Chapter 59 - War of the best: Troubles ahead (6/?)

Island of Marineford. In Paradise.

Squard who started walking towards the old man replied.

"Just barely." He said.

"I see. I was calling for you a while ago. How is it in the bay head now?" Whitebeard said. He tried to get the thoughts of betrayals out of his head. But he did not lower his guard for even a second. From the moment that his son replied he knew that something was wrong with him.

"The allies were beaten badly. I made it here because I found the way quickly." Squard thought for a few seconds before he gave his reply.

Whitebeard gave a small nod.

"Sengoku has no mercy. He's using all the forces he has to defeat us." He then said.

"Pops, did you notice what the navy was up to?" Squard asked as he nodded to his father figure.

Once again the old man nodded.

"I have known Sengoku for a long time." He said.

With Squard staying silent for a bit before saying.

"I see."

"It's better for us if they're gonna attack us from the rear. I'm gonna go forward too, we gotta invade without stopping" He said to his son.

Then with his senses active he noticed how Squard was nearing him.

'So it has come to this…' The old man knew something was wrong, and now he was finally sure that his son was going to betray him.

Squard continued to say that there was about 43 captains here. And how they are all in his debt. And how they risk their lives for him…

Whitebeard thanked him but tried to tell him of the situations to which Squard replied that he knew that they were fighting to save a family member of Whitebeard. And how the old man would never abandon one of his family, and that everyone followed him to this hell because he was such a person. He then muttered to himself about wanting to be part of that family…

Before he suddenly started to run with his now unsheathed sword. Once he was near the old man he tried to impale him in the chest with the sword.

But to his great horror, a hand caught the sword no matter how fast the attack had been. And though the hand was bleeding a bit, the wound was not that serious.

Suddenly these series of actions were seen all around the world by the snail in the hands of the whitebeard crew after they took it from the clown. In the battlefield, for a few seconds, utter silence permeated the surroundings.

The old man pushed the sword away as he looked at his son. He had a look of shock all over his face. He expected it but it was still a shock once it came to be.

Marco furiously came down from the sky as he held down Squard and pinned him from his head and questioned him for his reason.

"Why, Why would you do that, answer me!! Squard!!" Marco yelled at him.

Squard then stands up as Marco went to check on the old man. Squard then said that it was their fault it happened. As Whitebeard's other subordinate crews continue to take attacks from the Pacifista, Squard claims that he knew about Whitebeard's "deal with the Marines". He also berates Whitebeard for not telling him that Ace was the son of Gold Roger, whom he deeply loathed for the massacre of his crew by Roger's hand. He also claims that Whitebeard sold out his subordinate crews, as his deal with Sengoku was that he, his crew, and Ace would be allowed to be set free, as long as all of the other pirate captains died. He then states that although he was lucky to manage to get an attack in on Whitebeard, he was ready for his death as punishment.

Marco tells Squard that he was tricked, and that he should've trusted Whitebeard.

"Kill me." Squard told the old man, as he was ready.

"It's true that Ace is Roger's son. And they used that fact to their advantage, tricking the one man who would be most angered by that fact. Their strategy was a notch above ours" The old man finally spoke to the panting Squard.

"You know what you have done, right, Squard?" He added as he raised his left hand.

"You tried to hurt your father's with a sword"

"YOU ARE SUCH A STUPID SON" he then yelled at him at the end as he shot his hand towards Squard who shut his eyes in fright.

But soon he found out the old man was hugging him.

"However even if you are stupid, you are still the son I love" He said.

Ian who was still hunting the Pacifista units couldn't help but mutter to himself.

"What's with all the drama…" he said.

Soon though he noticed how Sengoku told Aokiji to take care of him. He then couldn't help but think to himself how things have become so troublesome. Though it was understandable as the machines were supposed to be a trump card for them.

Back to Squard he tries to once again question the old man… but he asks him who turned his loyal self against him.

Squard reveals that it was Akainu, who had stated that he was opposed to the plan to spare Whitebeard, and that Squard should kill him while he had the chance. Whitebeard states that he knew how much Squard hated Roger, but that it was foolish to hold children accountable for the sins of their fathers, and that Squard and Ace, as his family, should be friends. Leaving Squard crying to himself in shame.

He then proceeded to the front of the ship as he took position to use his signature attack as he spoke.

"How ridiculous it is to say that I sold my sons." To dispel the wavering doubt beginning to grow within the other captains, Whitebeard shatters the frozen waves with his Devil Fruit powers, giving his subordinate crews a route to escape if they so choose. Whitebeard claims that those who call themselves pirates should choose for themselves what to believe. Witnessing the act of selflessness, the other captains' faith in Whitebeard is instantly renewed.

Whitebeard considers to himself that, although people may call him weak, a demon, or a monster, he is only one man with one heart, and as he cannot be the "strongest" forever, he should be allowed to raise one young life for the future.

"Those of you who'll follow me, be prepared to lay down your life for it" He yelled the pirates below.

Before he suddenly starts running and jumps down the ship. Making Sengoku warn the marines about how the strongest man in the world was going to run wild now.

"Let's go" The old man yelled with a grin.