Yaen... Dead?

The meeting continued until the bright moon hung high in the sky before it finally had to be suspended for the time being.

Even so, the Navy High Command had only barely managed to produce a preliminary plan. Countless details still needed to be discussed and verified, not to mention the extensive deliberations required over specific defensive and countermeasure strategies for the war.

It was foreseeable that the Navy High Command would have no free time at all for quite some time to come.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru—the "Great Staff Officer"—Yaen, who had always excelled at strategic and tactical arrangements, and the entire Navy Staff Department would be even busier.

Nevertheless, whether it was the World Government and the Gorosei, the Navy High Command, or the countless Marine Soldiers, all of them remained optimistic about the great clash between the Marines and the pirates that was about to erupt.

Because... the Marines were now in a stronger state than ever before.

Not only were all three Admirals, the "Marine's Top Combat Power," present, but two "Heroes of the Marines" were also serving at the same time. Not to mention that the Fleet Admiral, former Admiral Instructor Zephyr, and the other powerhouses remained in excellent condition.

No matter how one looked at it... the advantage was clearly on the Marines' side!

Even if the Whitebeard Pirates were known as an overlord, facing Marineford with the full strength of the Marines gathered there would be nothing more than throwing an egg at a rock.

Perhaps... faced with such an overwhelming display by the Marines, Whitebeard will give up?

Just as some people gradually began to entertain that thought in the face of the Marines' undisguised preparations, the Whitebeard Pirates moved with unwavering resolve!

Besides the Whitebeard Pirates' own sixteen divisions,