I do not own One Piece

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Beta read by the wonderful Karukyuu

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Rise from the Ashes

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Chapter 7: Marineford, Part 2 of 3

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super fangirl:pls pls pls update...pls...i love this story,it is my new obsession...pleaseeee can you try posting the whole of marinefold from the whitebeard pirates view all together(sorry if i am demanding too much and if you are busy, you can ignore me) i must commend your writing skills,but pretty please with cherry and nutella on the top,update soon.

Black' Victor Cachat: Well when you invoked Nutella, how could I say no? :-) Here is chapter 7, and sorry for the wait.

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Before…

One snot-nosed rookie against the Three Admirals, it's a miracle he's still alive. Now to keep it that way.

Burning with blue and gold fire, Marco the Phoenix kicked a looming Admiral Aokiji away from Ace's little brother.

"Thanks, you saved me," the young man said to his savior, clasping a bloody arm.

"Ah, don't mention it," the First Division Commander reassured him. Seriously, no need, thanks to your suicidal attack, followed by Crocodile of all people and I stepping in, everyone's too focused on us and not on Oars and the real threat he poses. Not that he would say it aloud, no need to let the kid get cocky right now.

Things were still dire: Ace had only escaped death by the slimmest of chances, and the rest of the family remained imperiled. But they could still pull this off, and Pop's back-up plan depended heavily upon the wounded Oars Jr. being free to pull in the Whitebeard Pirates' secret fifth ship. If Straw Hat had not come in so flashily and noisily, then a Warlord or Admiral would have already killed their gigantic brother. So far however, the three pirates were keeping attention focused upon them, but Marco knew that the best they could hope for was to serve as a distraction. His haki was not powerful enough for his to hack up one of the Government's Three Ultimate Powers, not with the Admirals' own monstrous haki that he would have to wear down first, so all he could do was keep kicking them away. In a one-on-one fight he could probably win, but with all of the other Navy officers supporting them, temporarily removing them from the fight was for the best.

Pop's got a plan though, and we've got all the vice-admirals, warlords, and admirals focused on the three of us since they think they've still got the others 'trapped,' so we've got to keep it up. A quick glance with haki revealed that Crocodile was still fighting it out with Doflamingo, keeping the Heavenly Demon occupied and distracting the nearby marines as they struggled to even stay upright as the two titans went at it. As for Ace's kid brother, despite his wounds, despite everything that he had already gone through –And who knows what he endured in Impel Down!—there was no question he was Ace's sibling as he kept moving forward. The different blood in their veins didn't mean squat. We have so got to adopt him. Heck, we practically already have.

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The mighty Oars Jr. fell once more, and Whitebeard's heart nearly burst at his son's commitment at saving a brother. The impact of the giant body hitting the ground shook pirate and marine alike, yet the Emperor's grim appearance never faltered. Calmly he stalked forward through a path his sons had left open for him atop the deck of their reserve ship.

Everyone within the plaza was motionless as he stood there, until after an endless moment he leapt down.

Edward Newgate had set foot on the shore of Marineford.

"Stand back, my sons," he ordered, and brought back his bisento, and the air around the blade seem to simmer into a ball of distorted air. And then he unleashed it.

An airborne earthquake scattered the rabble before him, and now the Division Commanders leapt down in front of their Chieftain, Captain, and Father.

"MEN!" roared Whitebeard so that all could hear his intent, "RESCUE ACE, AND DESTROY THE NAVY!"

The line had been drawn, too much had already been paid. For pirates or marines it would either be total victory or utter defeat, no quarter asked or expected from either side.

To the death.

And the plaza echoed with the roaring cheers of his sons.

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Despite efforts to try and stay with Ace's little brother, Marco found himself getting separated from the kid since he kept recklessly running ahead, and because the more junior navy officers kept trying to swarm over Marco, but his fists and feet just kept beating them aside. Up ahead he could see the brat doing the same, as bodies of marines kept flying into the air around him, with a fighting style that was as wild and unstoppable as the user. He's still a little too green and definitely too reckless, but that might be just desperation clouding him. Even so, give him a few more years and he might even surpass Ace! Marco marveled.

Unfortunately, the kid was also showing signs of getting worn ragged, so much so that he missed the three vice-admirals coming at him from behind. "Well that's just not fair," the Phoenix drawled at the marines as he intercepted them without Ace's brother even noticing.

Ducking under a sword-swing from an unimpressive older and balding man he believed to be named Comil, he took him out of the fight with an uppercut. Yamakaji of Navy HQ was more of a concern though as Marco dodged around the cigar-smoker's swings, with his Observation haki making him snap up his arm to grab a blow from behind, having recognized the presence of his attacker and his signature weapon. Yep, a bamboo stick. Should've stayed at G-5, Vergo. Snatching the weapon away and snapping it with a quick flex of his arms, Marco's kick propelled the stunned and messy-faced backstabber away from the fight, leaving the First Division Commander free to focus on Yamakaji.

A barrage of cannon-fire suddenly separated them as opportunistic soldiers and pirates tried to take out a leading enemy, both sides convinced that their champion would emerge from the explosions unscathed. Jumping back a little further, Marco stopped to backtrack to the figure of Oars. Always towering and fearsome but with a soft heart underneath, his brother looked almost pitiful now as he lay upon the ground, yet his inner voice still whispered, and Marco was confident their oversized brother would be fine. "Oars, thanks pal," the Phoenix said with a serious frown, and then turned back to the battle ahead. He would have to find the right opening when all the Admirals were distracted to fly to the scaffold, then knock back the marines on top long enough to tear off the planks underneath Ace –and holding those chains in place— and carry them both to safety behind Pops.

