March has passed in the blink of an eye, and today is Ace's execution day. Ace himself has been escorted here from Impel Down by the Navy and is kneeling on the high platform that has been set up. As soon as the time comes, he will be executed without hesitation.
Sengoku and the others were already on high alert. Sengoku and Garp stood on the execution platform, below them were the three Admiral, Kizaru Akainu, and Aokiji, the highest combat power of the Navy, and below them were Gion and the others.
Although many of these people already possess Admiral- level strength, they are still far inferior to Kizaru and his two companions. Moreover, the Navy only has three Admiral, which is the limit that the World Government can tolerate.
On the huge plaza stood tens of millions of elite naval personnel, all of them at the Commodore level, elites who had practiced the Navy One Hundred and Eight Powers created by Wang Hao.
The Navy's strength today is many times greater than it was a few years ago, and it has long surpassed the so-called Four Emperors of the Sea.
If it weren't for their fear of the World Government, the Sengoku would have already marched into the New World.
There are three major powers in this world: the World Government, the Navy, and the pirates.
These three forces form a triangle, mutually restraining each other and creating a delicate balance.
If one side is lost, the balance will be broken, and the remaining two sides will inevitably become enemies.
It sounds ridiculous, but that's reality!
"Bang!"
"I told you not to become a pirate, why didn't you listen!"
Sitting cross-legged, Garp punched Ace on the forehead, his tiger eyes filled with tears and boundless grief.
"Old man, I'm sorry, but I had no other choice!"
Ace felt guilty but never regretted looking at the old man's sorrowful face beside him. He dared not look at the old man's face.
As a descendant of the Pirate King, there was absolutely no way he could follow the path his grandfather had laid out for him; he could only end up becoming a pirate.
No, you have another option!
Suddenly, a calm voice came from the sky, and the people of the Sengoku looked up in shock.
" Zephyr!"
"Teacher!"
Sengoku and the others exclaimed in surprise, and Kizaru and the others couldn't help but stand up. They really didn't expect their mentor to arrive at this moment.
Wang Hao slowly landed on the execution platform, gestured with his hand to indicate that Kizaru and the others did not need to come over to pay their respects.
" Zephyr, what brings you here?"
Sengoku frowned, unable to suppress his worry.
He had also received information about his good friend's physical condition, and to be honest, it was a miracle that he had managed to hold on until now.
In this state, death could occur at any moment, let alone coming to this kind of battlefield.
" In the Sengoku, I am a naval officer. I would rather die on the battlefield than on my sickbed. A soldier's ultimate honor is to die on the battlefield!"
Wang Hao's solemn expression revealed a resolute determination.
These words deeply moved everyone present, and their respect for Wang Hao deepened even further. He truly deserves to be called the strongest role model in the Navy!
What did you mean by what you just said?
At this moment, Ace couldn't help but speak up; he was very concerned about what Wang Hao had just said.
Garp, Sengoku, and the others also turned their attention to Wang Hao, equally curious and puzzled by his words.
"Although you have the blood of the Pirate King Roger flowing in your veins, you also have the blood of your mother. Roger made a big mistake, but your mother did not. Your mother risked her life to protect you back then, not so that you would grow up to be a pirate."
Wang Hao said indifferently that he had never felt sorry for Ace's death. Since he had decided to become a pirate, he should be prepared to face death.
It's just a pity for that great woman who risked her life to give birth to Ace. Ace was the continuation of her life, but she never expected to face such an end more than 20 years later.
"Your mother made you inherit her surname so that you would sever ties with Roger and have a completely new life. Roger entrusted you to Garp before he died because he didn't want you to go astray because of him, but you still went down the path they least wanted to see, truly inheriting Roger's sins."
Ace opened his mouth, but ultimately lowered his head in dejection. He could have refuted other words, but when it came to his great mother, he couldn't bring himself to say it, no matter how many reasons he had.
"Do you think you're going to die today because of your pirate identity and Roger's bloodline? You're wrong, terribly wrong. The reason you're dying today is because you're Garp's grandson and Whitebeard's adopted son."
The World Government is increasingly wary of the Navy and has long wanted to weaken it. This time, they can use your death to force Garp to leave, and at the same time, use Whitebeard to destroy the Marine Headquarters, suppress the Navy's reputation, and make the seas run wild again.
