Sak, who had been on high alert for any signs of Squard, immediately drew his sword, intercepting the attack. With a sharp ping, Sak's blade clashed with Squard's, standing firm to protect Whitebeard. His voice rang out with anger and disbelief.
"Damn it, Squard! Marco warned us you might attempt this, but I didn't expect you would actually strike! Why would you do this?"
The failed assassination attempt instantly drew attention from both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines.
"Did he fail? That useless fool…" Akainu muttered angrily, watching Squard's attempt collapse.
"What's going on? Squard tried to assassinate Oyaji?" the Whitebeard Pirates murmured, shocked. Twenty years of loyalty made such an act almost unimaginable.
Squard's eyes met Sak's, realizing that his chance had slipped. He shouted desperately, "I was forced into this! They forced me to do it!"
"What are you talking about, Squard!" Sak yelled, baffled and furious.
Whitebeard turned his gaze toward Squard. Calm as ever, he spoke, "It seems Marco was right. The Marines really did try to turn you. Is this because of Ace?"
Squard hesitated, surprised that Whitebeard already knew of the Marines' approach. The thought of Ace, son of the hated Roger, ignited a furious fire within him.
"Yes, it's Ace!" he roared, disregarding everything else.
He shouted to the surrounding crew, "Everyone listen! We've all been deceived by Whitebeard! He colluded with the Marines and intends to sacrifice the forty-three subsidiary Pirate crews to save Fire Fist Ace!"
Squard's voice trembled with anger as he continued.
"I never knew Ace was Roger's son! You knew, my comrades were killed by Roger, yet you didn't tell me. I trusted Ace, fought alongside him, and wanted to save him, just because he's Roger's son! You plan to train him to be the next Pirate King, while the rest of us are pawns to be sacrificed!"
He pointed toward the battlefield.
"Look at the Pacifista! They attack only our subsidiary crews! A massive ice wall blocks the perimeter—we can't escape! In the end, only we die, while Whitebeard's main crew and Ace survive!"
Squard's fear and fury boiled over.
"We trusted you, followed you here, and in the end, you betray us! How can I forgive this?"
"Bastard, you've been deceived, Squard!" Sak shouted immediately.
"Exactly! How could you believe such a clumsy lie?" the other Whitebeard Pirates added, anger flaring.
Yet the subsidiary Pirates hesitated, shaken by Squard's words.
"Old Man, this isn't true, is it?"
"Tell us, Old Man…"
"Captain Marco, what's going on?"
For them, Ace was not personally significant—they admired Whitebeard—but the Pacifista's overwhelming power had left them in despair.
Marco's voice cut through the tension.
"This is a Marine scheme! Trust Pops, please!"
Whitebeard addressed Squard directly.
"Is this the Marine's plan? Marco warned me that you might try to assassinate me. I wondered what conditions they offered to turn you, but I didn't expect you'd believe such a flawed narrative. Truly, you are an incorrigible fool."
Whitebeard extended his arms and pulled Squard close. Squard braced himself, expecting punishment, but instead found himself embraced.
Whitebeard's voice was gentle, yet firm.
"Even so, you are still my son."
Whitebeard activated a recording transponder snail, and Marco's voice played.
"Old Man, I've confirmed it. The Marines are trying to turn Squard. They intend for you to make a private deal, sacrificing the forty-three subsidiary crews to save Ace's life, using Squard as the instrument."
Squard's face fell as the recording played.
"How… could this be? All of this…"
Whitebeard looked at him with calm authority.
"I know your hatred for Roger. The Marines exploited it to manipulate you. But whether it is you or Ace, you are all my sons. It is ridiculous for a son to pay for his father's sins. Ace hadn't even been born when Roger died. Has he ever harmed you? You and Ace shared hardships, sailed together, became friends. Ace is not special—he is one of my sons, just as you are."
With a powerful movement, Whitebeard struck both arms to his sides, unleashing shockwaves that shattered the towering ice walls around Crescent Bay.
He bellowed,
"Pirates! Choose what to believe! Those who are resolved, follow me and take down the Marines!"
In an instant, the Whitebeard Pirates and the subsidiary crews roared with renewed vigor.
"We knew it! Old Man would never betray us!"
"We swear to follow Pops to the death!"
"Take down the Marines!"
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