Sanity had no place in the New World.

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"Go! I'll fight!"

"I'm counting on you, son," Whitebeard brusquely said, but Jozu knew from the tone that Pops was giving him his full support.

On the ground Admiral Aokiji finished reforming with his Ice Logia powers, a line of blood coming out of his mouth beneath his uncharacteristic frown. Impassively staring down at his foe, unafraid of the challenge before him, Jozu was more concerned about his Father. Pop's haki did nothing to Aokiji despite stabbing him right through; the man's own Armament Haki was able to overpower it. But mine on the other hand was enough to cause internal damage!? No, Pops is worse off than we thought, he's having trouble focusing his haki! We've got to finish this quick!

And with that the Third Division Commander thundered forward like a mountain at the human glacier.

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Once more Admiral Kizaru had deliberately sought out that one particular rookie. Even making a point of verbally toying with him despite how the Whitebeard Pirates were wreaking havoc within the plaza, before giving one of his infamous lightspeed kicks to the bloody and still boy.

Snapping forward, Whitebeard intercepted the flying form of Ace's little brother and grabbed him mid-air.

"Ace," the kid gasped out, seemingly unaware of how he was hanging upside down within someone's giant grip, his eyes rolled back in his head.

"It's sad to see how low…the mighty Whitebeard has sunk," Kizaru drawled, standing back from where he had kicked the young pirate, making no move to attack. "How could a leader of your standing…let a piece of trash like that lead your charge."

The Emperor refused to dignify that insult with a response. It was clear to everyone how much this piece of "trash" was dictating the flow of battle. Hopelessly outmatched, easy prey for some of the men here if they had the chance to focus their full attention upon him, more stupid than brave, but still alive. Imagine what he will be like when he starts to gain experience.

He was briefly distracted by the concerned and oversized head of Ivankov of the Revolutionary Army, yelling his concern for the brat, but then Whitebeard realized that the kid in question was trying to talk to him. "Huff…Huff…Let me go! Old Man! I…" he gasped out.

So he's finally at his limit, the still silent Whitebeard decided. Lightly tossing him towards one of his sons, Harji of the 5th Division, "He's done more than his share," he informed them. "Get him patched up."

"Aye, aye."

Understatement, Whitebeard thought to himself as he stomped forward. That punk might not want to be a part of my crew or my son, although in a different way than his brother did, but we couldn't have gotten this far without him. At the very least Ace would already be dead.

An offer of protection would probably be taken as an insult, but maybe letting the snot-nose stay with his sons so that he could learn haki? Maybe, but first let's save Ace.

Yet his thoughts were further interrupted as the rookie in question was struggling, to get back up and fight, desperately yelling how he had to save his brother before collapsing to the ground. Despite what should have been a pathetic sight, all of the pirates within earshot were moved by the dedication he was displaying, feeling their hearts go out to him. Truly here was another who understood what family meant.

"You're nothing but a mass of spirit!" Whitebeard said aloud, his expression showing none of his inner feelings. "All you can do is talk big! Pathetic young fool!"

"I love idiots like you!"

And with that, Whitebeard stamped towards the army between him and Ace. "Those with no regard for their lives, advance!" he called out to the marines.

Yet someone answered his challenge, as Akainu appeared in front of him and blocked the pirate's attempt to unleash another earthquake fist with a foot of molten lava and haki. "You, you're always sailing around wreaking havoc, but now it's over!"

With a chuckle Whitebeard merely said, "That's what you think," emphasizing every word in a way that would have chilled a lesser man's nerve.

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With the war confined to such a small place, the battle was escalating to even greater heights as both sides became increasingly desperate with the Whitebeard Pirates being so close to Ace.

Division Commanders and Vice-Admirals clashed against each other and were then forced to withdraw as the battle shifted. Skilled and heroic marines threw themselves against veteran survivors of the New World. Even the Warlords were forced to take part, and more than once a Division Commander had to desperately divert the attentions of Boa Hancock who was mowing down both marines and pirate alike as she worked her way to the rear of their lines.

Kizaru was contenting himself with striking down the lesser pirates until Division Commander Rakuyo attacked the man, with more on their way to keep him occupied.

Then the madness surged again as the allied pirate captains finished making their way around the encircling wall to throw their weight in, with the Pacifista coming up behind them.

This was no ship-to-ship conflict or boarding action like they were all used to; for the first time in far too long, two mighty armies were hacking and clawing against each other with all of the finesse of a barroom brawl where everyone's suddenly pulled out a knife.

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Safely behind his Family as they fought, Marco gave one final assessment with his haki and eyes, with his gut weighing in as well, No better time, all the admirals, vice-admirals, and Warlords are distracted, this is it! For one of the greatest advantages the Whitebeard Pirates had in such tight confines was that none of their powerhouses possessed large-scale attacks, except for their Father, while the Admirals and Warlords had to constrain their full potential for fear of wiping out most of their own marines. Not that Hancock seems really concerned about that…

Running forward to add to his momentum, he silently called out, Hang on Ace, I'm coming for ya-yoi! And then he went Phoenix, his beautiful form rocketing overhead with only a few pitiful and impotent musket shots coming his way.

Can't get cocky, there's still Sengoku and Garp, but I—

Then a large and muscular figure was before him, and the next thing Marco knew he was in a small crater down on the ground. His injuries were already gone, but the pain from the blow told him that despite his healing factor, he could have actually died right there if any more force and haki had been put into it.

We were wrong, Marco bitterly realized as the marines took heart and the pirates wavered, he hasn't gotten rusty. Garp's as terrifying as ever.

