The decision had been made, and with the tension finally easing, Maria led everyone toward the estate.
Arthur followed beside his grandfather while Hancock, Robin, and Monet walked together behind them. The children stayed close to Maria, already asking questions about the house and the garden they had only heard about from their father.
For the first time in years, Arthur wasn't walking toward another battlefield or an unknown island.
He was simply walking home.
Inside, the familiar warmth of the estate gradually replaced the quiet tension that had followed their arrival. The dining hall had been prepared almost immediately, and before long, the large table was filled with food.
Arthur sat between Saint Adam and Sabo while Hancock, Robin, and Monet sat across from them. Maria and Olivia remained at the head of the table, while Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin sat together nearby.
Baccarat watched the scene with open curiosity.
She had seen Arthur command his crew, negotiate with Emperors, and stand against Marines without hesitation.
This was different.
Here, he seemed less like the feared captain of the ART Pirates and more like someone's son.
Adam lifted his cup.
"So," he said, looking at Arthur, "tell me about your latest adventure."
Arthur leaned back slightly.
"Which one?"
Adam laughed.
"The one that nearly got your crew killed."
Hancock immediately glanced at Arthur.
"There were several."
Arthur gave her a look.
"Thank you for clarifying."
Adam laughed again.
Maria, however, did not.
"I heard about Shanks," Maria said quietly. "You were hurt."
"I've been worse."
"That isn't the point."
The table became quieter.
Arthur knew that tone.
His mother had already made it clear that she wanted to hear everything.
And now, with the entire family gathered around the table, there was no escaping the conversation.
"The battle," she continued, "the injuries, the Admiral afterward..."
She placed her utensils down.
"And you still brought the children with you." His mother never stop talking about it.
"I'm already say sorry, mom." Arthur sighed. "They weren't involved in the battle."
"They were on the same ship." Maria stared at him.
Arthur opened his mouth.
Then closed it, whatever he said will never right.
Adam chuckled into his cup.
"You walked into that one."
"Grandfather."
"I didn't say anything."
"You laughed."
"I am allowed to laugh."
Olivia smiled quietly at the exchange.
Robin lowered her gaze, hiding a smile.
The atmosphere became lighter again, but Maria's concern remained beneath it.
She turned toward Hancock.
"How bad was his condition after the battle?"
Hancock answered honestly.
"He was exhausted, but he recovered quickly."
"And before that?" Maria looked toward Robin.
Robin hesitated. "There were... several injuries."
"And before that?"
Monet quietly added, "It's difficult to keep track."
Maria slowly turned toward Arthur.
Arthur rubbed the back of his neck.
"I can explain."
"I know you can."
That answer somehow sounded worse.
Sabo laughed under his breath.
Arthur glanced at him.
"You're enjoying this."
"A little."
Maria finally smiled.
For a moment, she looked at the people around the table.
Her son.
Her grandchildren.
Her daughters-in-law.
Her father.
And the woman who had once been a little girl in this same house and had now become a mother herself.
The years Arthur had spent away suddenly felt less important than the fact that he was sitting there now.
Olivia reached across the table and placed her hand over Robin's.
"You've grown into quite a life."
"I have." Robin smiled.
"You carried Ohara's will with you all these years."
"I never stopped."
Olivia glanced at Arthur.
"And somehow, that little boy ended up with three wives."
Arthur nearly choked on his drink.
Hancock smiled proudly.
Robin looked slightly embarrassed.
Monet simply continued eating.
Adam laughed loudly.
"I stopped trying to understand that part years ago." Maria shook her head.
"I didn't plan it." Arthur sighed.
Robin turned toward him.
"That's not entirely true."
Hancock added calmly, "Not anymore."
Monet smiled.
Arthur looked around the table.
"I see everyone has decided to attack me today."
Adam raised his cup.
"Family tradition."
The laughter that followed filled the dining hall.
For a while, there was no talk of Ace.
No Marineford.
No Teach.
No World Government.
Only family.
...
Later that afternoon, the children explored the estate under Maria's watchful eye.
Arthoria was fascinated by the old armory, while Merlin seemed more interested in the library. Lancelot wandered toward the training grounds at the edge of the property.
A metallic clang echoed across the courtyard.
Arthoria stopped.
Someone was training.
A boy stood in the middle of the yard, holding a wooden practice sword. His movements were still rough, but each strike was deliberate. Sweat ran down his face as he repeated the same sequence again and again.
He was slightly older than Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin.
