Chapter 490: Ace's Mysterious Disappearance and the Earthquake at Headquarters
Ace stared, utterly dumbfounded, at the shimmering cell door. The cold, impassive bars had dissolved into a soft, inviting glow. After a long moment of disbelief, he set his jaw and reached out a trembling hand. The barrier, which should have been solid Sea Prism Stone, rippled like the surface of a pond at his touch.
Gritting his teeth, Ace plunged through it. Anywhere was better than this cell.
Back in the otherworldly restaurant, the familiar chime of the door's bell caused Nami and the others to look up in surprise. He was certainly becoming a frequent visitor.
Nami was about to call out a greeting when she saw who had entered. It was a young man with a familiar thatch of black hair, a string of red beads around his neck, and a smattering of freckles across his face. The moment she registered his features, her pupils constricted.
"A... Ace?!" she gasped.
Hearing his name, the bewildered young man turned his head. His eyes landed on Nami, and they widened in pure disbelief. "Nami? Is that you? Luffy's navigator!"
Yakumo Yukari let out a soft, amused sigh from her usual spot. "My, my. This is turning into quite the pirate gathering. Are we expecting the whole crew?"
Nami shot to her feet, her expression a mixture of shock and concern. "Ace, what are you doing here?! I mean... it's not unusual to end up here... but seeing you in this state, are you...?"
Seeing a familiar face, Ace felt a wave of relief wash over him. He thought he was on Luffy's ship, or perhaps a tavern on some friendly island—anywhere but that prison. In short, he was free. A wide grin split his face. "Where is this place? And where's that little brat Luffy?"
Nami shook her head, her expression clouding over. "I don't know where Luffy is. We were on the Sabaody Archipelago when he... well, he punched a Celestial Dragon. The Marines cornered us, and then the Shichibukai, Bartholomew Kuma, sent us all flying. I have no idea where Luffy or the others ended up..."
Ace blinked, processing her words. Then, he threw his head back and let out a booming laugh. "Hahaha! That's Luffy for you! He actually decked a Celestial Dragon? Amazing! Hahahaha! That's my little brother!"
His declaration cleared up any confusion for the other patrons. This man was Nami's captain's brother. What a strange coincidence.
Ace's laughter subsided into a sigh. "Seriously... I was hoping to have a good long chat with him. What a shame. So, Nami, do you know where we are?"
"This is a restaurant," she answered simply.
"Right. And where is it?"
"In another world."
"Right. In anoth— Huh?!"
Ace's cheerful expression froze solid. His brain stuttered to a halt. "Another world? What in the hell are you talking about? Nami, this is no time for jokes! I have to get back, and fast! If I'm late, something terrible is going to happen!"
"But... but it's the truth!" Nami insisted, her voice urgent. "This really is another world! It's not our world! I only found this place by chance myself!"
The hope that had surged through Ace moments ago evaporated, replaced by a cold dread. "Dammit! I thought I'd escaped... but I just ended up in another world? I'd rather be back in that cell! At least there, I knew what I was facing!"
Nami quickly tried to reassure him. "Ace, don't worry! You can go back from here. You just have to open the door again. The only thing is, you'll reappear in the exact same spot you left."
Her words were a small comfort. Ace let out a ragged breath. "Is that so...? But... that doesn't solve the worst of it, does it? So, Nami, what are you doing here?"
"Eating," she said. "This is my second time visiting."
"Eating... What about Luffy and the others?"
"They don't know about this place. For a while, the door wouldn't open for us, and they didn't really believe me when I told them about it. Only Zoro and I know for sure. I'm actually waiting for him now. But forget about that! What happened to you? And these Sea Stone handcuffs..."
Ace nodded grimly. He sighed, then recounted the whole story of his capture by Blackbeard and his impending public execution.
When he finished, Nami's face was pale with horror. "Then... then what are we going to do? If they try to execute you, Whitebeard will definitely come to save you! And that means... a massive war!"
"That's exactly it!" Ace said, his fists clenching, the chains rattling. "It's going to drag so many of my brothers into this mess!"
Nami wracked her brain, but no easy solution presented itself. Nearby, Ren watched the two pirates panic, his expression one of deep pity for the hopelessly dense. If only Nami had invited Ace here earlier, he would have simply left with her and never been imprisoned in the first place. Or, he could just connect their worlds...
---
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, the fortress was in an absolute uproar.
Portgas D. Ace, the high-profile prisoner scheduled for public execution, had escaped. More than escaped—he had vanished into thin air, leaving not a single trace behind.
"Hahaha! Sengoku! Don't look so grim!" a booming voice echoed through the Fleet Admiral's office. Vice Admiral Garp sat casually, crunching loudly on a rice cracker. "At least we can confirm nothing major has happened. The Marines' reputation is still intact."
"Garp!" Sengoku roared, slamming a fist on his desk. "The disappearance of a prisoner whose execution was announced to the world isn't a big deal?! A criminal of his stature escaping doesn't affect our reputation?! What are you talking about?!"
The other admirals in the room shifted uncomfortably. This was, without a doubt, a catastrophic incident.
"Sengoku, I believe Garp has a point," a calm, steady voice cut through the tension. Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Great Staff Officer, spoke with measured authority. "No news is the best news in this situation."
"What?! Tsuru, do you hear yourself?!"
"Sengoku! Calm yourself and let me finish!"
The sharp command from his old comrade was enough to make Sengoku pause. He took a deep, steadying breath, the anger in his eyes receding into weary frustration. "My apologies, Vice Admiral Tsuru. Please, continue."
Tsuru gave a slight nod. "First, we can confirm that Ace did not break out by force, nor was he rescued by any organized group. He has simply disappeared, and no one knows how."
Sengoku and the others nodded grimly. That much was true.
"Second," Tsuru continued, "we have not yet shown Ace's face to the public. We've only issued an announcement. This means many people across the world will be skeptical of the news to begin with."
Sengoku's brow furrowed. "But we've already released the details of his capture!"
"That can be explained away, Sengoku. There are numerous ways to spin it. Garp, if you were to create a cover story, what would you say?"
Garp didn't hesitate. "Just say the whole thing was a ploy to lure out and eliminate Whitebeard."
"Exactly," Tsuru said, nodding. "It's a stretch, but it's a plausible lie, much like the initial announcement of his capture. Finally, and this is the most crucial point."
She paused, ensuring she had everyone's complete attention.
"Ace has vanished. Completely. This gives us options. We can tell the public it was a military exercise or some other fabrication. It won't damage the Marines' reputation. Our immediate priorities must be twofold: conduct a thorough search for Ace, and simultaneously halt the spread of the news about his execution. The more it circulates, the harder this will be to contain."
Sengoku mulled over her words for a long time before letting out a heavy sigh. "Issue an immediate notice stating that Ace's execution date is pending. In the meantime, I want every available resource dedicated to finding him. And if we can't... Tsuru, what then?"
"We claim he was rescued by a Devil Fruit user with a suspected spatial ability," she replied without missing a beat. "Or, we find a scapegoat—one that absolutely cannot be a Marine. There are many ways to handle this, but first, we search. Vice Admiral Onigumo, I want you and your men to begin immediately. There was no sign of a ship, no evidence of a Devil Fruit power being used, no destruction, and no riot. If a full sweep of the fortress, inside and out, and the surrounding sea yields nothing, then he has truly been spirited away."
Sengoku waved a dismissive, weary hand. The assembled officers saluted and dispersed, leaving the office in a tense silence. Tsuru remained, her mind already deep in thought. This entire affair was too bizarre, too clean. It felt less like a prison break and more like something from a dream.
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