The decision Arthur had made on the Athena was already set in motion.
With Ace's execution now hanging over the world, the Athena had changed course toward Sabaody. Yet rather than taking the usual route through the New World, Arthur had chosen a far older path—one known only to the people he trusted most.
The hidden passage through the Red Line.
For almost everyone aboard the Athena, the route was familiar. They had used it before, back when Arthur still made regular visits to his family's home. The entrance was concealed within a remote section of the Red Line, far beyond any official port or heavily traveled sea route, where the surrounding waters of the Calm Belt kept the passage hidden from the outside world. Once inside, the passage led through the mountain itself before opening into a secluded harbor on the other side.
Only Baccarat had never seen it.
She stood near the railing as the Athena approached the towering wall of the Red Line, staring upward at the enormous cliffs that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky.
"So this is where we're going?" she asked.
"This is your first time visiting Anemone Mansion, right?" Monet asked.
"Arthur hasn't been home in years. Not since I joined the crew, anyway. So... yes. This is my first time."
Baccarat looked toward Arthur, who stood at the bow.
"Captain, how exactly are we supposed to get up there?"
Arthur did not answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the Red Line.
"We're not going up." Then he sighed. "We're going through it."
Baccarat raised an eyebrow.
She stared at him.
Then at the mountain.
Then back at him.
"That sounds completely absurd."
"You'll get used to it." Baby-5, standing nearby, gave a quiet chuckle.
"That's not reassuring." Baccarat glanced at her suspiciously.
A few members of the crew laughed.
"Sabo, are you all right, buddy?" Bepo said, patting him on the shoulder from behind.
"Yeah. Just thinking about Ace."
"We'll get there," Law said calmly. "This route will get us to Sabaody faster than the usual route."
"You're right. Sorry, guys. I'll pull myself together." Sabo straightened, the determination returning to his eyes.
"That's my friend." Bepo wrapped his arms around Sabo from behind.
The mood aboard the Athena was considerably lighter than it had been after receiving the news about Ace. The coming war remained in everyone's thoughts, but for the moment, their destination was not Marineford.
They were going home first.
The Athena continued forward until the towering cliffs seemed to swallow the horizon. From a distance, there appeared to be nothing but solid stone ahead. But as they drew closer, Hancock moved toward the helm and pointed toward a narrow section hidden between two enormous rock formations.
"There."
Baccarat leaned forward.
At first, she saw nothing.
Then the ship changed direction.
A concealed opening gradually emerged from the shadows of the cliffs, wide enough for the Athena to pass through. Ancient stone walls rose on either side, covered in moss and barely visible markings that had weathered countless years.
The ship entered.
The sunlight quickly faded behind them.
Inside, the passage was surprisingly calm. The sound of the sea echoed against the stone walls as the Athena moved deeper into the hidden route. Lamps had been installed along sections of the tunnel, their dim light revealing the path ahead.
Baccarat looked around in amazement.
"I've never heard of another passage through the Red Line connecting Paradise and the New World."
"It's been part of Arthur's family for generations." Robin smiled faintly.
Baccarat looked toward Arthur again. "And you never told me about it?"
"You never asked." Arthur glanced over his shoulder.
"That is not a good excuse." Baccarat frowned.
"It's the truth."
Hancock quietly laughed.
"What?" Arthur gave her a brief look.
"Nothing."
Robin covered a smile with one hand.
Even Monet looked amused.
Baccarat narrowed her eyes.
"Why is everyone laughing?"
No one answered.
Arthur simply turned back toward the passage.
But the closer they came to the other side, the quieter he became.
At first, only Robin noticed.
Then Hancock.
Then Monet.
The relaxed posture he usually carried had slowly disappeared. His arms were folded behind his back, his gaze fixed ahead, and every now and then he seemed to take a slow breath before releasing it.
Hancock leaned slightly toward Robin.
"He's nervous."
Robin's lips curved into a small smile.
"I noticed."
Monet joined them.
"He's been like that since we entered the passage."
Baccarat overheard them.
"Nervous?" She looked toward Arthur. "He's nervous?"
"I'm not nervous." Arthur immediately turned.
"You are." Hancock raised an eyebrow.
"I'm perfectly fine."
Robin closed her book.
"You've been silent for almost twenty minutes."
"That doesn't prove anything." Arthur paused.
