Red-Haired Shanks appeared at Marineford, standing atop the ruins as he looked around.
He took a slow breath.
"Everyone… give me some face. Let's end this."
His gaze swept across Whitebeard, Golden Lion, Sengoku, and the others.
"If anyone's still not satisfied, I'll be your opponent."
The declaration instantly drew all eyes to him.
Whitebeard snorted coldly, fury burning in his gaze.
Face?
Right now, "face" meant nothing to him.
His son had just been brainwashed out of existence.
You want face?
Who's giving him his son back?!
He stepped forward, the ground cracking beneath his foot.
"Get lost! This isn't your place to speak, brat!"
If Whitebeard didn't give face, Golden Lion certainly wouldn't.
"Shihahahaha!"
He laughed loudly, full of disdain.
"Red-Hair, who do you think you are?"
"I was ruling the seas before you crawled out of whatever corner you were hiding in!"
On the other side—
Dragon and Sengoku were actually willing to give Shanks some consideration.
After all, Shanks stood behind the Celestial Dragons in more ways than one.
Unfortunately—
Their willingness didn't matter.
Their opponents weren't buying it.
Seeing their reactions, Shanks' expression stiffened slightly.
Bad.
His concept-level Face-Face Fruit… had expired.
And did these people not understand that on the seas, strength wasn't everything—there was also social finesse?
He rubbed his chin, slightly awkward.
But he quickly recovered.
If no one noticed, it wasn't awkward.
—
Leno noticed Shanks.
But couldn't be bothered.
His gaze scanned the battlefield.
Garp the Fist had been rescued while dying—
But Ice Chicken was still here.
Strike while he's sick. Finish him.
Perfect chance to test the Munch-Munch Fruit—see if he could replicate the Dark-Dark Fruit's effect.
Blackbeard wanted that fruit desperately.
There had to be a reason.
Shanks saw that Leno completely ignored him.
His eyes sharpened.
The others were veterans.
But you, a junior, dare ignore me?
His Conqueror's Haki exploded outward—
Pressing down simultaneously on Whitebeard and Leno.
"If that's how it is, then let's talk with strength!"
Whitebeard burst into laughter, muscles swelling.
"Brat, you think I'm still that sickly old man?"
Much of his illness had been healed.
His Conqueror's Haki surged forward without yielding.
Leno felt Shanks' pressure and stopped mid-step.
His own Conqueror's Haki erupted.
Three overwhelming waves of willpower carved the battlefield into separate zones.
Locked.
Balanced.
Shanks' expression changed slightly.
"This brat… he's grown this strong? And how did Whitebeard recover like that?"
He had miscalculated badly.
No wonder they weren't giving him face.
He was operating on outdated intel.
—
During the standoff—
Sengoku seized the opportunity.
"Whitebeard, die!"
He suddenly attacked from behind.
A punch that could shatter stars.
Whitebeard was caught off guard.
The blow landed cleanly.
"Pfft—!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he staggered forward and dropped to one knee.
"Sengoku! You bastard!"
Sengoku's expression was cold.
"As long as it wins the war, a sneak attack is perfectly valid. You've known me long enough."
He didn't stop.
Strike while he's sick. Kill him.
Because of Sengoku's interference—
More of Shanks' Conqueror's pressure shifted onto Leno.
Under the added strain—
Leno's power actually refined further.
Shanks sensed it instantly.
His heart jolted.
"He's using my Haki to sharpen himself?!"
No more stalemate.
It had to end in one blow.
—
At that moment—
Akainu approached, magma rolling across his body.
He had nearly wiped out the remaining Whitebeard pirates.
Whitebeard was powerful—but old.
Leno was young—and full of terrifying potential.
A far greater long-term threat.
Without hesitation—
Akainu threw a punch at Leno.
"Great Eruption!"
Aokiji blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected his longtime rival to step in and shield him.
Akainu seemed to notice the look and snorted.
"I'm not saving you. I simply won't allow pirates to run wild."
Leno's expression turned strange.
That sounded suspiciously… tsundere.
Sorry, buddy.
Tsundere is out of style.
Though honestly—
Akainu probably meant it literally.
There was no hidden softness there.
—
Leno scanned the battlefield and cursed internally.
The Whitebeard crew were useless!
Multiple admirals had freed their hands to target him!
Looking around—
The division commanders were stuck trading blows with Marine vice admirals.
Slash for slash.
Locked in mid-tier duels.
Completely unreliable.
Leno swore under his breath.
Even Shanks looked a bit lost.
What was he here for again?
Attack Leno?
Save Whitebeard?
He hadn't come to escalate things.
He'd come to end them.
—
Whitebeard saw Shanks' hesitation.
Then glanced at the emotionless Ace.
Grief twisted in his chest.
He roared at Shanks:
"Ace is Roger's son!"
"You were raised by Roger!"
"Are you going to watch him die?!"
What, afraid Roger's ghost will come talk to you later?
That line finally stirred Ace.
"Roger?"
He forced the name out through clenched teeth.
"The man who started the Great Pirate Era?"
He looked up—
Eyes filled with disgust.
"That kind of man deserved to die! I don't have a father like that!"
"The era he started—"
"I'll be the one to end it!"
Strong words.
Too bad he was trembling, veins bulging, one knee pressed to the ground under the residual pressure of Conqueror's Haki.
Whitebeard and Sengoku weren't even targeting him directly.
Just the aftermath was enough to overwhelm him.
Garp had already been removed by Tsuru.
Only this unlucky bastard remained.
—
Shanks' expression darkened.
He was torn.
He'd bet the future on Luffy.
He wanted Leno removed more than anything.
But Whitebeard's words hit hard.
Roger had raised him.
Could he really abandon the captain's son?
Beckman spoke calmly:
"Boss. Just act in a way you won't regret."
That snapped something into place.
Shanks exhaled slowly.
His eyes hardened.
Since he was here—
He would save Ace.
But only once.
He wouldn't keep cleaning up Ace's messes forever.
—
On the execution platform—
Only two executioners remained.
They clutched their blades nervously.
Clearly outmatched.
Sengoku roared:
"Defend the execution platform!"
The two Marines glanced at each other.
"Us? Against Red-Hair? You serious?"
Sengoku himself didn't move.
Of course not.
Ace had already been "washed."
A righteous Ace was acceptable.
Roger's evil bloodline had been purified.
The World Government could live with that.
How long it would last didn't matter.
There was a political explanation.
That was enough.
But—
Whitebeard must stay.
Sengoku's attacks grew fiercer.
At some point, Kizaru had stopped holding back.
Golden lasers streaked toward Whitebeard's vital points.
This time—
The aim was precise.
The Red-Hair Pirates didn't interfere.
Because Shanks understood.
The World Government wanted balance.
If Ace walked free—
Then Whitebeard had to die.
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