Chapter 397: The Four Emperors’ Heads Displayed at Marine Headquarters

With Kaido’s head reduced to nothing more than shattered remains, the disaster of the pirates had finally come to an end.

Their top-tier forces had been completely wiped out.

Knox, Shanks, Big Mom, and Kaido... the four pirate emperors had all lost their heads one after another, while most of their elite officers were also exterminated along the way.

Now the Marines’ main task in the New World was to complete the great encirclement and eliminate the remaining pirates spread across dozens of islands within the territories of Whole Cake Island and Wano.

But the Marines’ top fighters no longer had time to continue participating in those battles, because the true battlefield of the final war was at the towering Holy Land of Mariejois.

Whether pirates or Marines, every uncontrollable factor in the world had now been completely erased by Sakazuki. The only remaining powerful figures left openly standing in this world would gather at Mariejois tomorrow.

And there, Sakazuki would destroy them and open the curtain on the new era...

Bullet carried Kaido’s head and flew toward the suddenly appearing Carlo.

Looking at Kaido’s ruined head that had practically turned into scraps, Carlo could not help smacking his lips.

Among all the Four Emperors, this guy had definitely died the most miserably...

The others also walked over and placed their hands on Carlo.

Whoosh!

The group disappeared from the battlefield.

* * *

New World, New Marineford.

Inside the Fleet Admiral’s office, Carlo let out a long breath. Long-distance teleportation was still difficult for him to handle.

He reached out, took Kaido’s head from Bullet, and walked outside.

Garp frowned slightly. "We’re not going to Mariejois?"

Sakazuki glanced at him indifferently. "Why the rush? If we head there now, are you planning to help those idiots from the World Government protect those pigs?"

There was no longer any attempt to hide his ambition in those words.

Sengoku’s expression tightened slightly, but he still said nothing. He had long since become disappointed with the World Government as well. However, he still did not understand where Sakazuki’s confidence came from.

And this matter involved Garp. It involved Dragon too. There was no way he could simply ignore it.

But...

"It’s only the few of us. Where are Borsalino and Aramaki?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Sengoku’s Observation Haki could not sense either of them anywhere at headquarters.

Although he had confidence in the strength of the four people currently in the room, overthrowing the World Government with just this much force sounded ridiculous. If the government could truly be overthrown through brute strength alone, it would have disappeared centuries ago.

The sea never lacked powerful figures who appeared generation after generation. The most recent example had been Rocks, yet even that monster ultimately fell at God Valley.

So relying purely on strength to overthrow the World Government was impossible.

Sakazuki slowly replied, "The two of them went to bring back Vegapunk. After all, if you want to control this world, technology is the true foundation."

His indifferent voice carried no emotional fluctuations at all. The explanation sounded flawless enough for anyone to believe that he had truly sent them on a mission.

But in reality, Sakazuki had never intended to let the Marines participate in the final battle.

The Marines might currently stand at the peak of their power, but to put it bluntly, most of them were simply people wearing coats of justice while doing whatever they pleased.

Aside from people personally raised from childhood like Bullet, Enel, and Soter, the rest had already developed fixed mindsets.

Regardless if it was Kuzan, Borsalino, Aramaki, or Issho, not a single one of them was a true soldier.

As for Garp and Sengoku, there was even less reason to mention them. Sakazuki had been displeased with those two old men for a very long time.

The word "justice" had indeed prevented them from becoming pirates. They had done good deeds. They had saved many people.

But the labels attached before their version of justice had allowed them to act however they wanted.

Throughout their lives, there had been countless incidents of disobeying orders on the battlefield, allowing personal emotions to interfere, secretly aiding enemies, and many other similar acts.

If Sakazuki had not needed to wait for the right opportunity, many of these people would not have survived even two days.

And the new world he was about to create had no place for them either...

Sakazuki would never tolerate such people becoming the upper ranks of the new regime.

That was also the reason he had never promoted Enel, Soter, and the others to the rank of Admiral.

In this war, those Admirals would "gloriously" die in battle. And once the war ended, the vacant Admiral positions would immediately be filled. The world’s top combat forces would be purged clean, yet the Marines would still maintain a full lineup of Admirals to suppress the world...

Sakazuki slowly walked out of the Fleet Admiral’s office and arrived at the fortress wall, looking toward the distant execution platform.

Garp suppressed the anxiety in his heart and followed behind him while Sengoku came after them as well.

The moment the two saw the execution platform, their pupils trembled slightly.

Bullet casually walked out afterward with a savage grin on his face.

* * *

On top of the execution platform, four enormous iron stakes had been erected there at some unknown moment.

Carlo appeared atop the platform with three severed heads hanging from his waist while Kaido’s bloody ruined head dangled from his hand...

Every soldier who noticed this scene was left speechless in shock. All movement stopped as they simply stared blankly at the platform.

Carlo reached toward the heads hanging at his waist.

Puchi!

Knox’s head was pierced through the neck and mounted onto the first iron stake.

The soldiers below stared at the pirate "emperor" they had only ever seen in newspapers. They swallowed nervously, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Puchi!

Shanks’ head was also pierced through the neck and mounted onto the iron stake. That red hair was the clearest proof of his identity.

By now, no one had any doubts left.

Puchi!

Big Mom’s head was mounted onto another iron stake as well.

The gigantic head allowed the soldiers to clearly see that vicious face. Many soldiers holding objects while staring at the execution platform dropped them directly onto the ground.

The clattering sounds snapped everyone back to reality as they looked excitedly and fanatically toward the final head Carlo lifted.

Puchi!

Kaido’s ruined head, resembling shattered scraps of meat and bone, was also pierced onto the iron stake.

The dangling spine, horrifying face, and dripping blood created a terrifying sight, yet no one felt fear.

At this moment, the Four Emperors of the sea had officially all been declared dead.

Their heads were displayed atop Marine Headquarters’ execution platform for the entire world to see and photograph. Those images would spread across the world in the shortest possible time and stabilize the hearts of the people.

Standing atop the execution platform, Carlo’s spotless white Marine uniform and coat of justice were now stained with blood everywhere. His face showed exhaustion, yet it did not affect his presence in the slightest.

He stepped forward and stood at the edge of the execution platform.

Taking a deep breath, he raised his arm and waved it forward.

"JUSTICE WILL PREVAIL!!!!"

The powerful roar echoed across the entire island. It reverberated through the silent Marine Headquarters and left everyone’s minds blank from sheer shock.

Then the soldiers finally regained their senses.

As though their hearts had become one, countless fanatical and excited voices roared together.

"VICTORY IS CERTAIN!!!!!!!!!"

The four heads displayed at the center of the execution platform already explained everything!!!

Countless photographs spread out from headquarters and were sent to newspapers all over the world.

From the moment Sakazuki announced the final war until now, only two days had passed.

No.

Only a single day and a half.

And within that short time, the Four Emperors who had ruled the seas for decades had all been executed.

The Great Pirate Era had officially come to an end!!!

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