"Curiel!"
Two figures rushed to Curiel's side. One supported the collapsing pirate, while the other warily eyed Wilder, who had retreated.
They were Namur, the fish-man captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' Eighth Division, and Kingdew, captain of the Eleventh Division.
Namur glared at Wilder, his exposed, sharp teeth in his lower jaw more menacing than blades. Kingdew laid Curiel down and examined his injuries. Finding that they weren't immediately life-threatening, he breathed a sigh of relief and summoned a nearby medic to tend to Curiel.
"Unforgivable…" Namur's eyes were hard and bloodthirsty.
Kingdew silently stood up, joining Namur in facing Wilder.
In the next instant, both men moved. One was swift and agile, the other brimming with explosive power.
"Tsk…" Wilder frowned, vanishing. Namur's fearsome bite attack landed on empty air.
But before Wilder could regain his footing, a thick, powerful arm swept in from his right.
"Iron Body!"
A light flashed in Wilder's eyes. He raised his arm, a metallic sheen briefly flickering across it.
Boom!
Using the force of the impact, Wilder pushed off the air with a Step, launching himself backward and creating distance.
"Tch!" Kingdew stopped, shaking his slightly numb arm, his face full of annoyance.
On the execution platform, a giant, gleaming golden Buddha drew everyone's attention.
The wrathful, majestic Buddha pressed down with a palm, a shockwave erupting from its center, aimed directly at Luffy, who looked like a tiny insect beneath it.
"It's no use," Wilder said from a distance, his voice low.
Kingdew and Namur were startled, then their expressions changed as they looked towards the execution platform.
Luffy's pupils dilated. He reacted instantly, taking a deep breath and inflating his body into a balloon!
Boom! The shockwave slammed into the balloon, the pressure relentlessly increasing!
"Such power… truly awe-inspiring," a Marine Captain murmured, his eyes fixated on the Buddha's figure.
"Indeed. It's to be expected of Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Wilder said, turning his head and revealing a meaningful smile.
Just then, the balloon, compressed to its limit by the shockwave, suddenly rebounded, escaping the area of impact. With a pop, the Straw Hat boy returned to his slender form, arriving beside Ace.
Sengoku's furious eyes widened, and he raised his hand to strike again.
But in that moment, a figure flashed, appearing in front of him and blocking his attack!
However, in the next second, this figure was smashed away with even greater speed than he had arrived. Marine Vice Admiral Garp slowly lowered his fist, his expression grim.
But this momentary interruption had bought Luffy precious time. Everyone's eyes were wide, fixed on the execution platform.
There were a few more unexpected turns, but the calm was definitively shattered.
Boom! A fiery tornado erupted! It shot up from the execution platform and landed directly in the plaza.
The flames dissipated, revealing the forms of Luffy and Ace, the Fire Fist.
"Then, it's time to begin the retreat," Wilder murmured, watching this familiar yet unfamiliar scene. Taking advantage of everyone's attention being drawn to Ace, he quietly transformed into swamp matter and sank into the ground.
…
"Claire… prepare to retreat," Wilder's voice sounded from the shadows.
Claire's sweet voice came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi: "Yes."
Meanwhile, a warship was steadily approaching Marineford. Onboard, a group led by Blackbeard, all bearing various injuries, stood. Blackbeard wore an arrogant grin, but his eyes flickered with danger.
"How pathetic, getting played by a rat. I heard his name was First, and he was even a Warden," Lafitte said in his peculiar tone, glancing at Shiryu of the Rain, who was polishing his sword nearby.
Shiryu's hand paused. The teeth clenching his cigar bit down harder. He turned to Lafitte, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"What? Do you have some problem with the position of Warden?" he said, raising an eyebrow, his deep, resonant voice giving his words an inherent sense of pressure.
"I didn't say that," Lafitte said, the corner of his mouth twitching. He didn't continue the confrontation.
"Zehahaha! We're all comrades, aren't we?" Blackbeard laughed heartily.
"No matter what, that guy is going to die, right…?" Lafitte wiped away the blood that had started to flow again from his forehead, a wicked curve forming on his thin lips.
"Zehahaha!" Blackbeard laughed again, then his voice turned somber: "Wait for the opportunity. Don't forget our objective."
"Of course."
...…
Marine Headquarters, Marineford. After Ace's rescue, the battle intensified even further.
Cannon fire roared. Admiral Aokiji arrived to intercept Ace. The two, one ice and one fire, clashed!
Steam filled the air as ice melted.
Meanwhile, Admiral Akainu pursued Luffy, spewing forth scorching magma.
…
Wilder moved through the earth, heading in the direction Claire had indicated.
In the outer bay, on a warship positioned behind Marineford, Vice was using binoculars to observe the surrounding warships and the sea.
Claire was also on board now. At the rear of the ship, a strange device had been installed. Everything was ready.
At a high vantage point overlooking the battlefield, Ashin, Bacon, and Sherilmo stood with serious expressions. The intensity of the war was shocking to witness.
"Boss is here."
Suddenly, Ashin's voice broke the silence. He lifted his head, shifting from his prone position to sit leaning against half a wall, his eyes looking ahead.
Bacon and Sherilmo turned their heads at his words.
A pool of swamp matter surged up from the ground, gradually coalescing into a human form. Wilder appeared.
All four were dressed in Marine uniforms. Except for Ashin, who wore a mask, no one would suspect their Marine identities, especially since… their papers were in order.
After descending from the high point, the four headed directly for the warship in the outer bay. Naturally, their route took them through the residential area, but thanks to their current Marine disguises, they didn't attract any unwanted attention.
Just as they successfully boarded the ship, a tremendous explosion echoed from the battlefield.
"ACE!!!" A shout reverberated across the sea. Wilder, standing behind Vice, looked towards the battlefield, his gaze calm.
If everything went as expected, Marineford would now become Whitebeard's personal stage, a stage where he would perform his finale with his life… It would undoubtedly be magnificent.
He wanted to hear it, this requiem…