Episode 328: The Marine Admirals' Decision—Execution Can Now Be Carried Out on Ace!!
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "The old man's ship… just like that, it's gone…" ]
[ Beidou (Genshin Impact): "What a shame. Such a massive ship, burned to ashes just like that." ]
[ Whitebeard (One Piece): "Old friend, so this is your final end." ]
[ Whitebeard (One Piece): "But we, the Whitebeard Pirates, will absolutely not let you down." ]
[ .....]
『 On the execution platform—
Ace fought back his tears, clenching his teeth tightly, refusing to let them fall!
But the current situation left no time for sentimentality. Although the Moby Dick was engulfed in flames, the safety of the Whitebeard Pirates' comrades was far more critical.
Coby stood in the plaza. Because the surrounding walls had been raised, they couldn't see what was happening inside the bay. They could only see the massive walls and hear the sounds of battle echoing from behind them. The walls stood completely motionless as he muttered to himself, "What on earth is happening?"
"This black wall is practically a tailor-made grave for the pirates!"
The Marines fell silent.
Even though they were in the middle of a fierce battle with the Whitebeard Pirates, they still held a sense of awe and respect for them.
On the execution platform—
Sengoku spoke loudly into the microphone, "Everything is proceeding smoothly."
"Execute the next phase of the plan immediately!"
"Carry out the execution of Portgas D. Ace right now!"
Luffy's eyes widened in despair as he stared in that direction!
"No way!…"
"No, I won't let Ace die like this!"
Luffy had practically lost his mind at this point.
When the surrounding pirates heard this news, every single one of them was struck with grief and anguish!
They had paid a devastating price and suffered heavy casualties just to bring Ace home. In the end, not only had they failed to succeed, but their own side had also suffered devastating losses!
"How could this happen? They're going to execute Ace right now?!"
"What can we do now?"
"These damn walls!"
"The remaining exits are getting smaller and smaller. We're about to be locked inside this giant cage!"
"Are we really going to stand here, unable to see anything, and just wait for Ace to be killed?"
"No, there is still one way out—Oars' body!"
The walls around Oars' massive body had already risen, but the gears beneath him were still turning continuously. However, because his weight was too immense, the wall couldn't rise completely. This was the only remaining gap!
The pirates stared in Oars' direction. Although this was a path, they also knew that everyone was aware of its existence. The Marines knew it too, and they had definitely set up an ambush there. Anyone who went over would be gunned down instantly!
This gap was extremely narrow, and the pirates' forces were scattered. Even if several hundred of them charged together, they stood absolutely no advantage against tens of thousands of Marines. They would only be easily wiped out!
"What should we do? This is the only way!"
"Now is not the time to hesitate! Ace is about to be executed!"
"No matter what, we have to try!"
Luffy stood up shakily, his body having taken considerable damage from the previous battle. He stared intently at the wall in front of him, as if he could pierce through it to see Ace!
He shouted loudly and charged forward, his small figure instantly drawing the attention of the other pirates!
"Ace!" With a loud roar, Luffy ran toward the only remaining exit.
Infected by his determination, the surrounding pirates also shouted, "Let's go together! Don't let that kid steal the spotlight all by himself. Ace is our brother too!"
Luffy charged forward desperately, with hundreds of comrades following closely behind him.
Everyone was burning with anxiety. To save Ace, they could no longer care about anything else!
"Oh no!…"
"Luffy and the others fell for it!"
Jinbe and Ivankov stood in the rear. Watching Luffy lead a crowd of pirates charging forward, they wanted to stop them, but it was already too late!
"Captain, can we fire the cannons now?"
"No! We must wait a bit longer. We need to let more of them gather!"
"The more pirates that come, the stronger our attack will be!"
On the walls, massive, pitch-black cannon barrels were pointed directly at Luffy and his group.
These cannon barrels were highly specialized, twice the size of ordinary artillery!
And on these high walls, many of these giants were lined up, each one locked onto Luffy's side.
Seeing more and more people gathering around Luffy, the Marine commander gave the order decisively, and all the artillery fired simultaneously!
BOOM—!
BANG—!
BANG—!
BANG—!
Accompanied by explosions, deafening blasts erupted continuously around and behind Luffy!
Even Luffy himself was dodging left and right, narrowly escaping fatal blows several times!
Ivankov warned loudly, "Don't forget, the opponent is the highly trained Marines, led by the incredibly intelligent Sengoku! Do you really think they wouldn't prepare for such an obvious flaw?"
"This isn't a mistake at all. It's clearly a massive trap!"
Explosions went off one after another. Many pirates were blown off their feet by the shockwaves, their bodies covered in wounds, their faces filled with pain and despair!
Through the rolling smoke, everyone seemed to see Sengoku's triumphant expression floating before their eyes!
Only now did everyone realize that although Sengoku appeared emotionally stable and exceptionally calm on the surface, looking like a refined and polite superior leader, he was, after all, a battle-hardened veteran. How could someone stand at the pinnacle of the Marines without blood on his hands?
