"Ohh~ It seems you’ve reached your limit, Whitebeard-san..."

Borsalino chuckled teasingly, his weathered face wrinkling into a puckered grin. He was only covered in a bit of dust and minor injuries. In contrast, Whitebeard had been locked in combat with countless foes since the war began. It wasn’t just a matter of how many had actually managed to wound him; the sheer mental exhaustion from continuously unleashing the power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit had pushed him to the brink.

"While the original objective of this war was the execution of ’Fire Fist’ Ace, I must ask you to allow me to arrest you now, Whitebeard-san."

Fujitora stood behind Whitebeard. His injuries were somewhat heavier, but that wasn’t because he was inferior to Borsalino in strength; rather, it was because he had exerted himself more in the direct confrontation.

"This is bad..."

Marco, who had been restrained by Seastone handcuffs by Onigumo due to a momentary lapse in focus, gritted his teeth. "Even if it’s just two Admirals... with Pops’ current condition, it’s impossible to..."

Twenty years ago, if Fujitora and Kizaru had stood before Whitebeard, they could truly have been dismissed as "just two Admirals." But now, not only had his strength withered to this degree, but he was also riddled with wounds. There was simply no possibility of victory left.

"Scum of the Whitebeard Pirates, I have good news for you!"

At that moment, Vice Admiral Doberman, a prominent figure among the Marine hawks, shouted, "Word has just come in! All of the Whitebeard Pirates’ territories in the New World are being ruthlessly harvested by the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates! No matter the outcome of this war, the only thing waiting for you in the end is a dead end!"

Many members of the Whitebeard Pirates who were fighting desperately were stunned by the news, allowing the Marines to seize the opportunity and land several vicious blows.

"Jarararara!"

One of the Shichibukai, Treasure, laughed loudly. "As expected, those two won’t let such a golden opportunity slip by. Alucard didn’t make a move; he really is a man with absolutely no interest in territory."

Nami, who was in the middle of fleeing, couldn’t help but exclaim, "To plunder Whitebeard’s territory at a time like this... these people are truly shameless!"

"That is the nature of pirates, Nami," Robin reminded her from the side.

"Don’t think you’re escaping, Straw Hat Pirates!"

Suddenly, Vice Admiral Momonga descended from the sky, the blade of his katana sweeping down. Seeing this, Zoro unsheathed Sandai Kitetsu and clashed with him mid-air.

"Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro?"

After a few seconds of deadlock in mid-air, both landed. Momonga said coldly, "You are not yet a match for me."

Hearing this, one of Zoro’s eyes widened while the other narrowed, a look of extreme displeasure crossing his face. "Try me, you bastard!"

As he spoke, he positioned his other two swords, one in his left hand and one in his mouth.

"Hmph! An ignorant brat who plunged into a war without understanding what it truly is." Momonga flicked his sword, and Armament Haki instantly dyed it into a black blade.

Haki, that was the gap between them.

"Zoro!" Chopper cried out in worry.

"Don’t worry, you guys go first! I’ll hold the line!" Zoro shouted, his voice unable to hide his excitement. "Hehe, how can I back down from a duel between swordsmen?"

"Santoryu Ogi..."

Just as Zoro’s muscles surged and he prepared to unleash a technique, a cyan sword wave, far stronger than both he and Momonga, swept between them like a tidal wave, carving a massive fissure into the frozen ground.

Momonga and Zoro both turned toward the source of the strike, their expressions changing simultaneously. "Hawk-Eye!?"

Holding the Supreme Grade sword, Yoru, in a slashing posture, who else could it be but Dracule Mihawk?

"Hawk-Eye, what is the meaning of this?" Momonga’s face darkened. "Interfering with my arrest of a pirate... do you no longer wish to be a Warlord?"

Mihawk sheathed Yoru onto his back and walked over slowly, saying flatly, "My aim was off. Don’t worry about it."

Momonga was livid. This bastard couldn’t even tell a convincing lie.

Mihawk stood in front of Zoro. After sensing something, Momonga said, "Don’t do anything out of line. Otherwise, your title of Warlord can be revoked at any time."

With that, Momonga walked away quickly, having already decided to report this incident after the war ended.

Zoro bit down hard on the hilt of the Wado Ichimonji, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Mihawk’s back. "Hey! What do you mean by that, Hawk-Eye?"

Mihawk glanced back at Zoro and walked away indifferently. "This stage is still too early for you. After you escape, come find me at Kuraigana Island."

"But..."

Zoro choked on his words. He was speechless because this war had made him realize his own insignificance once again.

Why? Was it because his bounty had been rising steadily lately, making him too arrogant?

"Zoro, hurry up and go!!!"

Chopper’s cry came from the distance. Zoro cast one last unwilling glance at Mihawk’s back, a profound sense of humiliation rising within him. Ultimately, he had no choice but to retreat for now.

On the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat crew gathered. Nami scanned the companions around her: Zoro, Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, Robin, Brook, and Franky.

After a nod, Nami said, "Good. Now, only Luffy is left."

Zoro’s brow was furrowed tight. It was as if he hadn’t heard Nami’s words; he sat in a corner of the Sunny, his expression one of extreme frustration.

"This stage is still too early for us." Though Sanji felt much the same as Zoro, those were the only words he could manage.

Robin scanned the surrounding battlefield, and suddenly her pupils shrank. She gripped the ship’s railing with both hands. "That’s—!?"

On the distant sea, a small single-person boat was slowly drifting toward them.

"What’s wrong, Robin... Hm!?"

Nami was just about to ask what had happened when she followed Robin’s gaze. Her reaction was even more shocked; she immediately covered her mouth.

The small boat slowly drifted past the Straw Hat’s Thousand Sunny, gradually heading deeper into the battlefield. Eventually, due to the ice, the boat could go no further, and the figure stepped off, walking forward one step at a time.

When the Marines and pirates fighting at the rear saw him, one by one, they involuntarily lowered their weapons. They ceased their combat, staring blankly at the back of the man walking into the heart of the war.

Finally, everyone’s fear converged into a single name:

"It’s the Yonko... Alucard!!"