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A heavy and solemn silence filled the air at Marineford.
The warship slowly passed through the Gates of Justice, and an even more intense atmosphere greeted them.
Nearly a hundred warships were neatly lined up inside the harbour, with countless Marines standing at attention, all eyes on the incoming ship.
"The entire Marine Headquarters is on high alert!" Rosinante muttered in a trembling voice.
The sight before him left an unforgettable mark on his young heart.
The massive array of warships and the sheer number of elite Marines gathered on the plaza made it clear: everyone was prepared for battle.
The Marines would attack without hesitation if there was any sign of trouble from their ship.
At that moment, the Gates of Justice slowly closed behind them, sealing off any retreat route.
This was a security measure and a sign of respect for the Pirate King, GoldRoger.
Even though he was already captured and bound in shackles, the Marines treated him with the utmost vigilance.
"Rear Admiral Arashi, please proceed to Dock 8!" A voice from the front guided them as the ship approached the inner harbour.
Arashi nodded, signalling for Slo to adjust course. He noticed the nervous tremor in the officer's voice—everyone was on edge.
The sea breeze swept through, causing Arashi's white Marine coat, which had "Justice" written on it, to flutter.
As the warship docked, a group of tense Marines greeted them. Arashi led the way off the ship, with Roger following behind him, descending the steps.
"I've never been here before," Roger commented, glancing around at the heavily fortified base and the solemn-faced Marine elites.
He chuckled softly. "Everyone seems pretty tense, huh?"
Arashi lit a cigar and took a puff, frowning slightly. He still wasn't used to the harsh taste. "It's the least we can do to show you respect," Arashi said plainly.
Roger smiled. "Respect? You've got a way with words."
The two continued walking, with Crocodile, Bullet, Ivan, and the others following behind them.
"Rear Admiral Arashi, please escort Gold Roger to the main headquarters building," an anxious Marine officer called out.
"Fleet Admiral Kong, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Sengoku, and Admiral Zephyr are waiting there!"
The officer stared in disbelief at the young Rear Admiral before him and then at Roger's familiar moustached face.
His heart pounded. Gold Roger, the Pirate King! It was him! Arashi gave a brief nod and walked ahead.
The only sound that followed was the clinking of Roger's shackles as he moved. Bullet's eyes flickered, constantly fixed on the figure ahead of him.
It was as if he was anticipating something, but Roger remained calm even when they arrived at the headquarters building and faced those towering figures.
"Roger," Fleet Admiral Kong said, arms crossed, looking down at the pirate. "At last, we meet."
His voice had a trace of admiration mixed with clear respect. Even though they were enemies, Kong recognized Roger's strength and spirit.
"Steel Bone Kong!" Roger laughed.
"This is indeed our first meeting. I've always regretted not meeting you sooner."
Kong sighed. "Busy times, unfortunately."
He then turned to Arashi, his eyes filled with open admiration. "No matter the specifics, capturing Roger is a great achievement for both the Marines and the world!"
Arashi smiled slightly but said nothing.
"Escort him to Impel Down!" Kong ordered. "Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, the three of you handle this!"
Kong then paused, taking a deep breath, and his expression grew serious.
"We must carefully consider how to announce this news to the world. And we must deliberate on how to deal with Roger."
Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr stepped forward, surrounding Roger.
Garp exchanged a glance with his pupil, Arashi. It seemed like Garp wanted to say something, but he patted Arashi on the shoulder.
"You've grown up."
Indeed, compared to when they first met, Arashi had transformed from a thin, inexperienced youth into a strong, mature officer.
One could see the weight of his thoughts about the world in his eyes.
Perhaps the young man Garp had once taken under his wing had already decided about his path in life.
Arashi grinned and stepped aside, glancing at Roger.
Roger showed no fear when surrounded by three of the strongest forces in the Marine Headquarters.
He still wore that same faint smile as if nothing could trouble him.
Roger was led away without saying another word, never looking back at Arashi.
Soon, only Fleet Admiral Kong, Arashi, and his crew remained.
"You did well, Arashi," Kong praised, glancing at the sword hanging by Arashi's waist. "That sword?"
Arashi smiled lightly. "A trophy of sorts."
"Is that so?" Kong chuckled. "That will be a mark of your honour as a Marine."
After a brief pause, Kong added, "Leave the rest to us. You've earned a break. Take some time off and rest."
Arashi accepted the offer for a vacation.
After bidding farewell to Kong, he returned to his quarters at Marine Headquarters with Crocodile and the others.
Only three days later, explosive news spread like wildfire worldwide, stirring a frenzy.
"The Pirate King, Gold Roger, has been captured?!"
"What kind of joke is this? That's the Pirate King who sailed the Grand Line and reached the final island, becoming the king of pirates!"
"The freest man in the world? How could he be captured?"
"Who did it? Who has the strength to capture Roger?!"
The world was buzzing with discussions. On an island in the South Blue called Baterilla, a pink-haired woman with freckles stared silently at the newspaper in her hands, her eyes wide in shock.
"Roger..."
After a while, she calmed down, her gaze softening as she looked down at her belly and gently caressed it.
Not long after, the identity of Roger's captor was revealed.
"Rear Admiral Arashi?!"
"He's the one who captured Roger? But who is he? I've never heard of him!"
"Where did this guy come from? How could someone so young capture Roger?!"
Many found it hard to believe. Compared to Roger, Arashi was practically unknown, and his youth only fueled his disbelief.
But soon, more information about Arashi surfaced.
"He's Vice Admiral Garp's top disciple?"
"He fought Rayleigh to a draw and was acknowledged by Roger as a formidable foe!"
"This guy's that strong? Where did he come from?!"
The world was stunned. From that moment on, Arashi's name became known across the globe.
