How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 385 The End of an Era!
"Dad..."

Ace opened his mouth, looking at Whitebeard's retreating figure.

Marco, having shaken off Aokiji, landed beside Ace, patted the latter on the shoulder, and said:

"Now let's go home."

"Dad, he..."

Ace knew about Whitebeard's physical condition. Although Whitebeard was still strong, his physical condition was not optimistic, and he was definitely not capable of facing the three admirals of the Navy head-on!

"With Zephyr's help, the old man temporarily regained his power, but at a great cost."

"My father's body has already reached its limit. Even without this battle, he could only last a few months at most."

"I was worried about my father's health, but when I stepped onto the battlefield of Marineford, that hesitation disappeared."

"For Dad, it's better to go to Marine Headquarters than to die in a hospital bed..."

"The Last Dance!"

Ace fell silent for a moment.

Reason told him.

Marco is right.

Whitebeard's body was already nearing its limit.

Without Zephyr's help to quickly return to his peak, this man who once reigned supreme over the sea might fall in the next second or the next.

Dying on the battlefield, facing the Marine Headquarters, and performing a final dance before the world would be a more dignified, meaningful, and fitting end for Whitebeard's extraordinary life.

But the emotions in one's heart make it difficult to make a choice.

"no!"

Ace turned away, ultimately unwilling to let that man die alone!

This was the family he had finally found, the father who filled the void in his heart. How could he possibly watch the other person die in front of him?

But as soon as he took a step, Marco roughly pressed him down, the force so great that it cracked the ice.

Kakakaka——!
Ace struggled to his feet and turned around to see Marco's bloodshot eyes:
Are you awake?

"Dad, we, and your brother did so much to rescue you, and now you're telling me you want to die?"

"Don't you understand?!"

"You are the one who must inherit Father's will and carry the banner of the Whitebeard Pirates, not me. Father wants you to become king!"

Ace froze, staring blankly at Marco.

The latter's face was contorted with rage, his breathing rapid, and the emotions he had been suppressing erupted completely at that moment.

Marco was the chief doctor of the Whitebeard Pirates, one of the first crew members to follow Whitebeard, and also Whitebeard's first son.

He witnessed Whitebeard's glory, and he is about to witness Whitebeard's downfall.

Watching this once strongest man fall from his peak and his life irreversibly come to an end, even though he, as the ship's doctor, did his best, he could not reverse the natural law of birth, aging, sickness and death.

That torment, that feeling of helplessness...

Marco, no, how could the grief in the hearts of Whitebeard's men be any less than his own?!

But they had to accept the fact that Whitebeard was getting old.

Just like the Moby Dick, which had undergone several major repairs and was in a dilapidated state, it was hit by a volcanic bomb and was burning fiercely!
This marks the end of an era!

By the time Ace realized this, Marco had already turned around and was facing the pursuing troops coming from afar.

As the crimson flames surged, Marco's voice, tinged with coldness, reached Ace's ears:

"How long are you going to be so childish?!"

"I see."

Ace gritted his teeth, responded, and with flames roaring beneath his feet, he shot off into the distance like a rocket!

Behind them, the battle raged, with lasers, freezing air, and magma surging. Powerful shockwaves tore through the sky time and time again, forcefully blocking the three admirals who represented the navy's highest combat power!
boom! boom! boom!
Amidst the flames of war.

Ace's eyes were bloodshot, but he didn't turn around, and his speed even increased!

Before he knew it, many members of the Whitebeard Pirates had gathered around him: Diamond Jozu, Vista, Bramenk, Namur the Fishman...

Those who also knew of Whitebeard's will gathered together.

Even Squard, the giant spider who had a grudge against Roger, silently followed behind Ace at this moment.

Even before he arrived here, his inner conflict had been resolved by Whitebeard.

Ace...

It wasn't Roger!

What remains on him is the mark of a white beard!

Squard was not the only one thinking this; the entire Whitebeard Pirates shared the same thought at that moment.

The group, full of menacing energy, gathered together and fled towards the path of life that Whitebeard had blasted open with his punch!

The crowd was surging.

The expectations of countless people had gathered on Ace's shoulders, the burdens that Whitebeard had once carried.

"Kill them!"

"Even at the cost of our lives, we cannot allow the most wicked bloodline to continue!"

far away.

Numerous naval officers and soldiers surrounded them.

