Time crawled by with agonizing slowness as Fleet Admiral Sengoku continued his address to the world. Jerry stifled a yawn behind his hand, his casual demeanor a stark contrast to the gravity of the moment. Among all the assembled forces, he seemed to be the only one treating this like a boring lecture rather than a historic execution.
What escaped everyone's notice—except perhaps Jerry's keen observation—was a flicker of something unexpected in Admiral Aokiji's usually impassive eyes. For just an instant, confusion and internal struggle crossed the ice admiral's features before he quickly concealed them behind his trademark lazy expression.
"Therefore, today's execution carries significance far beyond the elimination of two criminals," Sengoku declared, his voice carrying across the plaza and to every corner of the world. "If we allow these threats to continue unchecked—"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The thunder of distant cannon fire erupted from the foggy horizon, cutting through Sengoku's speech like a blade. The sound echoed across the water, immediately shifting the atmosphere from solemn ceremony to impending battle.
"Are they finally here?" Marines throughout the plaza turned their attention toward the sea, hands instinctively moving to their weapons.
Sengoku's expression hardened as he raised his voice above the growing din. "All forces, assume battle stations! This is not a drill!"
Through the mist, dozens of ships of various sizes and designs materialized on the horizon, their cannons already blazing as they engaged the Marine patrol ships in long-range combat. The distant flashes of artillery lit up the fog like deadly fireworks.
"Fufufufufu! Finally!" Doflamingo's manic laughter rang out as he clapped his hands together in delight. "I was starting to get bored! Let's see some real chaos!"
Jerry glanced sideways at the grinning Warlord with mild annoyance. "What's got you so excited? Did you invest in coffin making or something?"
Doflamingo turned to respond, but his words died in his throat as confusion replaced his grin. Around them, the other Warlords and Marine officers were displaying similar expressions of bewilderment.
"What the hell?" Sengoku muttered from the execution platform, his eyes scanning the harbor below. "That's impossible..."
Vice Admiral Tsuru, positioned at the plaza's edge, shook her head slowly. "This is a critical oversight in our defensive formation."
Doflamingo stared at the waters of the crescent-shaped harbor, his grin returning with renewed intensity. "How bold of them to emerge right there..."
The murmur of confused voices grew louder among the Marine ranks as they tried to understand what they were seeing.
SPLASH!
A massive geyser of water erupted from the center of the harbor, sending waves crashing against the docks. From beneath the surface, a single pirate ship burst forth like a breaching whale, water cascading off its hull as it settled onto the waves.
"My stupid little brother!" a familiar voice boomed across the entire plaza. "You sure know how to worry everyone!"
At the ship's prow stood Portgas D. Ace, his trademark orange hat and beads catching the sunlight. Behind him, arranged in a perfect line, stood several figures in matching light armor, each holding a standard knight's sword and striking identical heroic poses.
"Who the hell are they supposed to be?" a Marine shouted from somewhere in the ranks.
"Pirates? Are you kidding me? Just that handful of guys?"
"How did they get into the harbor? Are they lost?"
"What's with those ridiculous poses?"
Not just the Marines present, but viewers around the world found themselves staring in complete bewilderment at the unexpected spectacle.
"Seriously, whose bright idea was this costume thing?" Zoro hissed through gritted teeth, maintaining his pose despite his obvious embarrassment. His left hand rested on his hip while his right held his sword diagonally upward. "It was bad enough wearing this getup, but did we really have to do the synchronized posing too?"
Ace stood at the bow with his arms crossed, radiating confidence despite the absurdity of their entrance. Behind him, the rescue team—Deuce, Cavendish, Brook, Sanji, Zoro, and Chopper—maintained their formation in matching light armor.
Unlike Sanji and the others, who wore their helmets openly, Deuce, Cavendish, and Brook had face-concealing helmets that matched their armor, adding an air of mystery to their already theatrical appearance.
"Stop complaining!" Sanji shot back, his voice filled with righteous indignation. "Jerry's idea was brilliant! We're here as knights to rescue the fair Lady Robin... and Luffy too, I guess!"
"Yeah, Zoro!" Chopper added with sparkling eyes. "Don't you think we look super cool like this?"
