In stark contrast to the all-night revelry in Amazon Lily, Marineford, Marine Headquarters, was now on the verge of a storm.
Because Marshall D. Teach, Blackbeard, not only captured Portgas D. Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, but also escorted him directly into the hands of Marineford!
News den den mushi spread everywhere, scattering newspapers with photos of Ace chained by Sea Stone handcuffs to every corner of the world.
In the New World, on the deck of the Whitebeard Pirates' main ship, the Moby Dick.
Marco, the First Division Commander, answered the den den mushi, his usual laziness instantly vanishing, replaced by a drastic change in expression.
He hung up the den den mushi and looked up, anxiously shouting, "Father!"
Whitebeard, with IV tubes hanging from him, turned his head. Seeing Marco's unprecedented anxious expression, he put down the giant sake bowl in his hand and said in a deep voice, "What's wrong, Marco?"
"Ace was defeated by Blackbeard and handed over to the Marines!"
"Clang!"
The giant sake bowl fell onto the deck, shattering.
The entire Moby Dick was dead silent.
Everyone's gaze converged on the figure that resembled a mountain.
Whitebeard's face showed no expression, but the surrounding air seemed to solidify, making it difficult to breathe.
"Teach!"
After a long while, Whitebeard squeezed out the name through gritted teeth, his eyes burning with fury.
In another sea area, on the Red Hair Pirates' ship.
Shanks was leaning against the mast, drinking sake, when a crew member rushed over with a newspaper.
"Boss! Something big has happened!"
Shanks took the newspaper, and with just one glance, the smile on his face completely disappeared... The shadow of war had, after all, enveloped this sea.
Pirates, kings, the Revolutionary Army from all over the world... everyone who was concerned with the direction of the Great Pirate Era was following this explosive news.
However, before they could digest the shock.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku of Marine Headquarters personally held a press conference, announcing an even more insane decision.
One week later, at Marineford, Marine Headquarters, the pirate 'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace would be publicly executed via live broadcast!
As soon as this news was released, the Grand Line completely erupted.
Publicly executing a Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates?
This was a declaration of war against the strongest man in the world, who reigned over the New World!
...At Marineford, the huge circular conference room was packed.
The Marine's highest combat power, the three Admirals—Akainu Sakazuki, Kizaru Borsalino, and Aokiji Kuzan—were all present.
A group of Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals, led by Momonga, Yamakaji, and Onigumo, had solemn expressions.
Marine Chief of Staff Tsuru, and Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp, also sat in their respective seats.
Except for Gion, who was currently with Saint Ian, all high-ranking combat personnel of Marine Headquarters were gathered here.
But among these Marine giants, there was also an uninvited guest.
Lafitte, the navigator of the Blackbeard Pirates.
He did not sit down, but instead stood by the window, elegantly leaning on his cane. The evil aura about him, so out of place with the Marines, caused many Vice Admirals present to frown.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Lafitte turned around and spoke in his theatrical, almost operatic tone, "'Fire Fist' Ace, we have already handed him over to you. Shouldn't your side fulfill your promise as well?"
"Our demands are not high," he bowed slightly, his eyes under his top hat gleaming with an eerie light, "We only ask for a position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
Sengoku looked at him, his face expressionless, and said bluntly, "Not now, the Shichibukai positions are full."
Lafitte's smile remained unchanged.
Sengoku continued, "For the next period, you had best behave yourselves. As long as you don't cause trouble during Ace's execution, once everything is over, I will personally call the World Government to secure a satisfactory explanation for you."
"Hehehe..." Lafitte let out a low laugh, shaking his head, "I hope the Fleet Admiral keeps his word."
He changed his tone, a hint of subtle threat entering his voice.
"After all, we captured Ace and handed him over to the Marines under the orders of that esteemed individual."
"If the Marines cannot give our Captain a satisfactory explanation, then we will just have to shamelessly seek justice from Saint Ian."
As the name Saint Ian was uttered, the temperature in the conference room seemed to drop a few degrees.
Akainu's brow furrowed, Kizaru's mouth twitched, and Aokiji yawned languidly.
"Enough."
Sengoku directly issued an order to leave, "This is a Marine internal meeting. Unrelated personnel, please leave immediately."
Lafitte bowed elegantly, turned, walked to the window, and grinned at everyone.
The next second, he spread a pair of pure white wings from his back and leaped directly out of the window, disappearing into the sky.
After watching Lafitte fly away, Sengoku retracted his gaze, scanned the room, and spoke in a heavy voice.
"Although Saint Ian did not explicitly state what we should do next, 'Fire Fist' Ace falling into our hands is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"A perfect opportunity to completely eradicate the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"The news has already been released. From what I know of Whitebeard, he will definitely come! He will definitely give his all to save his son!"
"Therefore, what we need to do next is to prepare for an unprecedented war!"
After a slight pause, Sengoku changed his tone and continued, "The previous incident of escorting Dragon has already caused Saint Ian to be displeased with our Marines! This time, no matter the cost, we must ensure that the Whitebeard Pirates come and never return!"
"My goal is only one!"
Sengoku stood up, his aura fully unleashed, saying, "Seize this opportunity to completely annihilate the Whitebeard Pirates!"
As Sengoku's words fell, the meeting immediately entered the specific operational deployment phase.
Summoning all Seven Warlords of the Sea, mobilizing a hundred thousand elite Marines from around the world, setting up an inescapable encirclement, and activating the Pacifista unit.
As one order after another was issued from this small conference room, the Grand Line's most massive war machine went into full operation, all for a war where only victory was acceptable, and failure was not an option!
Several hours later, the meeting concluded, and officers of all ranks departed, their faces etched with the resolve of an impending great war.
Finally, in the vast conference room, only Garp and Sengoku remained.
Sengoku looked at his old friend, who had remained silent throughout, simply eating senbei, and sighed inwardly.
"Garp."
"Hmm?" Garp looked up, his mouth still full of senbei.
"This war concerns the future of the Marines, it concerns justice." Sengoku stared at him, enunciating each word, "You, must not act on impulse!"
Garp did not speak.
He put down the senbei in his hand, his expression complex.
In his mind, the scene of Roger entrusting Ace to him in prison years ago reappeared.
He had thought this secret would remain buried forever.
But he never expected that the Crown Prince of the Holy Land, Saint Ian, had barely left Mary Geoise before turning the entire world upside down.
First, his own grandson, Luffy's, parentage was exposed, nearly costing him his life.
Luffy narrowly escaped, but Ace... Garp knew deep down that Ace would likely not escape this ordeal.
Ace was destined to become the fuse for this world-sweeping war.
And he, as a Marine Hero, could only stand at the center of this storm, watching everything unfold.
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