401-405

Chapter 401: The Turmoil Unfolds 

“Hawk-Eye Mihawk, Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, Heavenly Yaksha Donquixote Doflamingo, and Thriller Bark’s Gecko Moria have all set out!” 

“Blackbeard Teach and the 'Lightning Killer' are still in contact. As for Bartholomew Kuma, he’s already stationed at HQ!” 

Hearing this, Sengoku nodded again, signaling the war officer to step back. 

“Whitebeard... it’s time to bring this to an end. Your era is over.” 

Clenching his fists, Sengoku’s eyes flashed with cold resolve. 

The world was on high alert due to the impending war. 

Across the seas, pirate crews were either fleeing in panic or trying to lay low, while Marine warships were mobilizing, advancing relentlessly. The world had entered that ominous calm before the storm. 

New World — Onigashima! 

“Whitebeard's off to battle, so his territory is wide open now. What kind of opportunist would I be if I didn’t take advantage of that?!” 

One of the Four Emperors, Kaido of the Beasts, bared his fangs in a grin. 

“All right, boys! Time for war!!” 

With that one command, a thunderous cheer answered. 

Elsewhere in the New World— 

“Kaido, now is not your time to make a move and disrupt the balance of the world!” 

Another Yonko, Red-Haired Shanks, began his march to stop the Beasts Pirates from attacking Whitebeard’s territory. 

And so, the world descended into chaos, hearts filled with unease. 

“Please, Marines... defeat the Whitebeard Pirates!” 

This silent prayer echoed in the hearts of countless citizens. 

But what they didn’t know... 

Was that the peace they enjoyed was thanks to Whitebeard’s presence. 

Without him, the world would soon fall into an age darker than ever before. 

“Heh heh heh... what a spectacular sight!” 

Yoru, lounging on the bow of the Mandefus, watched as a pirate crew scrambled in panic, being chased by a Marine warship. She couldn’t help but click her tongue in amusement. 

Watching chaos unfold sometimes had its charm. 

“Damn it!!!” 

“There’s a Marine warship behind us, and a Shichibukai to the side! Why am I so cursed?!” 

“Arghhh! Screw it! Let’s go down fighting!” 

The pirate captain wailed in despair as his crew unleashed a full volley of cannon fire. 

Unfortunately for them... it was useless. 

“Smoke Dragon!” 

A massive white smoke dragon swept across the ship, paralyzing the entire crew in an instant. 

Moments later, their ship was sunk, and the pirates were captured by the Marines. 

Leading the operation was none other than Smoker, Rear Admiral of Marine HQ! 

“Wait... isn’t that the ship of the Shichibukai ‘Lightning Killer’? What are they doing here?” 

Smoker immediately contacted Sengoku to report. 

“Tell him to get to Marineford immediately!” 

That was Sengoku’s only response. Smoker acknowledged and flew, in smoke form, over to Yoru’s ship. 

“Well, well, Rear Admiral Smoker! What brings you to my deck? Here to give me orders?” 

Yoru greeted him lazily. 

“Hmph! I wouldn’t dare give a Warlord of the Sea any orders.” 

Smoker clearly didn’t like the Shichibukai, and Yoru wasn’t an exception. 

“Sengoku-sama says to haul your butt to Marineford. You better not be late.” 

Yoru chuckled. “What’s the rush? At my current speed, I’ll make it on time just fine.” 

“Besides... haven’t you been reaping the benefits of me clearing your path? Without me, you think you could’ve captured pirates with bounties over 50 million that easily?” 

Smoker’s face darkened. “I don’t need your help to do my job. Don’t flatter yourself.” 

And with that, he vanished. 

“Sigh... kids these days have no patience,” Yoru muttered, then turned to Burgess. “Let’s just follow Smoker’s lead.” 

“Got it,” Burgess replied with a grin. 

Four days later— 

“What a haul, huh, Rear Admiral Smoker? You’ve caught, what, over a dozen pirate crews on the way here? Including one worth over 100 million!” 

At Marineford’s harbor, Yoru greeted Smoker with a big smile. 

“Don’t need you to tell me,” Smoker huffed, clearly annoyed. 

