Lancelot quietly admired Boa Hancock's beauty and charm, much like appreciating a precious work of art.
After a while, seemingly satisfied with his curiosity, he slowly withdrew his gaze.
Because now wasn't the right time, and the location wasn't appropriate either.
However, just as he shifted his gaze away from Boa Hancock, his eyes suddenly turned toward the vast, boundless sea.
His eyes narrowed slightly as if observing something.
In truth, Lancelot's Observation Haki had already detected a massive group of people approaching from this direction.
A faint smile curled at the corners of his lips as he murmured softly, "They're here…"
At the same time, Dracule Mihawk, who stood nearby, narrowed his eyes sharply.
He, too, had sensed the presence of that group, for his Observation Haki was equally keen.
However, what shocked him wasn't just the arrival of that group, but also the fact that Lancelot's Observation Haki was so powerful, not the least bit inferior to his own.
This only strengthened his resolve to battle Lancelot, but at this moment, neither the time nor the place was suitable.
Nevertheless, both Lancelot and Dracule Mihawk's Observation Haki proved accurate—they quickly sensed a massive swarm of pirates surging from afar, a dark, overwhelming mass like storm clouds descending.
Everyone present, whether it was Sengoku, Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji, Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Warlords, or the Marine Vice Admirals, all wore tense expressions.
After all, what they were about to face was the world's strongest man—Whitebeard—and his foremost Pirate Crew!
With sixteen divisions, each with its own members, plus the forty-three allied pirate crews, such a massive force was unmatched anywhere in the world.
It was precisely for this reason that Whitebeard had firmly held the title of the world's strongest for so long.
So, how could they not be nervous?
Gulp…
Someone involuntarily swallowed hard.
Amid the tension, Sengoku stood firm, his already stern face now tinged with a hint of smugness, as if everything was under his control.
With a decisive wave of his arm, Sengoku commanded, "All outer cannons, open fire… Do not let them approach the harbor!"
The order echoed like thunder through the air.
At his command, all cannons roared to life, firing a dense barrage of shells toward the Whitebeard Pirates.
Yet, the members of the Whitebeard Pirates were no ordinary foes.
Facing the torrent of cannonballs, they showed no fear.
The strongest among them leaped forward, landing steadily at the bow, intercepting every incoming shell.
Simultaneously, deafening cannon fire erupted from the Whitebeard Pirates' ships as their own cannons began to roar, engaging Sengoku's forces in a fierce exchange.
In an instant, the entire battlefield was engulfed in roaring flames and thunderous explosions, marking the official start of the war.
For a moment, both sides seemed frozen by an invisible force, neither making a further move, creating an eerie stalemate.
Cannons continued to thunder, shells raining down on each other, the smoke from explosions filling the air, making it almost impossible to breathe.
Yet, Lancelot knew full well that this seemingly intense cannonade was nothing more than a feint by the Whitebeard Pirates.
In truth, those forty-three pirate crews were exerting their full strength to draw the entire Navy's attention and firepower.
They were like a pack of cunning foxes, skillfully diverting the Navy's gaze from the true target—the Whitebeard Pirates.
The actions of these pirate crews weren't chaotic but meticulously planned.
Every attack, every provocation was designed to plunge the Navy into disarray and scatter their forces.
Meanwhile, the Whitebeard Pirates lay hidden beneath the sea, quietly biding their time.
They were like a sharp arrow lurking in the darkness, ready to strike a fatal blow at any moment.
Once Whitebeard and his sixteen division commanders successfully breached the naval port, the entire situation would undergo a dramatic upheaval.
Whitebeard's appearance would be like a bolt of lightning splitting the night sky, catching the Navy completely off guard.
At that point, the majority of the Navy's attention would be drawn to the Whitebeard Pirates, forcing them to concentrate their forces to counter this sudden threat.
And just as the Navy was busy dealing with the Whitebeard Pirates, those forty-three pirate crews would seize the opportunity to launch a fierce assault.
Like a pack of starving wolves, they'd mercilessly charge into the naval port, putting immense pressure on the Navy.
