Ace's Seastone handcuff suddenly opened. Sengoku was startled, but he immediately stepped forward and picked up the Seastone handcuff. Enduring the weakness spreading through his entire body, he put the "heavy" handcuff back on Ace's wrist.
There were less than three hours left before Ace's execution. Only Ace and Sengoku stood on the execution platform. Sengoku knew that, as a Devil Fruit user, touching Seastone was dangerous, but he had no choice.
Sengoku let out a long breath of relief and looked toward the area diagonally below the execution platform. A video-transmitting Den Den Mushi was hidden there. Although he really wanted to cut out the earlier scene and keep it from being broadcast, this was a live broadcast.
On the Sabaody Archipelago, bubbles floated upward. Beneath several giant screens, the reporters looked at one another and remained silent.
"Why don't we... just pretend we didn't see it?"
A reporter who knew how to read the situation spoke up. If what had just happened got out, it would definitely become an indelible scandal in Marine history. The Seastone handcuffs restraining the dangerous criminal Portgas D. Ace had suddenly opened because of poor quality. It was practically a joke.
"Pfft~"
One reporter really could not hold it in and burst out laughing. The other reporters nearby also had trembling shoulders. If not for the more than one hundred Marines surrounding them, all of them would have already laughed out loud.
On the execution platform, Sengoku crouched behind Ace and examined the Seastone handcuff. He was considering whether it had opened because of a quality issue or human interference.
"Someone come here."
As soon as Sengoku spoke, an officer carrying orders hurried onto the execution platform.
"Go get another pair of Seastone handcuffs."
"Yes, sir."
The officer was just about to leave