The capture of Pirate King Gol D. Roger sent shockwaves worldwide, and Marine Rear Admiral Arashi's name quickly spread far and wide.
The seas were in an uproar, and the Marines' prestige reached its peak instantly.
Pirates who had been planning their moves were suddenly thrown into disarray.
In the second half of the Grand Line, aboard the Moby Dick...
"Arashi of the Marines," the man with golden hair and a crescent-shaped white moustache said in a low voice. "Is this the kid Roger once mentioned?"
This man, towering in size and stature while seated, exuded an oppressive sense of authority.
He was none other than Edward Newgate, known as Whitebeard, one of the world's three legendary pirates.
"Father, there's something off about this whole situation," Marco said, his face full of doubt. "Roger isn't someone who could be captured so easily!"
Newgate narrowed his eyes, then chuckled. "You're right! But what interests me is the Marine kid mentioned in this news."
Marco blinked in surprise. "You mean Arashi?"
"I didn't pay much attention to him before; I thought he was another young Marine. But now, his name has surfaced again, and it's connected to Roger!"
Newgate said seriously, his eyes sharpening. "That kid left an impression on Roger, after all."
He gazed out into the distance, the sea breeze in his face. "So, was it your strength that captured Roger? Or is there something more behind this?"
Newgate thought back to last year when Roger had visited him.
His words then seemed like a farewell, as if he had made some monumental decision. "What did you see on that island?"
Muttering to himself, Newgate again lowered his eyes to the newspaper.
At the same time, the ruined fleet of flying ships hovered in the sky high above the ocean.
A man with golden hair trailing on the deck and a ship's wheel embedded in his head like a lion's mane trembled violently.
A shockwave of wind and energy blasted outwards, causing the surrounding pirates to stumble.
"Boss?!"
The crew looked at the tall figure with fear.
"Impossible!! This can't be!" Shiki, the Golden Lion, snarled, his eyes filled with fury. "Someone as strong as Roger, captured by the weak Marines? And by a kid that young?"
His gaze locked onto the face of the young Marine in the newspaper. Then, a flicker of recognition crossed Shiki's face. "It's him!"
He suddenly remembered that face. Two years ago, during the Battle of Edd War, his fleet had surrounded this very person.
At that time, Shiki didn't pay him any mind. But now, news had broken that this same person had captured Roger.
"Shihahaha!" Shiki burst into laughter, though his eyes were cold and sharp.
"Roger, even if you were to die, it shouldn't be at the hands of the Marines! Being captured by someone so weak insults the Pirate King!"
He spread his arms wide, his lion-like mane whipping in the wind.
The sky trembled as ripples of energy spread out. Behind him, his entire fleet shook violently.
"I'm heading to Marineford!" Shiki suddenly declared, his voice booming.
His crewmates were stunned. "Captain Shiki?!"
"This insult... I, the Golden Lion Shiki, won't tolerate it!" Shiki roared, his voice filled with fury.
He slammed his hand onto the deck, causing the ship to shudder and throwing the pirates into the air. "This is something I'll handle alone!"
Shiki stood tall at the ship's bow, his golden hair flying behind him.
With a mighty roar, his fleet set course for Marineford, where the Marine headquarters was located.
"Marines, prepare to face my wrath!"
At Marine Headquarters, in the depths of Impel Down's Level Six...
Clank!
The chains rattled as the sea prism stone prison door closed.
Garp slumped outside the cell, his expression complicated as he gazed at the man just a short distance away.
"I never thought we'd meet again under these circumstances," Garp muttered.
Roger looked up and laughed. "Hahaha, Garp! Are you disappointed?"
Garp rolled his eyes, the complex emotions that weighed on him vanishing instantly.
He stared at Roger. "So, the pointless game of cat and mouse is finally over."
Roger's smile faded. "You're right. It's finally over."
"That sword," Garp suddenly recalled the long blade at Arashi's waist. "Was that...?"
"I gave it to him," Roger said with a smile. "Surprised?"
"It's more than just a sword," Garp muttered. "It's his choice, isn't it?"
Roger simply smiled. Garp fell silent, reflecting on their rivalry and shared moments, a bond forged over a lifetime of battles.
Even though they stood on opposite sides, their respect for each other ran deep.
With Roger imprisoned, Garp felt an unexpected pang of loss and melancholy.
"Listen, Garp," Roger said, his tone turning serious. "I need to ask you for a favour."
"Hm?" Garp responded.
"I have a son," Roger said quietly. "I've entrusted him to Arashi. But..." Roger's voice trailed off.
Garp's eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding at the revelation.
The flickering torchlight made the dark corridor seem even more oppressive, and their conversation faded into whispers.
Meanwhile, atop the tallest point of Marineford, Arashi stood, overlooking the vast Marine fortress below.
The sea breeze howled as Arashi surveyed the scene.
In the distance, Bullet was barking orders, directing Crocodile, Rosinante, and the others in their training.
Arashi's small unit had been working hard, and their strength grew rapidly. Over the past year, they hadn't wasted a single moment.
Crocodile, Rosinante, and T-Bone had all reached superhuman levels of physical strength.
This meant they were ready to start learning the Six Powers technique.
Arashi wasn't one to keep secrets. He planned to teach them the techniques after Roger's execution.
They didn't need to master everything—just whatever moves resonated with them.
Exhaling a puff of smoke, Arashi narrowed his eyes. "It's time to think about finding that fruit."
Aside from Observation Haki, he had mastered Armament Haki, the Six Powers, and swordsmanship to the point where further improvement would be difficult.
The only way to gain more power was through a Devil Fruit.
Right now, Arashi had his eyes set on the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Without a doubt, it was an immensely powerful fruit!
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