"You've also checked the same report three times." Monet smiled.
Arthur looked down at the paper in his hand.
He folded it.
"I was making sure everythings right."
Law looked away, clearly trying not to laugh.
Baccarat's curiosity grew.
"What's going on?"
"The Captain is going home." Baby-5 finally answered.
Baccarat blinked.
"And?"
"His mother is waiting." Baby-5 lowered her voice.
"Baby-5." Arthur's expression darkened.
"I didn't say anything." She immediately looked innocent.
Baccarat looked around the deck.
Hancock was smiling.
Robin was quietly amused.
Monet had already turned away to hide her expression.
Even Sabo looked as though he was struggling not to laugh.
Baccarat looked back at Arthur.
"Wait." She pointed at him. "Are you afraid of your mother?"
"No." Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Baccarat folded her arms.
"Then why does everyone look like they're waiting for you to be executed?"
A burst of laughter escaped from several members of the crew.
Arthur closed his eyes for a moment.
"I regret bringing all of you here."
Hancock stepped beside him.
"You've faced Emperors, Admirals, and the World Government without blinking." She smiled. "But your mother is different."
"She is." Arthur sighed.
"You actually admitted it." Baccarat stared at him in disbelief.
"I said she's different."
"That's basically the same thing."
Arthur gave her a flat look.
Baccarat quickly looked away.
"Right. Understood."
The laughter gradually faded as the Athena approached the end of the passage.
A faint glow appeared ahead.
The darkness slowly gave way to daylight.
The ship emerged from the tunnel.
Beyond the cliffs lay a secluded stretch of blue water surrounded by enormous walls of the Red Line. Hidden between them was a vast harbor, protected from the open sea and invisible from any ordinary route.
Buildings stood along the shoreline.
Warehouses.
Docks.
Stone pathways.
And farther beyond them, surrounded by trees and gardens, stood a large estate overlooking the harbor.
The Anemone residence.
Arthur's expression changed the moment he saw it.
The amusement disappeared from his face.
For a few seconds, he simply stared.
It had been a long time.
Much longer than he would have liked.
Hancock noticed the silence.
"So," she said softly, "we're finally here."
Arthur nodded.
"Yeah."
His gaze remained fixed on the estate.
Sabo stepped beside him and looked toward the distant house.
"You know," he said, "after everything you've faced, I never thought this would be the part that made you nervous."
Arthur gave him a sideways glance.
"You're enjoying this too much."
"A little."
Arthur shook his head.
The Athena slowly reduced its speed as it approached the family's private dock.
The crew began preparing to disembark.
Arthur remained at the bow for another moment, his eyes fixed on the estate where his mother, his grandfather, and the family he had left behind were waiting.
Then he took a slow breath.
"Here we go."
The Athena glided into the secluded harbor, her speed gradually decreasing until the hull came to rest beside the private dock of the Anemone family.
And for the first time in years, Arthur was finally back here.
The moment the ship was secured, the crew began disembarking. Several familiar attendants were already waiting along the pier, ready to receive them, while others moved toward the Athena to help with the ropes and cargo.
Arthur, however, remained where he was for a moment.
From the deck, he could see the estate beyond the harbor.
The house had changed very little. The gardens were still carefully maintained, the stone paths spotless, and the tall trees around the estate thicker than he remembered. Yet beneath that familiar sight was something Arthur had not expected to feel so strongly.
Home.
He finally stepped onto the dock.
Hancock, Robin, and Monet followed closely behind him, each carrying only a few belongings. Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin came next, already looking toward the estate with growing excitement.
Baccarat stepped onto the pier and looked around curiously.
"So this is the famous Anemone residence... one of the Celestial Dragon families?"
"One of the oldest." Robin smiled. "You'll understand why Arthur was nervous once you meet his mother."
Arthur heard her.
"I'm standing right here."
"I know."
Before Arthur could respond, a familiar voice came from farther up the dock.
"Arthur."
He stopped.
The playful atmosphere around him disappeared almost instantly.
At the end of the stone walkway stood a woman with long hair and an unmistakably stern expression.
Maria.
Arthur's mother had been waiting for him.
Neither of them moved.
Arthur had faced countless enemies without hesitation. He had stood before Emperors, Admirals, and the World Government with the same calm expression.
Yet now, standing before his mother after years away, he suddenly found himself unsure of what to say.