Just as he turned to leave, Yoru stopped him. 

“What now?” he asked gruffly. 

“I’ve got a little gift for Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Be a dear and deliver it for me?” 

With that, two burly men, tied up and looking menacing, were dragged out by Burgess and Noous. 

“Wait a second...” 

Smoker’s eyes widened as he recognized them. 

“Captain and First Mate of the New World’s Bajou Pirates!?” 

“Yup,” Yoru said sweetly. “Hope the Fleet Admiral likes his present.” 

“Oh, and don’t forget to pay me the bounty!” 

Smoker’s face twitched. 

If you're asking for money, it’s not exactly a gift, is it?! Shameless! 

“Hohoho... what a terrifying woman you are, ‘Lightning Killer’.” 

A mocking voice echoed from behind. 

Doflamingo, strutting over with his usual arrogance, looked warily at Yoru. 

Even Bajou Stro, whose strength was just slightly below Doffy’s own, had been captured by her. 

That was no small feat. 

(Author's note: Doflamingo here is pre-timeskip and hasn't awakened his Devil Fruit yet, so he's not as strong as in Dressrosa.) 

“You’re too kind,” Yoru smiled. “So, maybe don’t try your puppet tricks on me again, yeah?” 

Doflamingo just laughed it off like he didn’t hear the warning. “Of course not! Why would I ever target a fellow Shichibukai?” 

Still, the shockwave caused by Yoru’s capture of those two high-bounty pirates spread through Marineford like wildfire. 

The Bajou Pirates usually required two Vice Admirals and five battleships to even challenge them. 

Yet Yoru took down the Captain and First Mate solo. 

Her power was seriously starting to scare people. 

“She’s one scary monster,” said Kizaru, clipping his nails with a “terrified” expression. “So dangerous~” 

Sengoku spoke up calmly, “Since you caught them, you’ll be the one to escort them to Impel Down.” 

“Conveniently, we’re short on hands. Your arrival fills the gap nicely.” 

Yoru sighed. “Fine, fine... I’ll take the trip to Impel Down.” 

(※ Impel Down = Underwater Prison, aka the Great Prison) 

Chapter 402 – Chaos at Impel Down 

“Tch, I can’t believe the Fleet Admiral assigned me to this mission with you...” Smoker frowned, clearly annoyed, as he glanced at the laid-back Yoru, who was casually crossing her legs. 

“Come on, don’t be like that. We’re coworkers now, after all!” Yoru said cheerfully as she bit into a piece of fruit. “The underwater prison really is an impressive place!” 

“Oh? Looks like another Warlord showed up too? Things just got interesting!” She looked at a pirate ship being pulled by two massive sea serpents, clearly intrigued. 

There was no need to guess—it was the unmistakable ship of Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress and one of the Shichibukai. 

Yoru had thought she’d arrived early and might miss the show, but turns out her timing was perfect. 

“Luffy’s here too, huh?” With her Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki), she sensed Luffy clinging tightly to Hancock’s waist. 

Approaching… Landing! “Welcome to Impel Down, ‘Lightning Killer’ Yoru!” 

The one greeting her was none other than Magellan, the fearsome Chief Warden. 

“Warden Magellan, what an honor. Fleet Admiral Sengoku gave me specific orders to personally escort these two prisoners. If you would…” 

Yoru gestured toward the prisoners. Magellan nodded and said to his subordinates, “Begin intake procedures. Also, prepare a pair of Seastone handcuffs.” 

“Lady Yoru, my apologies, but for security reasons, you’ll need to wear Seastone cuffs before entering.” 

Yoru shrugged. “No problem,” she said, following the guards as Magellan personally escorted her. Alongside her was Boa Hancock, waiting silently. 

Together, they stepped into the infamous Impel Down. 

“So, Blackbeard… when are you planning to show up?” Yoru mused quietly after passing the inspection. 

Level 6 – Eternal Hell This was where the most dangerous criminals were held—each with bounties in the hundreds of millions. It was a den of monsters. 

And wouldn’t you know it—Yoru’s luck was something else. 

