At Marine Headquarters, the atmosphere was tense. Marines hurried back and forth with stacks of reports, the air heavy with the scent of ink and nerves.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat behind his desk, fatigue etched into his features, as he oversaw the endless stream of preparations. Beside him stood Admirals Akainu and Aokiji, reporting on deployments and contingencies.
Suddenly, the door burst open. An intelligence officer rushed in, panting heavily.
"Report… Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Sengoku's sharp eyes narrowed. His patience was worn thin from sleepless nights. "Compose yourself! You're a Marine, act like one."
The officer straightened immediately, saluting before speaking. "Reporting, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Admiral Aokiji. Thorne Ashveil, the Zero Division Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates… has beheaded Jack!"
Sengoku's tired expression softened for the first time in days. "Is that so? Good. Let them destroy each other."
Admiral Aokiji tilted his head, eyes widening slightly. He hadn't expected this development. Ashveil had only just crushed the Blackbeard Pirates, and now he had cut down one of Kaido's All-Stars.
Aokiji muttered under his breath, "That kid's more dangerous than I thought."
He couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity. If the Whitebeard Pirates really clashed with Marineford, he wanted to test himself against Ashveil. Capturing the Zero Division Captain would be no small accomplishment.
The intelligence officer, sensing hesitation, asked cautiously, "Fleet Admiral, should we dispatch a Vice Admiral to confirm the situation?"
Sengoku's eyes glimmered with thought. After a pause, he waved his hand. "Stand down. Kaido will not let this go, and the Beasts Pirates will handle their own vengeance. Marines will not interfere."
"Yes, sir!" The officer saluted crisply and marched out.
Aokiji raised an eyebrow, his tone curious. "That's unlike you, Fleet Admiral. Jack was a high-profile pirate. To let it go without sending anyone…"
Before Sengoku could answer, a lazy drawl cut through the office. Kizaru's voice echoed from the doorway.
"It's not like Sengoku-sama to sit still, eh?"
Sengoku's brows furrowed. His voice turned firm. "Kizaru is still en route from Robinna Island. With Marineford preparing for war, we can't afford to spread our strength thinner."
Just then, the den den mushi on Sengoku's desk rang out—buru buru, buru buru. Sengoku snatched it up.
"This is the Marine Editorial Department, reporting! Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the announcement of Portgas D. Ace's public execution has been dispatched worldwide!"
"Good." Sengoku's eyes sharpened, a spark of resolve glinting in them. Hanging up, he turned to his Admirals. "Forget Jack. The priority now is the great war that's coming."
Akainu and Aokiji exchanged grim looks. Sengoku was right. Whatever Jack's fate, it meant nothing compared to the storm about to engulf Marineford.
For Sengoku, the reasons were clear. This war would not only crush Whitebeard's crew, the strongest pirate force alive, but also serve as a warning to the world. Let every pirate tremble at the sight of Ace's execution. And when victory was his, Sengoku could retire with honor.
The three Admirals bent once more over the maps and reports, their voices carrying through the office for hours. But their work was interrupted again.
Buru buru… buru buru…
The den den mushi rang once more. Sengoku's frown deepened. No one should be contacting him now, apart from editorial confirmations. He picked up sharply.
"What is it?"
The voice on the other end stammered, "A Celestial Dragon… has been attacked at the Sabaody Archipelago!"
Sengoku slammed a fist against his desk, teeth gritted. "At such a critical time, something so foolish happens?! Damn it! By law, an Admiral must be dispatched immediately!"
It wasn't the Celestial Dragon's suffering that angered him—he had little care for them personally—but the World Government's rigid decree left him no choice. The timing was disastrous.
Kizaru was still tied up with the Blackbeard investigation. That left only Aokiji and Akainu.
"Which of you will handle this?" Sengoku asked tightly. "Finish it quickly and return. Marineford cannot be left undefended."
Aokiji rubbed his temples, sighing. "First Robinna Island, now Sabaody. Troublesome…"
Akainu's voice cut through, harsh and resolute. "If you're unwilling, I'll go. Someone dared strike a Celestial Dragon? Pirates grow more lawless by the day. I'll make an example of them all."
Before Sengoku could respond, Akainu had already donned his coat of justice and strode out.
Meanwhile, on the open sea, Thorne Ashveil remained unaware of Marineford's shifting tides.
A newspaper seagull circled overhead. With a subtle release of Conqueror's Haki, Ashveil disrupted its flight. The bird drifted into his waiting hand as gently as a leaf.
This was his refined control—no longer just raw bursts of willpower, but precision so fine he could direct Haki into the very cells of living beings.
He opened the newspaper.
The headline blared across the front page: Decision to Publicly Execute Portgas D. Ace, Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Ashveil's eyes narrowed. So the time had come. Three days from now, Ace would face the execution platform at Marineford.
The boyish ease that sometimes lingered in his demeanor vanished, replaced by cold determination. He had trained relentlessly, sharpening his power until he could even break free from Sea Stone cuffs. Now, a plan began to crystallize in his mind.
"Just wait, Marineford," Ashveil murmured. "Just wait, Ace. I will come for you."
He closed his eyes briefly, summoning the system interface.
[Host: Thorne Ashveil]
[Conqueror's Haki Attribute Points: 5804]
[Devil Fruit Abilities: Tremor-Tremor Fruit (Intermediate), Magma Ability (Advanced), Search Ability (Intermediate)]
[Devil Fruits: Tanuki Fruit, three Artificial Devil Fruits, African Hyena Fruit]
[Skills: Flash (100 meters), Conqueror's Haki Passive Defense Shield, Shinra Tensei (Self-created)]
[Items: Healing potion, firearms, ham, hamburgers, cola, red wine, turkey, salad…]
In only a few days, his Conqueror's Haki had grown even stronger than when he first set out. At this pace, his points would surpass six thousand by the time he reached the Sabaody Archipelago.
Ashveil's lips curved faintly. "When that happens, I'll see what reward the system gives me. But before that… Marineford will learn to regret."
______
Support & Read chapters in advance on patreon.
patreon.com/Zphyr