Sebas stood nearby, watching.
The elderly butler had aged considerably since Arthur's childhood. His once-dark hair was now almost completely white, and time had left visible lines across his face. Yet his posture remained disciplined, and his eyes were as attentive as ever.
"Ciel," Sebas called.
The boy stopped and lowered his sword.
"Yes, Grandfather?"
Sebas glanced toward the visitors.
"Come here."
Ciel approached and stood beside him.
Arthur had followed the children outside and immediately recognized the old man.
"Sebas." His expression softened.
The elderly butler looked up.
For a moment, his stern expression disappeared.
"Welcome home, Young Master."
"You're still calling me that?" Arthur smiled.
Sebas bowed slightly.
"You may become the strongest man in the world, Young Master, but you'll always be the boy who used to fall asleep on my back."
Arthur laughed.
"That was a long time ago."
"Not long enough."
Adam, who had followed them outside, chuckled.
"Sebas remembers everything."
"He always did," Arthur replied.
Arthur looked at Ciel.
"And this must be your grandson."
"This is Ciel." Sebas nodded.
Ciel bowed politely.
"It's an honor to finally meet you, Young Master Arthur, captain of ART Pirates."
Arthur raised an eyebrow.
"You know me as Captain?"
Ciel glanced toward the harbor.
"I've heard many stories about you."
"Then don't believe everything you hear." Arthur smiled faintly.
"One day, I'd like to serve you and see the world beyond this place."
"Then train hard. The sea isn't kind to people who aren't prepared."
Ciel looked at him for a moment.
"Grandfather says you're stronger than most people can imagine."
Sebas sighed.
"I said no such thing."
"You did."
"I said your training should be more disciplined."
Ciel smiled.
Arthur looked at the wooden sword in his hand.
"You've been training long?"
"Every morning."
Arthur nodded approvingly.
Arthoria stepped closer.
"What were you practicing?"
Ciel looked at her.
"A basic sword routine."
"Can I see?"
Ciel glanced at Arthur.
Arthur gave a small nod.
Ciel moved back into position.
He repeated the sequence.
His technique wasn't refined yet, but there was determination behind every movement.
Arthoria watched carefully.
When Ciel finished, she smiled.
"Not bad."
"Not bad?" Ciel raised an eyebrow.
"You're good." Arthoria grinned.
Lancelot approached from behind.
"Are you stronger than him?"
"Why are you asking me?" Arthoria turned.
Lancelot shrugged.
"I was curious."
Merlin arrived last, carrying a flower he had picked from the garden.
He looked between his sister and the boys.
"Are you two going to fight?"
"No, she'll lose." Lancelot answered.
"Who'll lose? Come on, let's fight!" Arthoria stamped her little foot angrily.
"Not today." Ciel smiled.
The three children looked at one another.
Something about that simple exchange felt like the beginning of a friendship that might last far beyond this visit.
Arthur watched them quietly.
Sebas noticed his expression.
"You worry about them."
"Every day." Arthur looked toward him.
"Then perhaps leaving them here isn't such a bad thing." Sebas nodded.
Arthur remained silent.
His eyes stayed on the children.
"They're growing faster than I expected."
"Kids always do." Sebas smiled.
Arthur looked at the old butler again.
For a moment, memories surfaced.
A much younger Arthur running through these same halls.
Sebas chasing after him.
Maria shouting from somewhere in the distance.
Adam laughing.
It felt like another lifetime.
"You've gotten old," Arthur said quietly.
"So have you, young master." Sebas smiled.
"Fair enough." Arthur laughed.
The old butler's expression softened.
"You've built quite a family, Young Master."
Arthur looked toward Hancock, Robin, and Monet standing together near the garden.
Then toward the three children.
"Yeah." He smiled. "I have."
From the veranda, Maria watched them all.
Olivia stood beside her.
"They've changed," Olivia said softly.
Maria nodded.
"They have."
Olivia glanced toward Arthur.
"And yet, when he came through that door, I could still see the little boy who used to hide behind his grandfather whenever you were angry."
Maria smiled.
"He never hid very well."
The two women laughed quietly.
Adam joined them.
"You know," he said, "Arthur may be stronger now, but some things never change."
Maria looked toward her son.
"That's what mothers are for."
...
As the afternoon slowly gave way to evening, the family gathered once more beneath the warm light of the setting sun.
Arthur stood near the edge of the garden, watching his children train casually with Ciel.
The coming journey still waited for him.
