With ten fighters brought back by Impure World Reincarnation holding off the Knights of God's fierce assault, the members of the Uchiha Clan and Akatsuki finally gained a precious chance to catch their breath.
Everyone quickly fell back and gathered behind Uchiha Yoru.
On the other side, Sengoku's furious shouts and the officers' commands barely pulled the scattered Marines back into formation. They retreated to a relatively intact section of the plaza.
Garp had no heart left to keep fighting Uchiha Yoru.
The moment Roger appeared, Garp's thoughts fell into chaos.
He cast a long look at his old rival, who was trading sword blows with Saint Shamrock, then flashed back to Sengoku's side.
Silently, he helped his old friend to his feet. Blood trickled from the corner of Sengoku's mouth as the two watched the chaotic battle, their faces grim.
The battlefield had split into distinct camps.
On one side stood the gathered Uchiha and Akatsuki members. On the other stood the surviving Marines, their formation restored but their morale low.
Between them, on the most devastated stretch of scorched earth, twenty figures fought a battle beyond ordinary comprehension.
Legend against legend. Undying against undying.
Every clash churned up clouds of dust and shook the ground. For the moment, their might even overshadowed the enormous planetoid still hanging in the sky.
Seeing the Reanimated Bodies hold back the Knights of God, Yoru turned to Pain. "Akatsuki should withdraw first. We'll cover your retreat."
After all that fighting, nearly every Akatsuki member had been wounded. None of them had trained in Haki, and their Chakra was badly depleted.
Akatsuki had already performed beyond expectations in this war. They had held off the main Marine force long enough for the Whitebeard Pirates to withdraw.
Nagato had even taken Kizaru and tens