For it was clearly Garp the Fist who had taken him out. Despite how no one had really heard anything from him in the past few years. Or that instead of a Devil Fruit that could wipe out a country, he chose to rely entirely upon his aged muscles. No, it was clear that the 'Hero of the Navy' was still easily on par with one of the admirals. Or maybe even Whitebeard himself given how they had both been rivals of Gold Roger. And now the scowling man was declaring that anyone trying to get to the scaffold would have to get past him…

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"We didn't make it all the way here just to lose to an old man!" Whitebeard roared out, and then quieter yet no less forceful, "Legends ain't nothing but words!"

"I might say the same thing to you, Whitebeard," Akainu growled back "Your glory days are just a dying memory now!"

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Their spirits rallied, the pirates continued their charge, their cries echoing across the battlefield.

"Don't let them get you down, Ace!"

"Yeah, we won't leave you!"

"We're brothers! We stick together!"

And they would willingly drown themselves in their own blood to do it.

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It was a war between natural disasters: a living volcano versus a human earthquake.

Again and again Akainu and Whitebeard threw their fury and will at each other, breaking up the ground or melting it between their blows.

Yet nature favours the strong, and it was the pirate who fell to his knees, coughing up blood as he clutched his weak and traitorous heart in anguish.

"Not even you can defeat old age…Whitebeard!" Akainu calmly noted as his right hand burned with molten fire.

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Blindly Marco charged towards his Father to render aid before Akainu stopped his mocking and attacked, but then two beams of light and pain stabbed through him.

"All it takes to lose is to be caught off guard!" he heard a voice say

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"Marco!" Jozu yelled, and then felt cold and panic.

"You looked away just now," Aokiji lectured as the Third Division Commander's mind went dark.

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Unable to move even as he saw the attack coming, Whitebeard took the fist of magma right on and into his chest, cauterizing the wound as the arm was buried in past the wrist and cutting off blood, mutilating organs. Desperately his will fought against his brains desire to shut itself down to hide from the pain.

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With all of this happening, it was understandable that none of the big players were paying attention to Ace's wild little brother. After all, that he was still alive after having two different admirals beating on him was a miracle in itself, he certainly would not be fighting any more.

So when Strat Hat pulled himself back up, those who witnessed it would later recount what they had seen with hushed voices.

How the rookie who could no longer move was impaled by Ivankov's strange nails, but then he stood tall and let loose a spine-chilling roar of defiance. And love.

A sound that carried a declaration that he would not stop going until his precious brother was safe and well, no matter the cost to himself.

It was something they had heard before in the heat of battle from their own comrades, as they kept getting back up to fight for their family.

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Word slowly spread throughout the battlefield that Ace's little brother was fighting again, as the more observant Division Commanders and Pirate Captains noted how an unusual number of marines were diverting towards one spot. More and more they could hear voices yelling to kill Straw Hat, despite how the kid was supposed to be near comatose back in the rear while receiving emergency first aid. Moreover, given the ongoing cries to bring him down, it was clear the marines were having a surprisingly difficult time against someone supposed to be half-dead.

If they had not seen it with their own senses, the pirates who saw the kid fighting would never have believed that he had already fought countless marines and had been badly wounded fighting two admirals.

Instead he fought on like he was possessed.

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Marco twitched and spasmed in pain as he lay on the ground, desperately trying to heal despite the sea-prism handcuff shackled to one wrist. Nicked heart and gut wound, he assessed. Idiot! I got too cocky!

Arrogantly believing that he could just regenerate despite Kizaru continuing to shoot him in the back, he had dropped his guard enough for a vice-admiral to effectively cripple him with sea-prism handcuffs.

"It's over," Vice-Admiral Onigumo flatly informed him as he drew back his eight sabers for the final blow. "Die-phhk!"

Pushing back on his arms, Marco's foot drilled into the marine's chest faster than his haki could warn him. With a quick spin, his knee followed suit into the man's chin. "Sorry, what was that!?" Marco hissed, yet while he staggered, the vice-admiral was still in the fight.

Swinging his eight blades in a pattern meant to confuse and overwhelm his opponents, Marco danced around them while firing out his fists like a machine gun. To anyone ignorant of haki, it appeared as if he were meeting the sword blades with nothing but his bare hands as Onigumo struggled to block each blow.

Seeking to help, Kizaru fired more of his lasers at Marco, but the Phoenix had been waiting for that, knowing that Onigumo would expect him to try and get some distance, not leap closer towards the vice-admiral. Sweeping his foot between the sabres by a hair's breadth, Marco kicked the man through the air and over his own men to the back of the battle.

Gotta keep moving. Gotta focus, he thought as he coughed up some blood, grateful that Kizaru's attack had cauterized the wound even as it had burned through his body. As quick as that fight had been, the intensity had taken its toll. I can't fight an admiral like this, but I can still fight. And if I can get to the other Commanders, they might be able to do something about this handcuff!

With a burst of speed that tore at his chest, Marco disappeared.
Keeping any reaction hidden under his usual façade, Kizaru turned his attention back to the rest of the pirates.

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Up ahead, Whitebeard grasped his smoldering, smoking wound, still standing but not moving.

And then the jackals and vultures attacked. Wave after wave of marines threw themselves at Whitebeard, their bullets digging into his flesh while others leapt upon him to stab him with their swords right through to his back. Cannon fire hammered at his head.

Like a might oak finally felled by the hurricane, he started to fall backwards even as the pirates desperately hurled themselves forward to rescue their Father.

Then his mighty feet checked his fall, cracking the ground beneath him, and a voice made them all, pirates and marines, freeze, "Stay back!"

