Bonney was still in her child form, staring warily at Leno. "Fallen One Leno?! What are you doing here?!"
After the incident in the Florian Triangle, the Leno Pirates' bounty posters had been updated once again.
One of the charges listed was defeating two of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—Gecko Moria and Bartholomew Kuma.
Bonney's reaction was only natural.
After all—
Her old man had been beaten.
"Hmph! Is that how you speak to your savior?" Perona floated in midair, glaring at Bonney in displeasure.
"You're that Ghost Princess Perona, aren't you?" Bonney planted her hands on her hips and snapped back without hesitation.
"Hmph! Your captain got defeated and you immediately joined the enemy's pirate crew! No backbone at all!"
Her words dripped with mockery.
"What did you say?! I'll make you taste my Negative Hollow!" Perona puffed up angrily and was about to charge forward.
Leno reached out and stopped her. "Be good. Once she joins us, you two can fight all you want."
Then he looked at Bonney calmly.
From his coat, he took out a special transparent bubble marked with a paw print.
"Take a look at this, and you'll understand."
Bonney's gaze was instantly drawn to it, her eyes widening. "This is…!"
No one was more familiar with it than she was.
It was Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit ability!
"How do you have this?! What did you do to him?!" Little Bonney instantly exploded like a bristling kitten.
Leno flicked her forehead with a sharp chop.
"Watch the message inside first."
Bonney clutched her aching forehead, casting Leno a suspicious glance before looking back at the paw-print bubble.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and reached out with both hands to touch it.
The moment her fingers sank into the bubble—
Kuma's steady and gentle voice echoed directly in her mind…
Leno already knew what was recorded inside.
Nothing more than asking Bonney to trust him and stay by his side.
A moment later, Bonney came back to herself, tears already streaming down her face.
She suddenly leapt up and threw herself at Leno, clutching his clothes tightly as she cried, "Otōsan?! Where did he go?! Where did he go?!"
Leno patted her head.
"I tried to stop him, but he insisted. There was nothing I could do."
"The Revolutionary Army… seems to need his sacrifice."
"The Revolutionary Army…"
Bonney repeated the words, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Revolutionary Army! I'll remember that!"
She would avenge Kuma. Why did it have to be her old man who made the sacrifice?!
Just as Leno successfully lured the Gluttonous Girl Bonney aboard, adding another member to his pirate crew…
At Marine Headquarters, Marineford—
A dog-headed warship slowly docked.
Garp stepped off with a dark expression, striding forward in large steps, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
Ace had been imprisoned in Impel Down. There was no way Garp could look pleased.
He headed straight for the Fleet Admiral's office.
Along the way, the Marines were so intimidated by his expression that they hurriedly stepped aside—some even forgot to salute.
Bang!
The heavy wooden door to the Fleet Admiral's office was shoved open by Garp, slamming against the wall with a loud crash.
Inside the office—
Sengoku was rubbing his temples, staring at the file on his desk concerning Ace.
Hearing the commotion, he looked up. When he saw it was Garp, a trace of complexity flashed in his eyes.
He waved a hand.
Signaling for the other officers and staff in the room to leave.
"Go. Summon the Seven Warlords to Marine Headquarters."
Receiving the order, they quickly nodded.
Then they hurried out with lowered heads and closed the door behind them.
They assumed Garp was furious because he had been suddenly recalled while chasing Leno.
They had no idea it was because of Ace.
Now only Sengoku and Garp remained in the room.
"Garp, you're here." Sengoku let out a sigh.
Garp didn't respond.
He glared at Sengoku, forcing out each word through clenched teeth.
"Sengoku! I'll… I'll just ask this once! Is there still a chance?!"
Seeing his old friend like this, Sengoku felt no better.
But he could only steel his heart, shaking his head as he spoke heavily. "There's no need to say more, Garp."
"There's no room for negotiation. The Five Elders have personally intervened and issued a direct order."
At those words, the muscles on Garp's face twitched violently.
The light seemed to drain from his eyes.
His once-straight posture hunched, as if all his strength and spirit had been ripped away in an instant.
He lowered his head, looking at the fists that could shatter mountains—yet could not protect his grandson.
His voice was hoarse and dry, barely audible.
"Not even… the slightest chance?"
Sengoku looked at him in silence, his eyes filled with helplessness.
In the end, he forced out two words.
"None."
The air in the office froze, filled only with heavy breathing.
After a long while, Sengoku spoke again, his tone softer.
"But don't worry. The final objective isn't Ace."
At that, a faint glimmer returned to Garp's eyes.
After so many years of friendship, he understood the implication behind Sengoku's words.
But before he could ask further, Sengoku continued:
"Go to Impel Down… and see him."
He paused, then added, "When you come back… bring Ace with you."
Even knowing Sengoku's plan, the words were still hard to bear.
Roger had died.
Was Ace to be publicly executed as well?
Garp said nothing. He simply stood up and strode toward the door without looking back.
Bang!
He deliberately yanked the door open roughly, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the corridor.
Leaving Sengoku alone in the office, staring at the empty doorway.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
Akainu: Actors! They're all actors!
————
Earlier—
Impel Down welcomed a new arrival.
Ever since Leno's last prison break, the level of security had been raised more than one notch.
Each level had increased patrols of Jailer Beasts and guards.
The Seastone bars were inspected more frequently.
They feared another mass escape.
If that happened again, Magellan might as well stop being Warden.
He could go home and spend his days with diarrhea instead.
"Another newcomer?" a hoarse voice sounded in the darkness.
The veteran criminals in their cells all turned their gazes toward the new face being escorted in by guards.
Ace wore heavy Seastone shackles.
Head lowered, he was shoved roughly into an empty cell.
"Yo, look at that tattoo… Seems like he's one of Whitebeard's men," someone with sharp eyes remarked after spotting the Whitebeard emblem on Ace's back.
"That old geezer Whitebeard still isn't dead?"
"Any of you know this brat?"
In a corner cell—
Crocodile, freshly imprisoned in Impel Down, lifted his eyelids slightly.
He glanced at Ace and spoke hoarsely.
"Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. Fire Fist Ace."
After that, he closed his eyes again, ignoring the matter.
If Whitebeard himself had been thrown in here, he would certainly have mocked him.
But just a mere son—
Not worth it.
"Tch, don't know him."
"Never heard of him."
Suddenly—
One of the prisoners seemed to remember something and shouted through the bars at Ace:
"Hey! You, Ace brat!"
"You came from outside. How's that bastard Leno doing now?"
The speaker was Shiryu.
No one wanted out more than he did, and no one felt more stifled. Last time he had clearly had a chance to escape—but Magellan had kept his eyes locked on him.
At the mention of Leno's name—
Catarina Devon, Sanjuan Wolf, Vasco Shot, and the others all perked up and chimed in.
"Yeah! Tell us! Did that kid cause any big trouble after breaking out?"
"Did he kill a few Marines?"
"Hurry up and spill it!"
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