"...Mother."
Maria's eyes narrowed.
"Come with me." She turned walk away to one of the empty room in the harbor.
Arthur swallowed. "...Yes, Mother."
Arthur followed her with slow, reluctant steps and closed the door behind him.
That single sentence carried enough weight to make several members of the crew straighten their backs.
"Should we... help him?" Baccarat stared at the door.
"No." Baby-5 shook her head.
"Why?"
"Because we value our lives."
"That's it?" Baccarat leaned closer to Baby-5 and lowered her voice.
"Wait." Baby-5 whispered back.
BANG!
A muffled crash followed from inside.
Then another.
Then silence.
The door opened again, sending a cloud of dust spilling into the hallway.
Maria's gaze moved to the crew.
Then at Hancock.
Robin.
Monet.
Finally, her eyes settled on Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin.
Her expression softened.
"There you are."
"Grandma!" The three children immediately approached her.
Maria opened her arms.
Arthoria reached her first, followed by Lancelot and Merlin. Maria embraced each of them, holding them tightly as though trying to make up for the time she had not seen them.
"You've all grown so much."
Arthoria smiled.
"We missed you."
"I missed you too."
Maria gently touched Lancelot's hair before looking at Merlin.
"And you..."
Merlin looked up innocently.
"Yes, Grandmother?"
"You look exactly like your father when he was your age."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
Maria glanced at him.
"No. You should have behaved more like a child when you were his age."
Several people immediately looked away to hide their laughter.
Arthur emerged a moment later, walking with a slight limp as he sighed heavily.
"Good to see you full energy, Mother."
Maria ignored him and continued looking at her grandchildren.
Then another voice came from behind her.
"Well, well."
An elderly man stepped out from the entrance of the estate.
His hair had turned almost completely white, but his posture remained straight and his eyes still carried the sharpness of someone who had spent a lifetime watching the world.
Saint Adam.
Arthur's grandfather.
Arthur's expression finally softened.
"Grandfather."
Adam opened his arms.
"Come here, boy. Glad you survive your mom."
"Hahaha... barely."
Arthur walked toward him and embraced him.
Adam gave his grandson a firm pat on the back.
"You took your time."
"I've been busy." Arthur laughed quietly.
"I heard."
Adam pulled back and looked at him from head to toe.
"You look older."
"So do you."
Adam stared at him for a moment.
Then he laughed.
"Good answer."
Maria folded her arms.
"Don't encourage him."
"Your mother hasn't changed." Adam smiled.
"No. I think she's gotten worse. Maybe age has made her scarier." Arthur whispered to his grandfather, stealing a glance at Maria.
"I heard that."
Arthur immediately looked away.
Hancock covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
The warmth of the reunion gradually spread across the group.
Then a familiar figure approached from the other side of the garden.
"Mother." Robin's eyes widened.
Olivia smiled.
She walked directly toward Robin and embraced her daughter.
"You're thinner."
"It's good to see you too, Mother." Robin smiled warmly.
Olivia pulled back and looked at her carefully.
"Are you eating properly?"
"I am." Robin glanced toward Arthur.
Olivia followed her gaze.
Her eyes settled on Arthur.
"Are you taking good care of her?"
"Of course." Arthur blinked.
Olivia's expression remained skeptical.
Robin sighed softly.
"Mother..."
"What?"
"Nothing."
A few of the crew members smiled.
Arthur's family had barely reunited, yet the house already felt alive again.
Maria finally turned toward Hancock, Robin, and Monet.
"You three."
The three women straightened slightly.
"Yes?"
"You've been taking care of my son?" Maria smiled.
"We try." Hancock answered first.
"Most of the time." Robin nodded.
"When he allows us to." Monet smiled.
Maria gave Arthur a pointed look.
"I see. Than I expect see another grand-son or grand-daughter next time you came home."
Arthur immediately knew where this was going.
"Mother—"
"What?" One glare from Maria stop his word. "You haven't come home in years."
Arthur fell silent.
"You always have another island to visit. Another battle to fight. Another problem to solve." Maria steped closer.
"I know." Arthur looked down slightly.
"And somehow, despite all that, you still managed to drag my grandchildren into the middle of it."
Hancock, Robin, and Monet exchanged glances.
The warmth in Maria's expression slowly disappeared.
