BOOM!!

A deafening explosion shook the entirety of Marineford.

The ice cracked apart, and the earth trembled violently.

A shockwave blasted through the air, sweeping up dust and smoke, clearing everything within a kilometer radius in an instant.

ROAR!

From the chaos came a thunderous roar that pierced the heavens. It was a cry of joy and euphoria, the exhilaration of a beast breaking free from its shackles—laced with a terrifying and violent bloodlust.

Immediately after came Ghidorah's signature hoarse and sinister voice.

"Teach, you think you're ready?"

"Zehahahaha…"

"Ghidorah, your time is long gone," Teach replied with a wild laugh.

"The age that belongs to me is just beginning. Even you—what can you do?"

"I've acquired an even more powerful fruit now!"

Amid the smoke and debris, Blackbeard's face was filled with arrogant glee as he let out his mad laughter.

He had finally moved past his obsession. Once, he had fixated solely on acquiring Ghidorah's Devil Fruit. But after the Impel Down incident—and receiving an immensely powerful fruit from the Gorosei—he realized he had other options.

Now, with newfound strength, he truly believed he was second to none.

"Oh?"

Ghidorah raised a brow, surprised the man had gotten hold of another fruit. But considering how chaotic the storyline had become, he wasn't too shocked.

Still, he couldn't help being curious about Teach's new power. After all, this man had read the complete Devil Fruit encyclopedia.

If he was willing to abandon the Gura Gura no Mi, then whatever he obtained couldn't possibly be trash.

Thinking this, Ghidorah let out a cold snort, two white-hot breaths flaring from his nostrils like steam.

"So, you really think you're ready?"

"Zehahahaha… There's only one way to find out!"

Standing on the shoulder of Sanjuan Wolf, Blackbeard spread his arms wide and shouted maniacally:

"Boys! Let's raise some hell!!"

As his voice rang out, a group of pirates in prison uniforms leapt from Sanjuan Wolf's back.

Jesus Burgess, Shiryu of the Rain, Van Augur, Avalo Pizarro…

Ghidorah sneered at the sight of the familiar—and a few unfamiliar—faces.

"Teach, you really are a clown."

"Do you seriously think this pathetic mob is enough to challenge me?"

"Then you can go ahead and die now!"

Without even bothering to use his gravity beams, Ghidorah twisted his massive body. With a swing, two of his enormous tails swept violently toward Sanjuan Wolf.

"Tail Whip!"

WHOOSH—CRACK!!

His thick, muscular tails shattered the sound barrier with explosive force, creating a series of bone-rattling sonic booms as they lashed out toward Blackbeard's crew.

BOOM! BOOM!!

The blasts echoed like thunder, shaking the entire frozen inner bay.

CRACK—CRAAACK!!

The overwhelming force shattered the icy surface, sending enormous fractures ripping outward in every direction.

"Aaarghh!!"

"Help!!"

Caught off-guard, many marines and pirates fell screaming into the cracks in the ice.

Faced with this apocalyptic scene, all nearby combatants—marine and pirate alike—abandoned their fights and fled from the battlefield.

Ice fog and smoke enveloped the field, plunging everything into chaos.

The powerful figures from both factions stared at the war zone, deeply shaken.

What is that thing?!

Just one sweep of its tail had such horrifying power.

"Aaaah!! That hurts so bad!!"

As the smoke began to clear, the mountain-sized Sanjuan Wolf let out a pained scream.

His usually blank expression had contorted in agony, with massive tears streaming from his eyes.

"I'll kill you!!"

After the scream, he twisted his gigantic body and stomped straight toward Ghidorah in a rage.

Failing to knock the giant down in one blow didn't surprise Ghidorah. Even if the guy wasn't that strong, the sheer mass was still considerable.

As the behemoth lunged at him, Ghidorah's two side heads let out fierce roars, lunging forward to bite down on Sanjuan Wolf's arms.

CRACK!

A sickening crunch echoed as the heads snapped both his arms.

"Idiot. Still just an idiot."

Ghidorah gave the twisted, pain-stricken face of Sanjuan Wolf a disdainful glance, then opened his middle jaw to bite into the giant's throat.

He didn't even feel like using his powers. Against opponents like this, close-quarters combat was more satisfying.

That visceral, teeth-on-flesh sensation—it was intoxicating.

"Unsinkable Ship: Rope Style!"

Just as his jaws were about to sink into the throat, a deep voice echoed.

Jesus Burgess had leapt into the air, blasting a massive shockwave directly at Ghidorah's head.

BOOM!!

The shockwave struck one of Ghidorah's heads with tremendous force, erupting in an explosion.

Immediately after, Laffitte, Van Augur, Doc Q, and others launched a coordinated assault. Each unleashed their most devastating abilities without reservation.

Shockwaves, slashes, Devil Fruit powers, bullets…

An endless barrage of attacks rained down like a storm. Those watching from afar were left dumbfounded.

"Th-this…"

"Even Whitebeard would've died under that kind of barrage!"

"Bullshit! Pops was the strongest man in the world—no way that'd take him down!"

The war had temporarily paused as marines and pirates alike stared fearfully toward the battlefield in the inner bay.

And of course, new arguments erupted from their reactions.

"Ghidorah…"

Back near Garp, Ace stared at the battle anxiously.

"Hahaha! Brat, wipe that look off your face."

Garp chuckled and casually pulled a key from his pocket, tossing it to Ace.

"Old Man, you—!"

Ace instinctively caught the key, eyes wide in disbelief.

To him, Garp had always embodied the pride of a marine.

Betraying the Navy? Unthinkable.

Yet here it was—happening before his eyes.

"Don't look at me like that. As of today…"

"The Hero of the Marines—Garp—is retired."

"All that's left is a grandfather… who wants to see his grandson fulfill his dream."

"Hahahaha…"

He laughed heartily, but anyone could hear the sorrow hidden in that laughter.

"You old man…"

Ace's eyes welled with tears.

Without hesitation, he unlocked his Seastone cuffs and burst into flames, rocketing toward the Whitebeard Pirates.

As he took off, he whispered:

"Thank you… Grandpa."

The resigned expression on Garp's face froze, and tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

"You little brat!"

Nearby, Vice Admiral Tsuru silently observed the scene. Though she said nothing, the depths of her eyes were filled with thought.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM…

The relentless bombardment had continued for more than thirty seconds, leaving everyone's nerves frayed.

That monster has to be down now… right?

And then, from the heart of the smoke, came a furious roar.

"ROARRRR!!"

A terrifying dragon head burst from the smoke, completely unscathed.

Under everyone's horrified gaze, it opened its massive, spiked jaws—and with a sharp buzz, unleashed a golden, electromagnetic beam.

BANG!!

Everything it touched was instantly obliterated, and half of Sanjuan Wolf's head was blown clean off.

SPLURT!

Simultaneously, Ghidorah's side heads violently yanked in opposite directions—ripping off both of the giant's arms.

A fountain of blood sprayed into the sky as each head flung an arm aside.

BOOM! BOOM!

The severed limbs crashed to the ground like meteors, shaking the earth again.

Screams erupted everywhere.

"Hhhsssshh…"

"That… that's insane!"

"He got torn to pieces!"

From afar, everyone stared in disbelief as the massive titan was ripped apart by the monster's raw power.

"Teach—if this is all you've got, then I won't be holding back anymore."

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