''Impel Down.''
Huā Lā La lā...
Amid the sound of gears turning, the three-meter-thick iron door was slowly lifted, revealing the dim space behind it.
Dragon slightly opened his eyes, noticed the figure entering, and then closed them again.
Similarly, Garp did not pay attention to his "wayward" son as he continued onward, reaching the iron bars at the deepest part of the prison.
"Ace, I've come to see you! Puhāhāhāhā!"
Garp's hearty laughter startled Ace, who slowly raised his head… During this process, bright flames gradually ignited all over his body, his hair resembling a burning broom, radiating a chilling red glow.
The entire cell quickly transformed from a dim orange-yellow to a crimson hue, and then, as the chains trembled, the intense heat began to settle down.
Shaking the Seastone chains on his body, Ace looked outside, the corners of his mouth curling up.
"Do I look that funny to you, old man?!"
"No, it's just that thinking about how you've fallen into the hands of that little brat Rowen twice in a row makes it quite amusing to me," Garp replied.
"When I brought him into the Marines back then, I never expected he would get this far."
Garp laughed so hard that tears nearly streamed down his face.
Then he took a moment to catch his breath and spoke seriously.
"But this time… you've gone too far, Ace!"
"I don't recall raising you all to become such lawless children!"
Storming into G-10 to rescue people— did he really think that Soryu (Azure Dragon) could be treated like clay?!
Let's take a step back: Did people really think that the "Marine Era" of 1518 was merely a fabrication?!
As an old generation, Garp knew better than anyone the extent to which Marine's power had inflated in recent years— enough to move the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars)!
Just a mere pirate…
Truly "just a mere pirate"!
"Cut it out, you still love to preach!"
Ace scoffed, radiating intense heat to counteract the effects of the Seastone.
But even though his body was fundamentally transformed by the flames, as a Devil Fruit user, no matter how strongly he resisted, he could not break free from the Seastone's constraints.
Soon, the flames dimmed, and Ace leaned against the wall, locking eyes with Garp.
"However, I have no regrets, old man."
"If I had the chance to choose again, I would definitely not ignore Luffy!"
"Hmm, as a grandfather, seeing the bond between you brothers so strong makes me very happy…"
"But do you know that you will die!!"
'Bang!'
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed throughout LV.6 Thunder Hell.
Garp clenched his fist and slammed it against the iron bars in front of him, deeply indenting the specially-made alloy bars inward.
The bent iron rod snapped away from the cement, extending like a cuff, trapping the front half of his arm in between.
With just one punch, the entire Impel Down shook!
"But Sabo and Luffy survived, didn't they?"
"...Sorry, old man."
Ace didn't show the expected rage after being assimilated by the flames; he spoke in a lowered voice.
He knew that no matter how many excuses or courage he had to face death, he couldn't change the sadness within this elderly man's heart.
"…"
Garp remained silent for a few seconds, and under Hannyabal's cautious watch, he slowly retracted his fist.
"Why, Ace… why do you all refuse to listen?"
Garp raised his head, covering his aging face with his hand, his voice choked with emotion.
"Clearly, being a Marine would be fine; you don't have to go to sea— why did it have to come to this?"
"Am I not worth a little concern from you all?!"
Upon hearing this, Ace's spirit lifted, and he opened his mouth to explain, but nothing came out.
In the end, he dejectedly lowered his head, laughing self-deprecatingly.
"Perhaps…"
"It's because I was born a pirate."
"By the way, old man, you'd better be careful of that Soryu (Azure Dragon) guy…"
Outside the door, Magellan, having overheard this line, turned as dark as coal and was emitting purple smoke, ready to step in but was stopped by Rowen's raised hand.
"Vice Admiral, this…"
"It's fine, let them be."
Rowen bit down on his cigar, completely disregarding the toxic smoke emanating from Magellan, taking a deep drag.
"When have I ever cared about what others think when doing my job?"
"This... Alright."
Magellan nodded. Since the person involved didn't care, he naturally had no reason to stop them.
"Shut up!"
As soon as the words fell, a suppressed roar filled with anger came from inside.
The voice, accompanied by an overwhelming surge of Haki, surged forth. Garp's hair stood on end, resembling a wicked ghost, leaving Ace, who was about to say something, stunned in place.
In Ace's memory, even when he acted recklessly as a child and almost got himself killed, he had never seen Garp this furious.
"As a pirate, what right do you have to point fingers at a Marine Vice Admiral?!"