Just as she arrived, an urgent voice rang out: “Emergency Alert!!” “Destruction King Zoya—bounty 432 million Berries—has escaped! He’s freeing other pirates! Requesting backup! Repeat, requesting backup!!” 

Yoru frowned. “Wait… that’s not how it went in the original story!” 

“‘Lightning Killer,’ my apologies for the poor welcome. I need to go handle the riot immediately.” Magellan turned to his deputy. “Hannyabal, stay here with the two Warlords. If necessary, ask for their help.” 

With that, his body transformed into a toxic form as he dashed away. 

“Hmph. Looks like we arrived at a bad time,” Yoru muttered, continuing forward. 

Off in the distance—maybe a hundred or two meters away—a fierce battle was raging. 

“Stro, you guys are really lucky, huh?” Yoru smirked at the large man behind her. 

“Hmph…” Stro snorted. “You better make sure I don’t break out. If I do… you’re done.” 

“I don’t think that’s gonna happen,” Yoru replied coolly, watching the chaos quickly fall under Magellan’s control. 

“Kehehehe… Gotcha. Kid, you’ll make a fine meal!” 

A chilling, sinister voice came from behind. 

From the shadows of the wall behind her, a gaunt man emerged, eyes glowing red, fangs bared as he lunged for her neck! 

It happened too fast. No one around could react in time. Even Hannyabal, standing nearby, was caught off guard. 

Shing! A flash of cold, razor-sharp light pierced through the attacker’s mouth. 

“Gahhh!!” The man screamed as Yoru pinned him to the wall, unable to move. 

“Careful, that guy’s a Devil Fruit user—Williams, the Permeation Human. He ate the Tōtō no Mi! He can phase through anything he’s touched. If he escapes, catching him will be nearly impossible!” 

Hannyabal let out a sigh of relief. “As expected of a Warlord…” 

“Keheheh… You think you’ve won? If I escaped once, I can escape again! You’ll never lock me up!” 

Williams grinned wildly and tried to sink into the wall—only to find that nothing happened. He was still stuck. 

“…What? My powers… aren’t activating?!” 

Yoru chuckled. “Guess you’ve been locked up too long. Forgot that the inner walls of Eternal Hell are reinforced with Seastone, didn’t you?” 

Williams’ eyes widened. “No way! If that’s true, why didn’t I feel weakened? And you—how did you pierce through a Seastone wall?!” 

“I never said all of the wall was Seastone.” Yoru’s finger, wrapped in Armament Haki, grabbed his neck and slammed him deeper into the wall. “Just an inch past the surface. That’s the Seastone part.” 

Williams didn’t need more explanation. He could feel it now—his strength fading under the influence of Seastone. 

“Quick! Cuff him—Seastone shackles, both hands and feet!” Hannyabal barked at the guards. “This guy’s a nightmare. Bounty: 431 million Berries. If he escapes again, the world’s in big trouble!” 

“Too late!! EAT MY FIST!!” 

Suddenly, darkness fell over them. A towering man over three meters tall charged forward with a terrifying grin. 

“Aplus the Destruction Fist?!” Hannyabal’s voice cracked. “Release the two Warlords—NOW!!” 

He drew his blade and charged Aplus. “I might not beat you, but I won’t let you rampage freely!” 

Boom!! As their weapons clashed, Aplus’ punch exploded on impact, sending Hannyabal flying. The shockwave knocked out nearby guards. 

Even Boa Hancock was thrown back—her shackles still on. 

“This is bad…” Yoru glanced at her own guard, who had just been blown away before he could unlock her cuffs. She looked back at the grinning Aplus. 

“Fighting someone like you in this state… That’s a bit unfair, don’t you think?” 

“Heheheh… Blame your luck, kid!” Aplus raised his fist again. “Now DIE!!” 

He wasn’t interested in drawn-out battles. All he wanted was to break out of Eternal Hell before Magellan caught up. 

Yoru, standing in his path, was just the first target of his violent outburst. And to him… She was perfect. 

Chapter 403: The Qualities of a King 

"Well, there's no other way around it then!" 

Yoru, gripping his katana, Illusion Breaker, in a rather ungraceful way, muttered to Appless, "Assassinate him, Illusion Breaker!" 

