Chapter 97 Garp Takes Action
[A moment ago·Revolutionary Army Headquarters·Baldigo]
The sky was swallowed by thick dark clouds, and the strong wind tore through the dense forests of Peach Color Island like an angry beast.
Inside the giant conference hall of the Revolutionary Army headquarters, the air was so thick that water could almost be squeezed out of it.
On the huge live screen, the tragic battlefield of Marineford was clearly visible——
The moment when Ace was crushed by Rogge;
Whitebeard's figure collapsed like a landslide;
Luffy's heart-wrenching cries;
Every frame of the picture was like a sharp knife piercing the hearts of everyone present.
Long stood in front of the screen, his black robe fluttering in the wind.
His fists were clenched so tightly that they made a crackling sound. His nails dug deep into his palms and blood dripped silently through his fingers.
"Luffy... old man..."
His voice was as low as thunder, and every syllable was filled with anger and sorrow suppressed to the ultimate level.
Those eyes, which were always calm, were now filled with a terrifying storm.
powerlessness towards his son;
Guilt towards his father;
Murderous intentions towards the World Government;
The cadre behind him opened his mouth but ultimately remained silent. He had never seen Long lose his composure like this before.
"Bang!"
A muffled sound suddenly broke the silence. Everyone turned around and saw Sabo kneeling on the ground, clutching his hair tightly with both hands, his knuckles turning white from the force.
"Ace...Luffy...no...don't die..."
His pupils contracted violently, his eyeballs were bloodshot, and two lines of scarlet tears rolled down his cheeks, blooming into glaring flowers on the white floor tiles.
The flood of memories was tearing his brain apart -
The port of the Kingdom of Goa;
Celestial Dragons' artillery fire;
My brother's cries;
"Aaaaaaahh ...
"Sabo!!!" Koala was the first to rush forward, but was blown back by an invisible air wave.
Bello Beti's cigarette fell to the ground.
Dragon instantly flashed to Sabo's side and grasped his shaking shoulders, "Calm down! What did you see?!"
Sabo's throat uttered broken words:
"I remember now... Ace... is my brother ahhhhh!!!"
Before he could finish his words, a violent Haki erupted! The glass in the conference room shattered, and several soldiers fainted.
Long looked at Sabo's crazy state with a dark look in his eyes.
But in the end he just took a deep breath, put one hand on Sabo's head, and said in a deep voice:
"Remember this pain and turn it into fire."
"Burn this twisted world—"
Outside the window, a flash of lightning split the dark clouds, illuminating Sabo's bloody face. His fist slammed into the ground, and cracks spread like spider webs.
[Marineford Offshore · Red Force]
The storm raged, dark clouds gathered, and it seemed as if the whole world was mourning the tragedy at Marineford.
The Red Force was like a sharp blade, splitting the surging waves and rushing towards the sea stained red with blood.
On the deck, the crew were silent, only the strong wind tore at the canvas, making a shrill scream.
Shanks stood alone at the bow, the setting sun as blood-red as the sun, reflecting his tattered cloak and also the rare gloom and struggle in his eyes.
"Shanks."
The deep voice of First Officer Benn Beckman came from behind him, the flame of his pipe flickering in the wind and rain.
"Whitebeard is dead, Ace is dead, Marine has won—the war is almost over."
He took a deep puff of cigarette, his eyes sharp as a knife:
"If you go there now, Rogge won't let you go!"
Shanks didn't look back, but slowly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the effort.
"...I know."
Beckman narrowed his eyes. "Then why go?"
After a long silence, Shanks finally spoke, his voice so low that it was almost swallowed by the wind and rain:
"Because...Luffy."
His gaze penetrated the rain, as if he saw the boy collapsing and screaming on the battlefield - the child wearing a straw hat who had lost everything.
"He's the 'possibility' I'm betting everything on... to stay in this world."
Beckman frowned. "Because he looks like Roger, the Pirates' King?"
Shanks's mouth twitched slightly, and a dark glint of near paranoia flashed in his eyes.
"No… because he's more like 'the man' than Captain Roger."
(Flashback: That Night in Windmill Village)
Shanks stood outside the tavern, looking at young Luffy from afar.
His eyes were not filled with pure relief, but rather a certain... greedy expectation.
"Captain Roger, the person you're waiting for...is he really that person?"
