"Hey, aren't you a Warlord of the Sea? You should be at Marineford right now. Why did you come to Impel Down?"
Belo Betty looked at the approaching prison, her mind full of questions. Her clothes were now buttoned up tightly, a stark contrast to her previous outfit. She was afraid that Adrian would see her unblemished skin. Even with her wild personality, she couldn't stand his predatory gaze. It gave her the unsettling feeling that she could be taken right then and there. Damn, what a scary man! Betty tried to encourage herself with her fruit's power, but it couldn't shake the fear he instilled in her.
"What good would being a Warlord do if it wasn't for coming here?" Adrian smiled but offered no further explanation.
Bello Betty hadn't officially agreed to join him yet, but he wasn't worried. He was confident that after he brought her to Impel Down and they "harvested" a few things, she would definitely join. Because if she didn't... she would surely die.
"But... aren't you worried that Dragon will rescue the Straw Hat boy?" she asked before they stepped into the prison. She could tell that Adrian had been intentionally stalling.
"Hahaha!" Adrian burst into hearty laughter. "Don't worry," he said with an air of absolute certainty. "They won't be able to save him."
"Huh?" Betty was confused.
Adrian immediately provided the answer. "Because before I let them go, I had already confirmed with my observation haki that the escort ship had entered the Gates of Justice." He had been toying with Dragon all along.
"You... you really are a twisted guy." Betty stared at Adrian, a mix of fear and dread in her eyes. Despite his young age, he was terrifyingly powerful and cunning. What a monster.
"The ... that your Observation Haki? Can it really sense that far?"
"Hahaha, my Observation Haki is very special. Not only can it sense things from a great distance, but I can also listen in on what you're thinking," Adrian said, his playful gaze sweeping over her. Betty quickly pulled her clothes even tighter.
Damn you, you pervert!
At Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"Fleet Admiral, the warship that was hijacked by the Revolutionary Army outside the Gates of Justice has been sunk. The number of enemy casualties is unknown," a soldier reported. Sengoku's mood lifted slightly upon hearing the news.
"Garp's son is nothing but trouble. He even got Vice Admiral Onigumo killed at a time like this. If this affects the public execution, I'll never forgive them!" Sengoku slammed his hand on the desk, veins bulging from his forehead. A golden light shimmered behind him. The death of a veteran elite like Onigumo was a huge blow to Marine's morale.
"Keep this news under wraps for now... But is it really a good idea to just keep Garp locked up?" Tsuru asked worriedly.
"What else can I do?" Sengoku's face was grim. "If that old fool isn't locked up, he might as well do something stupid. In addition to his two grandsons, that boy Dragon is involved as well. I can't let him do anything to ruin Marine's reputation. Send some men to take the Revolutionary Army's second-in-command to the execution platform. I want those scumbags to know that the consequence of attacking Marine is nothing but death!" Sengoku's final words came out through gritted teeth, and he punched his solid wooden desk, splintering it.
He had taken every precaution, but the news that Luffy would also be executed had already spread. With Dragon's forced intervention, the situation was already spiraling out of control. The Revolutionary Army's meddling could shift the balance of power, erasing the advantage Sengoku had worked so hard to build. This was the last thing he wanted. He wished he could go back in time and beat Garp senseless. Then he wouldn't have to worry about this family's mess.
"I hope Garp can control his emotions," Tsuru sighed deeply. She didn't want to see Garp do anything reckless. With his personality, while betraying Marine was nearly impossible, it was highly likely he would commit suicide to apologize for his actions after saving his grandson.
"By the way, why hasn't Adrian returned? With his strength, he shouldn't have been killed by those people, right?" Tsuru asked after a moment of silence.
Adrian was the reason Marine was in such a passive situation. Yet, his actions to protect the escort ship puzzled Tsuru. Could they have been wrong about him all this time? Was his previous behavior truly just to earn the title of Warlord?
"This time, we have him to thank. But things are probably far from as simple as we think. With that kid's personality, he might not be helping Marine for free," Sengoku said, a perplexed look on his face. Even he and Tsuru, two of the greatest minds in Marine, couldn't figure out the motives of this 18-year-old boy. Although he suspected Adrian was the one who escalated the war, his actions—aside from handing over the Straw Hat crew to the World Government—had never been over the top. He had also shown cruelty and a distaste for pirates, which completely confused Sengoku. Even if he knew Adrian was up to something, he had no idea what it was.
Sengoku felt both angry and frustrated. Why hadn't this bastard joined Marine in the first place? He looked at the time, then slowly stood up. He looked out the window at the packed Marine phalanx.
"It's almost time. It's time to head to the execution platform and announce the truth to the public."