Sending Marco to give Akainu a headache should be interesting

He possessed the same Super SS+-rank attack power as Whitebeard, but while Whitebeard could only use it with difficulty, Luo Chen could use it as a matter of course.

That was the greatest difference.

Luo Chen spread open his right hand, then watched as he clenched it into a fist, black lightning wrapping around it.

Whitebeard stared at Luo Chen in shock. "Kid, have you already mastered that move?"

"That's right!" Luo Chen replied.

Whitebeard sighed. "Looks like the times have moved on. Rayleigh, Garp, Sengoku, and I... we're all old now."

In truth, after seeing that Luo Chen could infuse his attacks with Conqueror's Coating, Whitebeard had already acknowledged him from the bottom of his heart.

After all, anyone in these seas who could master Conqueror's Coating was a powerhouse capable of dominating an entire region.

Just like the Four Emperors of the New World today.

Luo Chen lowered his right hand and smiled. "So, Whitebeard, have you thought it over? After you die, hand the Whitebeard Pirates over to me."

"Gurararara~~" Whitebeard laughed. "I can see that you have great ambitions, kid, but I don't want my sons taking risks."

There was another thing Whitebeard did not say aloud: once his sons followed this kid Luo Chen, they would definitely face battle after battle!!

Luo Chen did not respond to Whitebeard's words, because in his view, Whitebeard was far too protective of his sons.

If they were properly cultivated—for example, if Marco awakened his Phoenix Form—then a Yonko-Admiral Tier powerhouse would surely be born!!

Marco was indeed formidable below the Yonko-Admiral Tier, but as long as he had not entered that level, there was an essential gap between them.

At the current Marineford battlefield of Marine Headquarters, the strongest person here was Luo Chen himself.

With the Awakened Phoenix Form, combined with his current destructive power, he could easily slaughter his way in and out of Marineford seven times over.

At that moment, Luo Chen gave Domino behind him an order. "Domino, I'm giving you a mission."

"Find Buggy, and tell him to hand the Image Den Den Mushi over to you. Tell him I said so."

"Understood, Captain Luo Chen." Domino felt that she had finally become useful. Otherwise, constantly hiding behind Captain Luo Chen made her feel uneasy as well.

After all, having just joined Captain Luo Chen's pirate crew, she had to make some contribution. She was afraid that Captain Luo Chen would look down on her.

On the execution platform, Sengoku watched as the entire battlefield descended into a fierce deadlock, his expression tense.

He then said to Akainu below, "Begin according to the plan, Akainu!"

"Mm!" Akainu adjusted his cap and rose to his feet. He had been waiting for Sengoku's order, and he had long since become impatient.

After standing up, Akainu walked down from the execution platform, circled around the buildings behind it, and headed toward the battlefield outside the bay.

This plan had also been discussed by Akainu and Sengoku before the war began.

If it could be carried out successfully, Whitebeard's combat power would be greatly weakened.

That was Sengoku's goal. Whitebeard's destructive power was simply too terrifying, which worried Sengoku, since he had once witnessed Whitebeard unleash that kind of power.

After giving Akainu his orders, Sengoku picked up a Den Den Mushi and conveyed another command. Using the code they had prepared beforehand, he ordered the Marine soldiers to retreat in an orderly manner.

They were preparing to activate the Encircling Wall. When that happened, the Whitebeard Pirates would be turtles trapped in a jar.

That included the prisoners who had escaped from Impel Down, the revolutionaries, the Straw Hat Pirates, and, most importantly, the major criminal Luo Chen.

In the end, the Marines would capture every last one of them.

When Luo Chen saw Akainu walk down from the execution platform, he guessed that, just like in the original story, Akainu was going to deceive Squard into assassinating Whitebeard.

Not long afterward, Marco flew back to the Moby Dick with blue flames burning from his wings.

He dropped to one knee beside Whitebeard and reported, "Dad, we just received intelligence that the Marines intend to execute Ace ahead of schedule."

"Heh!" Whitebeard said disdainfully. "Sengoku would never make such a rookie mistake as letting intelligence leak."

"Dad, what should we do now?" Marco asked.

Whitebeard asked, "Where are Squard and the others?"

"They're locked in a bitter battle with the Marines outside the bay. Dad, should I fly over and help Squard and the others?" Marco replied.

"No. That so-called early execution is likely the key." After thinking it over, Whitebeard said, "Have Squard and the others spread out toward both sides outside the bay."

Marco was just about to respond when he was interrupted!!

At that moment, Luo Chen cut in. "Whitebeard, why not send Marco outside the bay to provide support?"

"Kid Luo Chen, do you have some different insight?" Whitebeard could not help asking.

Luo Chen did not answer Whitebeard's question directly. Instead, he said, "Send Marco over to support Squard's side and see for yourselves, won't you?"

"Dad." Marco looked at his father, waiting for his command.

Whitebeard had not originally planned to send Marco outside the bay, and he had no idea what this kid Luo Chen was plotting.

But since Luo Chen had said it right in front of him—

Whitebeard said, "Marco, go help Squard and the others break through the Marine lines."

"Understood, Dad." After replying, Marco immediately transformed both hands into blue flaming wings and flew toward the outer bay.

At the same time, outside the bay at Marineford, on the battlefield where the forty-three pirate crews under the Whitebeard Pirates were fighting.

Squard led his men in continuously slaughtering Marine soldiers, telling his subordinates, "Remember, don't face Marine vice admirals alone."

After saying that, Squard looked at a breach Oars had opened earlier and said calmly, "If we charge in from here, we can join Dad and the others in pincer-attacking the Marines from both sides."