Shanks' fingers gently stroked the old cracks on the straw hat and whispered:
"I spent twelve years... watching him grow up, watching him shout out those words, watching him walk towards the sea step by step..."
His voice gradually turned cold:
"I can't let this... just end like this."
Beckman's pupils shrank slightly - he had never seen Shanks look like this before.
"Are you using him?"
Shanks closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were full of determination:
"No... I was just 'guiding' him."
The Red Force finally broke through the rain, and the ruins of Marineford were within sight.
Shanks slowly drew out the Griffin, the blade reflecting his stern face.
"This time, I'm not coming as a 'Pirates'..."
He stepped forward, his cloak fluttering, and Conqueror's Haki swept out like a tide!
"——but as a 'guide to a new era'!"
Beckman looked at his back, remained silent for a long time, and finally took a deep drag on his cigarette, waved his hand and shouted:
"All ships! Prepare to engage!"
[Marineford·Top of the Ruins]
The air was filled with blood mist and the sky was burning with flames.
The flag of the Whitebeard Pirates turned to ashes in the setting sun and dissipated in the wind.
The few remaining captains, covered in blood, stood back to back in the center of the battlefield.
Joz was half-kneeling on the ground, his diamond body covered with cracks and blood slowly flowing along the cracks.
He looked at the gradually extinguished blue flame and said with difficulty: "Marco...is this the end?"
The wings of the Phoenix drooped. Marco gritted his teeth, looked at the incoming Marine elites and the Blade of Rectification hanging high in the sky, and finally lowered his head.
"Dad... I'm sorry..."
Following Sengoku's cold judgment--
"Whitebeard Pirates, wiped out!!!"
On the battlefield, desperate wails resounded through the sky.
Rogge crushed the Pirates' tattered flag and walked towards the Straw Hat Crew step by step.
Luffy collapsed on the shattered ground, tears and blood mixed together, his eyes were empty and lifeless, and he only whispered: "Ace... Ace..."
Zoro gritted his teeth, dropped to one knee, and gripped the broken hilt;
Robin formed seals with his hands, but was unable to summon even a single petal;
Nami curled up in Chopper's arms, tears streaming down her face;
Usopp fell weakly to the side with one arm, his body charred and his breath barely alive.
Rogge stopped and looked down at the "remnants of the Straw Hat Army" with cold sarcasm in his eyes.
"Those guys from East Blue..."
"Tell me—why?"
"Why do you still want to be Pirates?"
These cold words, like thunder, shattered the last fantasy.
Nami's thoughts returned to the village of Kokoasi, the orange grove that had regained its peace thanks to Rogge's rectification;
Usopp thought of the peaceful starry sky of Xiluobu Village;
Zoro closed his eyes, the vows he made as a child in the Shimotsuki dojo coming to mind.
Rogge raised his right palm, and the air was compressed wildly, forming a ball of destructive light!
"This ocean has been cleaned up so cleanly. East Blue's peace and stability doesn't need to be disturbed by pirates!"
"But you, insist on betraying this hard-earned peace!"
The air twisted like flames, and a final blow that could crush everything was about to fall!
At this moment——
A thunderous roar split the sky!
"Rye!!!!!"
The iron fist broke through the air, and the air exploded!
Wrapped in the Conqueror's fist, it hit Rogge's face hard!
"boom----!!!"
Rogge fell like a meteorite, and was blown hundreds of meters away by this punch, crashing through the huge plaque of "Justice", with stone chips flying everywhere and broken stone pillars collapsing like a mountain!
The whole audience was shocked!
"Vice Admiral Garp?!"
"Garp... took action?!"
Sengoku's eyes widened, "Garp!! Are you crazy?!"
Rogge slowly stood up from the ruins, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth and his eyes as cold as stars.
"Finally... have you shed your hypocritical mask? Marine hero?"
Garp tore his tattered cloak, his body covered with scars, and Haki surged like a raging wave!
"Rogge!! I won't let you touch Luffy again!!!"
In the distance—Sakazuki was furious: "Old man! How dare you attack me?!"
Lightning exploded in the sky, and Enel was like the god of thunder descending to the earth: "Foolish old traitor, how dare you hinder the will of God!"
Lava and thunder came towards Garp almost at the same time!
Garp took a step forward, Haki turned into a huge wave, and his fists blasted out like giant pillars!