Slowly and ominous Whitebeard straightened himself forward, the movement lazily blowing away the smoke obscuring his face as he called out: "Do these guys really think...they can kill me so easily?! I don't need any help. I...I..." and the clouds fell away as he stood tall and roaring to the heavens, "I AM WHITEBEARD!" And his next blow did not just knock aside the mass of marines in front of him, he hurled them into the sky with nothing but his bisento and awesome strength, bringing them raining down upon their comrades.

Yet the very exertion opened up the barely cauterized wound in his chest as blood spilled out, the hole nearly eating up the old scar that Gold Roger had given him, and it seemed as if that had finally pushed his might frame past its limits as he stumbled forward, struggling to stay upright. "I know exactly…what it would mean…if I were to die! That's all the more reason to stay alive…until I've guided my sons toward a brighter future!" And then his golden eyes looked up to specifically address black ones full of emotion, "Right, Ace?"

Taking advantage of the Emperor's distraction, the marines rallied again, this time trying to encircle him from the rear at his exposed back, yet suddenly they were thrown back with a vicious fury.

"Wh-what's with these guys!?" one officer gasped out, "Covering Whitebeard's back like that...Do they intended to die together with Whitebeard?!"

For the Division Commanders, sans Marco and Jozu, had finally regrouped along with Whitebeard

"You people will never understand!" Jinbe snarled.

"We will protect the Old Man's pride!" Vista declared.

Seeing the futility of telling them to leave him be, all Whitebeard could say to them was: "You're too blasted loyal, you little fools." But they all heard the words: I love you, my sons.

"If it's the future you want to see, I'll give you a glimpse right now! Whitebeard!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku called out, projecting his voice so that everyone could clearly hear, drawing their attention to the two fresh executioners who hefted their blades up to behead Portgas D. Ace, bearer of Pirate King's sins. The young man's eyes were closed in acceptance, but unafraid as he faced death with dignity.

"That won't work!" Whitebeard roared. "Do you really think that would stop—" yet even now his body rebelled against him, as he found himself choking on his own blood as his vision suddenly blurred, falling to his knee as he coughed out the fluid.

In that moment, in the depth of his heart, Whitebeard knew that he would be unable to save Ace in time. That his son would die before his blurry eyes.

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And then everyone felt icy talons crushing at their minds and spine.

The strong shook off this foreign will, but each and every man and woman at Marineford felt it, and would never forget it.

A scythe that ruthlessly reaped those who were too weak to stand before it.

In the silence and stillness that followed they caught the echo of the desperate scream that had come with this feeling: "STOP!"

Instinctively they turned to the source and saw one angry young man still running forward, leaping over the piles of unmoving marines who had fallen before the onslaught of dominance he had unleashed…including the would-be executioners of Fire-Fist Ace.

As one, all of the mighty took note of the boy and his power: Straw Hat Luffy.

In that moment, the senior marines and most of the Whitebeard Pirates realized what Ace's little brother was: a Conqueror. An honest to goodness Conqueror. A Supreme King. A Conquering King. One with the qualities of a King. One of the Chosen. So many terms to describe an instinctive, undefinable concept of one born burning with raw charisma and the drive to rise and command, regardless of who got in his or her way. To claim a kingdom for their own.

Even amongst the tens of thousands of surviving warriors present in Marineford, the cream of the world's finest, there were only the barest handful of such individuals: Boa Hancock, Donquixote Doflamingo, and Edward Newgate, all of whom were terrors who could crush entire nations beneath their forces.

"Luffy…" breathed out one of those Conquerors in both shock and lust. I knew you were a Conqueror too, but to do this!? But then Hancock's more rational side which had propelled her so far caught up with her. Something's wrong. The previous time your brother was nearly killed it was just as desperate as it is now, and you screamed for them to stop too but nothing happened. And yet you've already demonstrated this ability before, against my sisters. Is it that unstable still, or did this battle unlocked something further within you? Truly her husband was the only worthy man alive.

"Luffy…" breathed out another of those Conquerors, albeit one whose use of it was largely unknown, "you too?" In that moment Ace was finally forced to recognize, deep in his heart, that Luffy was no longer his crybaby brother. He's grown up, whether entirely on his own or with the help of his crew, his friends, he's becomes someone truly incredible. Someone who'll shake the world!

Of course I'll still be stronger than you, 'cause I'll always be there to protect you, he thought as a little bit of his cocky ego relit.

"That was the Conqueror's Spirit, like Pops and Shanks use," Fossa said, speaking aloud what everyone else was thinking. Grasping his bleeding chest wounds, weary from the seastone shackle on his wrist, Marco voiced the other major thought, "Dang, that kid's full of surprises, huh?"

The other Division Commanders were also looking the rookie in a new light, with beads of sweat adorning some of their brows as they realized the terrifying potential the scrawny runt possessed. The future they knew lay ahead of him. Such a person, if properly trained, could single-handedly overwhelm anything from an army to an entire nation, and their sheer drive meant they almost always felt compelled to rock the world. Even here, the men and women at Marineford were made up of the greatest fighters in the world, and for any of them to be so weak in comparison to a mere rookie that he could overcome them so readily…

Alternatively, that raw charisma could assemble an army. Drawing together powerful warriors to his banner to fight and serve him. Nations would collapse, but the people would cheer before the promises such a figure would offer.

Truly he would be terrifying when he got older. A belief that the Navy had also concluded, as the marines began yelling for the kid's head specifically. Afraid of a world where he roamed free upon the seas.

That boy! Whitebeard gasped to himself.

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"I see people with that "D." from time to time. There's one called Teach in my crew. What is that "D." thing anyways?"

