Chapter 122: Life?!
Marineford was engulfed in flames of war.
Even with Luffy's participation, the overwhelming dominance of the Navy Headquarters remained unshaken.
After Whitebeard issued his final captain's order, the pirates—no matter how unwilling—could only retreat.
And once the determination to fight to the death disappeared, coupled with the relentless advance of the Pacifista, the pirate forces began to collapse completely.
Smoker, his body drenched in blood, cut down Squard, severing the pirate captain's head.
He moved through the pirate ranks like a reaper, slaughtering anyone in his path.
At the center of the battlefield, flames and ice clashed across the area.
But compared to Ace's pale expression, Aokiji remained relaxed and composed.
Crack—
A faint cracking sound suddenly echoed from the ground.
RIP!
The earth behind Whitebeard split open violently, erupting with a towering pillar of crimson magma.
A dark and ferocious figure burst from the boiling magma like a hellhound hunting its prey.
His right arm swelled and twisted grotesquely as he launched a lethal punch.
"Great Eruption: Crimson Hound!"
Whitebeard swung Murakumogiri, black-and-red lightning crackling along the blade as it slashed toward the magma fist.
With the two at the center, the ground within a hundred meters collapsed several meters downward. Dust exploded outward, forcing nearby Marines to retreat in terror.
"Go to hell, you filthy pirate who's lived long enough!"
"Gurararara… You're not qualified to say that, brat!"
A milky-white aura wrapped around Whitebeard's left fist.
He lowered his stance, his captain's coat billowing behind him as the muscles in his arm bulged like steel cables.
Then he slammed his fist directly into Akainu's face.
CRACK—CRACK—
The shockwave expanded instantly.
Akainu's face twisted violently as blood poured from his mouth and nose.
"You want to kill me? Come back in a few hundred years, kid!"
Akainu was blasted away once again.
Whitebeard immediately swung Murakumogiri again, the vibrations tearing through space and sending Aokiji flying as well.
THUD!
Whitebeard's massive figure appeared before Ace.
He gazed at him with a gentle expression.
Ace fell heavily to his knees.
Shame, worry, relief—countless emotions surged through his heart.
"Pops…"
"Ace… let me ask you something."
"Was I… a good father to you?"
Ace's eyes widened.
Tears burst from his eyes as he slammed his head onto the ground.
"Of course you were!!"
"Gurararara! Gurararara!"
Whitebeard laughed loudly.
For the first time, there was no regret left in his voice.
Looking at the two Admirals approaching, Whitebeard lifted his naginata once more, his presence rising with the wind.
"If that's the case… then let your old man escort you all one last time!"
Across the battlefield, countless pirates had already lost the will to continue fighting.
Remembering Whitebeard's order, they ran desperately toward the coast.
Division commanders stayed behind, battling the Pacifista to cover their comrades' retreat.
The Marines surged forward in pursuit.
Pirates fell in droves.
Marines fell as well.
The battlefield had turned into a massive meat grinder.
Koby stood frozen in place.
He watched as living people fell one after another.
He looked around.
The Navy clearly held the absolute advantage.
On the execution platform stood Fleet Admiral Sengoku, calmly directing the entire battlefield.
But—
One pirate after another fell.
One Marine after another was wounded… or killed.
Every second, lives were disappearing.
Is this really justice?!
"Ahhh!"
Koby clutched his head, his mind in chaos.
Countless screams echoed through his mind.
"No…!"
"This isn't right!"
"Justice should protect life… not slaughter it!"
His gaze gradually hardened.
He looked toward the execution platform.
Yes—there was still time.
Koby suddenly turned and ran against the tide of soldiers.
"Hey, Koby! Where are you going?!"
"Aren't we supposed to wipe out the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
"Koby… you're not trying to run away, are you?!"
"You coward!"
"I, a Marine soldier, look down on you! Bah!"
His actions instantly enraged the surrounding Marines.
But Koby had only one destination.
Finally, he reached the base of the execution platform.
Looking up at Sengoku, he used every ounce of strength in his body and shouted with all his might:
"STOP THIS!!!"
"End the war! Stop fighting!!"
"You're wasting lives!!"
His desperate cry exploded across Marineford like thunder.
The shouts of battle, the roar of cannons, the screams of despair—
All of it suddenly stopped.
Countless eyes turned toward the source of the voice.
Marines chasing pirates.
Pirates fleeing for their lives.
Everyone stopped.
All eyes focused on the trembling pink-haired boy standing beneath the execution platform.
"K-Koby… a Marine?!"
The pirates stared in disbelief.
"There's actually a Marine speaking up for us?"
"Who is that brat?!"
Akainu's magma-formed face twisted with rage and confusion.
To him, anyone who showed mercy toward pirates on the battlefield was trash unworthy of wearing a Marine uniform.
"Well… this is troublesome."
Aokiji sighed.
Koby's shout had severely shaken the Navy's morale.
"Gurararara! Much appreciated!"
Whitebeard saw everything and waved his hand, unleashing another shockwave.
"Damn it!"
Akainu blasted Whitebeard back with a punch and roared:
"Kuzan! I'll handle this old fossil! Don't let those bastards escape Marineford!"
Akainu's anger had reached its peak.
Originally he planned to join forces with Aokiji to finish Whitebeard—but now things had changed.
In his mind, that pink-haired brat had become even more unforgivable than Whitebeard himself.
"YOU DAMN FOOL!!!"
Sengoku trembled with rage as he glared at the pink-haired recruit.
Golden Buddha light spilled uncontrollably from his body.
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward instantly, knocking Koby unconscious.
If he hadn't been Garp's disciple, he would have already been reduced to ashes.
Even so, his fate would not be pleasant.
Sengoku looked around at the confused soldiers.
For a moment he even felt that he had been too lenient.
One rotten apple could spoil the whole barrel.
He took a deep breath.
His voice spread across the entire battlefield.
"Soldiers—grip your weapons!"
"Pirates do not deserve mercy!"
"Think about what these pirates have done across the Four Seas… the Grand Line… every corner of the world!"
"When they burned villages, slaughtered civilians, and plundered everything—"
"Did they ever show even a shred of mercy?!"
"For the sake of the innocent who died…!"
"For the honor of the uniform you wear!"
"If you still have the strength—then keep fighting!!"
THUD!
Sengoku's words struck the Marines like a giant hammer.
They tightened their grip on their weapons.
They thought of their homes.
They thought of the families destroyed by pirates.
Their teeth clenched like wild beasts.
"Kill them!"
"We must leave none of these scum alive!"
Sengoku truly lived up to his title as the "Strategist" Fleet Admiral.
With only a few words, he restored the Navy's morale.
At the same time, Sengoku's gaze locked onto Marco, who was desperately covering the pirates' retreat.
Golden light burst forth.
A powerful shockwave shot toward him.
"Die, pirate!"
Marco froze for a moment.
Then he spread his wings, blue phoenix flames forming a barrier.
BOOM!!
Gold and blue collided.
Marco was blasted away instantly.
With Sengoku entering the battle, the Navy's momentum surged once again.
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