Whoosh! 

Just a flash of cold steel, and before Appless could even grasp what was happening, he was sent flying, slamming heavily into the wall. 

"Hey, quickly! Get these handcuffs off us! I can't keep the enemy pinned down for long!" 

After blasting Appless away, Yoru quickly barked at the nearby jailers. With his abilities sealed, he'd lost at least half his strength, you know? Being in such a state wasn't ideal at all! Especially with those dangerous guys like Strow and Williams lurking behind him... 

"Y-yes, sir!" 

The jailers snapped to attention, rushing over to Yoru and swiftly unlocking his handcuffs. Behind him, Boa Hancock's cuffs were unfastened just as quickly! 

"You despicable, smelly man! How dare you make this Empress look so disheveled!" 

As soon as she was free, Boa Hancock shot out like a gust of wind. "Perfume Femur!" 

She landed a kick right on Appless's chest. If Yoru hadn't pulled his blade back in time, his Illusion Breaker would have likely been caught in the crossfire. 

Crack! 

The spot where Appless was kicked instantly turned to stone with a sickening crack. 

"You... you scoundrel!" 

Appless unleashed a furious punch, but Boa Hancock elegantly pulled back, then used her hand to brace herself on the ground, her long, fair legs whipping out like a whirlwind. 

"You... you rascal! Do you... really think I'm scared?!" Appless roared, his body instantly coated in Busoshoku Haki, as he ferociously met Boa Hancock's attacks with his fists. 

Boom! Boom! Boom! 

The fight was incredibly intense, making quite a ruckus! The two of them went back and forth, a truly spectacular showdown. 

However... 

"Aren't you going to help?" Yoru asked Hannibal, who was slowly picking himself up from the ground, looking rather disheveled, a curious expression on his face. 

"We'll leave that guy to the Empress. There are new enemies coming!" Hannibal looked behind them, where a new wave of enemies was already charging in. 

"I'm leaving this area to you, Lightning Killer!" Hannibal instructed before leading the jailers to meet the incoming foes. 

"He's certainly a dedicated guy, isn't he? Though he looks a bit timid, and his strength isn't exactly top-tier!" Yoru mused, then turned his attention back to the battle between Appless and the Empress. 

Since Appless had just been freed and wasn't in top form, he was already on the defensive. "Looks like Chief Warden Magellan's suppression efforts are wrapping up soon!" 

No new enemies appearing meant that the source of Magellan's previous skirmish had been quelled. 

"Kid, your focus seems a little off. In that case, I'll be taking your life!" 

Just then, a tall figure emerged from behind Yoru. He brandished a peculiar, large cleaver and, with a burst of air, brought it down. 

Whoosh! 

But Yoru vanished in a blur from in front of him, startling the man, who immediately tried to sense him with Kenbunshoku Haki. 

"No need to look, I'm right behind you!" Yoru's voice echoed from behind the man, his hand holding a white fire orb. "Perfect, let's try out a new move on you!" 

Yoru pressed the white fire orb against the man's waist. "Phoenix Blazing Sun!" 

Sizzle! 

The moment the fire orb made contact, the man felt a colossal heat, like a searing sun, erupt inside his body, rapidly scorching away his very life force. Then, an intense agony surged through him, overwhelming all his senses. 

"Aghhh!!!" The man cried out in pain, his face contorted in a grotesque grimace. "You... you punk!" 

"One doesn't seem to be enough." 

"Right, after all, it's a simplified version. The true power of 'Phoenix Blazing Sun' can't really be unleashed here." Yoru produced several more white fire orbs in his hand. With a casual flick, the orbs exploded, transforming into scorching waves of fire that threatened to turn bone to ash, engulfing the man completely. 

"Aghhhh!!!" 

It was as if he had been thrown directly into the sun. The man had no chance to struggle whatsoever. He felt his entire life force being evaporated, and he collapsed onto the ground like a charred corpse. 

He wasn't dead though! There was still life in him, but that only made the suffering even worse! 

Gulp! 

