Marine Headquarters.
Marineford.
From the moment the highest emergency order was issued, this fortress standing at the summit of the Grand Line had transformed into a high-speed war machine.
Warships flying seagull flags converged from all over the world, densely packed in the harbor, with countless cannons pointed menacingly toward the sky.
Amid this grim atmosphere, an inconspicuous merchant ship, guided by a special pass, slowly docked at the heavily guarded central pier.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Great Staff Officer Tsuru were already waiting there.
"Creak—"
The cabin door opened.
A wave of freezing cold spread out first.
Kuzan appeared at the entrance.
Two squads of elite headquarters soldiers followed closely behind, escorting two figures shackled in heavy Seastone chains as they walked down the gangplank.
"Clang—"
The sound of chains dragging across the ground rang sharp and clear.
The one in front was Ace.
However, Sengoku's gaze passed over him directly, locking onto the man walking behind Ace.
That man kept his head lowered, messy black hair covering his face.
"Marshall D. Teach."
Sengoku's deep and commanding voice slowly rang out.
"You wouldn't believe it until you checked… but once I did, it truly shocked this old man."
"The bloodline of Rocks D. Xebec… still remains in this world!"
"!!!"
Ace jerked his head around, staring in shock at the silent man behind him.
Rocks!
That name—he had heard his old man mention it while drunk.
A ruler darker and more chaotic than even Roger's era, a legend whom even his father had once served!
This unimpressive traitor, who killed his own crewmates for a Devil Fruit, was actually descended from that legend?!
"..."
Teach still kept his head lowered, saying nothing.
But beneath the shadow of his black hair, his eyes had widened like brass bells.
Discovered?!
How could this be possible?!
The secret he had hidden for decades—how did the Marines know?!
He had still harbored a sliver of hope, thinking at worst he'd be thrown into Impel Down. As long as he survived, there would always be another chance to rise.
But now...
With his lineage exposed by the Fleet Admiral himself—could he still survive?!
It was over.
Completely over!
Decades of patience, the Devil Fruit he had dreamed of, the ambition to rule the seas...
All of it, utterly crushed in this moment!
"Hmph—"
Sengoku snorted coldly.
"Take them away!"
"Yes!"
The soldiers stepped forward, leading the shaken Ace and the despairing Teach down toward the deepest prison of headquarters, reserved for Top-Tier criminals.
"..."
Sengoku turned toward Kuzan.
"Good work, Kuzan."
"Well..."
Kuzan scratched his head.
"Compared to Sakazuki stationed in the New World and Borsalino running all over the place, I just happened to nab two small-time pirates."
"Hahaha—"
Sengoku clapped Kuzan's shoulder.
"These two are the key to changing the balance of the seas!"
"Get some rest. The war will begin very soon."
"Mm."
Kuzan nodded and turned to leave.
When the war started, Hawke would return too.
He wondered how Robin was doing now, traveling with him...
"Buzz—"
At that moment, another warship slowly entered the harbor.
Standing at the bow was the Navy's Chief Instructor—Zephyr.
He led the recruits who had been undergoing special training at G-3, arriving at Marineford.
According to Sengoku's orders, the five hawkish Vice Admirals remained stationed at G-3.
That base was now the true backbone of the Navy—absolutely nothing could be allowed to go wrong there.
"Tap—"
From the shadows of the pier, a figure slowly walked out. Garp.
Seeing his old friend, Zephyr went up at once.
"Garp!"
Garp got straight to the point.
"You brought him?"
"Yeah."
Zephyr nodded with a sigh.
"I told him about Ace's upcoming public execution. The brat immediately lost it, so I knocked him out and locked him in the ship's brig. He should be awake by now."
"Thank you, old friend."
Garp's voice was hoarse.
"...Sigh."
Zephyr patted Garp's shoulder.
A thousand words condensed into a single sigh.
"..."
Garp said nothing more.
He stepped heavily onto the warship and headed straight into the brig.
Inside, Luffy sat on the ground, still bearing bruises from when he'd been knocked out.
"Tap—"
Garp walked in.
"!!!"
Luffy's head snapped up.
Seeing his grandfather, all his pent-up anger and confusion erupted at once.
"Grandpa! You're a Marine hero! Why?!"
"Why won't you save Ace?!"
"Why?!"
Garp roared back suddenly.
"I want to ask you that—why?!"
"Why won't you ever listen?!"
His bloodshot eyes fixed on Luffy as he jabbed a finger at his nose.
"If you two had just obeyed me back then!"
"If you hadn't been bewitched by those pirates' nonsense about freedom!"
"If you had become fine Marines!"
"Then I'd like to see—who in this ocean would dare lay a finger on you two?!"
"Who would dare?!!!"
"..."
"Huuh—"
Garp drew in a deep breath, his voice filled with grief and finality.
"But you didn't! You chose to be pirates! You chose to oppose Justice!"
"Since that's the case—you must pay the price for your choice!"
"Death—that's the price Ace must pay!"
"..."
Luffy froze, stunned.
He had never seen his grandfather so pained, so resolute.
The cell fell into silence.
After a long moment, Garp pulled a Marine uniform from inside his coat and tossed it into the cell.
"Put it on."
"You'll be able to see Ace one last time."
...
Marine Headquarters.
The deepest prison.
Two cells stood opposite each other.
Ace sat shackled in one, his chains heavy.
In the shadows of the other, Teach curled up on the ground.
"Clang—"
The iron door swung open.
A tall figure stepped inside.
Ace lifted his head.
When he saw who it was, his pupils shrank violently.
"Grandpa?"
"..."
The face that usually wore a hearty grin was now cold and hard as stone.
Behind him stood a young man.
The boy wore a Marine uniform, his iconic straw hat clutched tightly in his hand.
"Luffy?"
Ace's mind went completely blank.
"Ace!"
Luffy saw his brother bound in chains.
Panic overwhelmed reason in an instant.
He rushed toward the cell.
"I'm here to save you! Let's break out together!"
"Break out?"
Ace looked at him, a surge of absurd despair rising inside.
This was Marineford—the absolute heart of the Marines!
Break out? To where?
"Thud—!"
A heavy blow landed.
Garp's iron fist slammed onto Luffy's head.
Stars exploded in Luffy's vision as he collapsed to the floor.
Garp walked straight to Ace's cell and sat down silently.
"..."
After a long while, Garp finally spoke.
"Ace, this is my fault."
His voice carried no trace of its usual boldness, only endless exhaustion and regret.
"Back then, I should never have let you set sail."
"I was too busy chasing pirates, and I neglected to teach you properly."
"It's me. I'm the one who set you both on this path of no return."
"..."
Ace stayed silent, biting his lip tightly.
Garp drew in a deep breath.
His tone suddenly shifted—cold, resolute.
"Ace, the times have changed."
"Even if you weren't caught this time, one day, you would still die."
"The moment you chose to be a pirate, the moment you bore Whitebeard's name… your fate was sealed."
"The Marines now are no longer the same Marines you knew."
"Nothing can be changed anymore."
"???"
Ace snapped his head up, confusion flooding his eyes.
"Grandpa… what do you mean?"
Garp slowly stood, his towering figure casting Ace completely in shadow.
"It means—the Marines have finally shed their shackles!"
"Every pirate on this sea… will die!"
"And first of all—the Yonko, the Whitebeard Pirates, will be annihilated here at Headquarters!"
"...."
Ace's pupils dilated to their absolute limit.
"!!!"