One Piece: With Sign-in System-Chapter 222: The End of an Era

"Wahaha! Wahaha!"

Blackbeard burst into wild laughter.

Kaido's sudden appearance had been unexpected, but now, looking at the situation, it seemed like perfect timing.

With Sengoku leading the Marines, Kaido, and himself all wanting the war to continue, they now stood on the same side.

Meanwhile, the Whitebeard Pirates, who had successfully rescued Ace, along with the Red-Haired Pirates, who had come to stop the war, stood united against them.

The battlefield had split into two factions.

And now, the one who could tip the scales was...

Red-Haired Shanks turned his gaze toward the towering figure in the sky and called out in a powerful voice, "Traveler Ron, what do you say? Will you let this war continue, or will you put an end to it?!"

In an instant!

Every conscious person on the battlefield, as well as the countless spectators watching through the Den Den Mushi broadcasts across the world, focused their eyes on that lone figure.

His decision would determine the fate of this war—and the future of the world.

Under the weight of all those gazes,

Ron, dressed in black, his blood-red sword hanging at his waist, reached for the hilt. He swung his blade downward, releasing a terrifying blood-colored slash that stretched thousands of meters. The attack struck the battlefield, carving a deep, bottomless rift straight through the plaza, separating Admiral Aokiji's elite Marine forces from Jozu's division of the Whitebeard Pirates.

It was as if the entire battlefield had been cleaved in two.

"This war... ends here."

Hearing his words, even Sengoku was momentarily stunned.

This was the man who had openly declared war against the World Government and the Marines, a figure even more reckless than Kaido. And now... he was the one calling for a ceasefire?!

"You bastard! You were the one who killed the old man! And now you're talking about stopping the war?! Are you kidding me?!"

Covered in blood, Sentomaru roared furiously at Ron, his voice filled with rage.

Ron looked down at him indifferently. "You're Kizaru's subordinate, aren't you? If you want revenge for him, I can give you the chance."

"Damn you!!"

Sentomaru gritted his teeth, grabbed his massive axe, and launched himself into the air, leaping toward Ron with all his strength.

But in Ron's sapphire-blue eyes, a flash of brilliance shone.

A repulsive force erupted, sending Sentomaru flying back even faster than he had leaped. He crashed into the ground with a deafening impact, creating a massive crater. His body lay within it, bones shattered, barely able to move.

Lying helplessly, he looked up at the godlike figure towering above him, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

"Damn it...!!!"

Under the wary and solemn gazes of the many watching,

Ron slowly raised his hand.

The power of the Float-Float Fruit activated.

In an instant, countless pieces of debris, both large and small, from across Marineford began to rise into the air, converging toward a single point. Before the astonished eyes of the Marines and pirates alike, the floating rubble fused together, forming an enormous stone titan over a hundred meters tall behind Ron.

A glint of light flashed in Ron's eyes.

The moment it did, the titan's eyes glowed with an eerie brilliance.

Boom!

The giant took a step forward, causing the ground to tremble violently.

Standing atop the colossus' head, Ron looked down at the Marines with a smirk.

"If the Marines wish to continue this war... I'd be more than happy to oblige."

"!!!"

The elite Marines stared in disbelief at the towering stone giant, a behemoth resembling a mountain.

"H-How the hell are we supposed to fight something like that...?"

Sengoku's expression darkened significantly.

Vice Admiral Tsuru let out a deep sigh. "It seems... we have no choice, Sengoku."

"This war... is lost."

The current state of the Marines made it clear—they no longer had the strength to fight against the combined forces of the Red-Haired Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Calamity of the Skies.

Sengoku lowered his head, clenched his fists tightly, his teeth grinding against each other.

Finally, under the expectant gazes of every Marine present, he forced the words out of his mouth:

"All forces... stand down."

The moment those words left his lips, his fists loosened, his spirit drained, and it was as if he had aged several years in an instant.

"H-How could this be...? Fleet Admiral..."

Some Marine officers who were still eager to fight looked at him in disbelief. freewēbnoveℓ.com

"It's not over yet! We can still fight!"

"We haven't lost!"

"No, it can't end like this, Fleet Admiral!"

A desperate voice cried out among the Marines.

"The righteous Marines cannot be defeated by mere pirates... If we fall here, what will become of the seas?!"

Kuzan slowly lowered his hands, his expression darkened.

Fujitora sheathed his cane sword.

Aramaki and Gion, who had been attacking Sabo and Ace, also withdrew their weapons.

Sabo and Ace let out a breath of relief and exchanged a glance, a slight smile forming on their faces.

But at that moment, an overwhelming chill crept down their spines.

"Killing intent!"

Both of them turned their heads sharply.

From behind the execution platform, the stone structure exploded outward as a figure wreathed in searing magma shot toward them, exuding a murderous aura like a boiling storm.

"Hellhound!"

Despite being injured by Whitebeard, Akainu unleashed a massive magma fist, burning with immense fury and lethal intent, as it hurtled toward them.

The sudden development shocked everyone.

"Fire Fist!"

"Dragon's Breath!"

Ace and Sabo reacted instantly, unleashing their attacks at full force. But against Akainu's all-out assault, their combined attack barely managed to stall the magma fist for a moment before it was shattered. The dog-shaped magma fist grew larger in their pupils, approaching with terrifying speed.

Death loomed over them like an unshakable shadow.

At that critical moment—

A tall figure suddenly appeared before them, his fist meeting the magma head-on.

Infused Armament Haki, Ron's right fist collided with the magma fist!

