"It's not the Moby Dick!" Aokiji murmured from the execution platform.
On the distant horizon, the vague outlines of pirate ships appeared one after another. Pirate flags of every color fluttered as they rapidly sailed toward Marineford.
"They're Whitebeard's allied pirate crews. There are forty-three in total. It looks like they've all come," she said quietly as the Navy's Chief of Staff.
Beside her stood another powerful Navy vice admiral. Garp had originally been standing in that position.
"Where is Whitebeard?" a Marine asked. Though they had spotted many famous pirate crews and pirates, the Moby Dick had yet to appear, leaving them with an uneasy feeling.
"There are less than two hours until the execution," Warring States Period said, glancing at the time as he calculated silently.
He was not worried that Whitebeard was merely playing tricks by refusing to show himself. As a powerhouse of the same era, he understood Whitebeard better than anyone could imagine. As long as things proceeded according to plan, Whitebeard would not be able to remain still.
The true purpose of this execution was, rather than simply killing Roger's last bloodline, more accurately to encircle and kill Whitebeard.
As the Great Age of Piracy began and accelerated, the Navy's control over these seas rapidly diminished.
Even though they had worked hard to recruit soldiers, the Navy's growth in strength had never been able to keep pace with that of the pirates.
There was no helping it. The process of joining the Navy was still far too cumbersome. Unlike becoming a pirate, where all one needed was a person and a small boat to set sail.
For now, the Navy could barely maintain its deterrence over pirates, but as time passed, it would inevitably grow weaker and weaker.
At a time like this, they