How pure could his heart really be? No, he was a figure Whitebeard referred to as a 'sly old fox'—he absolutely could not be underestimated!
Luffy continued to sprint forward, but fewer and fewer comrades were able to follow him!
He focused all his attention, determined to rescue Ace no matter what!
Everyone's resolve was unwavering.
Yet, it was precisely this selfless spirit of looking back that led them step by step into a fatal trap!
And it was this very self-sacrificing devotion that pierced Ace's heart like a knife!
At this moment, Ace was in a terrible state, curled into a ball and trembling uncontrollably.
Despite being blasted back to his starting point again and again, Luffy clenched his teeth and crawled closer to his friend, inch by inch.
He was so exhausted he could barely stand, his face covered in wounds, forcing his body forward one step at a time.
His gaze pierced through the thick fog, locked tightly onto the faint figure ahead…
"Ace!" Luffy walked forward slowly, his steps growing heavier and heavier, to the point where even dodging the Marine attacks became a struggle.
Under the fierce onslaught, Luffy was once again blown away by an explosion. However, this time he didn't land on the ice, but fell directly into the sea.
Luffy… couldn't swim at all!
Ivankov and Jinbe fell into a panic instantly. They wanted to go rescue Luffy, but found themselves temporarily unable to break free!
Right now, with Luffy's physical condition so poor, they didn't know how long he could last in the water.
As he sank into the ocean, the thought in Luffy's mind wasn't his own safety at all—his head was entirely filled with Ace!
"Ace…" He seemed to hear Sengoku's voice ordering the execution again.
But at this moment, his consciousness was gradually fading. The freezing seawater soaked into his wounds, and this icy chill seemed to accelerate his loss of consciousness. Luffy's mental state had reached its absolute breaking limit!
Above the sea—
People saw that those pirates had been completely wiped out. This continuous bombardment had left many pirates either heavily injured or dead. Once caught in the explosions, they practically lost all fighting capability.
Although a group of a hundred or so wasn't large in the grand scheme of the pirate forces, they were the first wave of the offensive. Now that they had been stopped, there was no need to worry about them launching another attack. This meant they could proceed with Ace's execution!
"Ace!"
Just as Sengoku was about to issue the order, a sudden roar echoed from above the walls. Someone was weakly calling out Ace's name, waking Ace, who had his eyes closed waiting for execution, from his semi-conscious state.
"Who is that?"
Ace opened his eyes. He felt this voice was incredibly warm and familiar. In his heart, he knew someone who sounded just like it, but he didn't dare to be certain!
His lips parted slightly, as if he had something to say!
However, the scene before him left him somewhat disappointed. The person he hoped for did not appear. Instead, that giant figure was still collapsed by the shore, using his own body to block the final barrier from rising!
"Oars!"
Ace stared at Oars below, his eyes trembling!
He wasn't sure if he had heard wrong, but he had definitely heard Oars' voice.
At this moment, the Marines had fallen into utter chaos!
Because it wasn't just Ace who heard it—every Marine soldier present had heard it too.
Immediately after, Oars' green hand clenched into a fist, and his feet began to move.
The Marines panicked. Seeing this, the three Marine Admirals reacted. Kizaru looked surprised, while the other two remarked, "To think he's still alive!"
"Such incredible vitality. As expected of the descendant of the Continent-Puller Oars!"
In the distance, Gecko Moria saw Oars trying to stand up, his eyes filled with terror as he muttered, "Impossible! That strike of mine clearly took his life. How could he survive?"
But the reality before him forced Gecko Moria to believe it.
Oars slowly clenched his fist and pressed it lightly against the ground. Then, the entire ground began to shake, sending the surrounding Marines stumbling and falling!
Even Luffy, who had lost consciousness in the sea, was jolted awake by the tremor!
He quickly opened his eyes, about to speak, only to realize he was already sinking deep into the seawater.
Not only were the Marines shocked, but even the pirates outside, and even Whitebeard himself, were deeply shaken.
Inside the plaza, the crowd surged.
Marine soldiers stood in dense, packed ranks.
They watched Oars slowly rise, their eyes wide with shock!
Oars stood at a height of thirty-eight meters, with an exceptionally massive build. A single fist of his was several times larger than an ordinary person!
Even with his body only slightly raised, he already looked incredibly towering!
"Little Oars is actually still alive!"
"How is this possible?!"
"His body is so massive. Even though he isn't fully standing, he's almost as tall as the plaza walls!"
At this moment, Oars was already at his limit.
His vision was blurry, as if he had lost his sight, and he could only lock his gaze onto Ace!
He kept calling out Ace's name, trying to reach out his hand to save him!
But everyone knew that in his current condition, it was impossible. Furthermore, the three Marine Admirals were present on the field. Any one of them could easily deal with Little Oars in this state!
"Oars!"
"I must protect Ace!"