With a deafening explosion, scorching wind pressure burst outward, sending Marines flying like leaves in a storm.

Molten rock sprayed in every direction, yet none of it touched the man standing in the center. A mysterious repelling force prevented even a drop from approaching him.

Akainu's face twisted in rage as he glared at the figure who had blocked his attack and saved Sabo and Ace.

"YOU AGAIN!!"

Ron had no words for him. Instead, his eyes gleamed as he unleashed an invisible force. Akainu was struck violently and sent hurtling through the air, slamming once again into the ruins of the Marine Headquarters.

"Ron!"

"Ron!"

Ace and Sabo snapped out of their daze, calling out his name with expressions of joy and gratitude.

Marco let out a long breath of relief. For a moment, he had truly believed Ace was about to be killed by Akainu.

Yet, just as the battlefield seemed to quiet down, another unexpected event unfolded before everyone's stunned eyes.

Kaido and Blackbeard launched a simultaneous assault on Whitebeard.

"Thunder Bagua!"

"Dark Pit!"

Whitebeard's pupils contracted as he clenched his fist and swung toward Kaido's incoming kanabo. The quake-infused blow clashed violently against Kaido's devastating force, shaking the entire battlefield. The earth trembled, fierce winds howled, and both Marines and pirates alike were sent flying by the shockwave.

Meanwhile, Blackbeard, his fists hardened with Armament Haki and enveloped in swirling darkness, delivered a devastating punch to Whitebeard's chest. Whitebeard's expression shifted—his Devil Fruit abilities rendered useless under Blackbeard's dark powers.

Kaido's kanabo, crackling with violet-black lightning, smashed down onto Whitebeard's shoulder.

Boom!

The ground beneath the three of them instantly caved in before shattering apart with a deafening roar. Cracks spread like a web, slithering in all directions!

Whitebeard's legs sank deep into the fractured earth, and his towering, indomitable figure bent forward under the crushing force of the attack...

Before he could regain his stance, Blackbeard's fist, imbued with all his strength, smashed into Whitebeard's face.

At the same time, Shiryu of the Rain plunged his sword, now dyed in a deep, ominous black by Haki, straight into Whitebeard's chest. The rest of the Blackbeard Pirates opened fire, their bullets ripping through the air, blooming like deadly flowers upon impact.

Ace, Marco, Jozu, and the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates watched in horror, their pupils constricting in shock.

"Pops!!"

With the Marines no longer blocking them, Ace, Marco, Jozu, and the others charged toward Whitebeard with everything they had.

But... they were just a little too late.

"Teach!!!"

Realizing his life was slipping away, Whitebeard roared with fury and clenched his fist, unleashing a quake-powered punch aimed straight at Blackbeard.

"It's useless!"

"Dark Water!"

Blackbeard stretched out his hand, covered in pure darkness, and caught Whitebeard's punch. The Yami Yami no Mi's ability activated, absorbing the terrifying tremor force that could shatter an island.

Whitebeard's eyes narrowed.

"Gurararara! Do you see this, Whitebeard?"

Blackbeard burst into maniacal laughter. "This is the power of my Darkness Devil Fruit—the strongest ability in the world!"

"Die, Whitebeard!!!"

Kaido roared, raising his kanabo high, ready to deliver the final strike.

At that moment, a crimson flash streaked across the battlefield.

Shanks had made his move.

In an instant, he appeared behind Whitebeard, raising his longsword, Gryphon, to meet Kaido's club head-on.

The moment their weapons clashed, an earth-shaking shockwave exploded across the battlefield, sending tremors through the ground and churning the sea into a frenzy.

The sheer collision of their Conqueror's Haki tore a massive, jagged crack into the sky.

All of Marineford quaked violently under the force of these titanic clashes!

"The Gura Gura no Mi is mine now!!!"

Blackbeard laughed wildly as he pressed his hand, radiating with pure darkness, onto Whitebeard's almost lifeless body.

But Whitebeard's body still had strength left.

With one final act of defiance, he threw another punch.

"I told you, it's useless!"

Blackbeard activated his ability once more, negating Whitebeard's seismic force.

But then—his eyes widened in shock.

Whitebeard, using his remaining hand, gripped his legendary naginata, Murakumogiri.

And with every last ounce of his strength—he swung.

A sharp slash split through Blackbeard's chest, sending him flying backward, blood gushing from the wound.

Whitebeard, standing tall despite his wounds and the blood soaking his figure, looked down at the fallen Blackbeard with nothing but disdain.

"Teach... The man Roger was waiting for... was never you."

Blackbeard's pupils shrank in sheer terror.

And then—

With one final, full-powered strike, Whitebeard unleashed a devastating quake.

The force of the attack engulfed Marineford, causing the very island to tremble. The frozen sea surrounding the battlefield shattered into massive waves, breaking the icy prison that had trapped numerous ships.

With that last act, Whitebeard let out a final command.

"My sons—take Ace and retreat!!"

"Pops!!!"

In his last moments, Whitebeard looked at Ace, Marco, and his crew—his family—rushing toward him, their faces drenched in sorrow.

A warm smile spread across his face.

And as he slowly closed his eyes, his mind drifted through the memories of his long journey across the seas.

"It truly was... a long voyage."

"No regrets..."

And with that—

One of the Four Emperors.

The strongest man in the world.

The legendary pirate, Edward Newgate—Whitebeard.

In the year 1520 of the Sea Circle Calendar...

Fell in the war at Marineford.

The era of Whitebeard had ended.

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