# Chapter 40: The Final Order
Magma fists rained down continuously, blasting the pirates on the plaza into chaos.
"Scatter, head outside the port..."
With a boom, the pirate who was shouting was engulfed by flames, and after a series of screams, turned into charcoal.
The pungent smell of burning filled the plaza. Due to the large-scale magma combustion, the oxygen in this area became thin, and the pirates coughed repeatedly.
After an unknown number of pirates had fallen, the falling magma fists stopped. Of the originally dense crowd of pirates, less than half remained, but the pirates' advantage became apparent at this moment.
If the Marines had suffered casualties of this proportion, even if they didn't rout, their morale would inevitably plummet. The pirates were different. Under Whitebeard's command, there were 43 affiliated pirate crews. Although these crews had gathered together, they weren't much better off than fighting independently.
Although the pirates' casualties were astonishing, the chaotic pirates didn't pay much attention to this. After the magma fists stopped falling, aside from lingering fear, they showed no tendency to rout.
"My sons!"
Whitebeard stood before the ice wall, his naginata striking the ground with a thunderous boom, drawing the attention of most pirates.
"Our objective has been achieved. Continuing to fight the Marines will only increase casualties."
After shouting this, Whitebeard's breathing became more labored. Although the pirates had suffered heavy losses, with over half dead in a short time, of the 43 affiliated crews, 27 were crippled, 5 were nearly annihilated, and the rest had also suffered significant casualties.
"Everyone in the Whitebeard Pirates, listen well. I am now issuing the captain's final order."
As Whitebeard spoke, he turned around, facing the towering ice wall, his back to the pirates. The pirates who hadn't routed even after being bombarded to half their number were visibly demoralized upon hearing Whitebeard's words.
"You and I will part ways here. All of you, live on, return safely to the New World."
Before Whitebeard could finish, the ice wall before him shattered with a crash. Seeing this, Whitebeard bent his arm, a posture for using the Tremor-Tremor Fruit's power.
"I am... a remnant of the old era. The new era has no ship that can carry me."
Whitebeard didn't say this to the pirates, but to Sengoku, because he had realized that Sengoku's entire plan was aimed at killing him.
Boom!
His fist struck the air, cracks appearing before Whitebeard and spreading outward, nearly separating the entire battlefield.
Rumble...
The entire island of Marineford began to shake. The foundation of Marine Headquarters cracked. The Marines who were about to pursue felt their minds go blank before collapsing, most dying on the spot.
"Set sail, my sons!"
With Whitebeard's words, several cracks appeared on Marine Headquarters ahead. Large numbers of Marines on the battlefield were thrown into disarray. Aokiji and Akainu remained silent. Approaching Whitebeard now was the stupidest move. Whitebeard clearly intended to cover the pirates' retreat, harboring a death wish. Fighting Whitebeard to the death now would exactly fulfill his desire to take someone down with him.
"Pops, what are you saying, we..."
The 14th Division Commander, Speedo Gill, roared as he rushed toward Whitebeard. A blood-stained hand grabbed him—it was Marco, who had been entangled by that unnaturally strong contractor. Now that burly man stood among the Marines, staring at Whitebeard from afar.
"Everyone... get on the ship!"
Marco's cheek twitched as he shouted this, then he quickly rushed toward Kizaru, who was blocking their escape route.
"Get out of the way!"
Marco swung his arm forward, a blue flame wing enveloping his arm as he slashed at Kizaru.
Clang!
The flame wing clashed with the Amaterasu Sword. Kizaru's eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses as he smiled at Marco.
"Oh, what a scary expression... but you no longer have a ship to sail on."
As Kizaru spoke, the sea outside the port began to churn. A massive object emerged from the sea—a large ship wrapped in a coating.
"Our ship has arrived."
As Marco spoke, the coating on the large ship burst. This ship looked exactly like the Moby Dick. In fact, this was the real Moby Dick. The one destroyed earlier by the Pacifistas was an identical large ship. The Moby Dick, the ship that carried decades of memories for the Whitebeard Pirates, had been lurking in the deep sea.
"Everyone, get on board!"
The 8th Division Commander, Fishman Namur, shouted from the bow. All the pirates on the port began charging toward the sea. Now, the sea truly represented freedom.
Crack, crack, crack...
An ice wall suddenly appeared, completely blocking the pirates' path. It was Aokiji. As for Whitebeard, he was being surrounded by thousands of Marines, who leaped up, making it nearly impossible for the other pirates to see him.
Clang!
A long blade rang out. Five crisscrossing slashes appeared on the ice wall.
The ice wall shattered with a crash. The pirates, who had just felt despair, cheered. If not for Su Xiao's blood-soaked aura, they would have wanted to flatter him.
At the edge of the battlefield, the contractors who had been preparing to kick the pirates while they were down all stopped in their tracks.
"What do we do? This guy is... too damn strong. Can a fifth-rank fight an Admiral? I want to advance to fifth-rank too."
A bald contractor with a fierce aura spoke. Of course, he could only be fierce among his own rank.
"What do we do? We wait! Keep waiting. Blackbeard will definitely show up, and that's our chance."
"God damn it, this madman must be cheating. I'm also fifth-rank, though I just advanced."
When a man with yellow hair spoke, the nearby contractors all looked at him. Their expressions clearly said, "You're already fifth-rank, why are you hiding here with us?"
"Cough, I'm a wild support type."
The yellow-haired man smiled awkwardly.
"Big shot, want to cooperate? I'm great at sniping."
The low-rank contractors and that fifth-rank slacker retreated to the edge of the battlefield, continuing to wait for their chance. Although these people hadn't directly entered the battlefield, they had gained various benefits at the edges, especially those contractors who could attack from range.
On the plaza, Aokiji stood before Su Xiao, ice blocks between them. Pirates rushed past Aokiji on both sides, but he didn't even look at them.
"Ah, I forgot you were still here. Kukulin, Bai Ye."
Aokiji took off his blood-stained white military coat and casually pulled off the eye mask he always wore on his head.
"Bubu, Amu, you go with the pirates and break through."
"Woof."
"Moo~"
Amu, carrying Ace on his shoulder, hesitated, wanting to stay and fight Aokiji with Su Xiao.
"Amu."
Noticing the seriousness in Su Xiao's tone, Amu shrank his shoulders and, looking back every few steps, ran toward the port with Bubu Wang. In the distance, a boy wearing a yellow vest and blue shorts ran over. It was Monkey D. Luffy. He was running this way because he saw Ace on Amu's shoulder.
"Ace."
Luffy smiled so wide his gums showed. Hearing this familiar voice, Ace struggled on Amu's shoulder.
"Luffy~"
Ace was very weak and very anxious. He had heard Whitebeard's earlier words. If things continued like this, today would be his farewell to Whitebeard.