With a thunderous roar, countless pirates surged forward, charging toward the small plaza!
Sengoku's brow furrowed tightly.
"No! We absolutely cannot let them rescue Ace!"
"Executioner, carry out the execution early!"
Sengoku's command echoed across the battlefield.
A flash of surprise crossed Whitebeard's face.
"Sengoku! You dare?"
Whitebeard's hand glowed with a powerful aura that of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit!
"Move quickly, executioner!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
The executioner raised his blade, preparing to pierce Ace's chest.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the sky!
"Ace!"
"I'm here to save you!"
Everyone froze and looked up.
The iconic straw hat instantly revealed the identity of the newcomer.
"Straw Hat Kid!"
"Monkey D. Luffy?!"
Yes, it was Luffy!
By now, he had escaped from Impel Down, bringing along 241 prisoners, and had arrived at Marineford!
Even Garp on the execution platform froze in shock.
"L-Luffy?!"
"That idiot! What is he doing here?!"
Ace, beside him, couldn't help but yell:
"Luffy! Why are you here?!"
"Don't hesitate! We're brothers!"
Luffy roared as he leapt onto the execution platform.
Bang!
A massive explosion shook the area the platform shattered!
Luckily, Garp reacted quickly, grabbing Ace and leaping to safety atop the platform, preventing Luffy from reaching him.
This was Garp's instinct as a Marine.
Even after this, he felt a pang of regret.
"Damn it… if Luffy had gotten away with Ace…"
Sengoku and the others had no time to worry about Garp's thoughts.
Seeing Ace still in his grasp, Sengoku breathed a sigh of relief.
His brow remained tight he knew the force from Impel Down was no trivial matter.
In a glance, he recognized many familiar faces: Crocodile, Mr. 3, Buggy, and so on.
"Damn it!"
Sengoku muttered under his breath.
Ezra felt a stirring in his chest.
"Did Yuan and Tina fail…"
He wasn't worried about their lives; he had left them spiritual protection to survive.
Luffy, however, had no time for caution.
His eyes were locked solely on Ace.
Countless Marines blocked his path.
"Gear Second!"
Luffy shouted. His skin flushed crimson as steam rose from his body.
"Gomu Gomu Jet Rocket!"
He clenched his fist, releasing a massive shockwave that blasted the Marines before him away.
"Hang on, Ace!"
Luffy charged toward the platform without pause.
But the Marines would not let him succeed so easily.
A murderous glint appeared in Sengoku's eyes.
"Seven Warlords! Stop him!"
A dark green slash appeared in front of Luffy.
A cold voice rang out.
"Leave him to me."
Nearby, Mihawk advanced, his black blade Yoru in hand.
Luffy's gaze locked onto Mihawk, who remained calm and indifferent.
"Shanks said he placed his future in the East Blue. Today, I'll see what he meant by that future!"
With that, Mihawk's foot struck the ground, propelling him toward Luffy.
"So fast!"
Luffy's pupils contracted he couldn't afford any mistakes.
"Gomu Gomu Jet Pistol!"
His right hand shot forward.
Mihawk lightly sidestepped, effortlessly avoiding Luffy's attack.
His black blade swung down in a single, colossal strike.
"Black Blade Flash!"
The massive slash cut across the battlefield.
On the platform, Ezra raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? Mihawk has improved."
Kizaru chuckled.
"But he still can't defeat you, Ezra, right?"
Ezra shrugged, offering no denial.
Below, Luffy shouted.
"What?! I can't dodge?!"
At that moment, a figure appeared before him.
Diamond Jozu!
His body transformed into diamond, absorbing Mihawk's strike.
"Luffy! Father said, keep running toward the platform!"
Vista and Buggy appeared at Luffy's side.
"Mihawk, our fight isn't over yet!"
Vista shouted, charging forward with his sword.
Now facing three opponents, Mihawk couldn't disengage to fight Luffy.
Luffy seized the moment, planting both hands on the ground.
With a sudden stretch, he launched his body toward the platform.
Almost there! Just a little more!
A glimmer of joy appeared in Luffy's eyes he was nearly at Ace's side.
On the high platform, Kizaru adjusted his glasses.
"Ezra, are you not going to intervene?"
Ezra waved his hand.
"I want to watch a little longer."
"Then I suppose it falls to me to hold him off for a while. How troublesome."
Kizaru's body shimmered into golden light his powers of the Light-Light Fruit in action.
"Ever been kicked at light speed?"
"What?!"
Luffy turned sharply as a whip-like kick slammed into him, sending his body flying like a rubber projectile.
Yet, despite the impact, he landed a step closer to the platform.
"Kinda off target," Kizaru murmured, scratching his head.
Ezra's mouth twitched in disbelief.
"Off target? That was an assist, wasn't it? You did that on purpose!"
Luffy scrambled from the crater, fully realizing it.
He couldn't waste a second, launching himself upward with all his strength.
But then, before him, appeared one of the people he least wanted to see Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp.
"Grandpa! Move aside!"
Luffy shouted. He didn't want to fight his grandfather.
Garp's expression hardened.
"Luffy! I am a Marine! Only by defeating me can you save Ace!"
Garp swung his fist and charged at Luffy.
"Grandpa!"
Tears glimmered in Luffy's eyes as his right arm extended backward.
"Love Fist!"
"Gomu Gomu Jet Bullet!"
Watching Luffy strike, Garp's lips curved into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile.
Their blows misaligned the collision of Luffy's fist and Garp's body sent the Marine crashing like a kite with its string cut, far away.
On the high platform, Ezra's mouth twitched.
"What kind of terrible acting is this?"