At Marine Headquarters, Sengoku's expression was thunderous.
The words from the Moby Dick weren't just insults now — they were a stain thrown on the entire institution of the Marines. Around him, officers shifted uneasily, their discipline faltering beneath the weight of public humiliation.
Behind Sengoku, Akainu's voice cut through the air like steel.
"Ethics don't matter when dealing with pirates," he growled. "There's only one kind of justice — to erase evil. Whatever it takes, that is justice."
His conviction steadied the shaken soldiers.
"Yes, Sakazuki Admiral!" voices chorused, though the tension in their faces betrayed unease.
Sengoku exhaled, regaining a semblance of composure. But his thoughts churned beneath the surface. Every word, every insult from the Whitebeard Pirates was being broadcast to the entire world — hundreds of such scenes playing out simultaneously.
He could already feel the shift in public perception, that slow, poisonous turn.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath. "This will ruin us before the war even begins…"
Meanwhile, aboard the Moby Dick, Whitebeard's voice carried across the deck like distant thunder.
"Gul la la la… Sengoku, that old fox. Still as conniving as ever — using my son to bait me."
The air around him trembled with the weight of his Conqueror's Haki. The sea seemed to hold its breath.
"If you want to fight, fight me head-on," he said, each word heavy with pride. "Whitebeard fears no one. Not the world, not even gods."
The men behind him erupted with laughter, spitting into the sea in defiance.
"Ha! The 'Resourceful General' Sengoku — is this all he's got?"
"Marine justice my ass! Hypocrites in uniform!"
And so the words of pirates carried across the world, raw and unfiltered, shaking even those who believed in justice.
On the deck, Marco stepped forward and spoke firmly:
"Answer: Sengoku's purpose is to lure the Whitebeard Pirates into a trap and destroy them."
The mysterious man in the black screen snapped his fingers.
"Bingo. Correct. This war will be called the Summit War. Sengoku will mobilise one hundred thousand Marine elites, the three Admirals, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Together, they will encircle and suppress the Whitebeard Pirates."
A ripple of silence passed through the deck. Even the waves seemed to hesitate.
"Next question," the voice continued. "Who is the biological father of Portgas D. Ace, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' second division? You have one minute."
A faint, cold amusement lingered in his tone.
"Be honest. If you lie, I'll still reveal the truth."
The crew exchanged uncertain glances. The air grew heavier.
Ace's face turned pale. The moment those words were spoken, something deep within him recoiled.
He had carried that name in silence for years — the shadow of a man both hated and envied.
He clenched his fists and forced the words out.
"My father has only one. And that's Whitebeard."
Whitebeard laughed, his voice rolling like a breaking tide.
"Gul la la la… Ace, that's my son indeed."
The men around him smiled faintly, but no one missed the tension beneath Ace's defiance.
Somewhere between the quiet and the storm, a thought lingered —
Even if blood can't choose its truth, the heart can choose its father.
And sometimes, the blood you reject is the destiny that refuses to die.
Far away, at the Baratie restaurant, Luffy stared at the screen, his chest tightening at the sight of Ace's pale face.
He didn't understand all that was happening — only that Ace was in danger.
Wait for me, Ace. I'll find you soon.
Behind him, Krieg snorted.
"Who cares who the brat's father is? What a waste of time."
Luffy's glare shut him up instantly.
At Marineford, Garp's fists were clenched tight. His face was a mask of stillness, but his knuckles had turned white.
He had raised Ace with his own hands, sworn to protect that secret — and now, it was about to be torn open before the whole world.
The moment lingered, heavy and inevitable, like the tide before a storm.