Even knowing he was no match for the monsters under Whitebeard's command, he still bravely stood in their way.

"This is precisely what we, as naval personnel, who bear the burden of justice, must do, even if the price is our own lives!"

Within the navy, there are incompetent scoundrels who prey on the common people.

But those who can come here are naturally the elite selected from thousands, with good will and character, and are pure marines who truly have a sense of justice.

Even knowing they were doomed, not one of them chose to back down!
The difference in absolute strength cannot be bridged by willpower alone.

The three admirals, along with countless vice admirals, were held back by Whitebeard single-handedly; Sengoku was also entangled by Rayleigh and Jabba; the Seven Warlords were slacking off; Garp…

Not to mention.

Under such circumstances, their mere presence here is tantamount to a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"fire punch!"

Ace let out a low shout and raised his hand to unleash a full-force fire punch!

With a change in mindset.

The power of this punch is several levels stronger than before, and the domineering aura surrounding it even stirred up the crimson tears in the void!

boom--!
Flames soared into the sky, illuminating the entire Marineford!
Another gap appeared in the naval encirclement. At the edge of the line of sight, several warships rose from the seabed. After the coating was broken, Whitebeard's flag fluttered in the wind, making a loud rustling sound!

A way out... is right in front of us!
……

"Whitebeard actually had a backup plan!"

far away.

Sengoku, who had barely managed to hold off Rayleigh and Jabba's combined attack, couldn't help but gasp in shock upon seeing this.

He then realized that he had underestimated Whitebeard after all!
As people age, they become more shrewd. How could a man who once roamed the seas and was invincible not have a backup plan at such a critical juncture?

If Fire Fist Ace and the others were to board that ship now...

The Navy's execution of Roger's son became a complete joke, a huge embarrassment in front of the whole world!
"Damn it!"

"If the Seraph's Plan hadn't been halted due to Vegapunk's absence, how could the Navy be in such a passive position now?!"

"and……"

"There's been no reply from Mary Geoise yet, could it be that they've also..."

"I guess I was overthinking it."

"The combined strength of the Knights of God, the Five Elders, CP0, and that person in Mary Geoise is even greater than that of the Marine Headquarters."

"It is almost impossible to break through head-on."

"But now there's a problem..."

Warring States withdrew abruptly, unwilling to entangle with the two legends before him any longer, but the latter gave him no chance whatsoever, sticking to him like glue.

The Warring States period was extremely anxious!
Garp deliberately held back, while the Shichibukai slacked off and watched from the sidelines, their pursuit of the fleeing Fire Fist Ace becoming increasingly impossible.

Sengoku glanced back at the white-bearded man, still entangled with the three generals, and a sinister resolve stirred within him:

"If we can leave the world's strongest navy here, we can salvage some of the navy's reputation."

"To the outside world, it can also be explained that executing Fire Fist Ace was just a trap set for Whitebeard, the so-called Roger bloodline..." Sengoku's eyes flashed with a cold killing intent:
"It's nothing but a lie targeting the world!"

This was the best way that the Warring States period could imagine to minimize the damage.

Cutting off Whitebeard's head could also serve as a sacrifice for the flag, and the effect might even be no less than that of Roger's bloodline!

"Sakazuki, Kuzan, Borsalino!"

"Stop holding back!"

"kill him!"

"Our target is Whitebeard!"

"Slay the world's strongest pirate crew and kill the world's strongest man!"

"A trap has been set!"

……

The sound fell to the ground.

The scene erupted in uproar. Countless marines looked at each other, unsure of what to do for a moment, but after some thought, they suddenly realized the truth.

"I see?!"

"As expected of Lord Sengoku, his target from the very beginning was Whitebeard!"

"That's why they chose to carry out the execution publicly, even setting up a large-scale operation and waiting for Whitebeard's crew to arrive before proceeding!"

"Truly a strategist!"

……

The people standing in front of the projected Den Den Mushi were so shocked that they were speechless.

But then I thought about it.

indeed.

If the Navy's goal is to end the most evil bloodline, then they could simply execute Fire Fist Ace secretly and release a statement afterward, which would have the same effect of deterring the world.

Instead of going to such great lengths to execute Fire Fist Ace in front of the whole world.

If the Navy's initial target was Whitebeard, then it would make more sense!
"Yes!"

"Where is the threat of Roger's descendants, who once rivaled Roger and are now the world's strongest, falling?!"

