
The pirates soon realized the attackers were the Marine Science Unit.
"Bartholomew Kuma!" "There are so many of them!" Panic spread as dozens of Pacifista emerged, each resembling Kuma.
Marco assessed the situation. Pacifista. Human weapons developed by the World Government. All equipped with Kizaru's lasers. He shouted orders. "Do not panic. Everyone spread out. Target their heads. Only head attacks will destroy them."
The pirates hesitated, astonished. "We've heard rumors… but they all look like Kuma?!"
A pirate rushed forward, swinging a spiked club at a Pacifista's head. The impact cracked the club, but the Pacifista's head remained intact.
"How is that possible?!" The pirates were stunned, jaws dropping. "I thought their heads were weak points!"