The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

Blackbeard was able to barely retain a sliver of life from that seemingly fatal blow, entirely thanks to his extraordinary physical structure (capable of withstanding the power of two Devil Fruits).

And while the Dark-Dark Fruit cannot be used to evade attacks by becoming an element, it possesses the strange properties of "absorbing damage" and "enduring pain."

He was only saved from being instantly killed because some of the fatal impact was neutralized at the last moment.

Even so, Blackbeard was on the verge of death and could die at any moment.

"Quick! Take the captain! Let's go!!" Lafayette shouted shrilly, making a snap decision.

“We can’t stay here any longer!” Van Auger raised his spear and surveyed the surroundings.

At this moment, not a single member of the Blackbeard Pirates dared to be negligent!

They lost their greatest asset (their dual Devil Fruit abilities are temporarily unusable), their captain is on the verge of death, and they are surrounded by powerful enemies (Gern, the Navy, and the remnants of Whitebeard's crew).

If we stay here any longer, we will only be wiped out!

"Evil King" Avaro Pizarro roughly grabbed the unconscious Blackbeard by the heel and dragged him away like a rag doll.

The colossal battleship San Juan Wolf used its massive body to clear the way, while Shiryu of the Rain and Katrin Demi brought up the rear.

In that instant, the entire Blackbeard Pirates crew forgot all plans and ambitions, and acted like stray dogs.

With their captain barely clinging to life, they fled in panic toward the ship they had left behind outside the harbor!

They came with great ambition, but left in a sorry state.

Their carefully planned attempt to reap the benefits ended in a dismal failure, with the captain nearly killed on the spot and the crew almost falling apart.

.........

Meanwhile, Gern stood atop the ruins, gazing at the frozen scene not far away.

Edward Newgate, with his white beard, stood there leaning against the ground, while Shiki, the Golden Lion, quietly rested beside him.

In this way, the two sat side by side at the end of their lives, taking a long-awaited rest.

After a long while, Gern slowly lowered his eyes, a barely perceptible hint of melancholy flashing in them, and murmured to himself.

"You're gone too... Golden Lion."

In his mind, the image of Shiki's arrogant and unruly face, yet at times unusually stubborn, came to mind.

This guy always clamors to rule the world and trample all his opponents underfoot. He acts erratically and violently, seemingly without any bottom line.

A knowing yet slightly helpless smile appeared on Gern's lips.

“A guy like you… always spouting tough talk, but in the end…” He paused.

My gaze swept over the deep, bottomless chasm created by the Golden Lion's desperate attack in the distance.

And Blackbeard, whose fate had long since been unknown, sighed softly, "But you will not allow anyone to insult those you acknowledge."

This recognition is pure.

It transcends factions, and even transcends personal grudges.

“Roger… Whitebeard…” Gern murmured the two names, and then an almost absurd yet perfectly reasonable thought surfaced.

He shook his head, adding with a complex emotion, "Or rather... if at this very moment..."

My corpse is there... You would make the same choice, wouldn't you?

Shiki the Golden Lion, seemingly the most chaotic and unruly fellow, actually adheres to a firm "righteousness" belonging to the heroes of the past.

An opponent he acknowledges can only be defeated by him; his dignity must never be desecrated by hyenas.

Having figured this out, an unprecedented sense of emptiness washed over Gern's heart in an instant.

He looked around at the ravaged battlefield and seemed to see the magnificent and legendary era defined, contested, and supported by Roger, Whitebeard, and Shiki.

Now, Roger surrenders, ushering in a new era, while Whitebeard dies protecting his family and the flame of the times.

The Golden Lion burned its last breath to defend the glory of the old era and the dignity of its rivals...

"From now on, I'll truly be all alone on the vast ocean..."

"You three... guys."

As soon as the words fell

The clamor of the battlefield seemed to gradually fade away, becoming blurred and indistinct.

Gern felt a deep-seated exhaustion, not only from physical trauma and depletion of strength, but also from immense mental strain.

A battle with two legends of the old era, witnessing their demise, feeling the weight and loneliness of that era... all of this left him exhausted.

He ignored the chaos that had not yet completely subsided on the battlefield, and paid no attention to the Blackbeard Pirates' hasty retreat.

They didn't pay attention to whether the Navy continued to pursue Whitebeard's remnants or began cleaning up the battlefield.

He staggered to a relatively flat patch of ruins, then simply fell backward and lay down.

With limbs outstretched, like an exhausted child, he lies on his back facing the sky.

Above Marineford, the clouds had been torn apart and dispersed due to the fierce battle, revealing an exceptionally clear azure sky.

The sunlight streamed down without obstruction, somewhat dazzling, but he didn't close his eyes; he simply stared quietly at the sky.

An unprecedented sense of loneliness slowly overwhelmed him.

Roger, Whitebeard, Golden Lion...

Those figures who had once entangled with him and whom he had to face with all his might have faded away one by one.

What they took away was not just individual lives, but also the clamor, colors, and references of an era.

Gern lay there, motionless.

It's not sadness, but rather a process of alleviating this sudden, overwhelming loneliness, and also getting used to it...

