At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, approximately 100,000 renowned Marine Soldiers, summoned from all over the world, gathered. Fifty warships surrounded the crescent-shaped bay and the entire island.
The bay was lined with countless heavy cannons. From the port, guarding the forefront of the army, were five great villains holding the key to the war: the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
From left to right, they were:
The unconscious cyborg, Bartholomew Kuma,
The emaciated and sickly Gekko Moriah, who had successfully lost weight,
The king of the dark underworld, Donquixote Doflamingo,
The world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk,
The queen of Amazon Lily, Empress Boa Hancock.
Beneath the Execution Platform, guarding the area, were the Marine Headquarters' strongest fighting forces, the three Admirals:
Aokiji Kuzan, Akainu Sakazuki, and Kizaru Borsalino.
The three sat arrogantly in their exclusive chairs, legs crossed, looking down at the Marines below.
At this moment, all imaginable forces of Justice were quietly waiting for the Whitebeard Pirates to arrive, determined to prevent Ace from being rescued.
Ace, chained with his hands bound behind him, walked step by step up the stairs, reaching the top of the Execution Platform. Ace looked out at the distant sea with an expressionless face.
The entire world, watching Ace's appearance via transponder snail broadcast, instantly erupted.
"He is the man who might become the fuse that shakes the world."
"And he is also the culprit currently holding the world's fate in his hands."
Ace knelt down voluntarily, the chains behind him linked into a gap on the Execution Platform, securing him.
Sengoku walked over to him, holding an amplified transponder snail. The Marines below looked up, puzzled.
"There is something I must convey to you all beforehand.
Portgas D. Ace, regarding the great significance of this man dying here today."
Garp lowered his head below, his face looking rather unwell... Vice Admiral Tsuru looked straight ahead, "Garp... this is not your fault."
Garp laughed heartily, "Hahahahaha... how gentle you are at a time like this, Tsuru."
"Ace, state your father's name," Sengoku said solemnly.
Ace turned his head in silence. "My father is Whitebeard."
"That's incorrect."
"There's nothing incorrect! My father is only Whitebeard! Only him!"
Sengoku continued to speak with an expressionless face.
"At that time, we searched desperately with wide eyes, looking for the child that man might have left on a certain island.
Based on the limited intelligence and possibilities from CP, we thoroughly investigated newborn infants, infants about to be born, and their mothers.
However, we found nothing. This is normal... your birth was bought with your mother's life, or rather, it was a cunning scheme by your mother, who deceived us.
Your mother's name was Portgas D. Rouge. This woman's actions far exceeded our understanding; solely for her child, she kept the child in her womb for 20 months.
Then, after giving birth to you, she died of exhaustion. One year and three months after your father passed away, the infant who inherited the world's most evil bloodline was born, and that is you.
You cannot possibly not know that your father is,
The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger!"
As Sengoku's words ended, Ace gritted his teeth in pain, and the world erupted. On Whitebeard's ship, Orochimaru, watching this scene, laughed.
"The world's most evil, huh?"
Sengoku continued speaking, aiming to bolster the Marine's authority.
"Two years ago, you began to make a name for yourself on this sea, using your mother's surname. We became aware of this, but Whitebeard also became aware of it.
To groom you into a Pirate King, he allowed the son of his former rival to join his Pirate Crew. Because of Whitebeard, we could not act against you, but if we simply ignored you, you would undoubtedly display the potential of the next generation's pirate pinnacle.
Therefore, taking your head here today holds significant meaning.
Even if it means a full-scale war with Whitebeard, we will not hesitate."
A Marine suddenly ran over in a panic.
"Report! The Gate of Justice at Marineford has opened automatically without receiving any instructions!"
Luffy and the others also took advantage of this momentum and rushed through.
Many Pirate Crews appeared around Marineford. The Marines watched the distance with vigilance.
Suddenly, the crescent bay's surface began to shake, continuously bubbling. The shadow of a ship appeared from beneath the sea, and as the water erupted,
The giant Moby Dick appeared in the crescent bay.
Sengoku gritted his teeth.
"So they used coating to come to Marineford from underwater, did they?"
The Marines looked through their binoculars at the two ships near the Moby Dick.
"That's First Division Commander Marco, and all fourteen other commanders! They're all here!"
"Wait! Who is that with Whitebeard??? Who has the right to sit on Whitebeard's shoulder?!"
Footsteps sounded, and everyone's attention focused on the direction of the sound. Murakumogiri clashed against the stairs as Whitebeard walked to the top of the whale's head at the Moby Dick's bow.
Whitebeard looked directly at Sengoku. "Gurarararara... it's been decades since we last met, Sengoku."
As Whitebeard appeared, Ace's gaze sharply shifted to Whitebeard's shoulder, looking at the familiar person. Ace swallowed... No way... it couldn't be what he was thinking! This brat really didn't leave any room for himself!
Meanwhile, Garp covered his face, not wanting to see the person on Whitebeard's shoulder. Something was wrong... very wrong. Why was Orochimaru sitting on Whitebeard's shoulder?
It's over, I'm really going to be forced into retirement... Sorry, Sengoku, maybe I should return the senbei I just took from your office.
Of course, the most aggrieved were the Whitebeard Pirates. They didn't agree! But their father wouldn't listen!
That fatherly love, like an old man having a child late in life, made Whitebeard's emotions very willful.
Was this an old house on fire? That overflowing, unvented fatherly love could be given to them!
If Ace knew he had fallen out of favor... he would cry, right!
However, Whitebeard still loved Ace very much. Whitebeard looked in Ace's direction.
"Is my dear son alright..."
Whitebeard stuck Murakumogiri aside, bent his body, crossed his arms, and forcefully punched the air. The space seemed to shatter, making a cracking sound.
Seawater surged from the depths, and towering waves rose and swept away the warships surrounding the crescent bay. Whitebeard's subordinate ships gathered together with the current of the waves.
Moments later, an even larger wave appeared from a distance, sweeping towards all of Marineford.
Aokiji suddenly acted, and the waves surrounding Marineford were instantly frozen in mid-air, along with several miles of the surrounding sea.
But Orochimaru looked up at the highest frozen wave, at the precarious ship.
"So he's here... Luffy..."
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