This was an intricately linked and mutually reinforcing strategy.
The feigned attacks of the forty-three pirate crews created the conditions for the Whitebeard Pirates' surprise assault, while the Whitebeard Pirates' raid in turn provided the opportunity for the forty-three crews' full-scale offensive.
Such a scheme required precise timing and highly coordinated cooperation.
Only if every pirate crew strictly executed their assigned tasks could the entire plan succeed.
Lancelot was well aware of this, which was why he deeply admired the Whitebeard Pirates' execution capabilities and their strategic acumen.
Yet he chose to remain silent.
After all, if even he could easily foresee such details, wouldn't that make him appear too monstrous? Such monstrous ability would likely make others uneasy and might even bring him unexpected trouble.
Moreover, allowing the original plot to unfold as intended was most advantageous for him.
Thus, he decided to watch and wait without making any unnecessary moves.
However, at that very moment, Lancelot suddenly sensed an unusual presence, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the sea surface in the port.
This subtle movement immediately caught the attention of Dracule Mihawk and Boa Hancock, who had been closely observing him.
Their eyes followed Lancelot's toward the port's sea surface, and almost simultaneously, their expressions changed.
For they saw that beneath the calm waters, an enormous shadow was rapidly expanding!
As the shadow swiftly grew larger, the pupils of Dracule Mihawk and Boa Hancock contracted until they became as small as needle points.
Their bodies even trembled as if from an earthquake.
This revealed just how shocked they were at that moment.
Boom!
Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar erupted, as if the entire sea surface were trembling.
The once calm waters now churned and surged as if stirred by a mysterious force, forming massive whirlpools.
This abnormal phenomenon finally caught the attention of the Marines, who all turned their gazes toward the turbulent sea.
Yet, with just one glance, everyone's expressions instantly turned grave, as if they'd witnessed something truly terrifying.
These Marines, whether officers or soldiers, were all selected from among the elite; their insight was naturally extraordinary.
In an instant, they realized that a massive vessel must be hidden beneath the sea.
On the high platform, the faces of Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji also shifted slightly.
Aokiji's brow furrowed.
For a moment, he wanted to take action immediately.
However, it was already too late. In the next instant, the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates—the Moby Dick—emerged from the depths of the sea like a colossal beast rising from the abyss, revealing itself before everyone's eyes.
The Moby Dick's hull was massive and magnificent, its sails flapping loudly in the wind.
Standing at the center of the deck was none other than the legendary great pirate—Whitebeard himself.
Gripping his enormous Murakumogiri, he stood like a war god at the ship's bow, gazing toward the figures on the high platform.
His eyes burned like flames as they swept over Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji, Garp, and Vice Admiral Tsuru one by one, finally settling on Ace, who was restrained on the execution platform.
And standing behind him were:
1st Division Commander: "Phoenix" Marco, ship's doctor and user of the Mythical Zoan Bird-Bird Fruit, Phoenix Model, with a bounty of 1,374,000,000 Berries.
3rd Division Commander: "Diamond" Jozu, user of the Paramecia-type Diamond Fruit.
5th Division Commander: "Flower Sword" Vista, one of the world's few top-tier Great Swordsmen.
6th Division Commander: Blamenco, user of the Paramecia-type Pocket-Pocket Fruit.
7th Division Commander: Rakuyo.
8th Division Commander: Namur, a Fish-Man.
9th Division Commander: Blenheim.
10th Division Commander: Curiel.
11th Division Commander: Kingdew.
12th Division Commander: Haruta.
13th Division Commander: "Water Buffalo" Atmos.
14th Division Commander: Speed Jil.
15th Division Commander: Fossa.
16th Division Commander: Izo.
Aside from the 2nd Division Commander Ace, restrained on the execution platform, and the unfortunate 4th Division Commander Thatch, killed by Blackbeard, all fourteen of Whitebeard's other division commanders had gathered here!
Each stood tall and resolute behind Whitebeard, declaring their determination and courage to the entire world.
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