...
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
The Marines surrounding God Valley, upon seeing the content on the light screen, shouted in unison toward Garp sitting on the ground.
"I'm fine. What a truly heart-shaking future, hahahaha!"
Garp laughed, but the laughter lacked its earlier boldness. This time it was filled with helplessness and bitterness—his son and two grandsons all standing on the opposite side of him...
How Garp wished they could become the pride of the Marines, the future of the Marines, but reality's track had completely deviated from his original vision!
"Garp..."
Roger looked at the laughing Garp, sighed, then sheathed his sword and gently patted his shoulder.
No matter what, this Marine Vice Admiral who had always opposed him had, in the future, raised his own child into adulthood.
From this perspective alone, Roger truly owed Garp an enormous debt of gratitude!
Looking at the earlier scene on the light screen—Garp's memory of little Ace—Roger hung his head, saying nothing...
He might have slightly understood why his future self would entrust his own flesh and blood to Garp for raising.
"Garp, perhaps back then I entrusted Ace to you because I wanted him to live as an ordinary person—or like you, become a Marine. At least as a Marine, he wouldn't carry the infamy of a pirate..."
"As a Marine, at least with your respected and honorable status back then, you could protect him completely!"
Roger spoke with genuine emotion, revealing his inner thoughts. These words surprised many of the powerhouses present, as well as the Roger Pirates crew.
But surprise aside, Rayleigh, Scopper Gaban, and the Roger Pirates all expressed understanding.
Even if a pirate was good and never burned, killed, or robbed, ordinary people would still curse them, fear them, and even point fingers behind their backs...
Rocks, hearing Roger's words, lowered his head to look at little Teach in his arms. For some reason, his heart felt equally uneasy.
From the light screen footage, his son really was an irredeemable bastard—and up to now, his deeds hadn't even been fully revealed...
The clever Rocks had already figured it out.
In the future, he himself must have already died—or if not for this light screen's sudden intervention, he might have died right here in God Valley!
"Teach..."
The tough-as-nails Rocks hugged little Teach tighter. Beside him, Eris saw Rocks like this and said nothing, only unconsciously moving a little closer to Rocks.
"Linlin, did you hear that? What kind of mother are you—using your own children as fighting power for your pirate crew!"
Though Kaido had no children, he knew Big Mom—who did.
Roughly calculating, Big Mom already had quite a few children by now!
Hearing Kaido tease her again, Big Mom's mood—which had just been soothed—flared up once more. She now found Kaido truly annoying.
"Kaido! Everyone has different philosophies, different views on life and values. Wanting to use my children as fighting power isn't wrong, but my dream is far more than that!"
Big Mom glared fiercely at Kaido, then began telling him about the dream she'd held since childhood—one that had never changed even now.
"My dream is to create a nation where all races and things in the world live together without hierarchy. I want every race in the world to become 'family'!"
As Big Mom spoke, as if thinking of someone or something, her voice choked up slightly.
"Tch, in the future I'll definitely raise my son to be great. Then we'll conquer this world together!"
Hearing Big Mom's dream, Kaido muttered under his breath, then began fantasizing about his own future plans. He was simply someone who worshiped "violence."
...
[At this moment, Luffy finally reaches the execution platform. Just as he's about to use the key to unlock Ace's handcuffs, Kizaru fires a laser beam that slices the key in half...]
Seeing Kizaru's cloak, the Marines present felt it was unfamiliar—they didn't seem to recognize this person, but judging by appearances, he was likely a future Admiral.
At this time, Garp had no impression of Kizaru either, though he'd heard of a few promising new recruits.
Garp's thoughts aligned with the surrounding Marines—he also assumed this was someone who joined the Marines later.
The Summit War scenes continued to play!
[Luffy's key is cut in half, and then Fleet Admiral Sengoku uses his Devil Fruit ability. Facing the enormous Buddha statue, Luffy inflates into a rubber balloon to block it, while Mr. 3 uses wax to shield Ace beneath him.]
[Though the rubber balloon blocked a large part of the attack, the full force of Sengoku's Buddha strike was not to be underestimated. Luffy spits blood, the execution platform completely collapses, and the three fall from the sky!]
[The Marines see the three falling and open fire with cannons. The trio in midair is instantly engulfed in cannon smoke!]
In the Summit War and God Valley alike, powerhouses from two eras looked toward the sky. Beneath the rolling black smoke, an orange flame gathered into Whitebeard's emblem!
Then, within the black smoke, a path of flames was carved open!
[It turns out Mr. 3 had used his ability earlier to create a key for unlocking. With the shackles falling away, Fire Fist Ace was successfully rescued!]
"You've always been like this since the beginning... Luffy! You never listen to me, just doing whatever you want on your own!"
