PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

The vast battlefield had sunk into an eerie, inexplicable silence.

Everyone stared in stunned disbelief at Sengoku and Luo Yu, who were showering Yamamoto with mock praise so sincere it bordered on sarcastic flattery.

Even the likes of Shanks and his crew weren't immune to the shock.

When Luo Yu had suddenly lashed out at a Gorosei without warning, they had anticipated chaos—but never imagined Luo Yu would then turn the tables so cleanly.

Worse, he had effectively left Yamamoto, one of the Five Elders, with no ground to stand on.

After all, in that brief but earth-shattering clash, Luo Yu had nearly cleaved Yamamoto apart, forcing him to flee in disgrace—right in front of the entire world.

To make matters worse, Big News Morgans had been broadcasting the entire encounter live.

In just moments, not only would everyone present know what had happened in Marineford, but so would the entire sea.

Now Luo Yu had gone one step further—openly declaring Yamamoto an impostor.

If Yamamoto let it go, the "impostor" claim might help the Gorosei save face.

But if he dared seek revenge later, it would only confirm to the world that the one who had fled was indeed the real Yamamoto—a member of the elusive, once-mythical Five Elders. And that... would make him a laughingstock.

At this point, Yamamoto hadn't just taken a sword strike for nothing—he would now have to publicly thank Luo Yu for "unmasking the fake"!

Just imagining Yamamoto's face when he realized the situation was enough to make everyone present twitch with suppressed laughter.

But those were thoughts for another time.

Right now, only one question remained:

Would this battle continue or not?

As the dust and debris slowly cleared from the air, everyone's gaze once again turned toward Sengoku. The ruins of Marineford stood behind him, radiating silent, smothering tension.

Under the pressure of so many eyes, Sengoku slowly came back to his senses. His face darkened as he turned to look at Rayleigh and the others.

Facing an army that rivaled the combined might of three Emperors, Sengoku understood clearly: pressing this fight any further would lead only to ruin.

More importantly, Yamamoto—one of the Five Elders—had stepped out from the Holy Land itself.

As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku knew better than anyone: the Five Elders were not above silencing anyone who became inconvenient.

Even the Marine Headquarters wouldn't be spared.

"…Leave," Sengoku finally said in a low voice, clenching his fist. "This battle ends here. The next time we meet… our lives will be left to fate."

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" Akainu growled, his face dark as steel.

But Sengoku quickly shook his head. "This war ends now. We'll have plenty of chances later. Don't forget—we Marines don't exist just to fight pirates. We are tasked with safeguarding the seas."

"If we burn through our last reserves here… then the sea itself will truly descend into chaos."

Akainu's face froze, his clenched fists cracking audibly from the pressure. Finally, he let out a snort of frustration and turned sharply away.

"Hmph. Foolish mercy. If I were in command, I'd never let evil slip away right under our noses."

"My justice… is absolute."

His voice, though not loud, echoed across the ruins.

Sengoku knew this speech by heart. He had heard it countless times.

But even he hadn't expected Akainu—his greatest internal opposition—to relent this easily.

Was it because Luo Yu had walked away?

Sengoku exhaled silently as these tangled thoughts raced through his mind, watching Akainu's retreating figure. Then, he turned his gaze to Rayleigh and the others.

In that moment, everyone—Marine or pirate alike—felt an enormous weight lift from their shoulders.

They knew now: this war was finally over.

The joy of surviving the ordeal was etched across every face—whether pirate or soldier.

"Heh… Fleet Admiral Sengoku, thanks for giving us this one," Rayleigh said, silver hair fluttering as he took a swig from his flask.

"But you've got quite a youngster in your ranks now. If he lives… he might just change the entire era."

"That flag…" Rayleigh's eyes swept across the ruined battlefield. "We may be seeing it for the last time."

"Come on, old friends. Let's go."

With that, Rayleigh turned, waved, and together with the others, boarded their ships—carrying Whitebeard's corpse with them.

Marco and the others were still steeped in grief, but they clearly had no intention of lingering. One by one, they set sail, retreating with all speed.

Only Shanks and the Rhevos ship remained behind to cover the withdrawal.

Glancing one last time toward the massive gash in the ocean—carved by a single, awe-inspiring slash—Shanks' expression grew grave.

But he said nothing, merely signaling his crew to depart.

With the pirates gone, the pressure that had gripped Marineford finally, completely dissipated.

Many Marines who had fought through the entire day collapsed on the spot, their taut nerves snapping all at once. They fell to the ground, panting for breath, drenched in sweat.

Indeed—no matter the war, living to the end was the greatest fortune of all.

"Sengoku," came a familiar voice. "Your decision wasn't surprising—but you know as well as I do, the Five Elders won't be pleased."

It was Tsuru, the Navy's Chief Strategist. Though she, too, had exhaled in relief, her mind had already moved ahead.

Sengoku nodded silently. "I know what you're thinking, Tsuru."

"But compared to me… I think the one in real danger now is Luo Yu."

"He carries too many variables. That's the outcome the Five Elders fear most."

"But this isn't the time or place to discuss it. For now, let's clear out the non-Marines."

He looked to the sky and called out sharply:

"Big News Morgans—if you're not leaving, don't make me escort you out myself."

"Ha! No need for that, Fleet Admiral," Morgans cackled as he darted away like a thief in the night.

Flapping into the air, he appeared in front of his live Transponder Snail, adjusted his necktie, and cleared his throat before bursting into loud, theatrical laughter.

"Ahahaha! Before I go—let me fulfill my duty as a professional journalist by reporting one final headline!"

"BREAKING NEWS!"

"Second Front: Impel Down! Emperor Kaido battles the Fourth Admiral, Taotie Luo Yu—Emperor Kaido defeated! Victory goes to the Fourth Admiral!"

"First Front: Marineford! The Navy faces off against the Whitebeard Pirates! The strongest of the Four Emperors—Whitebeard—slain by the Fourth Admiral!"

"The Navy is victorious!!"