Chapter 54 - War of the best(1/?)

Island of Marineford. In Paradise.

Marineford is a crescent moon-shaped island that is composed completely of bricks and steel, with cannons on the outer edges. At the back of the island, standing large, tall and proud is the Marine Headquarters building that inspired fear in many pirates hearts. The building is a large multistory ancient Japanese-stylized palace, with the base bearing the kanji for "Marines", with the Marines symbol in between. Around the building's four cardinal corners is a small mountain with a small building on top and a flag with the Marines' symbol placed on top of the roofs each.

Right now it was already announced that Ace will be executed, and all around the world, people voice their opinions on the execution and if the old man Whitebeard will really show up to try to save him. A few doubt his strength due to his old age and the number of the Marine forces ready to stop him. Others, who personally met Whitebeard sometime in their life and even retired from piracy just by being before his presence, think otherwise as they know his strength knows no bounds.

Sometimes standing in front of someone who reached the peak, would make you lose your dreams and spiral into depression.

Even children knows of Whitebeard's raw strength and thus sing a playground song about him. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of Marineford, the city where the families of Marines reside, has been evacuated due to the coming war for their safety. On the Sabaody Archipelago, monitors have been set up to broadcast the execution to its inhabitants. The patrol sh.i.p.s sent to deal with Whitebeard's advance forces are sunk and never heard from again. Thus, everyone in Marineford is understandably on edge as the three hours until the execution of Portgas D. Ace continues to count down.

John Giant, who is a vice admiral from the giants' race, rallies his forces as a staggering one hundred thousand elite troops prepare for battle. Fifty marine sh.i.p.s are stationed around the island with cannons lining the coastline. And at the front line of it all are none other than the remaining seven warlords (Kuma, Moria, Doflamingo, Mihawk and Boa Hanc.o.c.k) with the exception of Jinbei who refused to participate in the war against Whitebeard and was thrown in prison. At the rear of the island, Ace is located atop the execution stand. Watching over him while sitting in chairs at the bottom of the platform, are the three Marine admirals: Kizaru, Akainu, and Aokiji. With this, nearly every justice force imaginable is gathered waiting for Whitebeard to make his move.

Around the world, the audience is shocked to learn that Roger had a son and that his bloodline lives on to this day from Sengoku's mouth who had climbed to stand near Ace. Those on Marineford are rendered speechless, though those that know Luffy personally (Hanc.o.c.k, Koby, and Helmeppo) are surprised to find out that Luffy and Ace are not actually related.

Garp meanwhile continues to think of the past, when he met with Roger in his cell before his execution. Roger explained that he was going to have a son but would not live long enough to see him and personally requested Garp to take care of him, knowing what will happen if either Rouge or Ace are found by the World Government. Garp seemed reluctant at that time to that idea but Roger believed Garp will honor his final request.

'In the end… it still comes down to this sigh…' Garp sighed tiredly to himself as vice admiral Tsuru watched him by the side.

The order is given to prepare for battle as Sengoku looks on surprised at the fleet of pirate sh.i.p.s approaching the base, all being led by pirate captains that have achieved infamy in the New World and have come to support Ace, much to his surprise. The Marines, however, withhold from firing on them, trying to locate Whitebeard himself.

And then it happened, having coated his ship to appear smack in the center of the bay of the island, the Moby D.i.c.k, as well as three other sh.i.p.s with 14 commanders on board, arrive from underwater, much to the Marines' surprise. And it was at this time that Ian Appeared among them suddenly from the shadows cast by the mast that no one even remotely noticed. Meanwhile Elene stayed hidden in the shadows to gain an advantage from the start.

All those who saw Ian, thought he was a new commander of whitebeard. Including the three admirals, Sengoku, and even Garp who knew him from before.

Whitebeard climbs to the front of his ship as he greets Sengoku, no longer hooked to his medical equipment and ready for battle. He talks to Ace.

"Just wait for a little bit, Ace" Whitebeard spoke with a smile on his face.

And Ace, who had been overwhelmed with emotions from the moments the pirates came for him even though it was his fault as he defied his father figure, burst out with a cry,

"POPS" He yelled as hard as he could.

Meanwhile Sengoku and the rest were shocked. Not only due to Whitebeard being this close to them from the start thwarting their plans, but also due to how he looked. The old man's figure appeared robust and filled with life unlike what they had thought from before. Their intelligence related the news that whitebeard was sick. But he sure as hell didn't look it now that they laid eyes on him.

As happened at the anime, Ian watched as Whitebeard bent his legs and crossed his arms, before suddenly punching out at the air, cracking it like a mirror.

~Crack!

Immediately after Sengoku spoke towards his marines.

"Military force alone will not be enough to stop Whitebeard. This man before you, has the power to destroy the world itself." He warned them with a grave voice.

Aokiji disappeared from his place among the three admirals as he jumped high in the sky.

"Ice age" Two thin ice lances shot from his arms towards each wave and froze it in a second.

Ian saw that it was the same as in the anime, the responsibility of the tsunamis were left to Aokiji who fixed the problem with his ice age. Then he went on to freeze the bay along with the pirates' sh.i.p.s. To which the marines took advantage of to bombard them with cannon fire.

The pirate captains respond in kind by charging out onto the now frozen bay to do battle. The vice admirals quickly meet them and the fighting quickly reaches chaotic levels.

Then as reflected in Ian's eyes, the war of the best had started.