Sabaody.
Luffy.
Rayleigh.
And eventually, Marineford.
But for one evening, the sea could wait.
Behind him, Maria called his name.
"Arthur."
He turned.
She was standing beneath the veranda, her expression calm now.
"We need talk."
Arthur smiled.
"Let's talk tonight."
The evening settled gently over the Anemone estate.
By the time Arthur returned to the main hall, the last traces of sunlight had disappeared behind the Red Line. Lamps had been lit throughout the house, casting a warm glow across the polished wooden floors and long corridors that Arthur remembered from his childhood.
Dinner had ended some time ago, but nobody seemed particularly eager to leave.
Saint Adam sat comfortably near the fireplace, listening as Olivia spoke with Robin about the years they had spent traveling. Hancock and Monet were discussing the journey to Sabaody, while Maria sat beside her grandchildren, asking them questions about their lives aboard the Athena.
Arthur remained slightly apart from the others.
He stood near one of the tall windows, looking toward the harbor.
The Athena was still there.
Beyond it, the hidden entrance through the Red Line was barely visible in the darkness.
Tomorrow, they would leave.
The thought brought him back to the reason they had come.
Ace.
Marineford.
Luffy.
The coming war had not disappeared simply because he had returned home.
Footsteps approached from behind.
Arthur didn't need to turn.
"You're thinking about leaving already," Maria said.
Arthur smiled faintly.
"You know me too well."
"I've known you your entire life."
Maria stopped beside him.
Neither spoke.
Outside, the harbor remained peaceful. A few lights from the dock reflected across the dark water.
"You really are going tomorrow?" she asked.
"Yes."
"I knew you would." Maria sighed.
Arthur glanced toward her.
"I can't ignore what's happening."
"I know." Her voice was softer than before. "I just wish you didn't always have to be the one standing in the middle of it."
"So do I." Arthur looked down.
Maria studied her son for a moment.
Then she reached up and adjusted the collar of his coat, just as she had when he was a child.
"You've changed."
Arthur smiled.
"Hopefully for the better."
"You're stronger." She lowered her hand. "But strength isn't the same thing as being invincible."
"I know." Arthur's expression became serious.
"Do you?"
He met her eyes.
This time, he didn't joke.
"I do."
Maria nodded. "That is all I wanted to hear."
She turned toward the hallway.
"Come."
"Where?"
"It's built according to your plans."
Arthur followed.
They passed through a quieter section of the estate and descended a staircase Arthur remembered well. The air became cooler as they moved deeper underground.
At the bottom stood a heavy metal door.
Maria placed her hand against a small mechanism beside it.
A soft click echoed through the corridor.
The door opened.
Arthur stopped.
Beyond it stretched a vast underground facility.
Rows of machinery occupied the enormous chamber, illuminated by dim overhead lights. Pipes ran along the walls, while mechanical components and unfinished structures were arranged across several workstations.
Arthur's eyes narrowed.
"How long has this facility been operational?"
"Long enough. We began construction after you gave us the blueprints." Maria smiled "But you never came home."
"I know I'm at fault. Can you stop bringing it up?"
They stepped inside.
From somewhere deeper within the facility came a faint mechanical sound.
A soft, rhythmic hum.
Arthur looked toward the far end of the chamber.
Several large silhouettes stood motionless behind a transparent partition.
Humanoid.
Armored.
Silent.
Their forms were unlike anything normally produced by the World Government or Marine technology.
Arthur stared at them for several seconds.
"How many?"
Maria didn't answer immediately.
"Enough."
Arthur's expression sharpened.
For a moment, neither spoke.
"And they're ready?"
"They're waiting for your command." Maria turned away.
The lights inside the chamber briefly flickered.
For an instant, several pairs of artificial eyes illuminated the darkness.
Arthur's expression changed.
The machines remained completely still.
Waiting.
Maria turned away.
"You have a war to deal with."
Arthur looked at the facility one last time.
"And I will need it all after the war."
"I hope you never have to activate them."
Arthur gave a quiet laugh. "That sounds suspicious."
"It should."
He shook his head.
Then they began walking back toward the stairs.
Neither of them mentioned what stood behind the glass again.
...
Later that night, Arthur returned to the upper floor.
The house had become quieter.
Most of the crew had already retired to their rooms, while the children were asleep after spending nearly the entire day exploring the estate.
Arthur stopped outside one of the rooms.
The door was slightly open.
Inside, Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin were sleeping peacefully.