"Roger is dead, Shiki was killed by Knight Gawain two years ago, and now Whitebeard, the last of the Whitebeards, is about to perish at Marine Headquarters..."

"The Navy is about to end an era!"

……

While everyone was shocked, some people also noticed that something was wrong.

Hawkins stared at the projected image, his brow furrowed.

The pirates nearby sensed something was amiss, but couldn't quite put their finger on what it was:
"Captain, is the Navy's objective really to execute Whitebeard?!"

"Yes."

Hawkins nodded, then shook his head:
"But not entirely."

"Whitebeard and Portgas D. Ace are both their targets!"

"The former is the strongest man in the world, with countless powerful men under his command, and has become a benchmark in the new world, but the latter is Roger's bloodline after all, and has an extremely special meaning for this era!"

"The Navy's initial plan was probably to leave both of them in Marineford."

The pirate was puzzled:
"Then why..."

"Of course, it's because the Navy is powerless to stop Portgas D. Ace and the others from escaping, so they can only try to save face in this way!"

After saying that, Hawkins casually drew three tarot cards, looked at the cards, analyzed them briefly, and then frowned:

"Chaos is coming!"

"At the same time, another, even bigger and more serious event is happening?!"

"It may change the world's格局!"

"What could be worse than the war between the Marine Headquarters and Whitebeard?!"

Hawkins couldn't find any clues for a while, but at that moment, the pirate next to him said something with a smirk that made Hawkins' expression change drastically!

"It couldn't have been someone who bombed Mary Geoise, could it?!"

……

……

……

Malinvando.

Amidst the chaos of battle, Ace, who was about to break through the encirclement, suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Just as Marco was about to step forward to comfort him, Ace took another step, almost shattering the ice beneath his feet!

More determined, more resolute!

The flames on Ace's body burned even more fiercely at this moment, almost burning through the sky, and his Conqueror's Haki became even more solid!
"let's go!"

With a low growl, Ace leaped forward and flew towards the large ship in the distance!
Seeing this, everyone was amazed by Ace's resolute decision, but they also felt a sense of calm.

This is what a leader should be like!

"Now that's more like that person!"

Redfield nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of agreement.

After all, he is a descendant of Roger. Even though he has not yet obtained Roger's great power, his aura already shows some of the beginnings of a king.

The ability to subconsciously gain people's approval and following is a powerful talent, something Redfield lacks.

"After this battle, this kid will be transformed and truly step onto the world's highest stage!"

"only……"

Redfield stopped and turned to look at Whitebeard, who was fighting with the three admirals in the distance, covered in blood and wounds. A hint of melancholy appeared in his eyes.

"Even that man from back then, in the end, could not escape the erosion of time. Is his life about to come to an end?!"

"How...tragic!"

Redfield looked down at his withered hands, his eyes filled with resentment and a deep-seated fear.

He no longer even has the courage to look in the mirror.

"Once things are settled here, it's time to go find that fruit."

"in addition……"

"But I saw something amazing in that guy's eyes."

"Lox's offspring?!"

"interesting!"

"It was just a short time, so I didn't get to read much more. Once I regain my strength, I'll take a good look at that person's secrets, and perhaps..."

"I can also glimpse the secrets of One Piece!"

……

The center of the battlefield.

The battle was exceptionally fierce, leaving countless elite naval soldiers with mutilated bodies, their eyes closed forever.

Meanwhile, many more survivors continued their attack on the white-bearded figure in the center!

"Is this monster immortal?!"

"He has suffered at least hundreds of knife wounds and countless artillery shellings in the battle so far, yet he still stands tall and has become even more ferocious!"

"This is... the strongest in the world?!"

"It's just too exaggerated no matter how you look at it!"

……

Countless naval officers couldn't help but curse and their mentality had completely collapsed. Even Akainu and his two companions were shocked beyond measure.

They had lived through the era of Whitebeard and knew just how strong the man before them was, but they didn't believe Whitebeard could be this powerful.

He single-handedly faced three admirals of the Navy, along with countless elite naval forces, and managed to hold out until now...

Such a record is unparalleled in the hundreds of years of naval history!
"It's time for the curtain to fall, Whitebeard!"

Akainu gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with murderous intent, and suddenly threw a punch, which landed on Whitebeard's chest!
(End of this chapter)