Clink, clink.
The crisp sound of seastone shackles clashing echoed as Ace stared blankly at Garp, who was munching on a donut while removing his restraints.
"Grandpa, why are you doing this?!"
Standing still, Ace glanced at Sengoku and the others in the distance. Despite being freed, he made no attempt to escape.
"Well done."
Picking his nose with his pinky, Garp laughed and patted Ace's shoulder.
"That's my grandson! You've stirred up the entire sea!"
"Grandpa..."
Ace sat cross-legged on the ground, his heart aching as he looked at Garp's aged face. Without realizing it, the grandfather who used to punch him so hard had grown old and gray.
Placing his hands in front of Garp, Ace lowered his head. "Grandpa, you don't have to abandon your lifelong principles for me."
"I'm a pirate, you're a navy officer, and on top of that, I carry that man's bloodline! If you let me go, neither the navy nor the World Government will let you off."
"Maybe it would have been better if I had never been born."
Whack!
Ace's head slammed into the wooden execution platform. Dazed, he stared at the scene before him in confusion. Slowly regaining his senses, Ace realized what had happened. Feeling the familiar pain on his scalp, veins bulged on his forehead as he leaped up from the wooden planks.
"You old geezer! What was that for?!"
Flames ignited on Ace's body as he glared furiously at Garp. Brushing off the wood splinters, he raised his fist to punch Garp.
Thunk!
An iron fist, black with Haki, struck Ace's forehead first. Garp laughed, stuffing another donut into his mouth. Nudging Ace's embedded body with his foot, Garp sneered. "You don't even know your own strength and dare to mess with me?"
"I've trained you and that brat Luffy in physical combat since childhood, but here you are, caught by the navy because your Devil Fruit powers were sealed."
"Next, I'll teach you with my fist of love. How can a future navy officer have such terrible combat skills?"
"A future navy officer?"
Ace pulled his head out of the wooden planks, holding his aching head. Looking at Garp squatting in front of him, Ace had a bewildered expression. "You must be losing it, old man."
"If I weren't about to die, I'd be figuring out how to take care of you in retirement."
Thwack!
"Who're you calling old man, brat? Watch your mouth!"
With another fist of love, Garp pinned Ace back into the wood and sat cross-legged beside him. Handing Ace a donut, Garp pointed at the battlefield below, where Kizaru and Whitebeard faced off.
"Whitebeard has agreed to surrender and join the navy."
"What?! Cough, cough!"
Ace choked on the donut, spitting it out along with his saliva in shock. Clutching his chest, he glared at Garp as if he had gone mad.
Bonk!
Another iron fist silenced Ace's protests as Garp looked at him sternly. "Whitebeard isn't an idiot like you."
"Huh?"
Still reeling from the news, Ace calmed down and looked at Garp seriously. "Grandpa, explain this to me."
Looking around, Ace realized no one was paying attention to him, not even though Garp had freed him.
"Haha, you just figured it out, huh?"
Garp chuckled, stopping Ace from getting up. Looking at the blue sky, Garp said, "After this, the world will move into a new era."
"And you, brat, are the key to this new age."
"The door to the new era has opened. All we need to do now is step through."
"A new era? The key?"
Ace scratched his head, staring at the battlefield that had yet to erupt. He couldn't understand how a few days in prison had turned the world upside down.
"Let me tell you, brat."
On the battlefield, Kizaru yawned, facing the imposing Whitebeard holding Cong Yunqie. Looking down at Klee, who tilted her head curiously, Kizaru sighed.
"Little Klee, what are you staring at?"
"Hmm..."
Crossing her arms, Klee seriously observed Kizaru. "Now that Grandpa Whitebeard is like Uncle Kizaru, I'm thinking whether to call you Uncle Kizaru or Grandpa Kizaru."
"It's such a tough decision."
Kizaru covered his face in exasperation. "So, you've been staring at me just to think about this?"
"Yep!"
Klee nodded. "It's a very serious question."
Raising her finger, Klee continued, "Since Grandpa Whitebeard is my grandpa, and I call Uncle Kizaru 'Uncle,' what should Uncle Kizaru call Grandpa Whitebeard?"
Holding her head, Klee looked dizzy from her own logic.
"Uh..."
Kizaru glanced at the equally stunned Whitebeard and shook his head. "How about you just call me Grandpa Kizaru from now on?"
"Oh, that works!"
Klee clapped her hands in realization, laughing. "That's perfect!"
"Can I go find Hiroshi now? Grandpa Kizaru and Grandpa Whitebeard seem busy."
"Yes."
Klee looked up at them before skipping back to the high platform.
"Phew."
Watching her leave, Whitebeard and Kizaru exchanged relieved glances. With Klee's curious eyes no longer watching, they could finally begin their fight.
Golden flashes and white glows illuminated the space as the two titans prepared to clash. Waves of energy rippled across the battlefield.
"Grandpa Whitebeard, Grandpa Kizaru, are you about to fight?"
Klee's voice made both freeze mid-action. Turning, they saw Klee squatting nearby, pouting.
Their hands extended simultaneously, grasping each other's in a vigorous shake.
"Hello, hello, hello."
"Pleasure to meet you, pleasure to meet you."
Like long-lost friends, Whitebeard and Kizaru acted chummy.
Seeing Klee's pout disappear, both chorused, "We're just old friends catching up, just a friendly sparring match."
"Oh!"
Klee's eyes sparkled. "So you're competing like friends? Klee loves that!"
Waving goodbye, she skipped back to the high platform.
"Go, Grandpas! Klee will referee!"
As Klee left, Whitebeard and Kizaru sighed in unison. Golden flashes and white glows reappeared, softer this time, as the real battle began.