In the massive harbor of the Marine Headquarters, Marineford, the Whitebeard Pirates' flagship, the Moby Dick, suddenly burst through the water's surface. It was flanked by two other pirate ships, having successfully used a coating to infiltrate the harbor. This bold move caught the Marines completely off guard, as they had expected the enemy to arrive from the open sea.
At the same time, the vast fleet of subordinate pirate groups under Whitebeard's banner appeared on the distant horizon. Dozens of ships began closing in on Marineford, forming a massive blockade. The atmosphere was heavy with tension; war was on the verge of breaking out.
"It's about time. Haruko, we should make our entrance too. Let's go," Yamato said. She stood up and leaped into the air from her vantage point.
In an instant, she transformed. A giant pink dragon appeared, its long body winding and coiling as it soared straight into the clouds. The creature vanished from the sky above the Sabaody Archipelago, heading toward the battlefield with Haruko in tow. Not many people noticed her departure, as most were preoccupied with the live broadcast showing on the giant screens.
However, one man did notice. A white-haired old man wearing glasses narrowed his eyes. He watched the direction Yamato had gone with a thoughtful expression, his hand resting on his chin.
Back at Marine Headquarters, the Marines were on high alert. Every soldier gripped their weapon tightly, prepared to charge at a moment's notice. The Whitebeard Pirates had finally arrived.
On the deck of the Moby Dick, the division commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates stood ready, their presence radiating murderous intent. But the most imposing figure was the tall man holding the Supreme Grade blade, Murakumogiri. He had a snow-white mustache shaped like a crescent moon. Despite his age, he exuded an astonishing Conqueror's Haki. His gaze swept over the battlefield like a king looking down at his domain.
This was the man who held the title of the "Strongest Man in the World," Edward Newgate, better known as Whitebeard. He was said to possess the power to destroy the world itself.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha stared down from the execution platform with deep solemnity. He knew that a tiger, even in its old age, was not something to be provoked. In a desperate situation, Whitebeard's destructive power would be even more terrifying.
"Gurararara! I hope my dear son is doing alright," Whitebeard's voice boomed across the harbor.
He slammed the butt of Murakumogiri into the deck beside him. Then, he clenched his massive fists and struck the air on both sides. The very atmosphere seemed to shatter, with cracks appearing in the space around his hands.
Heaven and earth shook. The sea on both sides of Marineford distorted, and the water warped like ripples before surging into the sky. For a moment, it seemed like nothing had happened as the ripples calmed. But then, the water level around the island dropped rapidly.
Seconds later, overwhelming waves surged back like a stampede of Sea Kings. The water converged into a massive tsunami that threatened to swallow Marineford whole. Just as the Marines began to panic, Admiral Aokiji jumped into the air.
"Ice Age!" Aokiji shouted.
He touched the water, and his Logia powers instantly froze the sea. The massive tsunami was turned into two towering walls of ice, neutralizing the immediate crisis. Aokiji then fired several ice spears at Whitebeard. With a simple punch, Whitebeard shattered the spears and sent a shockwave that knocked Aokiji back.
As Aokiji fell, he touched the sea's surface again, freezing the entire harbor solid. The Moby Dick and the escort ships were now immobilized in the ice. This gave the Marines and the pirates a solid ground to fight on.
Suddenly, the sky darkened. Thick clouds rolled in and thunder roared, interrupting the impending clash.
"What's happening? Is this part of Whitebeard's attack?" one Marine shouted.
Everyone looked up. The sky had been clear moments ago, but now it was covered in oppressive black clouds. Even the members of the Whitebeard Pirates were confused; they knew this wasn't their captain's doing. Sengoku and Whitebeard both looked up with surprise, sensing a terrifying presence hidden within the storm.
"Who is it? Is this a trick from the Marines?" people watching the screens speculated.
A vortex appeared in the clouds. Amidst the flashing lightning, a massive dragon's head emerged. It had golden horns that shone brilliantly and a pair of crimson horns that looked like blooming red coral. Its long whiskers drifted in the wind, and its pink scales shimmered with a cold, metallic luster. Its golden eyes were as bright as lamps, filled with majesty.
"A dragon?"
"Heavens, am I dreaming? That's a real dragon!"
Marines and pirates alike stared in shock at the creature. The white flame clouds wrapped around its body gave it a sacred, inviolable aura.
"Is that... Emperor Kaido?" someone whispered.
