One Piece: Transmigrated as Crocodile

Chapter 379 CHAPTER 379 - Whitebeard, Blackbeard

On the battlefield, even though the Whitebeard Pirates had begun their full retreat, the fighting remained intense. Marine Headquarters could not simply let the Whitebeard Pirates escape. Regardless of the cost in lives, they clung on relentlessly.

Corpses piled up along the path of retreat and pursuit. The battle evolved from a chaotic melee into a pursuit, growing even bloodier and more brutal.

"At the bay entrance, focus all efforts on destroying the enemy fleet. We absolutely cannot let Whitebeard and his men escape!" Seeing the situation, Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately issued a new combat order, changing the strategy from eliminating enemies outside the bay to destroying their ships' mobility.

This battle was only now reaching its decisive moment, and the advantage was tilting towards Marine Headquarters.

Although neither Ace nor Whitebeard had been executed, with injuries like Whitebeard's, even a monster like him couldn't hold on much longer.

As long as Marine Headquarters kept the Whitebeard Pirates pinned, victory would inevitably be theirs as time passed.

"It's about time. Garp, you better hold me back properly. Being able to fight you one last time, you old geezer, is satisfaction enough. Don't be too hard on my sons in the future... Gurararara…" Whitebeard suddenly smiled, speaking half in jest. At this final moment, his mood was genuinely good, even though he was about to die.

Because Ace was saved.

Garp's heart was heavy.

Whitebeard clearly intended to stay behind as a rearguard.

*Crack! Crunch!* As Whitebeard struck with all his might, the atmosphere shattered on an unprecedented scale. The entire Marine Headquarters shook violently, and then a massive chasm was torn open.

Whitebeard had already begun wantonly destroying the entire island multiple times.

"Is this the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power again!?"

"Dammit! Damn it! Someone help me!" Some Marines were buried as the ground split apart. By now, the sheer terror and power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit had driven many Marine officers to despair.

"Hold the line! Steady!" The entire battlefield swayed. Over a hundred thousand people struggled to stay on their feet, terrified by the shifting and fracturing land masses, feeling their own powerlessness acutely.

"What exaggerated destructive power!"

The chasm cut through the entire Marine Headquarters, intercepting the majority of the pursuing Marine forces.

"Marines! Don't you want my head?!" With Whitebeard's roar, the battlefield quieted. So many forces had been diverted to chase his sons. If he didn't draw that combat power to himself...

The Whitebeard Pirates' escape would be nearly impossible. At the very least, the famously powerful commanders and Ace would be targeted, finding it harder to escape than ordinary pirates.

Therefore, Whitebeard chose to stay behind alone to cover their retreat.

Hearing Whitebeard's words, many Marines finally realized: Who was the most important target now? Fire Fist Ace? No. Not him.

It was Whitebeard. A grievously wounded Whitebeard.

No matter what, Fire Fist Ace was just a kid who hadn't fully grown yet. Whitebeard was one of the Yonko who ruled the New World. The difference between them was immense.

"Old man! What are you doing?!"

"Ace, Marco... live on. Your era is only just beginning." Whitebeard looked at the ruined Marine Headquarters and the Marines who had now realized the situation and were rapidly converging. A faint smile hung on his face.

"Old man!!" Tears streamed down Ace's face. Memories of the past flooded him with overwhelming grief, yet there was a twisted joy in his heart. This was the meaning he had been searching for all his life.

Now he could tell anyone: he had lived, and he had lived without regrets. He had brothers. He had family...

"Don't cry. This is the captain's final order. My life has no regrets left. I am very happy to have walked this long journey with all of you." Whitebeard did not turn to look at his sons. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to bear parting.

"Old man!" Pirates and commanders alike couldn't hold back their tears. Every one of them had received Whitebeard's protection and care. Most of them were orphans.

War orphans, survivors of massacres, or freaks no one else would accept.

But with their "Old Man," they had felt kinship and joy. Though they shared no blood, they were closer than true blood relatives.

