At the foot of the platform, the focus shifted to two approaching figures.
Garp's steps slowed as his gaze fell upon Ace's defiant back. A deep sigh escaped the old man, laden with grief and regret.
Sengoku, noting his hesitation, said firmly, "Garp, I am going to reveal everything."
Garp did not argue. He merely waved a hand, resigned. "Do whatever you want. Secrets don't matter anymore."
Whether he agreed or not, Sengoku had already made up his mind. Orders had been given. Truths would be exposed.
As Garp stepped back, placing himself at the edge of the execution platform, Sengoku advanced with deliberate authority. In his hand was a small Den Den Mushi, its receiver gleaming ominously under the sun, catching the attention of every spectator and marine alike.
Standing beside the silent Ace, Sengoku gave him only a brief, assessing glance before turning fully toward the massive crowd of marines, pirates, and witnesses. His presence alone commanded absolute attention, a weight that pressed upon the plaza like a physical force.
"Ladies and gentlemen, marines and witnesses of history, hear my words carefully," Sengoku boomed, his voice carrying across Marineford with the authority of judgment itself. Instantly, the tension in the plaza thickened, conversations vanishing into a suffocating silence that left everyone waiting for his next words.
"Today, here at Marineford, the true identity of this criminal, Portgas D Ace, shall be revealed to the world!"
Murmurs rippled among the marines, their expressions shifting from curiosity to disbelief.
"The truth?" someone whispered, barely audible.
Sengoku turned his sharp gaze toward Ace, his voice like steel. "Ace, declare the name of your father!"
Ace's lips curled into a sneer. Of course they knew. How could they not?
The sneer softened into a smirk, a subtle challenge. He would not make their task simple.
In a voice strong and unwavering, Ace declared, "My father? Don't you know? It is Whitebeard!"
Sengoku's bellow cut across the plaza like thunder. "HE IS NOT!"
"HE IS!" Ace's roar erupted, a flame of defiance burning through his chest. "THE ONLY MAN I WILL EVER ACKNOWLEDGE AS MY FATHER IS WHITEBEARD, AND NO ONE ELSE!"
An uneasy hush fell over the entire plaza. Marines, Shichibukai, and spectators alike exchanged shocked glances, tension tightening like a coil with every passing heartbeat.
After letting the silence stretch unbearably, Sengoku turned away from Ace and raised the Den Den Mushi to his lips.
"Twenty-two years ago," he began, voice grave and deliberate, "we hunted for one goal. We scoured the seas, turned every stone, followed every rumor, and investigated every whisper. All of this was done to find one child, the child of the Pirate King!"
Gasps and cries erupted throughout the crowd. "Twenty-two years ago? That was when the Pirate King was executed!"
After Gold Roger's execution at Loguetown, the world knew that the World Government had launched a campaign to investigate every pregnant woman and child across the seas. They sought to erase every trace of the Pirate King's bloodline, ensuring no heir could continue his legacy.
Children suspected of being related, even in the slightest, were taken without mercy. Pregnant women were not spared. Those who could not prove their innocence were never seen again.
Though cruel, Sengoku explained, the mission was deemed necessary for the safety and order of the world.
Many of the marines present remembered those dark days vividly, recalling families torn apart and the innocent suffering inflicted. Some had even participated in the mission, their expressions now bearing the weight of remorse and guilt.
Sengoku continued, his voice steady but heavy, "This investigation continued for many years until recently, when we finally uncovered a lead that revealed the hidden truth."
Garp closed his eyes.
Even Sengoku's tone faltered slightly as he pressed on, "On a small island in the South Blue, called Baterilla, a woman named Portgas D Rouge performed a miracle. Out of sheer love and devotion, she carried her unborn child for twenty long months to shield him from our grasp."
Ace's hands trembled as he stared down, teeth gritted until his jaw ached from the effort.
"One year and three months after the father's death, she gave birth to a son, and passed away shortly after you entered this world, Ace." Sengoku's eyes hardened as he continued, voice booming across Marineford. "DO NOT CLAIM IGNORANCE OF THE FACT THAT YOUR FATHER IS NONE OTHER THAN THE PIRATE KING, GOLD ROGER!"
Aside from Garp and Tsuru, a high-ranking officer and old friend, the entire plaza erupted in chaos. Shock, disbelief, and murmurs cascaded through the marines, the Shichibukai, and the ordinary citizens watching via live transmission.
"R-ROGER'S SON?!" someone shouted, their voice carrying the astonishment of the crowd.
"So he is not Luffy's blood brother after all," Boa Hancock muttered under her breath, wide-eyed and struggling to process the revelation.
Nearby, Gecko Moria cackled loudly, his voice piercing the tension like a blade. "His own son lives? Kishishishishi! I thought every last trace of Roger was destroyed! This is a miracle indeed!"
Amid the shocked cries and curses hurled at Ace, the living embodiment of the Pirate King's bloodline, Ace remained composed. Calm. Serene. His true lineage unveiled, yet within him, there was no turmoil, only understanding. Though he had never known his biological parents personally, they were still a part of him.
More importantly, Ace had been taught by his older sister the true meaning of family: to cherish, protect, and honor it, regardless of blood.
The words he had spoken were no act of rebellion. They were a statement of truth.
Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, was the only father Ace truly recognized. Blood mattered little compared to the bonds formed through loyalty, love, and trust. From the moment he had set foot aboard Whitebeard's ship, Ace had found a home. Whitebeard was family, alongside Garp, his siblings, and even the rough yet caring Dadan Family.
