Gern held his position, watching coldly from the sidelines.
But elsewhere, Ace and the others, burning with rage and determined to reclaim Pops' body, could never stand by and let Blackbeard desecrate Whitebeard's remains!
"Teach!!! You bastard!!!!"
As the enormous black cloth covered Whitebeard's body, all the grief and anger bottled up inside Ace erupted!
Without even thinking, he roared, his right fist already turning into surging flames.
He unleashed a searing "Fire Fist" straight ahead!
However...
Whoosh!
A cold flash of steel struck after him but arrived first, slicing into the Fire Fist as precisely as a blade cutting silk!
The fierce slash cleaved the enormous mass of flames clean in two.
It broke into two scattered streams of fire that swept past either side of the black cloth without damaging it in the slightest!
Shiryu of the Rain appeared in front of the black cloth, slowly sheathing his Famous Sword, Raiu.
With a cigar between his teeth, he blew a smoke ring, his voice tinged with faint mockery.
"This is... a moment of miracles."
"It mustn't be disturbed."
Shiryu's relaxed manner, as though he were enjoying a good show, only stoked the surviving Whitebeard Pirates' towering rage!
"Shiryu!!!"
"Kill them! Take Pops back!"
Just as flames rose around Ace again and he prepared to charge in recklessly and fight to the death-
"Ace!!! Stop!!!"
Marco instantly assumed his Phoenix Form and flew in front of Ace at tremendous speed, clamping both hands firmly around his shoulders.
His face was filled with grief too, but his eyes remained exceptionally clear. Holding Ace back, he roared each word distinctly:
"Look at the situation, Ace!!!"
"Pops has already... already died in battle!!!"
"He left us no final orders, but he bought our lives with his death! He bought your freedom!!!"
He