Because of Blackbeard Teach's flight, Gecko Moria's poor performance, and Tyrant Kuma's rampage...
The World Government intensified its pressure on the Pirate Empress.
At Granny Gloriosa's urging, citing the possibility of seeing Kozuki Houka at Marineford, the Pirate Empress reluctantly agreed to this mandatory summons.
After waiting in the Calm Belt for several days, Vice Admiral Momonga could finally leave this perilous nest of Sea Kings.
Even with a Seastone warship, the Marines aboard were still terrified.
Vice Admiral Momonga had already cut down several small and medium-sized Sea Kings that had suddenly surfaced after spotting the Seastone warship.
As the Kuja Pirates and Vice Admiral Momonga headed for Marine Headquarters, the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet had also reached Fish-Man Island to rest and have their ships coated again. They sealed off Fish-Man Island, ready to charge straight at Marine Headquarters, Marineford, at any moment!
The Straw Hat Pirates had also arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago from the Florian Triangle.
But this time, neither Pluton Rayleigh nor Shakky was there to receive them, nor was Tyrant Kuma there to keep watch over them.
Tyrant Kuma could barely save himself now. He was searching everywhere for Jewelry Bonney and Kozuki Houka.
He no longer had time to babysit the Straw Hat Pirates.
And after witnessing the terror of Tyrant Kuma, one of the Shichibukai, the Straw Hat Pirates had even less confidence in their plan to storm Marine Headquarters, Marineford, and rescue someone from the execution grounds.
"Luffy! There are eight more agent squads as powerful as Cipher Pol No. 9, and even stronger ones like Cipher Pol Aigis Zero!
There are another five or six Shichibukai as powerful as Kuma!"
"And Marine Headquarters is even stronger than the Cipher Pol organizations..."
"Are we really going to Marineford?"
The closer they got