At that moment, Marco and Vista finally broke through the Marine encirclement and arrived outside Crescent Bay, where they successfully reunited with the main force of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Vista stared at the vast frozen sea ahead of them, his jaw tightening as a bead of cold sweat slid down his temple.
"Is this really the power of Admiral Kuzan? This is beyond absurd…"
Marco's expression was equally grim. The ice stretched endlessly before him like a white continent, sealing off every possible escape route. Even with the advantages they had gained, preventing Squard's betrayal, shattering the encirclement wall, and rescuing Ace, retreating now was still nearly impossible. The Marines held an overwhelming advantage.
In the original course of events, Kuzan and Kizaru had barely exerted themselves. The moment either Admiral became even slightly serious, the balance of power instantly tilted against the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Marco…"
Several of the division captains looked over in relief and surprise as he arrived.
Marco stepped forward, positioning himself at the front. His sharp gaze locked onto Kuzan and the assembled Marine officers beyond him. His voice was steady, yet filled with cold resolve.
"So this is it. You truly intend to block every path we have. Are you really prepared for mutual destruction?"
Kuzan's usual relaxed demeanor had faded. The battlefield had already reached a point of no return, and as an Admiral, he could no longer afford to be casual.
"The Marines do not lose," he replied seriously. "And I may believe in lazy justice, but if Portgas D. Ace escapes today, it would become a catastrophe for the entire world."
Marco's eyes gleamed with icy fire as he calmly shifted the direction of the conversation.
"The real catastrophe isn't Ace. It's Blackbeard."
"Blackbeard?"
Kuzan narrowed his eyes in confusion. At first glance, it sounded like nothing more than lingering resentment toward a traitor.
Marco shook his head slowly.
"No. All of us were deceived by him. This entire war is part of Blackbeard's design. Once both sides are exhausted, he will return to seize Pops's Tremor-Tremor Fruit. And if the chance arises, he will take Fleet Admiral Sengoku's Buddha powers as well, along with the abilities of every powerful Devil Fruit user on this battlefield."
A ripple of unease passed through both the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates. Even Marco's own allies exchanged stunned looks.
Kuzan frowned.
"What exactly are you suggesting?"
Marco met his gaze without hesitation.
"When Blackbeard murdered Thatch and stole that Devil Fruit, none of us understood his true purpose. Now, the old man and I do."
Kuzan remained still. Since the sea was already completely frozen, escape was impossible anyway. For the moment, he was willing to listen.
Not everyone shared his patience.
Vice Admiral Doberman stepped forward, his voice sharp with hostility.
"Enough of this nonsense. Pirates like you will not leave Marineford alive no matter what tricks you try."
Marco's gaze turned cold as steel.
"We are Pirates. We fight with our lives on the line. If the moment comes when we realize there is no escape, then this battlefield will become a grave for both sides. The Whitebeard Pirates do not surrender. At that point, at least half of your one hundred thousand Marines will fall."
At his words, the Whitebeard Pirates behind him tightened their grips on their weapons. Their fighting spirit surged, raw and unrestrained.
Despite that, Marco had no desire to continue senseless slaughter. He was already looking beyond this war. After returning to the New World, taking over as captain would be almost inevitable. If that future was to mean anything, he needed to preserve as much of their strength as possible. More than power alone, he needed to prove he had the judgment and vision worthy of leading the Whitebeard Pirates.
He steadied his tone and continued,
"I don't want the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines to become pawns dancing in Blackbeard's hands. That is why I chose to speak. Whether you believe me is your choice. But asking a few minutes to hear the truth, that seems like a small price to pay. What do you say, Admiral Kuzan? Would you rather face Blackbeard later with no preparation at all?"
"Admiral Kuzan…"
Several nearby Marines turned toward him instinctively.
Kuzan studied Marco in silence. A trace of regret flickered in his eyes. When he had frozen the sea earlier, Ace had been on the verge of escaping, and instinct had driven him to act without restraint. Looking back, the decision forced the Pirates into a corner where desperation could only lead to catastrophic bloodshed.
Melting ice was not something he could do quickly. That was precisely why he had allowed Ace to seize warships afterward. As long as the Pirates believed escape was still possible, they would focus on fleeing rather than turning the battlefield into a massacre.
Marco's words also unsettled him more than he liked to admit.
"All right," Kuzan said at last. "I will listen."
"Admiral!"
Doberman protested.
Kuzan raised a hand lazily.
"The sea is already frozen solid. I misjudged my own strength a little, and I estimate the ice probably stretches all the way to Sabaody. Even if they take a few ships, they cannot escape unless they walk across the sea all the way there."
The shock was immediate.
The Whitebeard Pirates and their allied crews stared in disbelief. Marineford to Sabaody was more than thirty nautical miles. Freezing that entire stretch of ocean was beyond common sense.
Even the Marines themselves were shaken. They had always known the Admirals were monsters, but this went far beyond expectations.
Marco allowed a faint smile to touch his lips.
"They really weren't exaggerating when they called the Admirals monsters."
Kuzan left both hands tucked into his pockets.
"Praise from an enemy is still praise. I will accept it. Now then, First Division Commander, let's hear your story."
Marco's expression hardened as he spoke without delay.
"Blackbeard's objectives are simple. First, he became a Shichibukai to gain access to Impel Down. Second, he used this war to create the perfect stage for seizing Father's Tremor-Tremor Fruit. And if fate favors him, he will not hesitate to target Fleet Admiral Sengoku as well."
______
Happy New Year!
The number of power stones I get is pretty low lately, which is kind of funny in its own way.
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