Ciel had apparently fallen asleep in a nearby chair after spending the evening talking with them.
Arthur smiled.
He stepped inside and carefully pulled a blanket over Merlin.
Then he looked toward the three children for a long moment.
Hancock appeared quietly behind him.
"We're going to miss them."
"Yeah." Arthur nodded.
Robin and Monet joined them a moment later.
None of them spoke immediately.
They simply stood there, watching the children sleep.
Finally, Monet broke the silence.
"Your mother made the right decision," Monet said.
Arthur nodded. "I know."
Robin looked toward the sleeping children. "They'll be safe here."
Hancock smiled faintly. "Which means we can finally focus on what's waiting at Marineford."
Arthur looked toward the hallway.
"And we'll have one less thing to worry about."
"Only one?" Hancock leaned against the doorframe.
"Fair point." Arthur smiled.
A quiet laugh passed between them.
They returned to their room.
The moment was peaceful.
But it couldn't last forever.
Arthur smiled faintly.
He knew sleep would be difficult tonight.
...
Before dawn, Arthur stepped out into the quiet garden with a faint smile.
The estate remained silent as he walked through the garden toward the harbor.
The sky beyond the Red Line was beginning to brighten.
The Athena waited at the dock.
Crew members were already preparing the ship for departure.
Arthur stopped at the end of the pier.
He looked back.
The Anemone residence stood quietly among the trees.
Home.
For once, the word didn't feel distant.
Footsteps approached behind him.
"Leaving without saying goodbye?"
Arthur turned.
Maria stood there with Adam and Olivia.
"I thought everyone was still asleep." Arthur smiled.
"Your mother doesn't sleep when her son is about to leave." Maria shook her head.
Arthur walked toward them.
Adam embraced him first.
"Stay alive."
"I'll try." Arthur smiled.
"Don't try." Adam gave him a firm look. "Do it."
"Yes, Grandfather." Arthur laughed softly.
Olivia embraced Robin next, then Hancock and Monet.
Maria remained in front of Arthur.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she pulled him into a tight embrace.
Arthur froze.
It had been years since she had held him like that.
His expression softened.
"I'll come back."
"You'd better." Maria held him for another moment before releasing him.
Arthur nodded.
Then Maria looked past him toward the ship.
"And don't forget that you have a home."
"I won't." Arthur smiled.
Behind them, the estate slowly came alive.
Arthoria, Lancelot, and Merlin appeared at the entrance with sleepy expressions, accompanied by Ciel.
"Dad!"
Arthur turned.
The three children ran toward him.
He crouched and embraced them.
"I'll see you soon."
"Promise?" Arthoria asked.
"Promise."
Lancelot nodded seriously.
"We'll keep training."
"I expect you to." Arthur smiled.
Merlin hugged him tighter.
"Bring me something when you come back."
Arthur laughed.
"What do you want?"
"A dragon."
Arthur stared at her.
"That's a little difficult, but I will try. Anything else?"
Merlin thought for a moment.
"Then something shiny."
"That I can do."
The children laughed.
Arthur stood and looked toward Ciel.
"Take care of them."
"I will." Ciel straightened.
Sebas appeared beside him, leaning slightly on his cane.
Arthur smiled.
"Look after everyone, Sebas."
"Always, Young Master." The old butler bowed.
Arthur gave him a final nod.
Then he turned toward the Athena.
The moment had come.
Hancock, Robin, Monet, Sabo, Law, and the rest of the crew boarded one by one.
Arthur remained on the dock for one last second.
He looked back at his family.
Maria.
Adam.
Olivia.
Sebas.
Ciel.
And the three children who would remain behind.
Then he stepped aboard.
The Athena slowly pulled away from the harbor.
Arthur stood at the stern as the distance between the ship and the estate widened.
Maria remained at the end of the dock.
She raised one hand.
Arthur raised his in return.
The hidden harbor gradually disappeared behind the surrounding cliffs.
Ahead waited the passage through the Red Line.
Beyond it lay Sabaody, where Rayleigh and Luffy were waiting.
And beyond Sabaody—Marineford.
Arthur turned toward the horizon.
His expression hardened.
The warmth of home remained behind him.
But the sea was calling again.
The Athena entered the secret passage as the first rays of morning touched the Red Line.
Deep beneath the Anemone estate, behind sealed doors and silent machinery, countless artificial eyes remained dark.
Silent.
Dormant.
Waiting for the day they would finally open.