The Old Man had given them too much—strength, family, a home, everything. And now, at the very end of his life, they were still being sheltered by him.

"I'm sorry, Old Man. Sorry, sorry, sorry... We should be the rearguard. I'm the one who should die." Squard cried his heart out, his chest tight with an emotion he couldn't release. He could see no path forward except dying to atone.

"No need to be sorry. You are all my children. Children always make mistakes. Live well. Don't do anything foolish. If you feel you have no purpose, then focus on helping everyone survive. I'm counting on all of you..." With these words, Whitebeard shattered Squard's desire to seek death.

"Ace. Were you happy... to have me as your father?" Whitebeard's voice, carried by his Haki, reached Ace's ears.

"Old man!" Ace sobbed uncontrollably, falling to his knees.

"I was happy. You were a truly worthy father... Thank you for always taking care of me..." Ace was heartbroken. This was the final farewell.

"Marco. Take everyone away." Whitebeard smiled.

"Let's go!" Though reluctant, and though many commanders were willing to fight Marine Headquarters to the death, Marco knew the Old Man was entrusting everyone to him. His task was to lead them all away.

So he couldn't stay. He had to take everyone away from Marine Headquarters. And then, survive.

...

"Perfect opportunity! Now, take down Whitebeard in one go!" Suddenly, a loud voice rang out. The Blackbeard Pirates had made their move. They had been waiting for this chance for a long time.

Blackbeard and his crew appeared. Except for the giant monster Sanjuan Wolf, all of them attacked, launching a ferocious assault on Whitebeard in an instant.

Seeing this, Garp hesitated, deeply surprised. Why had the Blackbeard Pirates suddenly appeared here? And who were those people with him?

Bastard!

Had that bastard really freed all those scoundrels? Had Impel Down been breached? What in the world was going on? Should he continue attacking Whitebeard, or turn his attention to Blackbeard first?

"Garp, fall back for now." Fleet Admiral Sengoku spoke directly.

"Teach!" A flash of anger crossed Whitebeard's eyes.

"Old man—oops, I mean, Whitebeard. Today is the day you die. Everyone, attack! Kill Whitebeard!" Blackbeard grinned ferociously. Whitebeard shouldn't have much fight left in him now, right?

Zehahahaha! I'll gratefully take that Tremor-Tremor Fruit power.

But Whitebeard's counterattack immediately alarmed Blackbeard. Even when Blackbeard nullified the Tremor-Tremor power from a punch, the fist alone was still powerful enough to shatter mountains and islands.

Not to mention his masterful sword skills.

"You're still so arrogant. Since you broke the unbreakable rule on my ship... today I will wipe you out completely..." Whitebeard felt a flicker of unease about Blackbeard's ambition and decades of hiding. Not because of his strength.

But because he had hidden too deeply. And now his strength was considerable. If he couldn't be eliminated now, he might pose a huge threat to Marco and the others in the future.

...

Boom! The final battle between Blackbeard and Whitebeard erupted. On the other side of the chasm, Buggy the Clown held a Den Den Mushi, silently watching the sudden, shocking turn of events, nearly petrified with fear.

After some "live broadcasting," Buggy, relying on his Conqueror's-level luck, had managed to navigate the battlefield with relative ease. Now, he also planned to retreat. Otherwise, no number of lives would be enough against Marine Headquarters.

"Wait, what's that? No way... Admiral Akainu... is going to be killed?" While everyone's attention was fixed on the battle between Whitebeard and Blackbeard...

Buggy suddenly saw, in the distance, that Admiral Akainu had just been sent flying. And it looked like his arm had been severed? What was going on? What had happened in that brief moment?

Whitebeard ambushed, mortally wounded, fighting Garp, shattering Marine Headquarters, staying behind as rearguard, the Blackbeard Pirates suddenly attacking, Garp withdrawing... and now, Admiral Akainu, who had only just withdrawn from the main battlefield circle, was also in mortal danger?

This war was too terrifying, too dangerous! He really, really wanted to leave.

(End of Chapter)

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