This sight made the surrounding jailers gasp in unison, swallowing nervously, their gazes darting away from Yoru. He looked so harmless, yet his methods were utterly terrifying! 

"Damn it all!" 

Over on Boa Hancock's side, she had also dispatched her opponent, Appless! 

"Oh, Chief Warden Magellan, you've finished up so quickly?" Boa Hancock remarked as Magellan strode over from nearby. 

"There's still one last criminal, Destroyer King Soar. Have you seen him?" Magellan asked, his eyes sweeping around. He then spotted the charred, corpse-like man behind Yoru and exclaimed, "You've already taken him down? Thank you!" 

Only then did Yoru realize that the man he had just defeated was the source of the entire disturbance – Destroyer King Soar! 

"No problem at all!" Yoru returned his katana to its sheath, once again resuming his harmless demeanor, watching as the jailers took Strow and the others away. 

"This place is truly a magnet for powerhouses, huh?" 

Walking through the Infinite Hell, seeing the vicious criminals locked in the surrounding cages, Yoru's face was alight with excitement. 

"Hey, kid, what's with that look? Are you treating us like monkeys?!" 

"Magellan! If you've got the guts, let me out! I'll fight you to the death!" 

"Kid! What are you looking at? Want me to twist your head off and kick it around like a ball?!" 

None of the criminals in Infinite Hell were pushovers, seriously. Their ferocious aura was unnerving, and gathered together, it created a truly oppressive atmosphere. 

"How interesting~" Yoru watched these shouting criminals, seeing them slam against the bars, creating grating noises. He idly picked his ear. "Could you all please be a little quieter?" 

From him erupted a king-like pressure, domineering and sharp, accompanied by a powerful surge of heat! 

"Conqueror's Haki?" 

Boa Hancock, Magellan, and all the surrounding criminals were startled. No one would have imagined that Yoru possessed the qualities of a king! 

But for these criminals, now wasn't the time to wonder why Yoru had 'Conqueror's Haki.' Because... 

"Agh, it's so hot!" 

"What did you just do, you bastard?!" 

"Stop it, stop it, I can't take it anymore!" 

Within a fifty-meter radius of Yoru, the temperature suddenly soared to a terrifying degree, effectively turning the prison into a giant hibachi grill. The heat scorched these notoriously vicious and unruly criminals, making them grimace and writhe in agony as they suffered continuous burns. 

Chapter 404: The War Begins 

You could already smell the scent of burning flesh in the air; even the ground itself was slightly soft, showing signs of melting. 

If the cages weren't mixed with Seastone and built from high-temperature resistant superalloys, they would likely have melted too. 

But even so, the bars of the cages were already starting to glow red. 

Even Magellan felt his mouth parched and his entire body's blood boiling intensely, finding it hard to endure. 

"Heh heh, stop?" 

Yoru looked at the prisoners, a smirk on his face. "Can't handle this already?" 

The temperature around him instantly surged again, turning the entire Infinite Hell into a scorching inferno, a heat that bred despair. 

Immediately, many prisoners visibly shriveled up at a speed discernible to the naked eye, their faces filled with terror and agony. 

"H-hurry... stop! Lightning Killer!" 

Magellan couldn't just stand by and watch anymore. If Yoru continued, something truly terrible would happen, so he quickly tried to stop him. 

"Well now, looks like no one will want to play soccer with my head anymore!" heh. 

Yoru stopped his attack. This application of 'Phoenix Hao Ri' was truly terrifying. 

The intense heat, reaching two thousand five hundred degrees Celsius, was enough to melt most visible substances. 

Even Haki couldn't defend against this kind of heat attack for long. 

"Heh heh heh, what an arrogant little brat! You've got my style from back in the day!" 

At that moment, a man sitting in the corner spoke up. 

He was actually wearing a prison warden's uniform, and though his body was covered in burns, he was smiling as if he felt no pain. 

"Shiryū of the Rain, is it!" 

Yoru looked over, murmured, then said, "Alright, the prisoner Stro has been delivered. I should be heading out now. I figure the war with Fleet Admiral Sengoku should be starting soon, right?" 