"It can't be! A few days ago, Red-Haired Shanks intercepted Kaido in the New World. The Beasts Pirates went back to their territory!" a Marine officer corrected.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stared at the pink dragon. He knew Kaido's dragon form was blue, not pink. There was only one other person it could be.
"I didn't expect to see an ability identical to Kaido's here. It must be that brat from his family!" Vice Admiral Garp muttered, recognizing the gaze of the dragon immediately. "Sengoku! It's Kaido's kid!"
Sengoku grabbed a loudspeaker. "All units, take note! That dragon is Onihime Yamato! She is an enemy!"
The Marines were stunned. A pirate with a bounty of
1,869,000,000
had just joined the fray. The members of Whitebeard's Second Division, who had met Yamato before, nodded in confirmation.
"Gurararara! What is Kaido's daughter doing here? Did you come to take my head like your father tried to do?" Whitebeard laughed.
Marco and the other commanders grew tense. If Yamato was there to help the Marines or take advantage of the chaos, it would be a disaster.
"It brings back memories," Whitebeard murmured, looking at the dragon. "It's like being back at God Valley."
Sengoku shouted into the mic, "Onihime! Why are you here? Do you intend to interfere in this war?"
He knew she wouldn't side with the Marines. Any move she made could tip the scales of the entire battle.
"Well, I wasn't originally interested," Yamato's voice echoed from the sky. "But you all just had to try and cut off my disciple's head."
"Disciple?" The word rippled through the crowd. "Is Fire Fist Ace her disciple?"
Ace, sitting on the execution platform, looked up with a confused expression. He didn't remember ever becoming her student.
"Do you expect us to believe that?" Sengoku growled.
"It's the truth! The first time we met, I taught him that there is always someone better out there. The second time, I taught him how to properly use his Haki," Yamato explained casually. "As a teacher, I prefer using my hands over my mouth. The master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to the individual. When it comes to being a teacher, I'm a professional. Now that my worthless disciple is about to lose his life, I can't just sit here. How about you let him go for my sake?"
Sengoku was furious. "Give you face? What about the face of the Marines?"
"Hahaha! I didn't expect her to jump in. Now the Marine advantage is slipping," Garp laughed.
"This isn't a laughing matter, Garp!" Vice Admiral Tsuru snapped.
Whitebeard looked up at the sky. "Pops, do you think she's telling the truth?" Marco asked.
"It's probably an excuse," Whitebeard replied. "But if she's here to rescue Ace, she's an ally for now."
Sengoku glared at the dragon. "Onihime, think carefully. Are you prepared to bring the wrath of the World Government down on the Beasts Pirates? Ace isn't even in your crew."
"You've got it wrong. This is my own idea. It has nothing to do with my father's crew," Yamato shook her head. "If you're unhappy about it, feel free to send an army after me later. I'd welcome the challenge."
Yamato then looked at Ace, her eyes full of disappointment. "Ace, tell me, how did you lose to Blackbeard? Did you at least injure him? If you didn't, you've failed my teachings."
Ace's mouth twitched. "I was careless. His Devil Fruit is treacherous. But I dealt him a heavy blow before I went down. You can rest easy on that."
"Is that so? Then I guess it's fine," Yamato said, her tone softening.
"Why are you even here?" Ace asked. "I never said you were my teacher."
"It doesn't matter what you said. I consider you my disciple, and that's enough for me," Yamato replied willfully.
Sengoku realized talking was useless. "All units, open fire!"
Hundreds of cannons roared at once. The sound was deafening as shells rained down on the ice, creating massive craters and thick smoke.
"Whitebeard Pirates, move out!"
"Show these Marines what we can do!"
The pirates charged across the frozen harbor, led by the division commanders. The Marines met them head-on, and the two massive forces collided in a symphony of steel and explosions.
"The war has finally begun," Haruko whispered, standing on Yamato's back.
Yamato flew lower, hovering over the Moby Dick.
"Brat, are you interested in my head too?" Whitebeard asked with a smirk.
"Your head? Who would want that?" Yamato pouted. "Don't compare me to my father. Even if we share the same blood, he is him and I am me."
Whitebeard laughed loudly. "Gurararara! You're an arrogant one. What do you gain from being here?"
"I'm not a merchant; I don't do things for profit," Yamato said casually. "I do what makes me happy. That's the only benefit I need."
"You're just as reckless as he is," Whitebeard said, turning his attention back to the battlefield. He knew now that while she was a wild card, her goal was the same as his: saving Ace.
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