173 With the Justice System

"Release the rookies!"

"Clatter—"

The Navy elite at the very front of the battlefield quickly split to both sides, opening a wide central passage.

Behind them were the second wave of Navy recruits.

There was still a hint of childishness on their faces.

In their eyes was a tangled mix of the most primal fear of war and a greedy hunger for military glory!

"All forces, pursue!"

Hawke's voice rang out again, without the slightest ripple.

"Target: remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"Leave not one!"

"Yes!"

One hundred thousand Marines let out a deafening roar.

The pursuit began.

The veteran elite soldiers operated in squads, their formations never faltering.

Like a pack of well-coordinated, hungry wolves, they silently pounced on the fleeing pirates, harvesting one desperate head after another with the simplest, most efficient movements.

But the rookies were different.

They were like an uncontrollable torrent, shouting and roaring.

Within the first second of truly stepping onto the battlefield, they broke formation.

No tactics, no coordination — only reckless bravery and a hunger for military honors!

"..."

On the execution platform, Hawke stood with his hands behind his back, the cloak of justice snapping in the sea wind.

This battle was already decided!

Whitebeard was old; his combat strength had long been severely reduced.

Now tightly engaged by Admiral Akainu, he could barely protect himself, let alone look after his sons.

The two strongest commanders, Marco and Jozu — one unconscious, one frozen — had been rendered completely harmless.

Other notable commanders were all ensnared by squads led by Zoro, Sanji, and the Vice Admirals, stretched thin and unable to assist elsewhere.

As for any escape?

The bay's ice, constantly reinforced by Admiral Aokiji, had become an insurmountable wall of sighs.

And the pirate ships that bore their hopes for escape were reduced to burning wreckage under a single full-power "Meteor Volcano".

The headquarters building was guarded by Admiral Kizaru and Fleet Admiral Sengoku; even if Whitebeard wanted to wreak havoc and sow chaos with his last breath, it was utterly impossible.

From the moment Whitebeard ordered Ace's execution, the Whitebeard Pirates had already been doomed!

Now it was merely a matter of finishing the final procedures!

"Hah—"

Hawke drew a deep breath and looked down at the tableau of chaos, blood, and death below.

He saw a rookie drive his dagger, with trembling hands, into the chest of a severely wounded pirate.

Warm blood splashed across his face; he froze for a moment, then — as if something inside him had been triggered — broke into a mad laugh and, brandishing his blade, lunged at another target.

He saw another rookie, after cutting down an enemy, relax for a moment and be slashed across the thigh by a dying pirate with a broken blade, about to be dragged down as a corpse.

A veteran soldier roared over, crushed that pirate's skull with a single stomp, then grabbed the rookie by the collar and cursed him out in the crudest terms.

There was no resentment on the rookie's face — only the relief of survival and fawning gratitude.

Even worse, one rookie was ambushed in the chaos; an arm was severed at the shoulder, he screamed and was dragged away by medics from the rear, bidding farewell to the battlefield forever.

Some sharper rookies had already established their own authority back in the recruit camp; now they were commanding their squads, circling like vultures to hunt down isolated, badly wounded pirates and efficiently reap military merits.

These rookies — those tender faces...

They had to personally sever an enemy's head; they had to witness comrades fall before they could truly shed their green and transform into the steel soldiers the Navy needed.

Casualties were inevitable...

But...

This is war, not child's play.

By using tactics and precise arrangements, I have already reduced the Navy's casualties to the minimum.

But soldiers who have never experienced bloodshed and slaughter — how can they be called Marines?

How will they defend justice on this ocean?

...

...Meanwhile, the whole world was watching the end of this war.

The West Blue.

In a tavern, a group of thugs who had been boasting about going to sea to become great pirates and pursue freedom were now speechless.

They stared fixedly at the broadcast screen.

They watched the ice stained red with blood, watched the pirate crew praised as emperors of the sea fall in swathes like harvested grain.

"Th—this is the Navy's strength?"

A thug's voice trembled. "Whitebeard... the Whitebeard Pirates... just... lost like this?"

"..."

No one answered.

On the screen was the Navy's overwhelming, ruthless, bloody force.

Twenty-two years ago, the Pirate King — Gol D. Roger — on the execution platform had ignited the world's passion with a single line.

"Want my treasure? If you want it, it's all yours. Go find it! I've put everything out there!"

That sentence opened an age of great seas called the era of "freedom" and "dreams".

And today.

The Navy, through a bloody global broadcast, told the world another message.

"Want to go to sea and become a pirate? Want to chase freedom?"

"Come!"

"If you aren't afraid to die, come on!"

"Justice's Navy waits for you on the seas!"

The seed called the "pirate dream" in countless youths' hearts was, at this moment, shaken to its roots.

...

Grand Line — a peaceful yet poor kingdom.

The plainly dressed king and ministers gathered in the palace.

"The Whitebeard Pirates... have been completely routed!"

The Finance Minister murmured, "The question now is, will the Navy let them go?"

"No — look at that Navy Vice Admiral commanding them; there's not a trace of mercy in his eyes!"

The Minister of People's Affairs pointed at Hawke on the execution platform and shook his head.

"The Navy intends to annihilate the Whitebeard Pirates at Marineford!"

"..."

The king slumped in his throne.

He remembered that not long ago his best friend, King Cobra of Alabasta, had sent an earnest letter.

In it, Cobra invited him to join a new, Navy-led allied state system.

He had hinted that because his country produced large amounts of grain, it could become one of the first member states!

If they joined, they would enjoy a series of generous benefits from the Navy, including economic aid, cultural guidance, and military protection!

Wait too long and the chance would be gone!

At the time, he thought Cobra had gone mad to say such things.

Now he realized how terribly wrong he had been!

"Cunning Cobra!!!"

"Back then, at the dinner after the World Summit, I was the one who helped him dodge drinks!"

The king sprang from his throne and let out a roar tinged with jealousy.

"He actually sneaked over and latched onto the Navy's coattails!"

"Quick! Find that invitation with the Navy seal on it!"

"Immediately!!!"