Yoru turned and looked towards the cage not far behind him. Inside was a young man with a string of fiery red prayer beads around his neck. He said, "Fire Fist Ace, I didn't expect our next meeting would be like this!" 

Hearing that, the young man, Fire Fist Ace, also raised his head. "You've gotten a lot stronger since last time. Are you still an enemy this time?" 

Yoru smiled. "Probably. But I'm quite envious of you, having such a great little brother!" 

"I'm sure you'll get to see him very soon!" 

Having said that, he bid farewell to Magellan and, escorted by Hannyabal, left the Infinite Hell. 

Before leaving, however, he subtly (or perhaps not so subtly) reminded Magellan to be wary of Blackbeard. 

Whether Magellan took it to heart was none of Yoru's concern. 

If Blackbeard still managed to recruit a crew from Impel Down and aimed to take Whitebeard's fruit, then he'd simply have to completely obliterate Blackbeard himself! 

After all, he couldn't leave someone who posed a threat to him existing in the world. 

... 

"Phew, the air outside is much better!" 

Outside the prison, looking at Smoker who was still waiting there, and the Vice Admirals Onigumo and Momonga who had arrived to escort Fire Fist Ace, he thought, "Has this great war finally begun?!" 

"Whitebeard, I really hope to fight you! Crossing swords with you... that ought to be quite interesting!" 

Muttering that thought, he leaped onto a battleship, beginning his journey back! 

... 

Marineford! 

When Yoru arrived here, a hundred thousand elite Marines were already in position, and the Three Admirals were seated in their designated spots. 

As for the Shichibukai, all of them were present, except for Blackbeard. 

The atmosphere was incredibly tense and oppressive. 

Yoru could see the fear and unease on the faces of many Marines. 

"Finally... is it about to begin?" 

At this moment, people all over the world were watching the live broadcast feed from Marineford, thinking anxiously. 

And Sengoku also began his pre-war declaration. 

"...You, known as Portgas D. Ace, your true identity is the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. You carry the bloodline of a great sinner, and with your potential, sooner or later you would undoubtedly cause a tremendous storm across this sea..." 

"Therefore..." 

Sengoku's gaze sharpened. "Here, we will carry out your execution, even if it means incurring Whitebeard's wrath!" 

"What?! The Pirate King's bloodline!" 

Once this news broke, it shocked the world and terrified the Marines present. 

"Heh heh heh, the Pirate King's bloodline still exists in the world? How utterly amusing!" 

Doflamingo, next to Yoru, laughed with unusual excitement. 

"They're here!!" 

Suddenly, a Marine cried out in alarm, "Fleets have appeared on the sea!" 

Everyone immediately looked over, and there on the surface of the sea, pirate ships of various sizes were cutting through the waves, approaching. 

The faces of the many Marines instantly turned grim! 

"What is that?!" 

Suddenly, someone else cried out in surprise, pointing at the bubbles that had suddenly appeared on the surface of the bay in front of them. 

"Wait, could that possibly be..." 

Sengoku, of course, looked over too, and a bad premonition washed over him! 

BANG! 

As expected, the next moment, a massive black shape rapidly surfaced. 

Then, it powerfully burst out of the water, appearing right before everyone. 

Hiss...! 

When they saw the true form of that black shape, the Marines inside the bay couldn't help but stumble back several steps in terror. 

"He got us good... Whitebeard, you actually managed to break into the bay just like that!" 

Sengoku thought, his face extremely grim, then shouted, "Pull yourselves together! Don't think we're guaranteed victory just because we have the numbers advantage! That's the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard! He possesses the power to destroy the world!" 

Indeed, that black shape was Whitebeard's ship, the massive Moby Dick! 

And standing atop the Moby Dick was a crescent-mustached giant leaning on a Bisento—Whitebeard! 

"Ace, wait for me!" 

Whitebeard grinned, looking at Ace as he spoke, as if saving Ace was as easy as taking something from his pocket. 

"As expected of the strongest man in the world... Even from this distance, he still sends thrilling tremors through you!" 

Yoru looked at Whitebeard, every cell in his body excitedly vibrating. Even Powang, the sword at his waist, let out an excited hum. 

