Whitebeard was truly a man worthy of admiration. Though he might not qualify as a "perfect pirate," as a man, he was undeniably a true, unyielding giant.
"Very well then… I suppose it's time I bring out my real strength!"
With that, Grimm activated every possible enhancement and buff at once.
He clenched both hands in the air, and instantly, Ashbringer and Hammer of the Holy Spirit materialized simultaneously in his grasp.
Facing a man like this, regardless of the final outcome, respect was required — and that meant pulling out his most powerful techniques.
Grimm drove Ashbringer deep into the earth, then slammed Hammer of the Holy Spirit down with all his might.
In less than half a second, Whitebeard — seasoned through countless battles — sensed a lethal danger.
He conjured a web‑like sphere of white vibration in his empty left hand and smashed it hard against the ground.
CRACK!
Barely before Whitebeard's power could shatter the land, countless giant‑sized replicas of Ashbringer wrapped in golden lightning erupted from the earth.
In an instant, the entire island they stood upon turned into a forest of swords.
Had Whitebeard not pulverized the ground just a split second earlier, he would have been impaled like a hedgehog.
"UAAAAAAAH!"
Whitebeard swung his bisento in a sweeping arc, shattering the wall of blades completely. The resulting shockwave carved a clear path forward for him.
"Excellent move, Whitebeard!"
Grimm pulled both weapons free and swung them into a fierce clash against Whitebeard's bisento.
The collision unleashed wave after wave of energy, snapping the remaining sword‑shards scattered around them.
"To call you an old man was truly wrong… you are more like fine wine — the older, the stronger!" Grimm laughed, looking up at Whitebeard's towering frame.
Whitebeard leaned slightly forward, pressing down with his massive blade, grinning fiercely.
"Hah — enough empty words! If you have the skill, come and take my head!"
BOOM!
The entire island shook violently, while thunder rumbled across the sky in response.
High above, Marco glanced back toward the distant isle.
They were already more than ten kilometers away, and the landmass looked like a tiny speck, yet the sheer force of the battle was unmistakable even from here.
No sooner had he turned his head than he heard screams from his crewmates ahead.
Looking back, he saw Mannoroth swatting several of them out of the air and sending them crashing into the sea.
Marco rushed forward to block the giant, shouting toward the Moby Dick, "Get the ship moving! Find the nearest island and anchor there!"
They had already seen that cannon fire did nothing against Mannoroth. Though his body was made entirely of bone, it was harder than steel beyond belief.
The Whitebeard Pirates had many Devil Fruit users, but only Marco could fight freely over open water.
Even those without powers could not stand and fight on the surface of the sea — they did not possess the Marines' Sky Walk technique.
If they did not reach land quickly, their losses would only grow.
Once they had solid ground beneath their feet, commanders like Jozu and Blenheim would be able to use their full powers, and then it would be Mannoroth who found himself at a disadvantage.
"Marco — hold on just a little longer! We're almost ashore!"
Jozu's voice carried clearly from behind, giving Marco a measure of relief.
Flying through the air, he looked like a tiny sparrow beside a whale. Grinning, he called out, "Until they reach land… I will be your opponent!"
But instead of attacking, Mannoroth simply scratched his bony chin, his deep voice laced with mockery.
"Why don't you take a look behind you? I won't strike just yet."
Marco narrowed his eyes — already nearly devoid of eyebrows — and turned his head. With Observation Haki active, he had nothing to fear from a sneak attack.
Yet what he saw made his usually dull, expressionless eyes snap wide open.
Two red‑hulled pirate ships, propelled forward by giant sea serpents and flying the dual flags of the Kuja and Grimm, were speeding straight toward the Moby Dick.
"The Kuja… damn it! How could I forget them!" Marco cursed.
He had been too focused on Grimm, then on Mannoroth — and now he had overlooked the Kuja Pirates entirely.
Standing proudly at the bow of the lead vessel were Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold, leading hundreds of fierce female warriors.
"Prepare for battle!" Hancock commanded, her aura radiating dominance.
"At once, Empress Hancock!" the elite Kuja warriors shouted, raising their weapons.
Though facing the strongest pirate crew in the world filled them with fear, it also stirred their blood with excitement.
"Thirty kilometers northeast of Orunidia — the island now called New Amazon Lily — Grimm, one of the Three Elders, is locked in fierce combat with Whitebeard.
Meanwhile, twenty kilometers from that battleground, the thirteen divisions of the Whitebeard Pirates are engaged in heavy fighting with the Kuja Pirates and Mannoroth, the Phantom Warship."
After listening to the report, Fleet Admiral Kong closed his eyes in deep thought. "And what of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin?"
"Kaido and Big Mom are still clashing with full force, but neither side has yet gained the upper hand. It will likely take some time before a victor emerges," the marine replied.
Kong opened his eyes and asked, "What are your thoughts on this?"
Two rows of officers stood before his desk — to his left, Sengoku and Tsuru; on the other side, two high‑ranking staff officers.
Strictly speaking, Sengoku and Tsuru were also part of the administrative command.
After a moment, one officer — dressed in a dark green suit beneath a Marine coat — spoke up:
"The Whitebeard Pirates are fighting only with their flagship; none of their affiliated crews have joined the fray. Grimm is doing the same — his three top subordinates remain in the Sanctuary and other territories to manage affairs. As soon as news of this battle spreads, reinforcements from both sides are certain to arrive. This is our chance: we can target the Whitebeard allied crews and wipe them out before they reach the scene."
"I agree," another officer nodded.
But Tsuru, standing beside Sengoku, closed her eyes in contemplation, then opened them again.
That is not the priority. The true key lies in Kaido and Big Mom. Grimm and Whitebeard have no interest in becoming Pirate King — their clash is nothing more than a contest of strength, and such fights usually end without a fatal conclusion.
Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, however, both seek dominance and control. Their battle will be a fight to the death. It is them that we must focus our defenses on.
The officer frowned, confused. "We understand that Whitebeard has no desire for conquest… but Vice Admiral Tsuru, how can you be so certain that Grimm does not aim to become Pirate King?"
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