"You wanna know? Then I'll tell you. A long time ago…"

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More and more marines were attacking Ace's brother now, but he kept going heedless of the threats before him, with Emporio Invankov fighting alongside him.

Unnatural powers cracked the air itself and the ensuing explosion of air tore into those attacking the duo, announcing the return of Whitebeard to fighting form, and his barked out his signature laugh, "Gu ra ra ra ra! You cowardly marines... You're really that afraid of one kid? What happened to taking my head!?"

"Damn it's Whitebeard!" one marine said as he stated the obvious, their fervor for killing Straw Hat making them blind to the original threat. "He's earned his reputation as a monster! Take him down at all costs!"

"Fine by me!" he smirked, eager to use his renewed spirit to both crush more of the Navy, and draw some attention away from the rookie. Again and again they swarmed at him, but his strength was back and his Devil Fruit Powers were cutting loose in every direction but his Sons, the scaffold with Ace, and Ace's supposedly weak little brother. Ha!

Contemptuously the Emperor swept away more and more of the opportunistic vermin who actually thought he was just about to drop dead. The savagery of this however paled before the struggle within, as Whitebeard grappled with what might be the most important decision he had made since deciding to destroy the Navy for threatening one of his precious children.

The Whitebeard Pirates fought fiercely around their Captain, but they were too ragged and uncoordinated as they threw themselves with rage and desperation at the marines, who still maintained their ranks and discipline. Their training helped them provide each other with overlapping support, while their Admirals remained largely fresh as they evaluated the flow of the battle.

Then Whitebeard paused to hack up another blob of blood, while First Division Commander Marco struggled to stay alive with his healings shackled by one handcuff. Despite the sapping of his strength, the Phoenix was still more than a match for the average Navy HQ marine, but it was taking its toll. I can't risk just cutting my hand off either, the shock might kill me first, and no telling if it'd heal when I get my Devil Fruit Powers back! His abilities were just too rare and ill documented to gamble.

"Pops!" 15th Division Commander Fossa warned. "With those wounds, you won't last longer at this pace!"

He's right, Whitebeard knew, as well as what he had to do next, and his voice thundered out.

"MEN!"

All of his sons turned to him at this, a shiver going up their spines at something they heard in his voice.

"AS OF THIS MOMENT...LEND STRAW HAT LUFFY...ALL OF YOUR STRENGTH!"

Shivering with exertion, he paused, Give it your best shot, boy! If you're one of the successors to the "Will of D.", show me what kind of era you will create! Even if my days are numbered I can see tomorrow blazing through this battlefield!

Doma, McGuy, the Decalvan Brothers, Andre and all the other allied Captains froze at the unthinkable order.

Never, not in a hundred years, could they have foreseen such a command.

There was one thing Whitebeard had never done: entrust the safety of his children to anyone who was not family. And yet, for some reason, their Father had chosen to overlook his mighty Division Commanders and infamous allies, and place his faith in the hands of a complete stranger. A punk rookie he had only met this day, even if he was Ace's little brother.

This was who he had chosen to lead the spear thrust to save Ace and end this madness?

But their eyes took in all of the marines he had downed with the sheer force of his Will.

They remembered everything else he had done.

And then the allied captains saw how now even the vice-admirals were closing in on Ace's little brother, no, on Straw Hat Luffy, redoubling their efforts as an uncharacteristically concerned Admiral Kizaru snapped out orders to kill the threat while still in his infancy, and their bodies moved.

An honour guard of death surrounded their Father's chosen champion, as the fearsome allies of Edward Newgate the Whitebeard, fought alongside Straw Hat Luffy as he raced for the execution platform, with every available pirate following behind.

As for Whitebeard himself, he stayed behind to support the advance, drawing fire and attention as he wreaked havoc upon the marines.

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Berserker-like as they ran forward heedless of cannon, musket or sword, the horde of pirates were shoving through the marines now, breaking through their formations while the vice-admirals fought for their lives against the veterans of the New World. One by one the allied Captains voiced their support to Straw Hat Luffy, and while they could all see the surprise and confusion on his face, they also saw he was not overwhelmed by the accolades.

The more worldly and experienced, Ivankov had a better grasp of the situation, "This is serious, Straw-Hat-boy! The world's mightiest pirate is trying to test vyou! Whitbeard has put his faith in vyou! This is amazing! Vi'm asking if vyou have the resolve to live up to his expectations!"

"I don't care about that Whitebeard-guy," Straw Hat declared in turn, "I've only had one reason to come here" and with this he looked up at the execution stand where an open mouth Ace was clearly visible, "since the beginning."

And the Captains silently gave their approval.

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The mayhem only grew as Hawkeye sought out Straw Hat once more, but the arrival of Crocodile in the young man's defense kept him safe, as the Warlord and ex-Warlord devastated everyone around them as they clashed. Moria was also engaged, but he was content with taking on the weaker combatants.

Fortunately Hancock appeared to be lying low again, and for some reason the remaining Pacifista were being tied up too, keeping them from targeting the pirates, especially Luffy.

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Ace's mind was almost overwhelmed with everything that he had seen today, the sick horror of so many of his crew and family dying was fighting against the warmth their love gave him. His ship-brothers, and his brother Luffy. His weakling kid brother who could barely throw a punch when they had parted ways in the East Blue, but now look at him!

Luffy, Ace thought, you can do it. Not save his pathetic big brother, Ace's concerns were not for that, but survive this nightmare and go on to become the Pirate King.

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Those vice-admirals not locked in battle were barking orders for all they were worth, rallying their men to stop the fanatical pirates who were both shielding Straw Hat Luffy and clearing a path clear to the scaffold, while Inazuma of the Revolutionary Army created a ramp straight to Fire-Fist.

