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•———•———•———•———•
Chapter's Events:
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"It looks like you're still alive…" After the first knockout punch, Akainu wasn't satisfied and wanted to strike again.
"Stop!!!" Luffy screamed with all his might.
"No more!!!" At that moment, Jimbei intervened with a fierce expression on his face. He used his fishman karate skills to block Akainu's fierce magma.
"Jimbei!!!"
…
"Oh, man!! I'm saved! I was about to…" Mister 3 was elated to have his life saved, but before he could celebrate more, he heard Marco's impatient voice.
"Undo my handcuffs already!!"
…
"Stop wasting my time, Jimbei. You're a former Shichibukai. You should know my strength…" Akainu tried to make Jimbei back down to finish what he started without interference.
"Even if it costs me my body, I'll hold back as long as I can!!!"
"My life has no value to begin with!!!" Jimbei shouted at Akainu, refusing to back down even if it meant his death.
•———•———•———•———•
In the art store at Mermaid Bay on Fishman Island, the atmosphere was charged with emotion after reading most of the scenes from Chapter 575.
Jimbei and Fisher Tiger sat among a group of local manga fans, mostly from Fishman Street, each visibly affected by the chapter's events.
Jimbei, with his balanced personality and hopeful outlook on humanity, seemed particularly moved by what he read.
"I didn't expect Ace to meet this fate… Why did you only block the second attack? Wouldn't it have been better to intervene before Akainu got to him?" Jimbei appeared very frustrated, especially since his counterpart was the closest person to both Ace and Luffy, meaning he could have saved them if he had been more cautious.
Hearing this, Fisher Tiger shook his head and sighed regretfully, "You can't change this outcome even if you were the closest to them. You did enough when you blocked the second attack. You are the pride of our race."
Around them, sad comments rose from other readers. One said sadly, "Ace was so beloved, and I can't believe he's gone. It's so painful to see this end for Luffy's brother… I can't imagine how Luffy will handle this… Sigh."
A beautiful mermaid with tearful eyes said, "I was waiting for their escape… why did you stop? Everything was going well… Ah! I hate this admiral!"
"I hate him too! No! I hate the whole Marine!"
"When will I see this bastard Akainu dead!"
The voices of angry, sad, and confused readers rose at this moment, most expressing their intense hatred for Akainu, who became the ultimate enemy in the story because of what he did to Ace.
…
Not far from the commotion, King Neptune and his ministers were also discussing the chapter.
King Neptune sighed and shook his head in regret, "Who would have thought the son of the Pirate King would meet such a tragic fate… This admiral is extremely harsh, but he carried out the execution… from the start, the purpose of this war was to execute Ace."
"It seems like Garp will kill Akainu!"
At this moment, King Neptune felt intense excitement, wanting to see that happen for real.
He wasn't the only one; all the readers held their breath at this moment after seeing the following scenes.
…
Marineford:
A sudden silence fell over the Marine stronghold at this moment. Although most of the Marine soldiers couldn't get immediate volumes of the Summit War, only the lucky ones got them, the gossip that couldn't be stopped in reality or the forum made most of them aware of what was happening in the volume.
Admiral Akainu did it; he tore Ace's back, burned his insides, and pierced him completely with a deadly blow. Ace couldn't survive no matter what.
Seeing this, Vice Admiral Garp lost his mind and wanted to kill Akainu…
The Marine soldiers were in shock at what was happening. The Summit War saw an entirely unexpected turn of events, making the readers here in a state of disbelief.
…
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, a victorious smile appeared on Sakazuki's face.
"I told you he would finish everything himself," Sakazuki pointed to his formidable counterpart in the manga before saying that.
"He ended Whitebeard's tyranny and executed Ace himself. I was confident he would do it and impose his justice on everyone. What do you think, Sengoku-san?"
Everyone in the room looked between Sakazuki and Sengoku for a moment. Their expressions varied from person to person.
"Well, let's see what you'll do with Garp first… I'll probably have to save your ass myself."
"Hmph!" Hearing that, Sakazuki snorted in disdain and refocused on the events of the chapter after Jimbei's intervention.
…
•———•———•———•———•
"Vice Admiral Garp!!! What are you…!!?"
The Vice Admirals' attention was drawn to Garp, who was walking toward Akainu with a killing intent overflowing.
He looked like a demon crawling out of hell.
"What are you doing, Garp!!?" At this moment, Sengoku pounced on Garp and knocked him to the ground.
"Haa…!! Hold me back just like that, Sengoku!!!"
"Otherwise… I'm gonna kill that Sakazuki!!!" Garp said with indescribable hatred and sorrow.
"…!!! You fool…!!!"
…
"It looks like I'll need to punish you for high treason!!!" Akainu shouted, ready to crush Jimbei.
But at that moment, Jimbei heard two voices; "Jimbei, get back!!!"
"Vista!! "Marco!!!"
Both Marco and Vista attacked with all they had to deter Akainu.
"Ku…!! Ahh, how irritating!!"
"Haki users, huh…?" Akainu felt angered after being hit by their painful combined attacks.
"Don't you realize it's already too late for Fire Fist?" He sneered.
"That one moment of carelessness!!" Vista said angrily.
"How could this have happened!!?" Marco felt deep sorrow.
…
At that moment, Ace fell onto Luffy's shoulder, who embraced him in his final moments, unaware yet.
•———•———•———•———•
In the Sorbet Kingdom, inside the art store, things had also changed here just like in all the art stores scattered around the world.
Calmness and silence prevailed here, as readers felt absolute shock at this time.
Garp stepped back and sat in his chair, seeming to have lost some strength. Or maybe he no longer had the will to stand anymore.
"Is this what the future held for me?"
"Complete… utter… real helplessness to protect family?"
"A young boy… Did I fail to protect him? And just watched him die?"
"Do you want to kill Sakazuki? Then why ask Sengoku to hold you back and stop you from doing so?"
Tears fell from Garp's eyes, wetting the part of the scene where Ace rested his head on Luffy's shoulder, speaking with warm tears falling from his eyes.
Seeing this, Dragon sighed. He looked at Ace's dying scene in the manga and said; "This is the future… deep and impossible to predict, strange and it can be whatever it wants to be, but… who really knows…"
"Old man… cry as much as you want."
…
On the side, Little Bonney kept wiping her tears with both hands, but the more she read Ace's last words, the more she cried.
Kuma's heart broke seeing this sight, and without realizing it, it was raining for him too.
Crocodile ground his teeth and cursed, "Damn it… this… shouldn't have happened…"
"Mugiwara-boy…" Ivankov felt deep sorrow as he watched the scene too.
…
It was also raining on Baterilla Island.
"Ace…"
Rouge ran her finger over Ace's face, who had just started speaking, maybe for the last time in his life.
"Let's hear what he has to say, dear." Roger patted Rouge's shoulder warmly.
The smile on his face carried a weight even Rouge hadn't felt.
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 747: His Last Words.
Chapter 748: Thank you for loving me.
Chapter 749: Whitebeard's Wrath and Sakazuki's Feeling of Threat.
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