Summit War Begins

Early the next morning, the marines stood ready in full battle formation.

This operation had gathered a full one hundred thousand marines, all of them elites within the navy.

The port of Marineford was nearly overflowing, packed densely with marines as far as the eye could see.

"Is this kind of formation really just to deal with a single pirate crew?"

Fugaku Uchiha looked at the endless sea of marines, finding it hard to believe that so many people were mobilized just to take on one pirate group.

He had experienced the Third Shinobi World War and had led the Uchiha Clan onto the front lines of battle.

Even so, he was shocked by the sheer numbers; after all, the Shinobi World did not possess such a vast quantity of ninjas.

"That man possesses the power to easily destroy this island, and once the quality of power reaches a certain level, this kind of ordinary quantity is useless."

Uchiha Tamaharu felt very calm in his heart at this moment.

Every system mission must not fail; this was the only path forward.

Just like Whitebeard, he had no way to escape this.

"Follow the plan, the primary mission is to ensure your own safety."

Uchiha Tamaharu continued.

He had communicated with the navy, arranging for Fugaku, Shisui, and the others to blend in along the walls near his position, using firearms and cannons to assist in attacking the pirates.

Since they wouldn't be near the core battlefield, the navy naturally wouldn't refuse such a request.

"Understood!"

Fugaku and the others replied.

Then, the group split up, heading off in different directions.

They were all wearing the same colored uniforms, though Uchiha Tamaharu wore a cloak while Fugaku and the others did not.

The deep blue fabric looked similar to the chunin uniforms of Konoha from the outside, but this was a later addition; the inner layer of the material could withstand ordinary bullet attacks, dampen the impact of strikes, prevent cutting, and provide insulation, heat resistance, and waterproofing.

Uchiha Tamaharu had an extra white cloak behind him, very similar to a Hokage cloak, with flame patterns at the very bottom, though the center of the back did not bear the emblem of a generation of Hokage, but rather the crest of the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Tamaharu couldn't bring himself to transform in front of so many people, so he had transformed in his room beforehand and then put the clothes on.

"They said it was the second tier, but it's really just the position by the shore; there are only a few cannons in front!"

"The execution is starting in thirty minutes. I'll just go with the flow and wait for Blackbeard to appear."

Uchiha Tamaharu was led to his assigned area, where each Shichibukai stood in a row, spaced about twenty or thirty meters apart.

Seeing the position he was standing in, Uchiha Tamaharu was speechless, though not surprised; how could the navy possibly trust them, the Shichibukai, enough to reveal their arrangements in advance?

No wonder they had added that there might be changes!

By now, the live broadcast had already begun, and Portgas D. Ace had been escorted out of the prison, heading toward the Execution Platform.

After waiting for a while, Portgas D. Ace appeared, his hands bound in Seastone handcuffs, and he was forced to kneel on the Execution Platform.

Sengoku and Garp appeared behind him, then the two separated, and Sengoku stepped onto the Execution Platform.

"There is something I must convey to you all regarding Portgas D. Ace, and the great significance of this man dying here today!"

"Ace, state your father's name."

As soon as Sengoku stepped up, he began speaking into the megaphone Den Den Mushi.

The marines below looked at the Execution Platform with confusion, not knowing what was going on.

"My father is Whitebeard!!"

Portgas D. Ace replied very loudly.

But Sengoku directly rejected Ace's answer.

"At that time, we... the most evil infant in the world, that was you!"

"Your father is the One Piece, Gol D. Roger!"

After Sengoku finished these words, the entire field fell into an instant, deathly silence.

Including everyone watching the live broadcast on screens elsewhere, shock was etched onto every face.

The Shichibukai and others also turned their heads in surprise, looking at Portgas D. Ace on the Execution Platform.

Only Uchiha Tamaharu narrowed his eyes, looking toward the gap in the distance.

Although he was interested in saving Portgas D. Ace, he had people he absolutely had to protect.

Sengoku continued to recount how they had found Portgas D. Ace, and the reporters watching the live broadcast were frantically scribbling in their notebooks, preparing to write news stories immediately to capitalize on the first wave of hype.

"They've appeared!!"

Not long after, the marine responsible for observation with a telescope discovered a large number of pirate ships and shouted directly.

"All hands, prepare for battle!"

The Vice Admiral in charge of command at the port issued the order immediately.

All the cannons turned, aiming at the harbor, which looked like a calm lake in the center of the port.

"Just how powerful is that 'strongest' man, really!"

Uchiha Itachi stood atop the perimeter wall, watching the Marines below as they braced for battle; he truly found it difficult to imagine what kind of existence could command such dread.

Shisui and the others did not take their eyes off the pirate ships either.

They were also very curious about what kind of person he would be.

After all, in this world, there were not many people who had seen Whitebeard and lived to tell the tale!

"It's in the sea!"

Shisui was the first to notice that something was wrong with the water.

The other members of the Uchiha Clan soon noticed the situation as well.

Only Rob Lucci, Kaku, and their group failed to discern what was happening.

The coated Moby Dick rose from the depths of the ocean, its unexpected entrance shocking everyone present.

"Gurarararara!"

"It's been decades, hasn't it, Sengoku!"

Whitebeard walked slowly to the bow of the ship, and during that time, not a single person dared to speak.

Shisui and the others fixed their gazes on this aged man, hoping to use their Sharingan to catch a glimpse of fear on his face.

But there was none; all they saw was a wild, arrogant grin.

Sengoku watched his enemy with a grave expression, yet as the supreme commander of the Marines, he would not retreat!

"My dear son, are you alright!"

Whitebeard continued.

He looked completely relaxed and at ease, as if the hundred thousand soldiers before him were nothing more than a swarm of ants.

The Marines below did not utter a single word, all of them watching this man with tense expressions.

"He's strong!"

"I have never seen such presence in anyone else."

"Perhaps only the legendary God of Shinobi, the First Hokage, possessed such spirit!"

Fugaku said with great seriousness.

At first, when it was decided they would participate in this war, he hadn't taken it too seriously, as he was a veteran of many bloody battlefields himself.

But now, seeing this man, he felt fortunate that their mission was to deal with other enemies rather than to cross blades with him!

"Complete the mission, assist the clan head, and do not interfere in other matters!"

Shisui added from the side.

The surrounding Marines had already been placed under genjutsu by the Uchiha to avoid complications and minimize trouble.

That was why the group could talk amongst themselves, and since everyone else's attention was focused on Whitebeard, no one paid them any mind.

"Gurarararara."

"Wait for me a moment, Ace!"

Whitebeard looked at Ace and smiled with great indulgence.

It was as if he were looking at a child of his own who had caused some trouble.

"Old Man!!!"

Ace's lips trembled, and he shouted without a shred of restraint.

He looked just like a child admitting his mistakes.

Whitebeard drove his Murakumogiri into the deck of the ship, then clenched his fists and crossed them, gathering his strength.

Then, he slammed them outward with immense force.

The very atmosphere was shattered, creating visible cracks!

Explosions erupted on the sea surface surrounding Marineford, and the water surged violently.

The rising waves towered two or three times higher than the walls of Marineford.

"Is this... the power of the world's strongest!"

The Uchiha group was stunned by this transformation.

Although they had expected him to be strong when they first saw him, they had never imagined it would be this absurd.

"The strongest, indeed!"

As for Uchiha Tamaharu, watching Whitebeard, he felt his blood beginning to boil.

The start of the Summit War was a bit slow, but the rest is set; if I don't write it, it feels like the atmosphere is missing.

Thank you all for your recommendation votes and monthly tickets.