"Fools!" yelled Vice-Admiral Stainless, "Use your guns! Cannoneers open fire!" and the obedient soldiers launched every cannonball they had at the improvised bridge.

But the Division Commanders had arrived.

They had been as aghast as anyone, in Marco's case perhaps more, but the habit of obedience lent urgency to their actions as they rushed forward to catch up. And unlike their allies, they had spent much of this war fighting alongside Straw Hat Luffy, and thus were quicker to both appreciate and accept Pop's decision.

Leaving Jinbe, a man who was not an ally and thus not bound to obey their Father, to protect Whitebeard's back and pride, they intercepted every projectile. They had Straw Hat's back, striking down the desperate marines who were breaking through the lines to try and kill him.

Struggling to keep standing with his wounds, Marco took in the situation with his eyes and haki. Pops had surged forward to keep Kizaru occupied, and it seemed that neither Aokiji nor Akainu were making a move yet, doubtless saving their strength for the perfect moment. And they're probably leaving it to them! Marco thought while panting, remembering his own failure to save Ace. Don't forget, Straw Hat, there's still Garp and Sengoku!

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It was a clash between a living legend and one just making his name, a story for the ages as grandfather faced off against grandson. A clash of wills and fists. But the one with the high-ground, the one guarding access to Ace, was Monkey D. Garp. Garp the Fist. Garp the Hero.

What happened between them was so fast and so distant that maybe only Ace and Sengoku caught all that happened, but all the marines and pirates below knew, was that Straw Hat's fist struck true, and to the horror of the marines and the amazement of the pirates, the Hero fell to the earth.

Knocking down the only other man besides Whitebeard to truly threaten the one-and-only Pirate King, and just kept running towards his goal without a second thought, racing up the crumbling bridge to the top.

Garp hesitated, Marco knew, but only because it was his grandson. Yet even then, if the kid had been even the slightest bit slower, it wouldn't have mattered. If he wasn't who he was, he wouldn't have even reached this far.

And where in the six seas did he get that key for Ace's handcuffs!?

With a clatter the shackles hit the ground, as a protective shield of fire burst from the Fire-Fist as he announced his return.

His little brother had saved him, and now he would get him and the rest of his family away from this place.

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The two brothers fighting together were like a bright beacon for the pirates. Their flawless teamwork raising cries of joy and laughter from the spectators, and pain and screams from those who got in their way.

Flames licking at his flesh, Ace, the prodigal son, tore through the marines, proving to all that he was worthy, at least in the future, of being Whitebeard's successor. As for Straw Hat, the man who performed the Impossible, well, the cheering freemen had to admit that maybe he had the right to yell back at their Father after all. Or at least in a few more years, as opposed to their original answer of "Never."

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Now is the time, Whitebeard decided, as Squard tried another of his stupid, childish ideas. Hopefully Marco can keep him and the rest in line long enough for them to mature, he thought with resignation, before leaping forward to abort his son's suicide attempt, marshaling more of his strength despite the crippling injuries he carried, and all of the bullets stuck in him and countless cuts.

Without budging an inch the World's Strongest Man stopped the massive ship in place.

"He... stopped it with one hand!" yelled one hapless marine. "I thought he was supposed to be dying!"

Gasping for breath, Whitebeard struggled to keep himself together to bring the end to this battle. But first, I have one extra duty to perform, and he looked up to the top of the vessel to the stunned figure of Squard, "Don't you realize how painful it is for a father to see his own child die before him?! Don't you, Squard!?" he rebuked. "Don't get ahead of yourself, now! I'm not so weak as to die from your stab! But everyone dies someday!" He broke off to catch his breath again, and then turned away to advance towards the marines, prepared to act as a shield for his Sons to the end.

"We've completed our objective here," Whitebeard called out as Straw Hat Luffy and Ace continued running to regroup with the bulk of the pirates, "We no longer have any business here!"

Their chests tightening in foreboding at how their Father was walking away from the bay and escape, the Division Commanders were calling out to him now, "Pops!" "Old Man!"

"Listen closely, Whitebeard Pirates!" echoed throughout the plaza, the back of the Emperor's coat, and Mark of Pride, facing his Sons, "The order I am about to give, will be my final captain's order!"

"Final!?" one son quoted, "Wait, Old Man! I don't want to hear anything so ominous!"

"Pops!"

"Pops!"

"I don't want to hear that!"

"We're going back to the New World together, aren't we?!" and now tears were falling from the eyes of the most violent, dangerous, and manly men of the world's most terrible sea.

"YOU AND I WILL BE PARTING HERE! ALL OF YOU, MAKE SURE YOU SURVIVE, AND REUNITE WITH EACH OTHER IN THE NEW WORLD!"

Not even the marines made a sound, until Kingdew broke the silence, "P-Pops?! Are you planning on dying here!?"

Stamping his foot down, Whitebeard drew back his arm for his ultimate strike, "I AM THE ONE AT THE TOP OF THIS ERA… THERE IS NO SHIP TO CARRY ME INTO THE NEW AGE!"

No longer afraid of accidently hurting Ace, Edward Newgate mauled the Navy HQ building itself as he threw his greatest earthquake yet at it. "GET AWAY FROM HERE, MY SONS!"

He stopped his advance for a moment, letting his memories surface of the good times with his Sons and Daughters, and his own youth as he searched for a family.

"It's been a long journey, but a good one," Whitebeard smirked. "Let's finally put an end to this, you Navy bastards!

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"I have little use for soft words," Whitebeard said, "...but tell me one thing, Ace….were you happy with me as your father?"

"Of course!"