"Ace!!"
Seeing his brother freed, Luffy shouted excitedly. Below, every member of the Whitebeard Pirates raised their arms and cheered, their fighting spirit surging a hundredfold!
A large group of Marines charged toward Ace and Luffy, now focusing entirely on these two boys carrying sinful bloodlines.
But even surrounded by Marines, the brothers showed no fear. With Ace rescued, Luffy seemed to have endless energy.
The two charged forward relentlessly, pushing from the Marines toward the center. The Whitebeard Pirates also moved up to provide support!
[Seeing Ace saved, the earlier Squard —who had stabbed Whitebeard—sailed his ship straight into the battlefield to cover everyone, choosing to use his life to carve a path for the Whitebeard Pirates!]
[But in the end, the gravely injured Whitebeard stopped him with one hand. Then, in front of his entire pirate crew, Whitebeard issued his final captain's command...]
"I am a remnant of the old era... The new era has no ship that can carry me!"
After Whitebeard finished speaking, his muscles bulged as he unleashed the full might of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit. The entire Marine Headquarters teetered on the brink of collapse!
"Set sail, my sons!"
Amid Whitebeard's roar, Marine Headquarters' buildings began crumbling, and the entire sea surged with wind and waves.
Whitebeard's strength was already far from its peak. By daring to declare war on the Marines, he had never intended to leave alive!
Seeing Whitebeard's lonely figure amid the collapse, though filled with reluctance, Whitebeard resolutely chose to be buried here.
Just as he said—everyone has their day of passing!
In God Valley now, young Whitebeard looked at his future self and unconsciously gripped Murakumogiri tighter. Beside him, Rocks gave Whitebeard a deep look.
Rocks wasn't surprised Whitebeard would say such words. He knew one thing clearly: Whitebeard was different from them—his pursuits were different!
Whitebeard didn't worship violence like Kaido, wasn't extreme about family like Big Mom, and didn't scorn order like himself...
What Whitebeard truly wanted—purely wanted—was family. Unlike Big Mom's version of family, Whitebeard's "family" was far more genuine!
"Newgate, you're way too cool! Waaah!"
At this moment Stussy jumped onto Whitebeard's shoulder, tears streaming down her face. Whether now or in the future, Whitebeard's personal charisma left Stussy utterly infatuated.
"Alright alright, Stussy—stop crying!"
Seeing Stussy disregard her beauty and sob openly, Whitebeard was a little overwhelmed by the display.
"Remnant of the old era, the new era has no ship to carry me... Newgate, you sure know how to steal the spotlight!"
"But that line's pretty damn cool!"
Golden Lion repeated Whitebeard's future words under his breath. Though seeing the other man show off annoyed him, he found the line genuinely cool.
"Mam-ma-ma-ma~ The old era? Does that mean us?"
Big Mom looked at Whitebeard on the screen with emotion. Whitebeard's golden hair was gone, and she and Kaido had become so weathered...
Perhaps in the future, they really were the "old era" Whitebeard spoke of.
"No one's invincible. If my future ends like this, I have no complaints!"
Looking at his future back, Whitebeard recalled an old saying—people really do get more manly with age...
Even Whitebeard himself now thought his future self was truly handsome!
[At this moment, hearing Whitebeard's words, though Ace felt reluctance and unwillingness, he would not let Whitebeard's painstaking efforts go to waste!]
"Flame Emperor!"
Ace said this, but then he bit his lower lip hard and still flung his flames toward the Marines over there!
The flames did not dissipate—instead they formed a wall of fire, temporarily protecting Ace and Whitebeard!
When the flames around Ace faded, he dropped to his knees with a thud, facing Whitebeard's direction.
At this moment Ace said nothing. Whitebeard, blood dripping from his mouth, also remained silent. No words were needed—they already understood each other's hearts!
Whitebeard now shifted his broken body, fixing his gaze on Ace. His eyes were filled with a father's loving warmth.
"Ace... Just tell me one thing... are you happy to have me as your father?"
Whitebeard spoke slowly. Those words made Ace tremble all over.
Whitebeard did not blame him—not for ignoring advice and going after Teach, leading to this tragedy. He did not blame Ace for causing so much suffering and pain to his elderly self!
Ace had imagined many possibilities, but never that Whitebeard would ask him such a question—one that shook him to his core...
Looking at the Whitebeard before him, at this old man—memories flooding back—Ace, this strong man, still shed tears!
"Of course!!!"
He slammed his forehead to the ground, voice trembling with sobs as he gave his affirmation.
Whitebeard and his crew had gone this far for him—Ace, who had denied himself his whole life, was overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Gurararara!"
Hearing Ace's answer, Whitebeard first froze, then burst into hearty laughter—laughter filled with release!
...