Blackbeard's sudden interference—
Even though he couldn't even qualify as a "three-second real man" before Whitebeard smashed him aside—
Still created an excellent opening for the ever-scheming Sengoku.
During the brief window when Whitebeard dealt with Blackbeard—
Sengoku withdrew without hesitation.
He burst toward the execution platform at top speed!
As long as he reached Ace first—
The "Wise General" could seize control of the situation.
At that point, Whitebeard would no longer be so troublesome.
The instant Whitebeard punched Blackbeard away, he didn't linger either.
He spun around and exploded forward in pursuit of Sengoku!
He absolutely could not let Sengoku approach Ace!
If Sengoku reached the platform—
Ace would truly be in mortal danger!
And even if Whitebeard tried to save him—
He'd be forced to hold back.
The Battle for Ace officially reignited!
Sengoku moved first.
In just a few leaps, he neared the execution platform.
From a distance, he saw Tsuru—
And Ace, bound in Seastone, his face twisting violently.
Sengoku had witnessed Tsuru's Devil Fruit ability more than once.
He understood instantly what she was doing.
His heart steadied.
The urgency drained from him at once.
Originally, his goal had been to break away from Whitebeard and reach the platform first.
But with Tsuru there—
There was no need to rush.
His objective shifted.
From escaping Whitebeard—
To stalling Whitebeard.
Buying Tsuru time.
If Tsuru's ability succeeded—
Then even if Ace were rescued afterward, it wouldn't matter.
All they needed to do was leave Whitebeard behind.
The World Government would have its answer.
Garp could rest easy.
The only one who would truly suffer—
Was Whitebeard.
A perfect trade.
Even if Garp had once opposed using Tsuru's power—
There was no better option now.
As for success—
Sengoku had no doubts.
Ace was nowhere near Tsuru's level.
With that thought—
Sengoku stopped advancing toward the platform.
Instead, he turned—
And faced the charging Whitebeard.
"Buddha Shockwave!"
Golden light burst forth as he struck—
Blocking Whitebeard's path.
Whitebeard frowned.
Just moments ago, Sengoku had been desperate to retreat—
Now he wasn't running at all?
Something was wrong.
"Up ahead is the execution platform… Something's happened to Ace!"
Unease surged through him.
He instinctively tried to glance toward the platform—
To confirm Ace's condition.
"Whitebeard! I'm your opponent! Where are you looking?!"
Sengoku wouldn't allow distraction.
Another shockwave blasted forward.
Whitebeard was forced to focus.
He couldn't check on Ace.
The more deliberately Sengoku blocked him—
The stronger Whitebeard's dread became.
"Get out of my way!!!"
Whitebeard exploded in fury.
With no time left, he held nothing back.
Murakumogiri rose high—
Wrapped in Tremor power and Conqueror's Haki at full intensity—
And came crashing down with apocalyptic force!
This strike was pure desperation.
No restraint.
Facing it—
Even Sengoku's expression shifted.
He had no intention of gambling lives here.
His goal was only to stall.
So—
He shifted into full defense.
Arms crossed.
Conqueror's coating and Armament reinforced to the limit.
He endured the blow head-on.
BOOM!!!
The impact forced Sengoku back over ten meters.
The ground tore open beneath him.
His blood churned—
But he held.
The time gained wasn't much.
But it was enough.
—
On the execution platform.
Tsuru's hands never left Ace's shoulders.
Her withered palms, infused with the Wash-Wash Fruit's power, pressed against his head.
The cleansing force seeped steadily into him—
Washing his memories.
His emotions.
Even…
His dream of becoming a pirate.
His wish to raise Whitebeard to Pirate King.
Ace's face twisted.
Teeth clenched.
Veins bulged.
His body trembled violently in resistance.
He could feel it—
Something was invading his mind.
Erasing what mattered most.
"Get… out…"
He forced the words through his teeth.
His weakened Haki flared desperately.
Even a brief pulse of Conqueror's Haki burst forth.
It did nothing.
He was too weak.
Just as Sengoku expected—
Ace's strength was far inferior to Tsuru's.
Even Haki couldn't stop it.
Wave after wave—
The Wash-Wash power eroded his mental defenses.
At last—
Ace collapsed inward.
—
When Whitebeard finally broke through Sengoku's obstruction—
And reached the base of the execution platform—
Tsuru had already finished.
Ace sat there, soaked.
His appearance unchanged.
But his presence—
Was completely different.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
Gone was the yearning for the sea.
For freedom.
Only hollow righteousness and misplaced kindness remained.
More ascetic than a sage in enlightenment.
"Ace!"
Whitebeard roared from below.
He knew instantly—
Something was wrong.
The real Ace would have shouted—
"Old man!"
But now—
Ace only looked down at him.
Expressionless.
His gaze unfamiliar.
A heart newly bent toward "goodness"—
No longer tolerant of evil pirates.
Whitebeard's eyes shifted to Tsuru standing nearby.
He understood.
"TSURU!!!"
His roar split the air.
Veins burst across his eyes.
Rage and grief surged beyond measure.
"What did you do to Ace?!"
BOOM—!!!
Whitebeard's fury became tangible.
His Conqueror's Haki erupted—
More violent than ever before.
Crack—crack!
The execution platform groaned under the pressure.
Fractures spread.
The earth trembled.
The harbor churned violently, waves rising high.
Even without activating the Tremor-Tremor Fruit—
His rage alone shattered clouds overhead.
—
Elsewhere—
Aokiji, mid-battle with Leno, was momentarily distracted by the upheaval.
Less than a breath—
But enough.
"Got you."
Leno's eyes sharpened.
He seized the opening—
And lashed out with a devastating roundhouse kick!
BAM!
Aokiji grunted.
He was sent flying—
Rolling three times across the ground—
Stopping beside the cracked, bloodied Garp.
Hard to say that wasn't intentional.
Leno lowered his leg.
He looked at Garp and Aokiji lying together—
A faint smirk curving his lips.
"Such deep master-student bonds…"
"If you're going to die, at least die together, right?"
"See? I even reunited you."
His gaze flicked toward the execution platform.
He saw Ace's soulless expression.
Whitebeard's wrath.
He understood instantly.
He'd noticed Tsuru earlier.
No one became Marine Headquarters' Chief Staff Officer without reason.
A playful look appeared on his face.
"Heh… brainwashing? Interesting."
"So now we have 'good' Ace? Or maybe not…"
Either way—
It didn't concern him much.
He stepped forward.
Unhurried.
Toward the fallen Garp and Aokiji.
His eyes were cold.
Murderous intent radiated.
If he'd already struck both—
He might as well finish one.
And right now—
Garp had no strength left to resist.
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