Ace!
The moment Sengoku issued the execution order, the entire battlefield fell into a dead silence. Marco and the others stiffened, their expressions changing drastically.
"Magma brat, get lost!"
Whitebeard roared as he smashed his fist into Akainu. The Admiral was sent crashing into the ground, molten magma tearing a deep gully through Marineford. Blood sprayed from Whitebeard's mouth as he laughed harshly.
"Whitebeard, you will not get past me. Marineford will be your burial ground!"
At that moment, the eyes of the entire world focused on the execution platform.
The two executioners had already raised their gleaming long swords.
"Ace!"
"Damn it, move!"
"Get out of the way!"
The Whitebeard Pirates roared in fury, their eyes bloodshot with desperation. That short distance, just a few steps, now felt impossibly far.
"Let go of Ace!"
A hysterical roar erupted.
In the next instant, the sky itself seemed to freeze.
A furious wave of Haoshoku Haki exploded outward with Luffy at its center. The air trembled violently as an invisible storm swept across the execution platform.
Sengoku's cloak flapped wildly behind him, his expression dark and heavy.
Garp's eyes widened as he stared at Luffy, shock and disbelief flickering across his face.
As if he had already foreseen it.
Boom… crackle… boom…
Dark red lightning tore through the sky, thunder roaring as black and crimson arcs struck downward. That wild, supreme will surged forward like an unstoppable tide. Wherever it passed, Marines and Revolutionaries alike collapsed, falling like wheat before a scythe.
This was Haoshoku Haki.
Those who remained conscious stared in disbelief at Luffy, who stood closest to the execution platform, his face twisted with rage.
And the pressure kept spreading.
"Luffy!"
Sabo blasted Vice Admiral Yamakaji backward with a single punch. He turned to look at Luffy, wild joy flashing across his face.
A king's disposition.
He had always known it. Neither Ace nor Luffy were ordinary.
How terrifying.
Borsalino hovered in midair, his usual lazy expression gone. That unique Haoshoku sent an unfamiliar chill down his spine.
"This Haoshoku…"
Even Tsuru frowned deeply.
That will felt strangely familiar, almost identical to that man's.
Still immature, yet unmistakably the same.
Vast like the sea, free and boundless, embracing everything without restraint.
"Hahaha… I knew it."
Somewhere on the battlefield, a pirate laughed loudly.
"Ace's little brother really isn't simple. He actually possesses the disposition of a king."
"Terrifying."
"Fufufu…"
Shock rippled through the battlefield, but it lasted only a moment.
For a full minute, Luffy's Haoshoku Haki raged uncontrollably.
Its range was limited, affecting mainly the execution platform and its surroundings. Beyond that zone, the battlefield remained a merciless slaughterhouse.
Whoosh!
A streak of golden light slammed diagonally into the ground. The impact shattered the earth, mountains of debris erupting as a deep abyss formed.
Borsalino climbed out of the pit, dusting himself off as he looked up at Marco, who hovered in the air wrapped in azure flames.
"Just a moment of distraction and I took a kick," he muttered. "That really hurt."
On another front, Koala and Hancock clashed fiercely, their movements sharp and ruthless. Their battle was no less brutal than any man's.
What made it worse was the overwhelming allure of their fight. Many of the male onlookers stared, completely distracted.
"Yes, rip it, ah, just missed it."
"Almost saw it."
The scene shifted again.
Two new executioners stepped onto the platform.
The Marines were prepared.
"Stop it!"
Luffy was intercepted by two Vice Admirals. He tried to release his Haoshoku again to stun the executioners, but this time, his will was forcibly blocked.
Sengoku's sharp gaze locked onto him.
A righteous and overwhelming Haoshoku erupted from Sengoku, crashing head-on with Luffy's will. Black and red lightning engulfed the execution platform, splitting the sky apart with terrifying force.
"What?!"
"Buddha Sengoku has Haoshoku too?!"
"Are you serious?!"
Marineford, and the world beyond it, erupted into chaos.
The visual impact of two Haoshoku wills colliding was unmistakable.
Many had never expected Sengoku to possess the qualities of a king.
Only the older generation truly understood how terrifying the Marine's strength had been in the past.
Iron Fist Garp. Buddha Sengoku. Black Arm Zephyr.
They were the Marine's iron triangle. In their prime, any one of them could make a Yonko hesitate in the New World.
Though Sengoku rarely fought after becoming Fleet Admiral, no veteran powerhouse ever dared to underestimate him.
"Sengoku…"
Whitebeard glanced toward the execution platform after knocking Akainu away. A trace of nostalgia flickered in his eyes, quickly replaced by cold determination.
Even if he had to destroy Marineford today, he would save Ace.
Ding… a-ling…
Suddenly, countless gazes turned toward the platform.
Garp's swollen eyes turned bloodshot as he reached out and gripped the Seastone chains restraining Ace, his fingers tightening slowly.
"Damn it, Garp, what are you doing?!"
The clash of Haoshoku continued, but Sengoku's expression abruptly changed.
"Grandpa!"
Ace bit his lip hard, staring at Garp. His eyes were filled with pain and fear, his voice trembling.
"Sengoku," Garp said hoarsely. "I've given my whole life to the Marines."
"When Ace was ten years old, he nearly died. I do not want to feel that regret and despair again. I don't have the strength to bear that pain a second time."
His voice sounded aged, fragile, nothing like the iron hero of the Marines.
When Ace was ten and Luffy was seven, Garp had nearly lost the two people most important to him. Though both survived, that fear had carved an eternal scar into his heart.
Only when he almost lost them did he realize their true value.
No matter how strong he was, no matter how unshakable his justice once seemed, Garp had grown timid after that experience.
Last time, there had been room for redemption.
But this time, if he turned away again…
He would not survive that despair.
And he had never been this afraid.
It had to be said that Lucien's two slashes had changed far too much.
Sometimes, only loss reveals what truly matters.
Now, Garp's resolve to protect justice was weaker than in the original timeline, because his family bonds had been amplified beyond measure.
"Garp," Sengoku said coldly, "do not forget your identity."
From the moment Ace was brought to Marineford, Sengoku had feared this outcome.
Garp was a Marine hero. His position was far too sensitive.
If he lost control now, it would be a devastating blow to Marine morale.
It could even decide the outcome of the war.
Sengoku could not afford to imagine the consequences of Marine defeat.
If the Marines fell, the Four Seas, the Grand Line, and the New World would descend into chaos. The lives lost would number far beyond hundreds of millions.
The Marines could not lose this war.
Even with Whitebeard and the Revolutionary Army pushing forward, Sengoku remained composed.
The World Government stood behind them, ready to intervene at any moment.
From the beginning, this war was meant to be won by the Marines.
Even if Dragon himself arrived, Sengoku was confident he could handle it.
But psychological collapse was another matter entirely.
If Garp truly betrayed the Marines here, it would be catastrophic.
Zephyr's departure had already shaken the organization deeply.
If even Garp fell…
Sengoku did not dare imagine the Marine's future.
He could not gamble.
===
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