One Piece: Take the Uchiha Clan to the Grand Line

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"What?!"

"Is he insane?!"

Everyone watching Uchiha Kitaro accept Whitebeard's commission was utterly stunned.

Hadn't he noticed Whitebeard's battered state? Didn't he understand the immense power of the Marine Admirals? To oppose the Navy under these circumstances seemed nothing short of suicidal.

"Uchiha Kitaro!!!"

This time, it was Sengoku shouting Kitaro's name.

"Do you even understand what you're doing?!" Sengoku glared at Kitaro, his voice laced with fury. At this moment, he wasn't particularly fearful of Uchiha Kitaro anymore.

Whitebeard was already on his last legs, hardly a factor in the battle now.

Sengoku's primary concern, however, was minimizing further losses.

"What does it matter, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?" drawled Kizaru. "Right now, we have the upper hand, don't we? Besides, isn't this the perfect opportunity to deal with Uchiha Security Company once and for all? To bring true peace to the world?"

Kizaru, one of the Marine Admirals, was not one to easily let a grudge go. Twice now, he had been humiliated by the Uchiha Security Company, and not seeking revenge was entirely out of character for him.

The first time, he had underestimated Kitaro due to his youth. The second time, he had been outnumbered, simply going through the motions of a battle he hadn't intended to risk his life for.

But this time was different.

They were at Marineford, the heart of Marine power.

Here, besides the countless Marine soldiers and Vice Admirals, the three Admirals, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and even the Warlords of the Sea were gathered.

With so many strong allies, capturing two members of the Uchiha Security Company seemed well within their grasp.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Aokiji added, his expression uncharacteristically grave. "I agree. We must eliminate Uchiha Kitaro and Uchiha Shisui here and now."

Aokiji had faced Kitaro before, and the experience had shaken him. For the first time in years, he had felt fear—real, bone-deep fear.

Not even Whitebeard, known as the world's strongest man, had inspired such dread in him.

Kitaro wasn't just powerful; he was young. His current strength surpassed that of a Marine Admiral, and his potential was immeasurable.

Whitebeard himself had placed great trust in Kitaro, a fact that Aokiji did not take lightly.

While others dismissed Whitebeard's words as exaggeration, Aokiji recognized the truth.

For Kitaro, Whitebeard's level of strength wasn't a ceiling; it was merely a starting point.

Young, powerful, cunning, and ambitious—Kitaro's rise promised to shake the world far more violently than Whitebeard ever had.

If left unchecked, he would become a far greater threat to the World Government.

Suddenly, a loud boom resounded.

From the ruins of Marineford's shattered main building, a massive hole was melted open, lava dripping from its edges.

Akainu emerged from within, blood trickling down his forehead. Whitebeard's earlier blow had inflicted some damage, but Akainu still exuded an imposing aura.

"Admiral Akainu!"

"You're safe!"

The Marines cheered at his return, their morale visibly rising.

"Hmph, that damned old man still had some fight left in him," Akainu muttered grimly.

He turned his fiery gaze toward Sengoku.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, why are you hesitating? The Uchiha Security Company is nothing more than a band of criminals hiding behind the guise of security!"

"They openly oppose the World Government! They shield pirates under the pretense of security contracts! Their crimes are beyond question!"

"Right now, the entire world is watching us! Do you want them to see the Marines cowering before criminals?!"

"If we falter, how will the world view us? How will they continue to trust in justice?!"

"When it comes to evil, the Marines have only one response—annihilation!"

"By the name of Absolute Justice!"

"By the name of Absolute Justice!!!"

The Marines roared in unison, their voices echoing across the battlefield.

Kitaro smirked faintly, shaking his head. He had to admit, Akainu was quite the orator. If he had been a Marine, he might have been swayed himself.

Sengoku, hearing the unified cries of his forces, made his decision.

Though the cost might be great, the threat posed by Uchiha Kitaro was even greater.

"Listen, everyone!" Sengoku bellowed.

"Uchiha Security Company has aided the Whitebeard Pirates, defying the natural order! Their crimes are unforgivable!"

"I hereby command all forces: eliminate the Uchiha Security Company and the Whitebeard Pirates! Leave no one alive!"

"Do not let evil escape from Marine Headquarters!"

"OOOOOOHHHH!!!"

The Marines erupted with deafening shouts, their morale surging.

Whitebeard turned to Kitaro, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"Kid, do you regret taking this job?"

Kitaro's lips curled into a bloodthirsty grin.

"Regret? That word doesn't exist in my life."

"Right now, I'm just excited. Honestly, it's been a while since someone got my blood pumping. Two Admirals couldn't do it, and neither could you, Whitebeard."

Whitebeard's eye twitched at Kitaro's brazen words. In all his years, no one had ever dismissed his strength so casually.

"Shisui!" Kitaro called, tossing a Den Den Mushi to his companion.

Shisui, holding the defeated Crocodile—formerly one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—nodded in acknowledgment.

Despite his Logia Sand-Sand Fruit abilities, Crocodile had been no match for Shisui. With his mastery of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Armament Haki, and Mangekyo Sharingan, Shisui had crushed Crocodile in just a few moves. The fight hadn't even warranted screen time.

Whitebeard glanced at the unconscious Crocodile, shaking his head in disbelief.

"To think even Crocodile fell to your hands. You two really are something else."

"Just a clown who didn't know his place," Kitaro replied indifferently.

"Ignore us, and we'll ignore you. But start trouble, and we'll finish it. That's always been my policy."

"Shisui, protect Whitebeard's crew," Kitaro ordered. "I won't have anyone saying Uchiha Security takes payment without delivering results."

"Yes!" Shisui's voice brimmed with determination.

He couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. Maybe this time, he would finally witness Kitaro's full power in action.

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