"This is troublesome."
Scopper Gaban puffed on his pipe, his gaze fixed on Kong and the nine CPO agents standing atop the execution platform.
"No matter what happens," he continued calmly, "Ace absolutely cannot die here."
Rayleigh's expression was heavy. He lifted his sword high and swung it toward the execution platform without hesitation. In an instant, a massive slash surged forward, stretching more than a hundred meters as it tore through the air with terrifying force.
Kong's presence alone already explained the situation clearly. The Marines had no intention of retreating.
Whoosh.
Before Rayleigh's slash could reach its target, another blade wave intercepted it from the right, cutting it cleanly apart.
Dracule Mihawk stood there with Yoru in hand, his sharp golden eyes locked onto Rayleigh. Aside from briefly clashing with Whitebeard earlier, he had mostly observed the battlefield in silence. Rayleigh's arrival had finally stirred his interest.
Almost at the same moment, Kong and the nine CPO agents vanished from the execution platform. In the blink of an eye, they reappeared across the battlefield, each choosing their targets among the Whitebeard Pirates and the Revolutionary Army's top combatants.
The balance of power shifted instantly.
There was no doubt about it. These CPO agents were monsters. Even the weakest among them possessed strength comparable to a veteran Vice Admiral. Every one of them had mastered the Six Powers, wielded both Armament Haki and Observation Haki, and possessed Devil Fruit abilities, many of which were already awakened.
"Death Wink."
Ivankov, who had been locked in fierce combat with a Vice Admiral, suddenly felt a deadly sense of danger. A CPO agent in a half human, half beast form appeared directly in front of him.
This was one of the nine.
Code name, Poison Bee.
He was a Zoan type user of the Insect Insect Fruit, Model Poison Bee. Thick venomous mist surrounded him as he launched his attack.
To the left, high in the air, a female CPO with long green hair spread her arms. Countless razor thin needles burst forth like a storm, slicing through the battlefield. Wherever they landed, pirates and revolutionaries screamed in agony.
Code name, Needle Man.
She was a Paramecia type user of the Needle Needle Fruit, and an awakened one at that.
"Damn it, who can stop her?"
Pirates were pierced through in an instant, their bodies riddled with holes. A wide area of the battlefield was brutally cleared.
A sharp sword light suddenly flew in from afar.
A tall, burly man stepped forward, gripping his long blade tightly, his expression dark and resolute.
"Blenheim," he announced coldly, "Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates Ninth Division."
Needle Man smiled, her voice smooth and strangely charming.
"CPO."
Blenheim answered her with a powerful slash, and the two immediately collided in battle.
Poison Bee and Needle Man were only part of the threat.
The remaining seven CPO agents, Butterfly, Mantis, Soft, Spear, Scorpion, Black Bear, and White Bone, were equally dangerous. Each of them moved with ruthless efficiency, locking down key fighters across the battlefield.
As for Kong, he was already engaged directly with Whitebeard.
This was not their first clash.
In terms of seniority, Kong was even older than Whitebeard, a man from the same era as the former Sea Overlord, Knox. Despite his age, his body was still powerful and brimming with strength.
At the very least, he could temporarily restrain Whitebeard, giving Akainu and Kizaru precious time to recover.
"Garp."
Sengoku stood once more atop the execution platform, his composure restored. His gaze fell upon Garp, who stood below beside Tsuru. Sengoku forcefully suppressed his anger, but the warning in his eyes was unmistakable.
Garp looked toward the distance, where Luffy and Sabo were desperately trying to advance. Then he looked up at Ace, kneeling on the execution platform, tears streaming down his face.
Garp clenched his fists.
And then he charged forward, straight toward Gaban.
In this brief moment, his resolve shifted once again.
Earlier, he had chosen family.
Now, he chose justice.
Even Garp himself did not fully understand his own heart. His thoughts were in complete turmoil.
Unbeknownst to him, as he rushed forward, both Sengoku and Tsuru quietly exhaled in relief.
Perhaps sending Garp away from the execution platform was the best possible outcome.
With Garp and Mihawk stepping in, Rayleigh and Gaban were forcibly held back, unable to advance further.
"Admiral Akainu."
"Admiral Kizaru."
Nearby, Akainu and Kizaru, both covered in blood, were escorted toward the rear of the battlefield. Their faces were pale, their injuries severe.
If the two Admirals had not fought together to restrain Whitebeard earlier, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru," Akainu growled, shoving aside the Rear Admiral supporting him, "wash away my injuries. No one is leaving Marineford today."
His eyes were bloodshot, burning with fury.
Tsuru was a Paramecia type user of the Wash Wash Fruit. Her ability was terrifyingly versatile. It could turn people and objects into something like laundry, stripping away strength and mobility once washed and dried.
More importantly, it could wash away injuries.
No matter how badly wounded Akainu and Kizaru were, once Tsuru acted, they would recover more than half of their combat power almost instantly.
Much like Kuma repelling pain, this ability was the reason Tsuru had stayed in the rear until now. Injured Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals were constantly being brought to her.
Her presence alone was a massive boost to Marine morale.
In the previous era, Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru had been known as the Four Pillars of the Marines for a reason.
Near the edge of the main plaza, the area surrounding the Thousand Sunny had been completely cleared. Any Marine, pirate, or revolutionary who approached would suddenly lose control and turn on their allies.
This was all Emma's doing.
Still, Emma frowned as she observed the battlefield, now resembling a massive meat grinder. The situation had turned grim. With Kong and the nine CPO agents entering the fray, the balance at the top level had shifted dramatically.
Rayleigh and Gaban's arrival had helped, but it was only a temporary relief.
Unless the true strength of the Revolutionary Army revealed itself.
So far, only a handful of commanders such as Sabo, Ivankov, Belo Betty, and Morley had appeared, and now even they were being held back by the CPO.
Emma did not believe the World Government only possessed nine CPO agents. More could arrive at any moment. If that happened, the only hope would be for the Revolutionary Army to fully commit, or for Dragon himself to appear.
Otherwise, even additional forces below the level of a Yonko would be meaningless.
The real problem lay in the mid to high level combat power gap.
The Marines had Kong, nine CPO agents, six Warlords of the Sea, four Admirals, and dozens of Vice Admirals like Onigumo, not even counting Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru.
Whitebeard's side had sixteen division commanders, while the Revolutionary Army fielded fewer than ten commanders, alongside Rayleigh and Gaban.
Purely in terms of numbers, the disadvantage was overwhelming.
Veteran Vice Admirals such as Onigumo, Yamakaji, and Momonga were strong enough to contend with commanders like Marco, Jozu, and Vista. Even delaying them was enough to affect the entire battlefield.
Underestimating these Vice Admirals would be fatal.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see it. With Kong and the nine CPO agents entering the war, the scales had already tilted toward the Marines. It was only a matter of time.
"The Marineford War has completely deviated from the original course," Emma thought grimly. "If it still connects to the original timeline, then Impel Down should already be in chaos. Without Luffy's interference, Blackbeard might still succeed in recruiting subordinates."
If Blackbeard arrived at Marineford afterward, it would only make things worse.
Shanks might be clashing with Kaido, or already on his way here. Either way, the situation was spiraling out of control.
Emma glanced toward Nami, Chopper, Franky, and the others, who were being pushed farther from the plaza. Then she looked back at Luffy and Sabo, who were working together to resist Sengoku near the execution platform.
A deep sense of unease settled in her chest.
"I wonder how the battle between my brother and that man is going."
She turned toward the frozen sea. Vast sections had shattered, forming jagged mountains and deep ravines. Ethan and the Silver Dragon had been gone for a long time now.
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