Cavendish, who had been born a prince, and Brook felt completely natural in their knightly attire and formal poses. The only one who shared Zoro's sense of shame was Deuce, but since his helmet concealed his face, he kept his complaints to himself.
"Wow! Ace! Zoro! Sanji! Chopper!" Luffy's voice carried clearly from the execution platform, his eyes literally sparkling with stars. "You guys look so awesome! I'm so jealous I could cry!"
After the initial shock wore off, Sengoku's commanding voice rang out across the plaza. "Fire Fist Portgas D. Ace... and the surviving members of the Straw Hat Pirates."
The Fleet Admiral's gaze shifted meaningfully toward Jerry's back, clearly wondering where the former Spade Pirate's loyalties lay in this confrontation.
Jerry felt the scrutiny and scratched his head with apparent confusion. "Oh hey, it's Ace! What's he doing here?"
"Fufufufufu! How interesting!" Doflamingo's laughter took on a more sinister edge as he realized the implications.
The other Warlords remained impassive, though Jinbe's expression tightened almost imperceptibly as he watched his former ally prepare for what could only be a suicide mission.
But Sengoku wasn't finished. He had one more bombshell to drop—one that would shake the very foundations of the world.
"It's no surprise that you would walk directly into our trap," Sengoku continued, his voice carrying a weight that made even the distant cannon fire seem quiet. He glanced toward the corner where Garp stood with his hands covering his face, then fixed his steely gaze on Ace.
"Portgas D. Ace... we've known for more than two years, ever since you first set sail using your mother's surname. You built a reputation with the Spade Pirates through extraordinary skill and determination."
The plaza fell silent except for the distant sounds of battle. Every person present seemed to sense that something momentous was about to be revealed.
"But we know the truth about your heritage," Sengoku declared, his words cutting through the air like a sword. "You are the son of the Pirate King, Gold Roger!"
The effect was immediate and overwhelming. Gasps echoed throughout the plaza and around the world as the revelation hit like a thunderbolt.
"Roger's son..."
"Impossible! Wasn't everyone connected to Roger supposed to be dead?"
Regardless of their position or location, people watching the broadcast felt the same earth-shaking shock. The name of the Pirate King still carried tremendous power even after all these years.
"This is incredible! Get this back to the mainland immediately!"
"The Pirate King's bloodline... still alive after all this time..."
Below the execution platform, the three Admirals each showed their own reactions. Kizaru let out a thoughtful "Ohhh," while Aokiji's expression remained carefully neutral. Akainu's already stern face became even more granite-like, his fists clenching with barely contained fury.
"Enough with the nonsense!" Ace shouted back, his voice carrying across the water. "I only have one father, and that's Whitebeard! No one else!"
Sengoku's expression didn't change. "You can deny it all you want, but we have irrefutable evidence."
"On Baterilla Island in South Blue, your mother—Portgas D. Rouge—performed a miracle that defied all medical knowledge. She carried you in her womb for twenty months, sacrificing her own life to ensure your birth and hide you from our searches."
"I said stop talking about that!" Ace's composure cracked slightly, painful memories surfacing at the mention of his mother. "Whitebeard is my father! That's the only truth that matters!"
"Your protests only confirm what we already know," Sengoku replied coldly. "When we first became aware of your existence, Whitebeard took notice as well. He brought you aboard his ship with the intention of grooming you to become the next Pirate King—the son of his greatest rival."
"That's not true!" Ace's voice rose to a near-roar. "I joined his crew to help him become Pirate King! Everything I've done has been for his sake!"
"You're the only one who believes that," Sengoku shot back. "If Whitebeard hadn't been protecting you all this time, we would have eliminated you long ago. But since you've delivered yourself to us today, you'll never leave this place alive!"
"All forces, advance and—"
CRASH!
A sound like thunder split the air, interrupting Sengoku's command. Every head turned toward the source of the noise, and what they saw made even hardened Marines take a step back in awe.
"Marines..." The voice that followed was deep, powerful, and filled with paternal fury. "What exactly do you think you're doing to my beloved son?"
From the waters behind Ace's ship, an enormous figure began to rise. The sea itself seemed to part before him as the massive form of Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate emerged into view, his legendary bisento gleaming in his hands.
"WHITEBEARD!" The name erupted from a thousand throats simultaneously.
"How did he get there?!"