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"ACE!" the pirates all cried out in horror, but none louder than Marco, drawing the attention of everyone else, including the convicts with the Video Den-Den Mushi. And they all saw the 2nd Division Commander standing as a living shield before his brother, Straw Hat Luffy, with a fist of lava impaled through his chest.

Many of the Whitebeard Pirates swarmed towards Akainu, either turning towards him or even doubling-back from their retreat, while others struggled to get the sea prism stone off of Marco.

The viewers in Sabaody stared aghast at what was being transmitted to them. Truly the war against Whitebeard had taken ever more violent turns during the blackout while the news feed was lost. They stared as the pirates rained down explosives and bullets at Akainu, both venting their fury and pain even as they desperately tried to destroy his body faster than he could reform it.

Sadly, they were just too outclassed.

Unfazed, the admiral strode through the flames, unhampered by the destruction of his right arm and most of his torso.

"You're still alive, eh?" Akainu noted with some surprise as closed the distance once more to Fire Fist's back, yet the young man was unmoving if still upright, and his sworn-brother was still beside him. Rearing back his fist once more to end the evil they both embodied, he aimed for the pirate's head, but was then repelled once more

"That's enough!" roared Jinbe as he clashed with his bare yet mighty body against the Magma Man.

"Stop stalling, Jinbe. It's futile. You were once a Warlord of the Sea. You know exactly how strong I am."

"If I can buy a little time," the battered and burnt yet still fighting fishman declared, "by sacrificing myself, I'll gladly do so! I was prepared to die from the start!"

Marco missed whatever else was said as his shackle came off, and he sought out Vista, the next strongest haki user after him and the still-frozen Jozu. Wordlessly coordinating they came from behind their friend's back, "Jinbe, get down!"

Die! the two Division Commanders ordered, and they struck true, with Vista's blades and Marco's finally unsheathed talons. Kicks would not suffice against such a foe, and he wanted to kill Akainu.

Yet the Admiral only grunted in annoyance, his own haki neutralizing their own so he only took pain, not wounds.

"I'll never forgive myself for what happened here today," Vista swore.

"How can this be!?" Marco gasped. We came so far!

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It was not his logia powers that kept Fire Fist Ace alive, nor his inhumanly tough body like Whitebeard's. He was a D. and a Conqueror, but most of all he was a brother, and he would not die until he had said what needed to be said to his family.

And for that, being beaten nearly to death by Teach and being denied any medical care did not matter. Being endlessly tortured by the sadists of Impel Down as they struggled to get a response, any response, out of him did not matter. Even being impaled through the chest by haki imbued lava…did not matter.

Luffy was just holding onto him, not running like he should, but Ace knew better than to expect his little brother to turn his back on him by now. He knew Luffy was in pain, pain of the heart, so Ace could only hope his last words would help. "I'm sorry…Luffy," he weakly got out.

"Ace! Your wounds need treating!" his brother cried in denial.

"I'm sorry you didn't get to save me," he gasped for breath and continued, "I'm sorry…"

"What are you saying?!" Luffy turned to the spectators, the hardened and experienced men who could not turn from the truth before their eyes, "Get him a doctor! Please! Somebody save Ace!"

His pleas touched a few enough to bring up a field doctor from one of the allied crews, but Ace had regained enough of his strength by the time the man arrived, "It's no use!" Taking an even deeper breath, "I know I'm dying! My guts have been burned out! Huff. I'm not gonna last long! So…Listen to me, Luffy!"

"What are you saying?!" Luffy cried. "Are you gonna die, Ace?! Y-you promised me, remember!? Huff. You said you'd never die! Isn't that what you told me, Ace?! Ugh…"

The assembled pirates and revolutionaries could only stand in silence, not daring to interrupt these final words between them, their hearts once more going out to the young boy's pleas.
"Yeah. It reminds me of Sabo. If I didn't have a little brother that needed to be taken care of…I would've given up then. Nobody wanted me. It couldn't be helped." Ace paused for a moment as his memories bubbled over his tired, ever so tired, mind, and all of his assembled family felt a familiar pang. None of them had been wanted either, not until they had met Pops. "I know. If you ever see Dadan again…please give my regards. Dying makes me nostalgic…even for Dadan." And with that Ace gathered his thoughts for his last, and most important, words.
"But there's one thing I've left undone. I wasn't able to see your dream through to the end. Huff. But you…I know you can do it. You're my little brother! Just like how I swore back then…I have no regrets!"

"Liar!" Luffy sobbed. "You're lying!"

"Huff…Huff…I'm not lying! What I really wanted…wasn't fame. All I wanted was to know…whether or not I should've been born. Huff…I can't even shout anymore. Luffy, listen to my next words carefully. Tell everybody what I say to you." Taking his brother's silence, his lack of further protests, as agreement, "Pops! Everyone! And you, Luffy...Even though...I'm so worthless...Even though...I carry the blood of a demon..."

The dam broke as water gushed from the eyes of all the pirates as what had happened spread. From the lowliest squab to the most bitter and calloused sailor. Even for Whitebeard, a few tears fell from the old man.

No less were the tears that cascaded from Ace's eyes, "Thank you...for loving me!"

And his sad expression turned to a smile as he knew he surrounded by his most precious people. Now at last he could stop fighting it, knowing his brothers would protect his youngest brother, and the life in Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace's proud eyes died as he passed on to even greater shores.

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Driven on by some sixth sense, the greatest pirates and marines turned as one to watch as a great flame of the world ended, and the viewers on the Den Den Mushi could only stare in shock as the body finally fell, and as Straw Hat threw back his head, his eyes unseeing as rasping cries of grief shuddered out of his unmoving body.

His mind broken by the endless onslaught.