Behind Ace, Garp found himself lost in bittersweet memories, recalling the day Roger, his old rival and unlikely friend, had entrusted him with a plea from the depths of his soul.
"Garp! I'm going to be a father!"
"Bahahahahah! After all the times we've nearly killed each other, I suppose that makes us old pals now, doesn't it?!"
"I trust you as much as I trust my own crew!"
"A child who has yet to be born carries no sins, Garp. None at all."
"Please... protect my child!"
"I'm counting on you, Garp! I leave my child in your hands!"
Despite their countless battles and the official stance of enmity between them, Roger and Garp had shared a strange, deep bond. Two men born from the same sea, tied by an unspoken respect. They were supposed to be natural enemies, but somehow, they had become something far more complicated.
After Roger's death, the world spiraled into a frenzy. Fear and suspicion ruled the land as pregnant women and children connected to Roger were mercilessly hunted down and slaughtered. He managed to locate Rouge, the woman who was pregnant with Roger's child. Since he was entrusted to keep his family safe, Garp did his best to erase whatever clues that could lead the World Government to Rouge.
At that time, the World Government had been frantically dispatching Marines to every corner of the world, conducting ruthless investigations, even in the distant East Blue. Perhaps it was fate, perhaps coincidence, but Garp found himself leading the operation in the very sea he and Roger once called home.
It was during this mission, in the very seas he had once sailed with Roger, that his own son, Dragon, appeared, holding a tiny newborn in his arms.
It was his granddaughter, Naru, born the day Roger died.
Holding that small, fragile life in his arms, Garp had felt something stir deep within him. His thoughts turned to Roger, who had never gotten the opportunity to hold his own child, and to the innocent soul yet to be born, cursed by the sins of a father they would never meet. A rare tenderness overtook Garp's battle-hardened heart.
In that fleeting moment, as he hugged Naru close, he made a vow. He would raise Roger's child as part of his own family.
He had met Rouge, and was informed that she was indeed pregnant, so he waited. He waited for the birth of the child, but unexpectedly, the waiting actually lasted for a year and three months until a baby was born, named by his mother as Gol D Ace.
Thus, in the year 1502, Garp gained a grandson, and Naru gained a younger brother.
Standing on the platform, Garp gazed at Ace without regret.
'Roger... I can't protect him anymore,' Garp thought silently, sending his final farewell through the winds to his old rival.
At that moment, Ace decided to speak. "I've never denied the fact that I am the son of Roger. And you're right, I was long aware of who my blood parents are. But, keep this in mind. The only father that I have right now, is the man whose name is Edward Newgate!"
The crowd buzzed at his words, but Sengoku pressed on, unwilling to lose the momentum.
"Two years ago, you appeared bearing the surname of your mother. You had risen with frightening speed and remarkable power as the captain of the Spade Pirates. It was then that we finally realized that Roger's blood still lived on! And Whitebeard, who came to the same realization as us, chose to take in the son of his old rival onto his own ship..! Whitebeard raises you to become the next Pirate King..!"
"NO!" Ace roared with all the force in his lungs. "IF THERE IS ONE PERSON WHO DESERVES TO BE THE NEXT PIRATE KING, IT IS ONLY OYAJI! I JOINED HIS CREW SO THAT HE COULD BECOME THE PIRATE KING!"
Sengoku's voice thundered back. "You're the only one who believes that! Ever since you joined Whitebeard's crew, you've been untouchable! No Marine could lay a hand on you because Whitebeard shielded you! Given enough time, you would surely have risen to claim the New Pirate Era for yourself! To prevent that catastrophic future, we have no choice but to take your head here today — EVEN IF IT MEANS DECLARING WAR ON WHITEBEARD HIMSELF!"
"RIDICULOUS!" Ace bellowed, fury radiating from his every pore. "OYAJI IS THE ONLY ONE WORTHY OF THE TITLE!"
At that moment, a Marine dashed up the platform, pale and trembling.
"R-REPORT! THE GATES OF JUSTICE HAVE BEEN OPENED WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION! CONTACT WITH THE CONTROL ROOM IS LOST!"
"What?!" Sengoku's composure cracked, just slightly, for the first time.
"S-Sir! Look over there! They have arrived!"
All eyes turned to the horizon.
What appeared made the entire world hold its breath.
From the misty seas, countless pirate ships emerged, thought lost days ago, now charging resolutely toward Marineford.
The Marines stirred uneasily, some reaching for weapons, others stepping back in sheer dread.
"MEN! READY YOURSELVES! THE ENEMY APPROACHES!"
Among the chaos, one crucial figure remained unseen.
"WHERE IS WHITEBEARD?!" a voice bellowed. "WE NEED VISUAL CONFIRMATION!"
"FORTY-THREE SHIPS IN SIGHT!" a Marine shouted. "ALL BELONGING TO WHITEBEARD! BUT NO SIGN OF HIM!"
"AND NO SIGHTINGS OF HIS DIVISION COMMANDERS!"
"DAMN IT!" Sengoku slammed a fist against the rail. "WHERE IS HE?!"
Ace stared, heart pounding with disbelief, hope, and dread as he watched his family approach in force.
"You guys…" he whispered, voice trembling despite his strength.
Then the ocean trembled.
The final ship emerged not from the horizon, but from the very depths of the sea itself.
Rising with a force that shook Marineford to its foundations, the ship of Edward Newgate, Whitebeard himself, had finally arrived.