This scene caused the surrounding Shichibukai to look at him in surprise. 

BOOM!!! 

At that moment, a sudden explosive sound of cracking air echoed from afar, deafening everyone. 

They saw Whitebeard punch out with both fists, actually cracking the air, unleashing an immense shockwave that surged outwards in all directions. 

The entire Marineford began to shake violently. Tidal waves surged, crashing like wild roars against the docks, creating constant booming noises. 

"Hey, hey, hey! These waves..." 

A Marine, looking at the increasingly fierce waves, screamed in terror, "It's going to flood all of Marineford!!!" 

Monumental tidal waves, obscuring the sky above Marineford, carrying the aura of immense power, crashed down with a roar. There was absolutely no possibility of escaping! 

Gulp~ 

In that instant, who knows how many Marines swallowed hard, their hearts filled with despair! 

They knew... it was over! 

In the face of these waves, all of Marineford would be destroyed, sinking beneath the sea! 

Chapter 405: This is Seriously Thrilling! 

"Whitebeard, you're seriously a monster! That kind of attack truly makes you feel utterly hopeless!" 

Yoru looked up at the crashing waves, an indescribable thrum of anticipation vibrating in his voice. He was absolutely brimming with excitement! He was already getting impatient, just itching to finally clash with Whitebeard in a proper fight! 

"Ice Age!" 

Finally, just as the monstrous tidal wave was about to engulf Marineford, Marine Admiral Aokiji unleashed his world-freezing ability. He transformed the colossal wave into a massive iceberg and froze the surrounding sea, effectively blocking the Whitebeard Pirates' retreat route! 

"Hahaha, well, this just gives us a perfect battlefield! Everyone, charge!" 

Indeed, the newly frozen sea became an excellent combat zone. The Whitebeard Pirate fleet immediately charged wildly, like a stampede of beasts, straight towards the harbor. 

"Engage!" 

Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, immediately issued the order to counter-attack as well. 

Bang! Swoosh! Boom! 

As the war began, it was an incredibly intense scene right from the get-go. Sparks flew, shockwaves rippled, the screams of the wounded and the cheers of the brave mixed together, and blood bloomed across the brutal battlefield. 

"Alright, alright, looks like it's finally starting!" 

At that moment, Yoru stepped forward, drawing 'Pomian' from his waist. "Whitebeard," he declared, his voice brimming with the thrill of battle, "let me see just how much of a gap there is between us!" 

His sudden move surprised everyone around him—the Shichibukai, the three Admirals, and even Sengoku himself. "The Lightning Killer is making a move on his own? That's rare!" Sengoku mused, a hint of surprise in his typically stern expression. 

Naturally, Whitebeard also noticed the visibly excited Yoru. 

Whoosh! 

Yoru vanished from his spot in a flash, reappearing directly in front of Whitebeard. "Pomian, strike him down!" he sharply commanded, his long blade pointing straight at Whitebeard's massive head. 

"Brat... you're far too green!!" 

Facing Pomian, which struck like a cold glint of light, Whitebeard unleashed a devastating Quake Punch that seemed to shatter space itself. An unimaginable, immense resistance, along with an extraordinary destructive force, surged forward like a tumultuous tide, making Yoru feel as if he was suffocating. 

"You're truly terrifyingly strong, Whitebeard." 

"But I won't give up so easily..." 

Yoru retracted his long blade, and with a long, defiant cry, transformed into a fiery phoenix that blotted out the sky. He flapped his wings, soaring straight into the blue clouds, then tucked them in, plummeting downwards at incredible speed. "Phoenix Meteor Strike!" 

"Quite the heat you've got there, kid. Interesting!" Whitebeard commented, narrowing his eyes slightly, clearly not taking Yoru seriously as he spoke. 

"Leave him to me!" 

From behind Whitebeard, a fierce blue silhouette shot out, charging directly at Yoru and colliding with him in a powerful impact. 

Bang! 

It was like an earthquake had just hit! The shockwave from their collision violently shook the ground, and the blinding light from their clash forced everyone to shut their eyes. A raging wind howled, scattering the clouds in the sky and likewise blowing away countless Marines and pirates, like leaves in a storm. 