Speeding forward upon a column of magma, Akainu prepared his fist once more to finish the job, but "I won't let you kill him! Marco cried as the blue fire of his wings shielded Straw Hat, healing faster than the lava could burn through him. The Admiral struggled to get through, yet the Division Commander put his all into standing firm, "Get Ace's brother out of here, Jinbe!" Without hesitation the fishman grabbed the young man and took off while Marco continued, "Straw Hat's survival was Ace's final wish!" and his words struck a chord with the assembled pirates as they wiped away their tears from hardening eyes, "We will absolutely protect him in Ace's place!"

Sorrow was gone from Ace's eldest brother now, but it was not rage that moved them, instead it was a dark, cold resolve that was more terrifying than anything they had yet shown. "If we let him die," Marco roared with steely eyes and a rage that nearly made him unrecognizable, "it will be the Whitebeard Pirates' greatest shame!"

Retreat was no longer an option, they would be an immovable wall between the Navy and Straw Hat Luffy, so vowed the Whitebeard Pirates as they echoed their First Division Commander's declaration. Jinbe ran with the young man through a forest of upraised weapons as his friends and comrades stood their ground to fight.

"I thought I said..." grunted Akainu with effort, "I wouldn't let either one of them escape!?" Marshaling more of his power, he threw Marco to the side and barreled towards the scum before him.

Then someone stepped over Akainu's grave.

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Akainu was a dead man. Pursued by someone who was already planning to die today anyways, and thus had nothing to lose.

The man was an admiral for a reason however, and burnt off half his signature mustache and a good chunk of his head, cooking part of the Emperor's brain.

Whitebeard never even felt it past his fury. The fury of a man who had lost his children because of his weakness.

A father should never have to bury his sons, and too many had already died today. But they had all come for a reason, because they were willing to lay down their lives to save the brother they had all loved, and now Ace was dead. Hope and joy turned to ash.

And so with the soul and will that had carried him across the seas to this point, Whitebeard made his body move to unleash the roiling emotions within him, striking such power that he nearly shattered the island of Marineford.

The Navy's proud flag fell, the kanji painted on the walls for "Navy" and "Justice" were rendered illegible, and the very earth was split into a fitting grave for the marine admiral filth as he plunged down towards the sea to drown like a rat. The gorge was so massive it even divided the island so that the marines could not continue across the plaza towards the pirates.

His Sons were cut off and safe now though, and he turned towards the remaining marines, knowing he was not finished. Not until his children were all safe and gone could he stop forcing his tired old heart to keep beating.

Between labored breaths he got out, "I'm not finished yet!"

Hefting his bisento above his head, Whitebeard spun it around with the ease of a younger man before slamming the butt down to crack the ground as he faced the assembled might of the remaining Marines. "From this point forward..." and he swung his weapon again and then let it rest into a comfortable posture to attack, "I will take you on! Come!"

The Navy acknowledged the challenge and charged the battered warrior, burning with the need to end Whitebeard's legend once and for all.

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The Sons of Whitebeard watched their Father's proud steel back as he fought like the demon that children sang about, going beyond the limits of sanity and nature to stay between them and the Navy. This was Whitebeard's final battle, and he was determined that the World Government would be too broken to even pursue his family.

Out of all the pirates, only Marco looked on with dry eyes. He had always half suspected it would come to this, but Pops had taken away any chance to prevent it. Yet as he took in this awesome display of love and fatherhood, finally the tears for this great man fell. "All men, get aboard the ships!" yelled for all to hear.

Many pirates wanted to stay and fight, "Don't leave us! Please!" sobbed one such son, but the Division Commanders were resolute in stopping them, "Think of the reason he stayed behind...of the dreams he's entrusted us with!" Fossa argued.

"If you're gonna grieve for him, then do it on the ship!" Haruta ordered.

In growing numbers they ran, heading to the open water to grab whatever seaworthy ships remained. The marines who were not engaged by Whitebeard tried to open fire on them, but other Division Commanders would block the bullets until their Father took notice and tore through those threats too.

Face like a mask as the tears dried, only Marco remained behind. Please let me be selfish long enough to watch over you a little longer...Pops.

It was the end of an era, but a glorious one.

Whitebeard, the man who had ruled over the pirates from beside the empty Throne of the Pirate King, the man who had protected so many islands within the most terrible sea, and had kept at bay the worst of the monsters who inhabited it.

This day was the day he would pass from these seas and onto the next.

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And then he arrived. The traitor.

Marshall D. Teach.

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Author Notes:

Akainu: You omitted most of my best lines! You're a criminal, as are all your children! Die!

Me: I did it because everyone hates you, that's why! Now go away so I can dream of Luffy beating your face in!

For those of you who are curious, the dialogue is crafted together from the dubbed and subbed anime, along with the printed manga. I did add some lines and fan theories in of course, but did not change any of the original content. Most additional scenes are drawn from the anime, except for the part where Marco fights those three vice-admirals including Vergo.

I deliberately excluded Ace from the initial list of Conquerors because I do not know how common that knowledge is, including if the navy was even aware.

Yeah, Whitebeard was more focused upon the deadly men at Marineford, but by all accounts he is a bit sexist. The medical staff will be appearing in later chapters however.

Also, Harji of the 5th Division is an OC, but I believe Whitebeard would know all the names and faces of his Sons, despite how there were over a 1600 of them, not including his allied sons. Because he is an awesome father like that.

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Recommended fics:

"DreamWorld" by phoenixyfriend

"A Hundred Whispers of the Wind" by Tatsumaki-sama

"Theories and Backstory and Head-Canons, Oh My!" by Sarcasticles

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Please Review, and I will get back to you!