Marine warships surrounded Marineford Bay.
Farther out, several ships of different designs lay at anchor, with a few figures standing at their bows, watching the battlefield from a distance.
"What's that?"
"A ship?"
Bepo, covered in white fur, strained to get a better look at the sailboat slowly approaching Marineford in the distance.
"Captain, is that the Straw Hats' ship?" Bepo asked uncertainly.
"Looks like it. They're probably getting ready to retreat." Luo nodded, then asked, "What's wrong?"
Under his glance, Bepo seemed startled and waved his hands. "Ah! Well, I was just wondering who's steering the ship, since their whole crew is out fighting."
"Hm?"
That got Luo curious, too. He thought about it briefly but couldn't come up with an answer, so he turned back to watch the battlefield. "Never mind. Maybe they've got a friend like Knight of the Sea Jinbe helping them."
Smoke filled Marineford, and the entire Oris Plaza lay in ruins.
The pirates under Whitebeard were retreating toward the bay, with a huge force of Marines in hot pursuit.
The war was still raging, but the outcome was already clear.
The fates of the two men the world was watching most closely—Ace and Whitebeard—were all but sealed.
Aokiji had been in a position to pursue Ace, but Jinbe and Ivankov had blocked him, and Jozu and Vista had arrived to hold him off as well.
As long as Lina didn't recall Sukuna, Kizaru had no chance to go after Ace either.
Sengoku and Lina both knew that.
As for Whitebeard...
Several commanders had joined forces to hold off the Admirals, but the Admirals had just as firmly pinned them down, leaving them no chance to retreat.
Marco, Jozu, and Vista were all giving everything they had just to keep the Admirals occupied. Escaping