"Oh no! The pirates have escaped!!!"
The Marines watched unwillingly as a blazing path tore open the sky. Ace flew forward, his body transformed into roaring flames, carrying Luffy along as the two streaked through the air.
Luffy laughed uncontrollably, his voice echoing above Marineford.
"Reload! It's not over yet!"
Some Marines refused to give up. They desperately adjusted their cannons, tracking Ace's fiery trail as he moved at high speed.
"Fire!!! We absolutely cannot allow these two criminals, who will throw the world into chaos, to escape!"
Bang!
Bang!
Cannonballs roared through the air, tearing toward the two fleeing brothers.
Justice, after all, never surrendered so easily.
…
Inside a neglected building on the outskirts of Marineford.
Drip, drop, drip…
"Uh… wuwu…"
A Marine soldier forced his eyes open, letting out a weak, unwilling groan. Death had already claimed him.
His carotid artery had been cleanly cut, a deep crimson gash spreading across his neck. Blood poured onto the floor, slowly filling a carved circular array etched into the ground.
"…"
His pupils dulled as he stared blankly at the grotesque formation beneath his feet. Moments later, his breathing stopped.
Thump.
A tall woman with a charming smile released her grip and casually tossed the Marine's corpse aside like garbage.
Four other Marine bodies already lay piled nearby.
CP-0 Angel calmly lifted a Den Den Mushi and spoke respectfully into the black receiver.
"Yes. Everything is in place. I am ready to welcome your arrival at any time."
"…"
The black Den Den Mushi remained silent for a brief moment before a low, chilling voice finally replied.
"Then begin. He must not be allowed to escape."
"Yes, my lord."
CP-0 Angel tossed a burning candle onto the array.
Whoosh.
Eerie green flames ignited instantly, spreading across the entire circle. She knelt before the formation, lowering her head in reverence as the flames burned brighter.
Whoosh, whoosh…
The blood evaporated completely, and the green fire twisted into swirling black demonic flames. Thick, pitch-black mist poured out from the summoning array.
Numbers flashed rapidly across the surface of the array, accompanied by shifting, ominous auras.
"…"
The instant the black mist brushed her skin, CP-0 Angel shuddered violently, an icy chill crawling through her body.
Wuwuwu…
Amid sharp, piercing wails, the array abruptly stopped changing.
At its center, a single number solidified within the mist.
[1]
Crack!!!
Black lightning slammed down violently.
A horrifying, grotesque figure slowly emerged from the mist. Its eyes opened, locking onto the pure white figure laughing freely in the sky beyond the wall.
"Joy Boy!!!"
A suffocating aura flooded the entire building, then vanished in an instant.
An X-shaped gash was left carved cleanly through the wall.
…
Thud.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stepped forward slowly, brushing past an expressionless Garp. His voice was heavy and stern.
"Vice Admiral Garp. Restrain your killing intent."
Garp did not respond.
"The identity you hold here is that of a Marine hero, not the grandfather of two pirates. The killing intent you just released toward everyone present, let us pretend it never happened."
Sengoku's gaze hardened.
"There will not be a next time. Since you are the one who let them go, then you will be the one to chase them down."
"…"
Garp raised his head, staring at Ace flying through the sky, flames roaring, and at Luffy beside him, laughing as if he were an entirely different person.
He remained silent.
Only after Sengoku moved did the others dare to act.
"Oh dear, Old Man Garp, please don't aim that killing intent at me," Kizaru said with a troubled smile. "It's far too intense for someone like me."
Whoosh!
Kizaru vanished in a flash of light, shooting toward the shattered ice fields in the distance.
With his unmatched mobility, restraining Whitebeard fell naturally to him. The Marines could not afford to let Whitebeard act freely, not when Marineford itself was at stake.
Akainu strode forward heavily. As he passed Garp, his voice dropped into a cold, mocking tone.
"A Marine hero?"
Most of the killing intent Garp had released moments ago had been aimed directly at him.
Akainu knew it well. Garp had only been warning Kizaru and Aokiji. The real threat was meant for him.
If Akainu had truly attacked the execution platform earlier, Garp would have fought him without hesitation.
Suppressing his fury for the sake of Marine morale, Akainu endured it. But next time, he would not tolerate an old man who could not separate duty from blood.
The rest is up to you.
Garp was, after all, still a Vice Admiral. He could not openly hold back anymore.
Garp stared at his two grandsons in the sky. Then he suddenly crouched and launched himself upward, fists swinging as he roared.
"You brats! Don't think you're getting away! Get back here, you little punks!"
Luffy grinned broadly, laughing without restraint.
"Hehehe, Grandpa! I saved Ace!"
"…"
Ace looked down at the grizzled old man flying toward them, his expression conflicted and heavy.
"Grandpa…"
Whoosh!!!
A fist carrying terrifying force tore through the air toward Ace and Luffy.
"Get back here!!!!!"
Boom!!!!!
The shockwave exploded outward. The flames Ace had transformed into were blown apart, scattering across the sky like burning embers.
"Garp!!!"
Sengoku clenched his teeth and roared in fury.
Are you truly determined to do this today?
Do you really intend to openly help those two brats escape?
Whoosh!
"Oh no!!"
Luffy was sent flying by the punch, his head spinning as he tumbled backward through the air.
Ace also dispersed into flames, riding the momentum as glowing sparks trailed behind him.
Grandpa is letting us go on purpose…
Ace understood instantly. Using the force of the blow, he propelled himself farther into the distance.
Seeing this, the Whitebeard Pirates broke into wide smiles.
"Retreat! Ace and his brother have been rescued!"
"Hahahaha! The Marines are completely stunned! Let's move!"
"Stop them! They must not be allowed to leave! For justice, they all must die here!"
"Justice will prevail! The Fleet Admiral and the Admirals have taken action, the pirates are doomed!"
As the Marines and pirates clashed once more, a sudden crimson-black bolt of lightning erupted from a distant Marineford building, tearing the entire roof apart.
The abrupt disturbance drew attention.
"Huh?"
"What kind of aura is that?"
"It feels like death itself…"
"This presence makes my spine go cold!"
The strongest fighters felt it most clearly. A chilling aura that made their hair stand on end had suddenly descended upon the battlefield.
"What just happened?"
The Marines turned in shock, seeing only scattered black flames lingering in the air.
Whoosh!!!
Before anyone could react, a monstrous figure appeared before the still-laughing Luffy.
Its lower body resembled a gigantic skeletal horse, its upper body humanoid. Chilling black flames wrapped around its form. In its hand was a pitch-black longsword, glowing with an eerie blue light.
A black flash tore through the air.
A cold voice followed.
"Die!!"
---