On the other side of the chaotic battlefield, Shiryu of the Rain had already found Teach and was now locked in combat with him.

  "Zehahaha... Shiryu of the Rain, are you here to cause me trouble?" Teach asked with a grin as he raised his three-pronged cw to block Shiryu's sword, Thunderstorm.

  This cw was Teach's weapon of choice, the same one he had used to leave a scar on Shanks' face.

  What puzzled Teach, however, was the ck of force behind Shiryu's strikes.

  "Marshall D. Teach..." Shiryu said softly, a slight smile forming at the corner of his mouth. "The stench of ambition on you is overwhelming. How did Whitebeard ever trust you?"

  Teach's disguise was never fwless. Aside from Whitebeard's crew, even Cudius had noticed Teach's ambition the moment they met. Shanks, too, had been wary of him for years. And now, Shiryu could feel it as well.

  What the hell was that old man Newgate thinking?

  Teach didn't bother denying it. "Zehahahaha! I'll take that as a compliment."

  "You're right. I came here specifically for you... but not to cause trouble," Shiryu said in a low voice.

  Teach's eyes narrowed slightly. He swung his cw at Shiryu, who raised his sword to block but again, the force was minimal.

  "So we're here to talk, huh?" Teach said with a wicked grin.

  "That's the idea," Shiryu replied.

  From the outside, the two appeared to be fighting intensely, but in truth, they were simply testing each other while quietly conversing just going through the motions.

  Teach didn't know how these Impel Down escapees had gotten out in the first pce, but for now, they were on the same side. After all, they were both here to fight the Marines.

  With the arrival of these unexpected allies, the Whitebeard Pirates, who had initially been at a disadvantage, began to stabilize the situation.

  At the same time, Garp who had been guarding the square was preoccupied with Shiki and the others, giving Whitebeard a chance to push forward.

  Newgate seized this moment, raising his bisento and charging toward the execution ptform.

  But high above, Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood atop the execution ptform, holding a Den Den Mushi in his hand.

  "Tsuru, proceed with the pn," Sengoku ordered.

  Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had remained rgely inactive until now, was positioned toward the back of the Marine forces. Upon receiving the command, her sharp eyes shifted toward the massive gcier near the harbor cracked and weakened from Oars's earlier assault.

  "Sakazuki hasn't broken through yet. The ice hasn't melted completely, but there's a gap," Tsuru reported.

  "That gap is exactly what we need," Sengoku replied. "Direct our forces to fnk the pirates through that opening. Newgate has already advanced into the square, we need to cut off his reinforcements."

  The original pn had been to let the Whitebeard Pirates advance into the harbor and trap them there like sitting ducks. But the chaotic arrival of these rogue pirates had disrupted that strategy.

  Still, Sengoku adapted quickly. If he could isote Newgate from his crew, they could focus all their firepower on taking him down.

  "Understood," Tsuru acknowledged.

  Moments ter, Den Den Mushi calls rang out across the harbor. Marines who had been fighting in the gcier zone abruptly began retreating toward the opening Tsuru had identified.

  Seeing this, one of Whitebeard's commanders shouted, "They're pulling back! The Marines are retreating! Let's go, we can push through!"

  Whitebeard, standing in the square after cutting down a Marine rear admiral, turned to look at the chaotic harbor.

  "Something's wrong..." he thought, frowning. Sengoku wouldn't give up a defensive position this easily. What's his pn?

  Sengoku was watching him closely. Noticing Whitebeard's hesitation, Sengoku picked up the broadcast Den Den Mushi.

  "Commence the execution!"

  His voice echoed throughout Marineford, cutting through the chaos. The announcement interrupted Whitebeard's thoughts, and his eyes shot toward the execution ptform.

  It was only now that he realized the full extent of Sengoku's pn.

  So that's why they cut the live broadcast... It wasn't just to hide Impel Down's breach, they wanted to execute Thatch ahead of schedule!

  Whitebeard clenched his fists, his heart heavy.

  That bastard Sengoku! If Thatch dies here, there's no reason to continue this fight. We could retreat and regroup... But Sengoku knows that, and he's still moving forward. Why?

  There was no time left to figure it out.

  Whitebeard roared in frustration, swinging his bisento and cutting down a vice admiral before charging toward the execution ptform.

  On the ptform, Sengoku remained calm as he addressed the executioners. "Begin the execution. Start with Buckin."

  They were baiting Whitebeard forcing him to plunge deeper into enemy territory.

  Buckin, bound and gagged on the ptform, struggled and sobbed. Tears streamed down her face, but her muffled cries were ignored.

  Whitebeard saw the executioner raise his bde.

  Damn it...

  His grip tightened around his weapon.

  Buckin was an old acquaintance from his past, but she wasn't the one he cared about most. His focus was on Thatch.

  He knew what came next: if Buckin died, Thatch would be next.

  "GRRAAAHHH!!!"

  With a furious roar, Whitebeard hurled his bisento toward the execution ptform, aiming directly at Sengoku.

  "Too naive!" Sengoku bellowed.

  His form grew rger as his golden Buddha transformation activated. Stepping forward, he swiped his massive hand through the air, unleashing a shockwave that shattered the airborne weapon.

  Whitebeard's heart dropped.

  Suddenly, the ice beneath his feet cracked and began to heat up.

  "Magma...?!"

  "Hellhound!!!"

  Sakazuki, who had vanished earlier, erupted from beneath the ice. His molten fist, wreathed in magma, shot toward Whitebeard's head.

  Whitebeard barely reacted in time, twisting his neck to avoid the blow. But the intense heat scorched the left side of his signature mustache.

  And then came the final attack.

  From the execution ptform, Cudius who had remained seated throughout the battle finally made his move.

  He rose to his feet, unsheathing his sword.

  "Shoot to kill... Shinsō!"

  The bde elongated in an instant, striking toward Whitebeard's heart with lethal precision.