The warship cut through the stillness of the Calm Belt, sailing toward the Gate of Justice.
Here, there were no waves and no wind. Even the backs of the Sea Kings lay submerged in deep water. A few albatrosses circled above the cliffs, not daring to land on the warship's masts.
Ace sat cross-legged on the deck, his hands cuffed behind his back with seastone handcuffs.
The inner edges of the cuffs followed the curves of his wrist bones. That cold, draining sensation unique to seastone seeped through the skin of his wrists into his veins, pressing the flames inside him into ashes.
He leaned silently against the ship's side, the back of his head resting against the cold metal railing. His orange cowboy hat had fallen to the ground at some point. Pushed by the sea breeze, it rolled halfway around on the deck and stopped before the toe of Onigumo's boot.
Onigumo glanced down at the hat. He did not bend down. He merely nudged it lightly with his boot, pushing it into a corner by the ship's side where no one would step on it.
There was neither insult nor pity in the gesture.
Only an indifference that ran bone-deep-not toward Ace himself, but toward all pirates.
He turned and walked toward Tsuru, who stood at the bow. His military boots struck the deck, every stride a regulation length.
"Impel Down is ready to receive him. The Gate of Justice will open shortly." Having finished his report, he stepped aside, returning to his position half a pace behind Tsuru.
Tsuru nodded.
The sea breeze lifted her white hair, brushing the strands across the wrinkles time had carved into her face.
This woman, who had stood on the Marines' front lines since before the Great Pirate Era began,