"Zehahahaha!" Blackbeard's laughter echoed from the shattered ruins. Whitebeard's unyielding body had been covered with a black cloth at some point, while the others maintained a wary perimeter. Not long after, the black cloth was ripped away, revealing Blackbeard's vicious, arrogant grin to the world.
"What… has that guy been doing all this time…?" Sengoku's expression was extremely grave.
The battle had been too intense for anyone to pay attention to a dead body. Moreover, Blackbeard's crew was formidable, and they had maintained a vigilant guard. The Marines, exhausted from fighting Whitebeard's remaining forces, had no time to stop him.
By the time Red-Haired Shanks and his crew arrived, it was already too late.
The execution platform was shattered. Amidst the rubble, tendrils of swamp converged from all directions, forming Wilder, who witnessed the dramatic events that would reshape the balance of power in the Grand Line.
Below, Red-Haired Shanks's appearance made the Marines brace for a major threat, and his words brought a hush over the assembled forces.
"Whitebeard and Ace… we'll take care of their burials! The images of this war have been broadcast across the world. Don't make a spectacle of their deaths any further!!" Shanks's voice was calm yet firm, resonating across Marineford.
"Very well," Sengoku replied without hesitation. As Shanks had said, there was no need to continue this war. It would be better to give him face… or rather, they had no choice but to give him face.
Luffy had been rescued by Trafalgar Law, one of the Supernovas, and both Shanks's crew and the remnants of Whitebeard's forces were retreating.
Afterward, Blackbeard's crew and the Marines clashed briefly. Shockingly, the power of Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit, which should have vanished with its user, now manifested in Blackbeard. After utterly destroying the already crumbling Marine Headquarters, Blackbeard's crew fled, battered and bruised.
The great war had come to an end. The Marines pursued the retreating pirates, primarily targeting Luffy and his crew.
On the sea, a chill wind blew. Layers of ice rapidly spread across the ocean's surface. Admiral Aokiji had set his sights on a warship.
A terrifying cold swept out, the chill and ice shards pursuing the fleeing warship like living things.
Wilder had seen the final act of the requiem, as he had hoped. He returned to the warship and began their escape.
Hot on their heels was one of the three Marine Admirals, Aokiji. He had somehow targeted their ship. Had there been a slip-up somewhere?
But for now, survival was paramount.
Wilder stood at the stern of the ship, gazing at the encroaching blue-white ice that was steadily consuming the sea. The warship was moving at an extraordinary speed, engaged in a desperate race against the spreading ice.
The burst propulsion device spewed flames, driving the ship forward through the waves. The encroaching ice was no less swift, targeting not only Wilder's ship but also numerous other pirate ships belonging to Whitebeard's fleet.
Beams of searing golden light pierced the frozen sea, shattering the fleeing ships and setting them ablaze.
Exhausted and demoralized pirates gradually succumbed to the sea under these attacks, akin to natural disasters.
And then, the relentless spread of ice across the sea finally stopped. On the warship, Wilder breathed a sigh of relief. He turned, about to speak…
"Boss, it looks like we've got a monkey on our tail…" Bacon, ever adept at saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, spoke, causing Wilder's face to stiffen. He turned to look at the sky behind them.
"Oh dear… It really is you, escapee Wilder. I thought you were dead. What an unfortunate coincidence," A beam of golden light shot from the distance, rapidly approaching and taking the form of a lanky figure.
Admiral Kizaru, a mocking grin on his face, stared at Wilder and his crew.
"Ashin, cover me!" Wilder grinned, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Without wasting words, he prepared for battle.
"Understood," On the mast, Ashin, wearing his mask and cap, stood up. He aimed his strangely shaped long rifle at Kizaru.
Simultaneously, swamp matter erupted from Wilder's body. A giant swamp serpent rose into the air behind him, its crimson eyes gazing down at Kizaru.
"Ooooh…!" Kizaru's mouth formed a surprised 'O'. "I've never seen such a big earthworm! How scary!"
"Ama no Murakumo!" A sword made of glittering light materialized in Kizaru's hand. He flashed, transforming into a beam of gold that plunged downward, slashing horizontally.
"…!" A wisp of white smoke rose from the swamp. Wilder's eyes narrowed. The giant serpent behind him opened its maw, revealing fangs, and lunged at Kizaru!
At the same time, Wilder twisted his right arm, compressing it like a spring with layers of swamp, covering his entire arm. His arm instantly became enormous.
With a crack, the swamp solidified, hardening like a suit of unyielding armor on his arm.
"It's no use. Without Haki, you're just a punching bag… Wilder," Kizaru landed on the deck, dodging the serpent's attack. He swung the Ama no Murakumo again.
"Of course. That's why I just need to defend," Wilder raised his right arm. The Ama no Murakumo struck the solidified swamp armor.
With a shick, the light sword sank halfway into the arm armor, about to penetrate further…
Bang! A bullet shot down from the mast. Kizaru's face showed a flicker of surprise, and he transformed into a beam of light, escaping.
"That was Seastone, wasn't it? How rude, using something like that against me," Kizaru's body reformed in mid-air. He looked up at Ashin on the mast, a shadow passing over his glasses.
He gradually transformed into particles of light, flying towards Ashin.
Boom! Just then, a giant swamp serpent rose into the air, blocking the dense swarm of light particles. Wilder leaped, his massive arm smashing down!
"Oh dear! This is getting out of hand! You hid something like this in your hand in such a short time! You pulled it straight out of your body, didn't you…?" The light particles paused for a moment, then shot backward, reforming into Kizaru at a distance. This time, his expression truly showed surprise.
"What a bizarre ability, being able to store Seastone inside your body. And… you're not completely without Haki either. Your Observation Haki is exceptionally well-honed. You're like a monster!"
Wilder wouldn't take Kizaru's praise at face value. "Monster" and "scary" were like his catchphrases, used on everyone he met. Anyone who became complacent because of it would quickly regret it.
"Ashin!" Wilder shouted without turning his head. Ashin nodded silently, his hands a blur as he rapidly disassembled the strangely shaped long rifle.
He leaped down from the mast, landing beside Wilder. He shouldered a short cannon, the muzzle aimed at Kizaru, his eyes devoid of emotion.
The others also assumed battle stances.
"What's he carrying? It looks dangerous, whatever it is," Kizaru said nonchalantly, glancing at the crew below.
Wilder and his crew were tense. They all knew that today… the probability of death was high.
"Purupurupuru… Purupurupuru!"
Just then, the sound of an incoming Den Den Mushi call rang out. Kizaru raised his hand, opening a flap on his wrist to reveal a black Den Den Mushi.
"Hello! Hello!"
"Hello! Hello!"
"Can you hear me?" Kizaru stared intently at the black Den Den Mushi on his wrist, trying to establish a connection.
"Purupuru… Purupurupuru… Purupuru…" The Den Den Mushi continued to ring. Kizaru finally looked up, a look of bewildered surprise on his face. Then, as if remembering something, he pulled out another Den Den Mushi from his pocket and pressed the answer button.
Click! The call connected successfully.
This series of actions completely deflated the tense atmosphere among Wilder's crew, especially Bacon, who nearly choked from suppressed laughter.
Whatever was said on the other end, Kizaru hung up, looked at his watch, then glanced at Wilder and his crew. He pursed his lips, but ultimately said nothing. He transformed into a beam of light and shot away.
Wilder's tense body instantly relaxed, but his expression wasn't pleasant.
"Change course! Head for the East Blue!"
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