A huge hand with an indisputable Haki pressed toward Akainu. Having prepared for the Marineford War a year in advance, Whitebeard's illness hadn't fully flared up yet. At this moment, he still possessed top-tier Observation Haki.
Akainu felt the threat behind him and wanted to leave, but the world's strongest man's speed fully erupted, making it difficult for Akainu to dodge in time.
Seeing he couldn't dodge, Akainu stopped trying. The 'Inugami Guren' that was originally lunging at Squard actually took a turn and collided with Whitebeard's hand.
Whitebeard's offensive was slowed for a moment, which was enough. Kizaru, who had somehow broken away from his fight with Rayleigh, pulled Akainu out of the closing encirclement.
Squard looked at the Pops who was protecting him and felt ashamed that he had actually doubted him because of Akainu's words. He knelt on the ground and began to cry.
"Pops, I... I was almost persuaded to sneak attack you just now."
Whitebeard hugged Squard and said, "Silly son, you were tricked by Akainu. With his personality, would he ever cooperate with a pirate?"
"And Squard, think about it. What is Ace's attitude toward you? Are you going to transfer your hatred for Roger onto an innocent child?"
"Squard, you, Ace, and everyone else are all my children."
Squard felt Whitebeard's care for him. There was no resentment in Whitebeard's heart for his near-betrayal, only anger—endless anger toward the Marines who tried to drive a wedge between him and his children.
Whitebeard's eyes met Sengoku's: "Quite a trick, Sengoku. I almost fell for your scheme."
Then, he swung his fist behind him. Cracks instantly appeared in the ice wall frozen by Aokiji, which Whitebeard shattered, allowing the seawater behind it to flow again.
"Alright, those who are afraid can leave now. I, Whitebeard, will never stop you. But those who want to fight this battle with me, charge forward with me!"
Enraged by the Marines, Whitebeard could wait no longer. He gripped his long blade, the 'Murakumogiri', one of the '12 Supreme Grade Swords', and leapt into the center of the battlefield.
He first sent the Giant Vice Admiral in front of him flying, then stabbed 'Murakumogiri' into the ground and exerted force with both hands. The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit activated, and the entire island and sea surface seemed to tilt.
Just as space was shaking, six little ones in white military uniforms formed a circle in the sky, led by Hera's main body.
One clone looked at the violently fluctuating space and marveled, "This is really something; even space is vibrating. If the main body hadn't split us off, the few of us wouldn't have been able to block it."
Another clone had already summoned a smaller version of the ability: "Alright, stop talking. We can't let him tear down our home."
Behind Hera, the giant ability loomed in the sky, with six smaller versions following behind her. They simultaneously emitted a white ripple, strengthening the stability of the space.
Whitebeard noticed something was wrong—his power shouldn't be this weak. He stopped his output, and the shaking island gradually settled down.
Rayleigh looked at the young girl flying in the sky, resisting Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit, and unconsciously stroked his graying beard: "Hera, how many more surprises have you yet to reveal?"
The live broadcast continued, and the whole world saw this scene. From clashing Haoshoku with Rayleigh at the start to suppressing Whitebeard's devil fruit power now, Hera was practically the center of the Marines.
Even the Three Admirals couldn't steal the spotlight from Hera at this moment.
Sengoku breathed a long sigh of relief. He hadn't expected this old man, whose muscles were somewhat atrophied, to still be able to burst out with such power. Fortunately, Hera was there, otherwise Marineford would have suffered heavy losses this time.
Whitebeard looked at Hera, as if seeing a young Garp; this person was even more unreasonable than Garp.
On the battlefield, the commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates followed Whitebeard and rushed toward the Execution Platform. Seeing all the pirates had entered the island, Sengoku immediately ordered: "Close the walls."
The iron walls gradually closed, and the cannon muzzles were aimed at the pirates who had rushed onto the ice. Seeing this, Hera wasn't very happy: "Is Sengoku still thinking of wiping out the Whitebeard Pirates? That won't do."
In the chaotic battlefield, six lolis in black Western-style dresses were mingling in the crowd. Wherever there were wounded, they would appear.
The clones, busy and overwhelmed, shuttled through the battlefield.
"Save this one, then that one, and that one, and that one... they're all under my control."
"And you, don't slack off. That one can't be killed; he's a division commander of the Whitebeard crew. We have to give him back to Ace."
The scolded clone still fired a shot at the heavily injured pirate: "Idiot, I'm using the 'Fourth Bullet' to save his life. Look at how badly he's hurt; if he isn't treated, he'll die in the darkness."
A clone on the other side muttered: "Tch, just because you were summoned a few seconds earlier, don't act like the leader."
The sharp-eyed Little Hera saw another blunder and quickly corrected it: "Wait, wait! You're responsible for rescuing Marines. Don't absorb that pirate!"
The wounded Marines were absorbed by Little Hera and transported back to the medical department of Marineford. Marianne's paintings, which could soothe emotions, hung on the walls, allowing the injured Marines to feel a sense of peace.
Little Oars stood between the two walls, trying to push back the closing walls, but with his strength, he still couldn't press down the rising walls.
Just as they were about to close, another giant joined the battle—Mori, the West Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army.
"Move aside, let me do it. I have a way to push these walls away."
As a Paramecia Push-Push Fruit user, Mori used the harpoon in his hand to stab into the closing walls, directly pushing the iron walls apart.
Seeing this, Sengoku couldn't wait any longer and quickly issued an order: "Akainu, strike now. The plan has failed."
Akainu nodded. The purpose of the Marines creating the ice layer was now revealed—'Meteor Volcano'. Countless magma balls erupted from Akainu's body and smashed down toward the pirates below.
Seeing that Akainu was using a wide-range attack, Hera's figure immediately appeared above the ice layer. The City of Devouring Time unfolded directly, taking the Marines inside away from the battlefield.
"This guy Akainu... he doesn't care about the Marines below at all. How cold-blooded."
Aokiji breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Hera taking the Marines out of the battlefield.
Akainu, on the other hand, was a bit unhappy: "Why did you take the Marines away? Now these pirates might be able to free up their hands to deal with my magma balls."
Hera glanced at Akainu and snorted, expressing her dissatisfaction with his way of thinking.
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