Whitebeard and the others failed to notice that the damage from their battle's shockwaves was causing something to go wrong with Fish-Man Island.
If you looked up from beneath Fish-Man Island, you would see cracks spreading underground from Fish-Man Plaza. And as Whitebeard and the others kept fighting, those cracks grew wider.
Garp's and Sengoku's attacks were not so bad. They only damaged buildings. But every one of Whitebeard's attacks carried the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.
With no Marines here to protect, Sengoku and Garp had no reason to take those blows head-on. Fish-Man Island silently bore the brunt of many of Whitebeard's attacks instead.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit could manifest as earthquakes or Seaquakes. When its power struck Fish-Man Island, it became the force of an earthquake.
Fish-Man Island was having a terrible time. Someone kept hitting it!
The battle dragged on. Whitebeard's strength gradually began to fail him. His injuries were part of the reason, but this was also a side effect of taking the Energy Steroid. His body's accelerated aging left him with less and less stamina.
So Whitebeard fought his way toward the battlefield.
By now, they should have rescued Nawaru, Whitebeard thought.
"Pops!"
Whitebeard's return immediately drew everyone's attention. Seeing his clothes torn to shreds, Marco and the others abandoned their opponents and rushed over.
Something's wrong with Pops' life force! As a user of the Phoenix Fruit, Marco was exceptionally sensitive to vitality.
Whitebeard's presence was still overwhelming, but Marco could sense his life force fading.
Life force was different from stamina. Once lost, it was almost impossible to restore.
Not to be outdone, the Marines gathered around Sengoku and Garp.
The two sides faced off at close range. Their pressure left many on the battlefield struggling to breathe.
"Sengoku, you've lost!" Whitebeard laughed