The Gathering Storm
Whitebeard stepped onto the enormous Execution Stand that had been specially prepared for him, and then sat down cross-legged without saying a word.
He looked down over the entire square, which was densely packed with naval soldiers.
Many of them were looking up at him.
Roger, is this what you saw back then?
Whitebeard thought to himself silently.
Footsteps sounded again, and Sengoku stepped forward.
These two old rivals, who have been at odds since before the Great Pirate Era began, are now almost side by side.
"You have a fine bunch of sons, Whitebeard,"
Sengoku gazed into the distance, looking out from Crescent Bay all the way to the horizon, as if traversing time to see the future. "They're willing to do anything to save you."
The Whitebeard's eyebrows were lowered, and his eyes held a silent sorrow.
His family members who were arrested with him have all died, and now, the rest of his family members are also coming to meet their end.
Noticing Whitebeard's sorrowful expression, Sengoku's lips curled into a cold smile.
Before killing someone, you must first destroy their spirit.
Then Sengoku picked up the Den Den Mushi, took a short breath, and his voice, amplified and relayed through the Den Den Mushi, resounded across every corner of the sea.
"To all those on the high seas who have slept through the night out of fear, today I can proudly declare that Whitebeard, once renowned throughout the seas for his immense power and brutality, will today come to the end of his sinful life!"
"In the long struggle against this immense evil, justice has finally triumphed!"
The eloquent and generous words of the Sengoku stirred up people all over the world.
The reason why the various Affiliated Nation under the World Government are willing to pay huge sums of Heavenly Gold every year is precisely because they want the protection of the Navy, right?
"Without a doubt, this is a significant milestone on our path to ending the Great Pirate Era!"
The Fleet Admiral Sengoku loudly proclaimed the significance of today's execution.
"That's incredibly long-winded."
At the very front of the naval formation, Teach smirked.
Wouldn't it be better to end the execution sooner? Why ramble on and on like this?
In contrast, Weevil, standing next to him, burst into tears.
"Waaaaah! Dad's dying, Mom! What should I do?!"
Crocodile couldn't help but laugh; both of them were such filial sons.
Then, at that moment, the man with sharp, eagle-like eyes suddenly looked up.
"They've arrived."
He said with a smile.
On the distant sea, large ships are rapidly approaching.
The sailors in the square immediately erupted in commotion.
"They are pirate ships that joined the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!"
The navy instantly went on high alert, swords drawn and guns loaded, awaiting the enemy's arrival.
On the Execution Stand, Sengoku pointed with his right hand at the pirate ships sailing towards them, cutting through the waves.
"Now, the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates are preparing to rescue their leader, but it's all in vain, because justice will prevail!"
Before he could finish speaking, a beam of light shot into the sky, reaching the distant horizon in the blink of an eye.
"Honestly, why do I have to do such tiring things?"
Kizaru, whose body materialized from the light, complained as he looked down at the rows of pirate ships below, his arms already crossed.
"It's Kizaru!!"
"Prepare for battle!!"
The pirates below immediately went into battle alert.
But.
"It's completely meaningless."
Endless light began to spread from Kizaru, condensing into a giant sphere of light in the sky.
Then, in the next instant, beams of light began to rain down from this enormous sphere of light.
Just like the sudden storms most common on the Grand Line, these dense beams of light instantly covered everything on the sea surface.
All the pirate ships were smashed to pieces in an instant, and the massive explosion caused by the collision of the beams of light swallowed everything up.
The Whitebeard gazed at everything happening on the distant sea, his face instantly turning bright red, and veins bulging on his forehead.
"Asshole!!!"
He roared loudly.
Those were all his most beloved children!
Sengoku instantly transformed into a giant Golden Buddha, radiating dazzling golden light, while placing one hand on Whitebeard's body, firmly suppressing him.
The Whitebeard, shackled with high-purity Seastone, was powerless to struggle and could only shed futile tears.
This is what happens to criminals!
Sengoku loudly declared, "And I dare say, all criminals will meet the same end!"
People all over the world watching the live broadcast were thrilled.
This is incredibly morale-boosting.
Criminals deserve this fate.
"Now, let this greatest criminal of the seas come to the end of his life!"
Two marines, each wielding a massive execution spear, had already stepped onto the Execution Stand and stood behind Whitebeard.
The two spears crossed, and the execution was just a second away.
Whitebeard had already closed his eyes.
There's nothing I can do now; all I can do is hope that my children will pass away slowly, so that I can catch up with them on my way to the afterlife.
"How ugly, Whitebeard."
Crocodile's voice was deep, and his right hand was slightly open, with grains of sand falling into it.
He couldn't allow this man to die in such a humiliating way.
"Oh?"
Hawk Eyes noticed his movement but didn't say anything, only a slight smile appeared on his lips.
Then, at that very moment, when Sengoku shouted "Execution begins!", and the two naval soldiers in charge of the execution had already raised their spears high, Blackbeard was already looking on with a smile that was about to burst forth.
"Hehehehe! Are you in such a hurry to die, Newgate!"
A loud laugh suddenly echoed from the sky.
Everyone looked up instantly.
"Why did that bastard even show up?!"
Blackbeard clutched his head, looking utterly devastated.
He had never heard of this guy having a good relationship with his father.
A gigantic monster peered down from the dark clouds in the sky.
He merely floated in the sky, yet the sailors in the square were utterly terrified.
"Kaido!! It's Kaido!!"
"How did this guy end up here?!"
"Hey! Look! There's someone on his claws!"
Flame Cloud coiled around the enormous Azure Dragon's claws, and two figures were entwined within those Flame Cloud.
"Hahaha! What a lively scene! You've come at the perfect time!" The man with red spiky hair laughed heartily.
"It's Captain Kid!! Has this guy teamed up with Kaido?"
The man with the freckles on his face pushed up his hat. "All those people gathered here are monsters!"
"Ace!!"
Behind the Execution Stand, the Garp the Hero was practically gritting his teeth.
You idiot!
"Kindness?"
Kaido suddenly turned his head and saw a dark figure rapidly approaching from a distance on the sea.
Was that a whale?