From then on, he got used to it, and on the high seas, there were no more "old friends" that could make him fight with all his might.

Habits, the path of the future, will be entirely defined, pioneered, and even... he will bear all the consequences.

Habits have faded, the beacons of the old era have all been extinguished, and the road ahead is no longer marked by the footsteps of pioneers.

Only he, "Skyquake" Gern Reginald Sigma, remained, facing the unfathomable "world" alone.

"As expected, I was the last one standing!"

"You three bastards, the legend is over..."

Chapter 476 The Pirate King's Child Is Not the Pirate King

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, the grim atmosphere did not dissipate despite the successive falls of legendary figures.

"We must never let this evil bloodline escape!!"

Akainu transformed into elemental form, turning into lava, and continued his relentless pursuit of the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates who were trying to retreat!

In particular, his gaze remained fixed on Ace and Luffy, who were protected in the center by everyone, as he continuously unleashed molten lava.

Marco, Jozu, and the others were forced to fight desperately time and time again, making their retreat extremely difficult.

For Akainu, the end of a legend was just an interlude.

The ultimate manifestation of his "justice" is to completely eradicate the bloodlines of the two "evils," the Pirate King and the Revolutionary Army!

In other words, he really wants to be a marshal, and given Gern's current record, he has to prove himself!

From the high platform of the execution ground, Zhan Guo had a clear view of everything below.

But when his gaze fell upon the figure lying motionless on the ground, staring at the sky, his brows furrowed slightly.

“Gern…”

He understands.

Or rather, he, Zephyr, and even Garp, who is now sitting silently on the execution platform, have all experienced similar moments to varying degrees.

That was a kind of impact that had undergone a massive shock capable of changing the course of an era.

The inevitable sense of disorientation and emptiness that arises after personally ending or witnessing the passing of a landmark figure of an era.

It is a clear, fleeting sense of weightlessness as one stands at the crossroads of history.

This is a spiritual tempering, an invisible threshold that everyone who truly stands at the crest of the wave must cross alone.

Some people succumb to despair here, while others lose their way.

But... understanding is one thing, but looking down at Marineford, which was almost completely leveled, riddled with deep pits and rifts, is quite another.

Zhan Guo couldn't help but bulge a few veins on his forehead; he wanted to curse!

Because Marineford is no longer Marineford!

How many reports would be needed to cover the reconstruction costs?!

How many hidden agendas will those old foxes in the World Government try to slip in this opportunity?! Just thinking about it makes his blood pressure skyrocket!

Especially the deal with Gern!!

So, Sengoku subconsciously stared at the still-lying corpse, Gern, and couldn't help but mutter and curse.

"Gern, you bastard! If you've got the guts, then lie there!"

If you're so capable, then don't even think about taking those damn next steps!

"You dumped all the blame and all the credit on me!!!"

Just when Sengoku thought his roar was known only to him, a familiar voice, tinged with obvious laziness and a hint of mockery, suddenly came from beside him.

"My Warring States Marshal, I need to rest too!"

"Huh?!" Sengoku was startled by the sudden sound, turning his head instantly and searching his surroundings.

The final image was captured in an inconspicuous corner of the execution platform.

There, nestled leisurely, was a strangely shaped Den Den Mushi that wasn't a standard naval design, mimicking Gern's smug expression.

"No?!" Sengoku's pupils dilated in shock: "When did Den Den Mushi appear here?"

"No, this isn't the format I planned for the live video broadcast!"

A chilling thought flashed through his mind, and he pointed at the Den Den Mushi, his voice rising several decibels.

"Gern, you bastard! Could it be... that besides the official Navy Headquarters broadcast, you also...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the Den Den Mushi immediately mimicked Gern sticking out his tongue and making a face, emitting a clear sound.

"Hehehehehehe~~"

Then, Den Den Mushi closed its eyes and cleanly cut off the communication.

Sengoku stood frozen in place, glancing at the Den Den Mushi that was "playing dead" in the corner, and was so angry that he almost couldn't breathe.

This guy, Gern, not only overturned the table militarily, but he probably also had a backup plan in the war of public opinion and information long ago!

"That bastard, even while lying down, he's still busy!!"

.........

On the other side of the battlefield, Akainu's pursuit did not stop; he continued to relentlessly pursue the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and Luffy, Ace, and the others.

Despite Marco, Jinbe, and others risking their lives to cover them and try to carve out a path to survival, the repeated battles and grief had already exhausted everyone both physically and mentally.

Luffy, exhausted, exhibited fatal slowness and openings in his movements.

In the face of an admiral like Akainu, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

He won't let this go!

"Netherhound!"

Akainu caught Luffy as he stumbled, leaving him wide open, and in that instant, his right arm instantly turned into lava.

It stretched and exploded at an extremely fast speed, transforming into a scorching, deadly, and familiar dark red lava dog head that pierced straight into Luffy's back!

This strike was swift, ruthless, and precise!

We are determined to completely eradicate this "evil bloodline"!

"Luffy—!!!"

Just at this critical moment, a heart-wrenching scream rang out!