The Meaning of War

Before the Gate of Justice, Jiang Lin stared at its tightly shut doors. His hands trembled slightly. After so much preparation and such a long wait, he had finally reached the last step.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A barrage of cannon fire thundered around Jiang Lin like a salute to see him off.

"How are we supposed to open the Gate of Justice?"

Buggy stared at the enormous Gate of Justice, despair written across his face. After seizing the warship, he had completely forgotten that this obstacle still stood in their way.

Inside Impel Down's power room, Blackbeard appeared with Shiryu of the Rain. Under their threats, the Prison Guards hurriedly pressed the switches before them.

"D! You can't stop my will!"

As soon as the Prison Guards pressed the switches, Blackbeard swept the entire power room with black mist.

"It's... it's opening?"

On the warship, Buggy had barely finished venting his frustration when the Gate of Justice opened right before him.

"Oh... Was this Captain Buggy's secret plan all along? Long live Captain Buggy!"

Buggy happened to be standing at the bow when the gate opened, so the prisoners on deck clearly misunderstood what had happened.

"Wahahaha... Th-this was absolutely my plan... Hahaha..."

Hearing the prisoners praise him from behind, Buggy accepted the credit without a second thought.

"D, was this your doing?"

Jinbe glanced meaningfully at Jiang Lin beside him as he steered.

"Just a deal."

Jiang Lin casually froze an incoming cannonball, then walked unhurriedly to the railing. Ahead of him lay a vast, unknown sea. Behind him, more than a dozen Marine warships gave chase.

"How is this possible? Why would the Gate of Justice open? Has Magellan betrayed us?"

Aboard a Marine warship, the commander stared at the open Gate of Justice in shock.

If Magellan could have heard him, he would surely have cursed, "You're the traitor! Your whole family are traitors!"

With the Gate of Justice suddenly open and nothing left to block its path, Jiang Lin's warship rode the current through it amid the roar of cannon fire.

As their warship passed through the Gate of Justice, a storm was stirring across the world.

Across the four seas and the Grand Line, wherever people lived, wherever civilization reached, everyone was talking about one thing—Whitebeard and Marineford!

The world could feel the storm gathering. Every eye turned toward Whitebeard and Marineford. Everyone wondered whether Whitebeard would appear there, and everyone waited to see him.

"Oh, God! What will become of the world?"

As a priestess knelt devoutly at a cliff's edge and sought guidance from God, the residents of Marineford town waited in the Sabaody Archipelago. Before a screen, they watched the live broadcast of Ace's execution with bated breath.

Reporters from around the world had gathered among them, their faces tense with anticipation. They had all come to carry the news to the world.

At Marine Headquarters, troops and warships summoned from across the world filled Marineford's plaza. One hundred thousand soldiers, fifty warships, and the Marines' entire fighting strength stood ready for battle.

At the very front of the formation stood five summoned Shichibukai: Bartholomew Kuma, Donquixote Doflamingo, Boa Hancock, Dracule Mihawk, and Moria. Each commanded an imposing presence that kept the surrounding Marines in awe.

Behind the Shichibukai stood countless Marine soldiers, all urgently mobilized to face this unprecedented war.

On a raised platform behind the soldiers stood three conspicuous golden thrones. They belonged to the Marines' greatest fighting strength—the Admirals of Marine Headquarters!

Aokiji, Akainu, and Kizaru sat upon them with imposing authority. Their overwhelming presence anchored all of Marineford.

Creak!

A wooden door swung open with a sharp sound. A young man covered in wounds appeared before everyone, chains draped over him. His appearance shook the entire world. He was the spark that had ignited this world war—Fire Fist Ace!

Thud!

Ace stepped onto the Execution Platform and fell to his knees. He let the guards fasten his shackles to the ring in the floor behind him, then slowly raised his head. Before him stood the Marines' entire fighting strength, an ocean of "Justice." Together with the biting wind, it made the air feel cold enough to freeze.

Clang!

Two long blades crossed before Ace, gleaming coldly. Every preparation for the execution was now complete.

Not long after Ace was brought onto the Execution Platform, Fleet Admiral Sengoku strode up alone.

"There is something I must tell you first: the significance of Portgas D. Ace—of this man dying here today."

"Ace, tell us your father's name!"

Holding a Den Den Mushi, Sengoku stood beside Ace and addressed the world. Everyone watching the live broadcast looked puzzled. None of them knew what lay behind his words.

"Whitebeard is my father!"

Ace spoke defiantly.

"No."

Sengoku's face remained expressionless.

"Yes, he is! Whitebeard is my only father! No one else!"

Ace squeezed his eyes shut and roared.

"We searched desperately, eyes wide, for the child that man might have left on an island. But we found nothing. Only after a thorough investigation of your mother did we learn the truth. That woman, Portgas D. Rouge, evaded our pursuit by sheer force of will. She carried you for twenty months, then died of exhaustion after giving birth to you."

"And when she died, a child bearing the world's most evil bloodline was born. That child was you, Portgas D. Ace!"

"And your father was the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger!"

At Sengoku's words, the whole world fell silent. After a brief hush came a surge of shock and fear.

The existence of the Pirate King's child was something no one could ignore.

To the Marines, Ace's existence carried even greater weight. Because of who he was, Sengoku was willing to wage all-out war against Whitebeard to eliminate him. That was the Justice of the Marines and Sengoku!

"Yeah!"

A deafening cheer rose from Marineford's Square. Countless Marine Soldiers waved their weapons in support of Sengoku.

And as Sengoku's speech drew to a close, a mysterious Fleet was passing through the Gate of Justice and entering Marineford.