"Fufufu, what a terrifying fellow!" Doflamingo grinned, letting out his eerie, unsettling laugh. 

"Is this the Lightning Killer's true power? It's terrifyingly strong!" the Marine Vice Admirals all thought to themselves, wide-eyed. 

"We can't have you just waltzing in... and going straight for our King, now can we?" 

The one who blocked Yoru's attack was a man with vibrant blue flame wings, his head looking suspiciously like a pineapple. It was none other than the Whitebeard Pirates' First Division Commander, Marco the Phoenix! 

"Two Mythical Zoan users? Interesting!" Everyone below watched Yoru and Marco, thinking with great anticipation. "What kind of spectacular battle will erupt between these two, I wonder!" 

"Then let me... give it a try!" Yoru looked at Marco in front of him, his eyes burning with the raw flames of battle. 

"Phoenix Fire Feathers!" 

He spread his wings, soaring higher into the sky, and at the same time, unleashed a barrage of terrifying fiery feathers that poured down like a torrential rain. 

"Hmph!" Marco didn't dodge or evade at all, transforming into his Phoenix form and charging straight at Yoru. Those explosive fire feathers simply passed through his body, having no effect whatsoever. 

"Quite an effective attack, I must say!" Marco flew right up to Yoru, commenting admiringly, "But now it's my turn!" His gaze sharpened abruptly, and with a flap of his wings, he unleashed, "Phoenix Brandish!" His vibrant blue wings now emitted an intensely sharp aura, making even Yoru feel a chill run through him. 

"Phoenix Feather Blade!" 

He too slashed with his wings, letting out a fierce roar. 

Bang! 

The two clashed heavily once more, and dark red and blue flames equally dominated the entire sky, a fiery testament to their power. 

"He's actually on par with Commander Marco! This guy is seriously strong!" 

"As expected of a Shichibukai!" 

Members of the Whitebeard Pirates below exclaimed in awe, witnessing the incredible clash. 

"Oh, Whitebeard, your gaze seems to have a little opening there, doesn't it?" 

Just then, a massive four-pointed star suddenly lit up in front of Whitebeard, and Kizaru's lazy voice echoed out. 

"Guragura! Borsalino, you still love to pop up out of nowhere, don't you?" Whitebeard swung his bisento, causing the surroundings to tremble. With a single slash that tore through the air, he aimed straight for Kizaru's face, forcing the light-man to retreat empty-handed. 

"My sons, reclaim Ace!" 

Ignoring the two battling furiously in the sky, Whitebeard issued the command to rescue Fire Fist Ace. 

"Yes, Pops!" The pirates responded in unison, charging with even greater fervor. 

Meanwhile, in the sky, Marco and Yoru separated once more. Both of them had sustained wounds! However, Marco's injuries healed instantly, thanks to his Phoenix powers, while Yoru, looking a bit disheveled, continued to bleed, seemingly at a disadvantage. 

"He's truly the First Division Commander, so powerful!" Yoru licked his lips, flapped his wings, and excitedly roared, "Again!" 

"Well, there's no helping it then. Looks like I'll have to keep fighting, but beating you isn't going to be easy, that's for sure!" Marco knew perfectly well that Yoru was an enemy on his level. To defeat Yoru, he himself would have to suffer severe injuries, leaving him with only two or three tenths of his strength. But without defeating Yoru, he truly wouldn't be able to break free! 

"Go, Lightning Killer!" "Defeat those evil Whitebeard Pirates!" "Don't you dare lose!" 

However, viewers watching the live broadcast on screens all over the world were cheering Yoru on, hoping he would defeat Marco and then drive back the Whitebeard Pirates! 

"Could this guy actually just be here for the fight?" 

Watching Yoru fight with such intense zeal, Sengoku couldn't help but entertain such an absurd thought. Otherwise, why would the notoriously unpredictable Yoru be so eager to get involved? 

Just as he was thinking this, 'Hawk-Eyes' Mihawk actually made a move! 

"'Hawk-Eyes' is making a move too?!" Seeing this, Sengoku was stunned once again.