Garp glared with bloodshot eyes, questioning him.
Ace was momentarily speechless.
Indeed, Garp was here only in the capacity of a grandfather visiting his grandson.
In this world, Marine and pirate are two extremes that cannot be crossed. Since he chose this path, what right did he have to say these things? He was first a pirate, and only then the grandson of "Iron Fist" Garp.
"Since this is your own decision, then don't regret it, Ace!"
With that, Garp flicked his Justice cape and turned to leave.
He left behind Ace, who despite his age, stood tall, showing no signs of hesitation.
The two large characters on the cape, "Justice," gradually faded into the darkness as Garp walked away.
"Hypocritical old ass, tsk tsk!"
Rowen took a puff of his cigar with a cryptic smile on his face.
After all, he clearly remembered that despite spouting such cold and ruthless words to draw lines, during the original war atop Marineford, he was still sent flying by Luffy with a single punch.
"What do you mean? Uh…"
Magellan looked back, puzzled, and in an instant, his expression turned horrified.
"Fuck? Where did he go?"
(Д≡д)!?
He had just been there, such a big person too?!
...
At the end station of the First Half, Sabaody Archipelago, Supernovas were gathering here one by one.
As time passed, the plot gradually reached the chapter where the Supernovas gathered. However, this time, the Supernovas that arrived at the destination were undoubtedly fewer than in the original story.
In addition to Law, who joined Rowen's camp, Capone Bege, who was executed by Rowen in West Blue, and Drake, who attempted to return to North Blue through G-10, along with the Straw Hat crew, the remaining people were...
"Captain" Eustass Kid, bounty 315,000,000 Belly.
"Mage" Basil Hawkins, bounty 249,000,000 Belly.
"Roar of the Sea" Scratchmen Apoo, bounty 198,000,000 Belly.
"Massacre Soldier" Killer, bounty 162,000,000 Belly.
"Big Eater" Jewelry Bonney, bounty 140,000,000 Belly.
"Mad Monk" Urouge, bounty 180,000,000 Belly.
That was just six people.
"Have the Straw Hats completely vanished?"
In a tavern in the no-man's-land of Sabaody Area 13.
"Captain" Eustass Kid bit into a chicken leg, showing a look of disdain.
"Seriously… I really shouldn't have expected too much from them!"
The Straw Hats, who resolved the Alabasta crisis, once overshadowed the newest and most popular pirates today, and Kid had long intended to compete with them.
However, a wrong judgment and a misguided route left them stranded at G-10, the chasm known as "impossible for pirates to cross."
Since then, it had been several months since they disappeared without a trace.
"That said, Captain Kid… the focus of everyone's discussion is still on them,"
This statement Killer naturally wouldn't voice out loud to provoke his captain, but there were other pirate crews in the tavern as well.
Scratchmen Apoo, a Longarm race member known for his sharp tongue, chuckled and turned to speak.
"Seriously, why did one of the Shichibukai, Kuma, and Mihawk appear at G-10? They're clearly a bunch of failures, yet they're more famous than us."
"Humph! Boring topic!"
Kid snorted, glancing over. "If you're unhappy with this outcome, go to Business Street and find something to do! Instead of envying others' fame, you should focus on raising your own bounty."
"NO, NO, NO... I naturally know that, it's just…"
Before he could finish, Jewelry Bonney shouted impatiently from the other side, "You guys are so noisy!"
"Do you all have two mouths? One for eating and one for talking?!"
"Watch your words, Bonney."
Killer's cold voice came from beneath his blue and white mask. He flicked his wrists, and two uniquely shaped sickles sprung from his elbows.
"Huh? Want to fight? I'm always up for it!"
Bonney, like a little brat, turned her gaze and waved a plate and a roasted sea beast leg.
"Calm down, Captain!"
"Now's not the time to get into a fight with them!"
Bonney's crew jumped up in alarm to stop her.
They knew all too well that when their captain said to fight, she would definitely do so.
"Damn it, who's the Old Boss here? Let go of me, asshole!"
Seeing this scene, Killer shook his head and put away his weapons, deciding it was best not to get involved with someone so volatile, as it would only lower his IQ.
'Bang!'
At that moment, a pirate whose origin was unknown suddenly burst through the door, his face filled with terror.
"B-big news!"
"What is it?"
"Marine has announced a public execution for Portgas D. Ace; the New World is about to explode!"
(End Of Chapter)
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