Arthur recognized the change immediately.
So did everyone who had known her for years.
Baccarat, however, had never witnessed it before.
She quietly whispered to Law.
"Is this the part you were talking about?"
"Probably." Law folded his arms.
Maria looked toward the three children.
Then back at Arthur.
"Tell me something."
Arthur remained silent.
"How many times have they been near a battlefield since they started traveling with you?"
Arthur hesitated.
"That depends on what you consider a battlefield."
Maria's eyebrow twitched.
Hancock closed her eyes.
Robin looked away.
Monet let out a small sigh.
Arthur realized his mistake.
"That's not the answer I wanted to hear," Maria said.
"Mother—"
"No."
Maria pointed toward the estate.
"They're staying here."
Silence fell over the group.
Arthur stared at her.
Hancock stared at Maria as though she had misheard her. Robin's eyes widened, while Monet's composed expression finally cracked.
"Staying?" Hancock repeated.
"Here." Maria nodded.
Robin looked toward the children.
"But..."
"They're my grandchildren," Maria said firmly. "And they've spent enough time traveling from one dangerous place to another."
Monet glanced at Arthur.
Arthur had not spoken.
Maria continued.
"And I know you'll go to Marineford." Maria's eyes began to glisten. "I know what kind of man you are. You'll put yourself between danger and your family every time."
"Then, I'll—"
"No." Maria cut him off before he could finish. "They're old enough to begin learning and training properly. They can't stay under your wing forever."
"Your mother is right, Arthur. They're at an age where they need a safe and stable place to grow." Saint Adam give word to rest arus Arthur.
"They need more than protection, Arthur. They need a place they can call home." Maria continued. "Not just a ship."
Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You're right, mom, grandpa."
Maria's expression became even more serious.
"That's what family for, my child."
Arthur knew exactly what she meant.
The coming war.
Marineford.
The dangers that would follow.
Maria looked at him directly.
"I don't care how strong you are now, Arthur. I don't care how many Emperors or Admirals you've faced. You are still my son." Her voice softened. "And those three are still my grandchildren."
The words left no room for argument.
Arthur looked toward Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin.
For the first time since arriving, he noticed how quietly they had been listening.
He crouched slightly so he could meet their eyes.
"Would you three be all right staying here?"
Arthoria looked at Maria, then at Arthur.
Lancelot seemed to understand the situation immediately.
Merlin, meanwhile, looked toward the enormous house behind Maria.
"Do I get my own room?"
Everyone paused.
Arthur stared at her.
Then Maria laughed.
"Yes."
Merlin nodded.
"Then I'm fine."
Lancelot chuckled.
Arthoria smiled.
Arthur shook his head, unable to hide his amusement.
Behind him, Hancock, Robin, and Monet exchanged another look.
They had expected Arthur to argue.
Arthur looked toward Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin.
They had spent their lives aboard the Athena, surrounded by pirates, battles, storms, and enemies far beyond what children their age should ever have seen.
He wanted to protect them himself.
But wanting to protect them and giving them the safest life possible were not always the same thing.
He slowly exhaled.
"All right."
Hancock looked at him.
"Arthur?"
"They'll stay." He nodded.
Maria's stern expression finally softened.
She reached out and placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder.
"Good."
For a brief moment, the tension disappeared.
Arthur looked at his children again.
They were already beginning to smile, their attention shifting toward the estate they would soon call home.
But Maria did not move.
Her hand remained on Arthur's shoulder.
"There is one more thing."
Arthur's expression changed.
"Another thing?"
Maria looked directly into his eyes.
"You've been away for a long time, Arthur."
"I know."
"Then tonight, you are going to tell me everything."
Arthur blinked.
"Everything?"
"Everything."
There was no anger in her voice this time.
That somehow made it worse.
Arthur glanced helplessly toward his grandfather.
Adam merely smiled.
"Good luck, boy."
Arthur sighed.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Maria turned toward the estate.
"Come."
Arthur followed, already wondering what he had gotten himself into.
Behind them, Hancock, Robin, Monet, and the others exchanged amused glances before following as well.
The children ran ahead with Maria, their voices gradually filling the quiet garden.
For the first time in years, Arthur had returned home.
But before he could leave again for the war waiting beyond the Red Line, he would have to face something far more difficult than any battlefield.
His family.
And this time, there would be nowhere to run.