Before the Storm

Before anyone knew it, a new storm was already brewing.

Soon after the Five Elders made their decision, Fleet Admiral Sengoku Marineford received the highest order from Mary Geoise at Marine Headquarters.

Sengoku did not delay at all and immediately convened a meeting with all the high-ranking officials of his headquarters.

"Should we hold a public execution of Whitebeard in front of the whole world?"

Great Advisor Vice Admiral Tsuru, nodded. "That's a very good idea."

"That's right."

Admiral Akainu nodded almost impatiently, loudly agreeing, "Let Whitebeard's appearance proclaim the Navy's might! The scum on the seas will be somewhat restrained and will no longer dare to act recklessly!"

The greatest threat to the people of this sea is not those infamous pirates.

Instead, they are the countless, insignificant pirates that even the navy can hardly pay attention to.

If such a public execution were carried out, then pirates all over the world would certainly be deterred!

That's Whitebeard! He was the man who held the title of strongest before that battle four years ago!

Even though he lost to Black Wolf, many people believed that Black Wolf, despite winning the battle, had suffered irreparable injuries and died because Black Wolf disappeared afterward.

The immense significance of publicly executing a man like this in front of everyone is almost self-evident.

No one in the Marine Headquarters' top brass objected; everyone felt it was a significant move to enhance the Navy's prestige.

"Then let's begin preparations!"

Fleet Admiral Sengoku nodded slightly. "Although the Whitebeard Pirates have been destroyed, countless people on the seas have benefited from his kindness."

"The Whitebeard Pirates' affiliated pirate crews are still wandering the New World to this day."

"There are other Pirate Emperor; those guys might also take advantage of the chaos to make their move."

"Therefore," the Navy's Supreme Commander slammed his fist on the thick table in front of him and shouted, "Assemble our forces and summon the Shichibukai! We cannot allow any accidents to happen during this execution!"

"Yes!"

Sirius had just finished teaching Teacher Kaido and was returning to Wano Country, was unaware that, by a twist of fate, although Ace had not been captured, another public execution was about to take place.

Shifting our focus beyond the New World, this is an island in Paradise, the first half of the Grand Line.

"Hahaha! I got it!"

The man, who already had a short beard on his chin, grinned and said to the Den Den Mushi in his hand, "I'll be there on time in Marineford!"

The person on the other end seemed completely unwilling to talk to him, and hung up immediately after receiving his promise.

"Thief, hahaha!"

The man didn't care at all, and just laughed loudly, "How tragic! Is Dad really going to be publicly executed by the Navy?!"

The Whitebeard, filial son suddenly felt a pang of emotion.

The glorious era of pirates is about to come to a complete end.

"Captain,"

A masked, muscular man approached. "Shall we head straight to Marineford?"

"What nonsense are you talking about! There's still plenty of time!"

The man put away his Den Den Mushi, laughed loudly as he stood up, "I heard there's a pretty good sniper nearby named Van Oka, let's go find him!"

Although he has become one of the Shichibukai, he is still struggling to recruit allies.

Besides him, who had direct contact with the Navy, the other Shichibukai were also receiving messages from the Navy one after another.

This group of guys, who haven't caused any big stir on the high seas for a long time, are finally starting to get moving.

"Dad's going to be publicly executed! No, I have to stop this!"

"What a joke! That Whitebeard's head belongs to me!"

"Hehehehe! The end of the last era? I can't miss that!"

"Whitebeard's time of reckoning? Let it pass. Perhaps Red-Haired will make a move."

"A forced summons? How dare they try to command me? How utterly unreasonable!"

Although the sea appeared calm and peaceful, only a few people knew that beneath the tranquil surface, turbulent undercurrents were beginning to surge.

Let's go back a little earlier, and something very, very, very coincidental happened.

On an island in the Paradise.

"Wow! This island is really prosperous!"

A boy wearing Straw Hat walked happily down the town streets of the island.

His companions walked beside him, a woman with orange hair whose face was full of relief. "We're so lucky to have found the island at sea, all thanks to Laboon!"

After crossing the Reverse Mountain, they arrived at Twin Capes.

There, they met the lighthouse keeper Crocus and a skeleton.

The skeleton's name is Brook; he's there with his companion, a giant whale.

Everyone was startled when they first saw them.

After all, the skeleton could move, jump, talk, and eat, while the giant whale could even use Armament Haki.

Both things were rather frightening.

Then, just like he always has, the idiot captain grinned and invited Brook and Laboon to join them.

Brook was initially unwilling, but he couldn't resist the idiot captain's persistent pestering, and since his dream of traveling around the world hadn't been realized yet, he joined the Straw Hat Pirates along with Laboon the Great Whale.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Crocus and Brook each told them the story of what happened between Sirius and them, and everyone couldn't help but marvel at what a wonderful coincidence it was.

Then they set sail, chose a route, landed on the deserted Whiskey Peak, and continued on without stopping, soon arriving at the next island called Little Garden.

That's when the trouble started.

The magnetic force that the Log Pose wants to store here is calculated in years!

How can we wait that long?

They should have returned to Twin Capes at this point and chosen a new route, but the idiot captain insisted that they would never turn back.

Therefore, the only option was to have Laboon tow the small boat and sail in an unknown direction.

Fortunately, it seems that Sea King like Laboon can communicate with sea monsters and ask for directions, so they quickly found another island, and the crisis was averted.

However, the idiot captain seemed completely oblivious to this, grinning as he looked around the island.

It was at this moment, while they were strolling around the island, that a woman appeared before them.

"You're Straw Hat Luffy with a bounty of 25 million Beli, right?"

The woman had jet-black hair, a prominent nose, and stunningly beautiful features. Her face was filled with an adoring smile. "May I join you?" she asked.

"Ha?"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, even the lecherous cook and musician, whose eyes began to gleam red, were wondering what was going on.

But the idiot captain couldn't think that far ahead.

He grinned and said, "Okay."

"Huh?"

Meanwhile, an unremarkable merchant ship was approaching the island.

A man in a white suit stood at the bow of the ship, with a pigeon perched on his shoulder.

You can't escape.