"Yeah, I know," Mike responded, his voice utterly indifferent, as if this world-shattering news was nothing more than a passing breeze disturbing his bathwater.
"Captain Mike…" Jinbei's voice was tight with anxiety. "What… what should we do?"
On the other end of the line, in the Ryugu Palace on Fish-Man Island, Jinbei was pacing frantically as restless as an ant on a hot pan.
"Pops would never stand by and do nothing. But Fish-Man Island…"
The island had just begun its grand transformation, entering a new era of stability and prosperity.
This sudden declaration of war had thrown everything into turmoil.
He knew Whitebeard cherished his sons above all else; a war with the Marines was now a certainty.
Jinbei was torn, caught between his loyalty to Whitebeard and his duty to protect his home, which was now under the protection of the very same Marines.
"Moreover, the Marine Headquarters has issued a mandatory summons for the Warlords," Jinbei's voice was tinged with bitterness.
"I don't want to answer it… I was planning to go to the Holy Land… to see if I could somehow prevent this war from happening." His voice grew quiet, heavy with the knowledge of how slim that hope was.
"It's useless, Jinbei," Mike interrupted, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable, comforting authority.
"Trust me. Since Headquarters has made the decision to publicly execute Ace, the war is inevitable. Anything you try to do now will be in vain."
"But…" Jinbei started to protest, his heart refusing to give up.
He recalled Mike's actions on Fish-Man Island, the display of unfathomable power and connections that had saved their home.
If a man like Captain Mike said it was hopeless, then perhaps it truly was.
"As for Fish-Man Island, Enel is standing guard. Nothing is going to happen there," Mike continued, his voice leaving no room for doubt.
"No one dares to cause trouble in my territory—not even the Celestial Dragons. Regarding the summons, you should come to Marineford, Jinbei." Mike paused, a soft sigh escaping his lips.
"I'll introduce you to some comrades. They're all our people now. Just follow my lead, and you can take it easy."
"...Alright," Jinbei said, his voice filled with a newfound resolve.
In the end, he chose to place his trust in Mike.
After all, the young Marine Captain had already created too many miracles to count.
After hanging up, Mike casually tossed the Den Den Mushi to Kuro and leaned back, continuing to enjoy the soothing hot springs.
He closed his eyes, but his mind was racing.
'The Summit War… this grand, world-changing spectacle is finally about to begin.'
The Marines, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Seven Warlords… all the major players were being swept into the maelstrom.
And what role would he play in it all?
.....
While Mike relaxed, the rest of the world was descending into a frenzy.
The news of Ace's impending execution spread like wildfire, carried by every News Coo to the farthest corners of the globe.
From the calmest seas of the East Blue to the treacherous waters of the Grand Line, a powerful undercurrent of anticipation and fear began to surge.
"ASSEMBLE! ASSEMBLE! DESTINATION—MARINEFORD!"
"HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! THIS IS A DIRECT ORDER FROM FLEET ADMIRAL SENGOKU!"
"ALL OFFICERS RANKED CAPTAIN AND ABOVE, LEAD YOUR ELITE TROOPS AND BOARD THE SHIPS IMMEDIATELY!"
"MOVE! WHAT ARE YOU STANDING AROUND FOR?!"
"THIS IS WAR! W-A-R!"
Across every Marine branch in the world, the blaring horns of warships echoed, a deafening call to arms.
On the docks, uniformed soldiers surged toward the vessels like a tidal wave, their faces grim, their eyes filled with a steely resolve.
"FOR JUSTICE!"
"FOR PEACE!"
"FOR HONOR!"
Their chants merged into a mighty soul-stirring torrent.
Warships, like arrows loosed from a bow, sliced through the waves, all converging on a single point: Marineford.
A war that would decide the fate of the era was about to begin.
.....
In the New World, the waves raged, but the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Moby Dick, floated in an eerie silence.
The usual clamor of its rowdy, cheerful crew was gone, replaced by an oppressive, heavy atmosphere that felt as if it could suffocate a man.
Whitebeard sat upon his enormous captain's chair, his back as straight and unmoving as a mountain.
His iconic crescent-shaped mustache fluttered in the sea breeze, but it couldn't hide the deep lines of weariness etched into his face.
Behind him, Marco stood with his arms crossed, the distinctive blue flames of his Phoenix fruit flickering faintly, unable to dispel the gloom in his heart.
Ace was captured.
He was going to be executed.
For the Whitebeard Pirates, there was no hesitation, no debate.
Their goal was singular: save their brother.
"Haah…"
A long, heavy sigh escaped Whitebeard's lips, his voice tinged with an unmistakable weariness.
"I really am getting old. Otherwise, how would that bastard Sengoku dare to do this?"
He slowly closed his eyes.
For a fleeting moment, the image of Mike's young, impossibly confident face flashed through his mind.
"Mike, you brat…" Whitebeard muttered to himself, a trace of deep regret in his tone.
"Maybe I really should have listened to you…"
If he had heeded Mike's advice on Fish-Man Island and recalled Ace, would things have turned out differently?
But there were no "ifs" in this world.
"Gurararara…"
A low chuckle rumbled in Whitebeard's chest.
It lacked his usual boisterous power, but it carried a new, unbreakable resolve—the grim determination of a man marching toward his destiny.
His eyes snapped open, radiating an intimidating, fierce intensity.
"Listen up, my sons! PREPARE FOR BATTLE!" his voice boomed across the silent ship.
"No matter the cost, we WILL bring Ace back!"
With their captain's command, the vast armada of the Whitebeard Pirates and their allies began to move, their destination the same as the Marines': Marineford.
As the Moby Dick began to cut through the waves, Whitebeard picked up a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
This was his last resort, the final escape route he had prepared for his family.
"Purupurupuru… Purupurupuru…"
The call connected.
"Hello?" a lazy voice answered from the other end.
"Mike, you brat. It's me," Whitebeard said, his voice solemn and heavy.
"I need to ask you for a favor…"
-----------------------------
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