Ace

A brief silence fell on the other end of the Transponder Snail.

After a while.

Just as Shiryu wondered whether Sengoku had gone off to handle something else.

His slightly weary voice finally sounded.

"I agree."

"Shiryu, I'm very pleased that you took the initiative to request participation in the defense of Marineford."

"With a powerful swordsman like you assisting us, our losses in this operation will be reduced considerably."

"After this incident, I'll reassign your position."

Inside the warden's office, Shiryu felt slightly relieved.

"Thank you, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."

"Mm."

Then, as if recalling something, Sengoku suddenly asked:

"Where's Magellan? Can he answer the call?"

Shiryu's pupils constricted.

He knew that Sengoku, the Marine Fleet Admiral known as the Tactical Genius, still did not completely trust him.

But that was only natural.

Given how he had slaughtered prisoners throughout Impel Down several years ago.

And now he was suddenly acting so proactive—no one would fully trust him.

Still, he did not dwell on it and immediately replied:

"Magellan is resting outside. I'll go call him in."

"Good."

Shiryu placed the Transponder Snail on the table and walked straight out of the warden's office.

Inside the warden's office, Devon was completely dumbfounded.

Go get Magellan to answer the call?

Had Shiryu gone mad?

What exactly was going on?

Just as she was about to step out of the room, she saw Shiryu return, staring at her with cold eyes.

Devon froze, not knowing what he wanted.

Then she saw Shiryu point at her before pointing at the Transponder Snail.

Devon was not completely stupid.

She quickly understood what Shiryu meant.

That cold-blooded bastard had already figured out my ability.

As she thought that.

Nine furry, fluffy fox tails suddenly shot out from behind her.

Then a cloud of pink smoke enveloped her body.

A few seconds later, when the smoke dispersed, Magellan, warden of Impel Down and King of Hell, appeared inside the warden's office.

"Magellan" picked up the Transponder Snail and, in a somewhat weak voice, gave Sengoku on the other end a detailed report of the prison break.

Shiryu glanced at him, then picked up a camera Transponder Snail and left the room.

At the same time, on the other end of the Transponder Snail.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku looked at the dozen or so photographs transmitted by the Image Transponder Snail, and the heart he had been holding in suspense finally settled.

His tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed as well.

The photographs showed some destroyed building wreckage inside Impel Down, as well as dead guards.

They also showed Blackbeard Teach being locked in a cell.

Straw Hat Luffy lying on the ground.

Buggy the Clown unconscious and barely alive.

And members of the Blackbeard Pirates—Burgess, Van Augur, Doc Q, Lafitte, and the others—covered in blood and lying amid the ruins.

There was also Crocodile slumped on the ground, Jinbe with a caved-in chest, and Ivankov with his body shriveled up.

If Sengoku had still harbored doubts toward Shiryu, who had spoken from Impel Down earlier.

Then after seeing these photographs that could not be faked, he truly believed that the Impel Down riot had indeed been completely resolved.

Sengoku sighed. "Shiryu was right. Magellan's ability truly is too powerful. Especially within the enclosed confines of Impel Down, the Venom-Venom Fruit's power is amplified without limit."

"If the side effects of the Venom-Venom Fruit were not so severe, leaving Magellan without more time and energy to train his physical skills and Haki, his combat strength might rival Sakazuki and the other two."

"With Magellan guarding the Undersea Prison, it will be absolutely impregnable."

At that moment, a burly old man with a crew cut and a square face stood inside Sengoku's Fleet Admiral's office as well.

He was none other than Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral and Marine Hero, Garp.

Hearing Sengoku's sentiment, Garp curled his lip. "Impregnable? Then what about Golden Lion?"

"Uh..."

Sengoku choked on his words, unable to respond for a moment.

After a long while, he finally said, "How many Golden Lions are there in this world? There aren't many men who can forcibly cut off their own legs."

Garp nodded. "True. There's only one Golden Lion."

Sengoku was taken aback. He had not expected stubborn Garp to concede so quickly.

But immediately afterward, he heard Garp continue:

"But Impel Down also has that brat Bullet, that old bastard Red, and that frozen dead man Bondi Waldo."

Sengoku: "..."

"Can't you say something auspicious for once?" Sengoku rolled his eyes in irritation. "Don't lose your reason over Fire Fist Ace."

Garp's face twitched. He suddenly grabbed a photograph from the table and roared at Sengoku:

"Reason? What reason am I supposed to have?"

"I only have two grandsons! One is about to be executed, and the other was arrested for breaking into a prison! How am I supposed to stay reasonable?!"

"Who told them to become pirates? Those are the consequences they must bear!"

"I never wanted them to become pirates either!"

"Who told you to be so lax in disciplining them? I told you from the beginning that you didn't know how to teach children. I told you to bring your grandsons to Marine Headquarters for proper training and education, but you refused to listen!"

"How was I supposed to manage them? Every single one of those little brats has their own ideas. They simply wouldn't listen to me!"

Outside the Fleet Admiral's office, Brannew stood drenched in sweat, listening to the roaring from within as he hesitated over whether to push the door open.

Fortunately, the shouting soon stopped.

Before long, the door opened, and Sengoku and Garp, both wearing white capes, walked out unharmed.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, it's time."

Brannew glanced at Garp and spoke cautiously.

"Mm. Let's go."

Sengoku nodded, giving Garp beside him a deep look before taking the lead outside.

Garp followed with his head lowered, no one knowing what he was thinking.

Marine Headquarters Prison.

"Fire Fist Ace, under orders, we will immediately escort you to the execution platform. We hope you will cooperate."

The heavy iron door opened. Ace, his hands bound in heavy Sea-Prism Stone shackles and dragging a long chain behind him, was held by two Marine soldiers, each gripping one side of the chain as they led him down the long corridor toward the exit.

At the end of the exit was a flight of stairs slanting upward toward the execution platform.

Looking out from the dim corridor, that was the only source of light.

Ace was haggard. Strands of hair hung messily over his temples, his lips were slightly cracked, and the freckles on his cheeks could still be seen.

Ace's eyes remained incomparably steady.

Without needing the Marines to drag him by force, he walked step by step toward the exit, his pace calm and resolute.

Silent and wordless, he showed none of the fear or panic of someone about to be executed.

His expression was calm, as though he had already prepared himself for everything.

"Thud, thud, thud."

On the narrow stairway, Ace's heavy footsteps echoed through the deathly silent, gloomy space.

The winding stone stairs were not long, yet they were the final stretch of his life.

"Listen, Luffy!"

By his ears, like an auditory illusion, came the oath spoken many years ago by two spirited young boys at the shore of Foosha Village, facing the blue sky, white clouds, and vast azure sea.

"In this life, we have to live without regrets!"

"Yeah!!"

Thud, thud.

The footsteps continued to echo at an unhurried pace.

But the stone stairs gradually reached their end.

An ancient, weathered gate appeared before him.

Creak—

The heavy gate was pushed open by two Marines, and dazzling sunlight pierced through the gap, tearing apart the darkness.

"One day, we'll set sail and live according to our own will!"

"Freer than anyone else!"