Step, step—
An invisible aura spread out.
Everyone's eyes turned toward the past.
Four figures emerged from the shadows, each step they took echoing through the tense battlefield. Three of them were towering figures—Admiral Kizaru, Admiral Akainu, and Admiral Aokiji.
Beside Kizaru, a young Marine followed closely. His blood-red right eye gleamed under the sunlight, and three swords hung from his waist. Though his face was unremarkable, his presence was not.
Under the execution platform, three chairs had been placed in preparation. The three Admirals walked over and took their seats without hesitation.
Carl, however, veered slightly, heading straight for the chair behind Kizaru's and sitting down with a deep frown. His mood was far from pleasant.
Sengoku had insisted that Carl be present alongside the Admirals, even claiming he was a vital force in the upcoming battle.
At this moment, Carl's mind roared with frustration. Me? A key fighting force?! We'll see about that when the battle actually starts!
Meanwhile, the Marines stationed in Marineford erupted into cheers.
"It's the Admirals!"
"All three Admirals are here! Victory is assured!"
"How can we possibly lose?!"
Weapons were raised, voices grew louder, and morale surged.
Admirals—the absolute pillars of Marine authority, the strongest force upholding the law against the sea's worst criminals. Their mere presence steadied the hearts of thousands.
On a nearby rooftop, two figures stood observing.
Hina took a deep drag from her cigarette before pointing downward.
"Smoker, look."
Smoker, standing beside her, narrowed his eyes. His cigar smoldered as his hand tightened around his jitte.
"Yeah, I see it…" His voice carried a hint of disbelief.
Though he had already acknowledged Carl's strength, seeing him among the Admirals still sent a chill down his spine.
Time passed.
Nine in the morning.
The solemn atmosphere thickened as countless Marines continued transporting crates of ammunition and supplies, preparing for the inevitable clash.
Pat—
Carl's eyes flicked toward the execution platform behind him.
From the passageway, two prison guards emerged, escorting a young man whose bare chest revealed a striking tattoo. Around his neck, a string of red prayer beads swayed slightly with his movement.
His shackled hands trembled slightly, but his expression remained fierce.
Portgas D. Ace.
Hina lit another cigarette, exhaling slowly.
"Hina doesn't understand…" she muttered. "Is a public execution really necessary for someone like him?"
Yes, Ace was the commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division, with a bounty of 550 million Berries.
But the last public execution had been Gol D. Roger—the Pirate King, with a bounty of 5,564,800,000 Berries.
Even if the goal was to lure Whitebeard into a decisive confrontation, wasn't this… excessive?
Carl, seated beneath the execution platform, spoke without looking away.
"In the end, this execution isn't about Ace," he said in a quiet but firm voice. "It's about Whitebeard—Edward Newgate."
His words caught the attention of the three Admirals, who glanced at him in mild surprise.
Kizaru smirked.
"Ohhh~ Carl-kun, you saw through it?" he said lazily. "As expected of the old man's subordinate~"
On the high platform, after Ace was forced to kneel, two more figures appeared behind him.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Marine Hero Garp.
Garp stood with arms crossed, his face unreadable.
Without turning around, Sengoku spoke.
"Garp, I need to reveal everything. Any objections?"
Garp's fists clenched.
His voice was low, gravelly.
"Do whatever you want. I'm going down."
With that, he descended the stairs, stepping toward Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Sengoku, now at the forefront of the execution platform, addressed the two guards restraining Ace.
"Step aside."
"Yes, sir!"
With the bayonets withdrawn, Sengoku faced the gathered Marines and picked up a Den Den Mushi linked to the loudspeakers.
"I have something to announce."
Silence fell across the battlefield.
Thousands of Marines instinctively straightened their backs.
Sengoku's voice rang out.
"The true purpose behind Portgas D. Ace's execution today… lies in his bloodline."
Below the execution platform, Tsuru cast a sidelong glance at Garp.
"This isn't your fault."
Garp paused—just for a second—before forcing out a chuckle.
"Pfft… hahaha… Women should be more gentle at times like these, Tsuru."
Sengoku continued, turning to the kneeling pirate.
"Ace. Say your father's name."
A suffocating stillness hung in the air.
Ace's fingers twitched, his body stiffening for a moment.
Then, with all the defiance he could muster, he roared:
"My father is Whitebeard! That's all there is to it!"
Sengoku's face hardened.
"No."
He took a deep breath before declaring the truth to the world.
"We searched every inch of Baterilla Island in South Blue—where rumors spoke of a certain man's legacy."
"We investigated every newborn, every mother, but we found nothing."
Sengoku's expression grew grim.
"It's no wonder. Because your birth… was hidden by your mother's sacrifice."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Sengoku pressed on.
"Your mother—Portgas D. Rouge."
"In order to ensure your survival, she carried you for twenty months! Far longer than any normal pregnancy, deceiving the world."
"She gave birth to you at the cost of her own life!"
The Fleet Admiral's gaze locked onto Ace.
"One year and three months after your father's execution, the most cursed bloodline in the world was born."
"The son of Gol D. Roger!"
BOOM.
The revelation exploded across Marineford.
A shockwave of disbelief spread through the Marines.
Even the most seasoned officers felt their hearts clench.
"'Fire Fist' Ace… is One Piece's bloodline?!"
Sweat dripped down Smoker's forehead as he bit down on his cigar.
Hina's cigarette burned down to the filter, forgotten in her fingers.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea stood at the bay, expressions ranging from shock to amusement.
Moria cackled.
"Heh heh heh… so he really survived, huh? Despite our best efforts to erase Roger's lineage."
Sengoku wasn't finished.
"Two years ago, when you set sail under the name 'Portgas' and formed the Spade Pirates, we finally realized the truth."
"Whitebeard found out as well. That's why he protected you."
"To raise you into the next Pirate King."
"No!" Ace's voice cracked with fury. "I only joined Whitebeard's crew to make him King! Only Whitebeard deserves that title!"
Sengoku narrowed his eyes.
"That's only what you believe."
A pause.
Then—
"The Gate of Justice has been opened without authorization!"
Sengoku's eyes widened.
"What?!"
At that moment—
A shift in the air.
All Marine eyes turned to the sea.
Ships.
Dozens.
All forty-three allied pirate crews.
Yet, Whitebeard's flagship—the Moby Dick—was missing.
Then—
Bubbles.
The sea churned.
A massive shadow loomed beneath the waves.
With a mighty crash, coated warships emerged from the depths.
And at the helm—
A giant, standing with a Naginata in hand.
The strongest man in the world had arrived.
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