Exerting his very last breath, he would protect him to the end!
Everyone was deeply moved.
The pirates were overjoyed to see Oars still alive, some even weeping tears of emotion.
"Oars! Oars is still okay!"
"Captain Oars!"
Even Whitebeard was deeply moved to see Oars standing up.
Oars reached out, his massive palm slowly approaching the execution platform.
"Don't!"
"Absolutely not!"
Everyone knew that the Marines viewed the execution platform as their absolute red line!
If anyone dared to touch that place, it would surely draw the full-force strike of the three top Marine Admirals!
Squard stared at Oars' body.
The emotions in his eyes were incredibly complex!
Why had he been so obsessed with Ace's background?
Looking back now, he had been truly childish!
In the past, he always thought he was the smartest among all of Whitebeard's captains, and that Oars was the dumbest. Now, looking at it again, the truth was opposite. This contrast was exceptionally ironic!
"Captain!"
Just as he fell into deep thought, a familiar voice and his old title came from behind him.
Captain…
Do I still have the right?
Squard's heart was filled with self-doubt!
He turned back to look at the brothers behind him—these men were his crew.
And the two walking at the very front were carrying his weapons. For a moment, he froze. He had become a traitor, yet everyone still treated him as their leader!
"You guys…"
Squard's gaze gradually grew firm. Taking his blade, he said with absolute determination, "Charge! For the Old Man, for Ace, and for our pirate crew!"
On the other side—
Luffy was suffocating in the water, his body sinking continuously. Just then, a figure rushed over amidst a trail of bubbles, grabbed Luffy, and brought him up to the surface.
Luffy coughed up several mouthfuls of water, inhaling air greedily.
"Are you alright, Luffy-kun?"
Jinbe asked with deep concern beside him.
Seeing Jinbe's soaked appearance, it was clear that he had once again come to the rescue.
The Okama King, Ivankov, also looked at Luffy with worry, muttering, "How reckless!"
Luffy's lips were still bleeding as he panted heavily. It was obvious he had suffered immensely.
Once again, it was Jinbe!
Luffy felt truly fortunate to have a companion like Jinbe.
He didn't even know how many times this had been.
Ever since they encountered the giant waves at sea, it was always Jinbe who turned the tide. Whenever Luffy fell into a desperate situation, it was Jinbe who saved him from danger time and again. To call him a savior was not an exaggeration at all!
However, everyone knew very well that Luffy's current condition was terrible. It would be extremely difficult for him to continue saving Ace. His injuries were simply too severe.
"Artillery, prepare!" Sengoku gave the command, and the Marines quickly aimed their cannons at Oars.
Oars' massive, immobile body was practically a sitting duck; they could hit him even with their eyes closed. Such fierce firepower instantly enveloped him in smoke and flames.
"Oars!" Ace screamed hoarsely.
How he wished Oars would be a bit smarter, to not fight these people head-on and just turn around and leave!
As long as he retreated back into the bay, with Whitebeard there, he might still escape with his life!
But no matter how Ace screamed, Oars ignored him, instead slowly straightening his body, completely indifferent to the onslaught of cannonballs and gunfire.
"Oh no! At this rate, Oars is going to be brought down again!"
"No matter how strong Oars' body is, he can't withstand this many attacks!"
"Oars!"
The pirates' eyes welled with tears.
Luffy lay on the ground, panting heavily.
Having recovered some strength, he immediately grew anxious. Supporting his body, he muttered, "They're going to execute Ace! They will kill Ace! We have to find a way to stop them! There's really no time left!"
Jinbe and Ivankov knew this very well, but what could they do?
"That's right."
Luffy grabbed Jinbe's clothes tightly and said loudly, "Jinbe, there's something I need your help with!"
Before Luffy could finish his words, the camera cut back to Oars. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "Wait, what did he say? Why did the screen suddenly cut off?" ]
[ Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece): "Yeah, exactly! What did I say at the very end?!" ]
[ .....]
『 Viewers of Countless World 』
Everyone was highly dissatisfied. But what use was dissatisfaction?
Even the most powerful beings could not change the playback of the projection.
.....
『 "What a troublesome fellow." Kizaru had a trace of mockery on his face. Though he said this, he didn't actually care much about Oars before him!
"Oars is already running on empty. We just need to put in a little more effort to bring him down!"
"He's big, but he no longer poses any threat!"
"Everyone, keep attacking! Don't be afraid of this big guy!"
The Marine soldiers were filled with fighting spirit. They felt that the current Oars was just an empty shell, possessing no deterrent force other than his massive size. With his sluggish movements, it was impossible for him to hit anyone.
Warships adjusted their positions, various weapons were readied, and the Marines were full of confidence!
However, right at this moment, Kizaru spoke!
"No need. I shall deal with this personally."
Kizaru's words startled all the Marine soldiers.
After all, with a Marine Admiral stepping up, the combat power was on an entirely different level compared to ordinary soldiers. 』
『 .....』