From beginning to end, you were just someone else's pawn. Do you remember who told you that you were Roger's son?
Wang Hao was also curious about how Ace knew he was Roger's son, and even asked Garp about it, but Garp didn't know either.
However, someone must have told Ace this on their own initiative, since Garp would never tell Ace this. Only by knowing that he was Roger's son could Ace have made up his mind to embark on the path of pirates.
Therefore, the person behind this secret must have extremely malicious intentions.
" Ace, Grandpa also wants to know who exactly led you down the path of piracy?"
Garp also realized what was happening, and a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.
He had originally planned many paths for Ace; even if he didn't become a Marine, he could have done other things, and being a pirate was just the worst option.
But Ace quietly became a pirate back then, catching him off guard. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late.
Now that his grandson has been sent to the Execution Platform, leaving him, an old man, to bury his young son, he naturally harbors intense hatred for the person behind it all.
Ace remained silent, clearly unwilling to reveal the other party's identity.
"I know even if you don't say it, it's Red-Haired Shanks!"
Wang Hao sneered.
In recent years, his Observation Haki has improved considerably, and he has gained many incredible abilities, one of which is the ability to silently perceive fragments of memories that others are pondering.
He had just seen the image of Red-Haired Shanks in Ace's mind, except that Shanks in that memory was still in a state where both hands were intact.
It just so happens that Shanks once visited Foosha Village in the East Sea and even Luffy, that brat, into embarking on the path of piracy. So, Ace, who lived with Luffy, was obviously also tricked by Shanks.
Ace looked at Wang Hao in shock, not understanding how the old man knew about this. He had never told anyone about it, not even his Pops, Whitebeard.
" Red Hair!"
With his fists clenched, Garp growled in a low voice, his old eyes gleaming with a scarlet light, a palpable killing intent brewing within them, clearly showing his intense hatred for the Red-Haired Shanks.
You know, his other precious grandson Luffy was tricked into becoming Shanks by that bastard Shanks, and now even his grandson Ace was tricked by that bastard.
They schemed against both of his grandsons; did they really think Iron Fist Garp's fists couldn't kill?
" Sengoku, get ready. We don't know about Kaido and Charlotte Linlin yet, but Red-Haired Shanks will definitely come. Since we've planned all this, we can't be absent from this battle."
Wang Hao reminded him in a cold voice, his tone extremely confident.
In fact, in the Pirate King anime storyline, Red-Haired Shanks did arrive at the battlefield at the very end, and the timing was quite clever, as if it had been calculated.
Moreover, it seems that Shanks has some kind of secret connection with the Five Elders of the World Government. Although he doesn't know Red-Haired Shanks' true identity, this alone is enough to make him wary.
Therefore, when Rayleigh sent Shanks ' information three years ago, he did not create any martial arts techniques or skills for him.
Although Red-Haired Shanks appears very heroic in the story, he will never create martial arts techniques for someone until he understands their relationship with the World Government.
He would never do anything to aid the enemy!
"I see!"
With a grim expression, Sengoku's evaluation of Red-Haired Shanks rose several notches once again. It now seemed that Shanks was the most deeply hidden and the most terrifying of the Four Emperors.
" Garp, when your son arrives, don't interfere. Let me handle him."
Wang Hao suddenly chuckled mischievously and said meaningfully.
"Is that bastard Long going to get involved too?"
Sengoku's face darkened, and he glared fiercely at Garp looked completely bewildered.
He naturally knew that the revolutionary Long was the son of his best friend, and also one of his former subordinates!
He just didn't expect that Dragon would also be involved in this war. Although it was unbelievable, since it was his good buddy Zephyr who said it, he must have obtained some definite information.
"He's not a dragon, he's one of Garp's godson."
Wang Hao shook his head slightly and smiled, nodding towards Ace beside him.
Garp, with his single-mindedness, remained completely bewildered, not understanding the meaning of Wang Hao's words. Sengoku, however, realized what was happening, his face twitched slightly, but he didn't say anything.
To be honest, Ace was Garp's grandson, but Whitebeard recognized Ace as his adopted son. So, if you think about it that way, Whitebeard should indeed call Garp" father."
Thinking of this, even someone with the Sengoku's composure couldn't help but chuckle.
"You're not allowed to insult your Pops!"
Ace wasn't stupid; he understood Wang Hao's meaning in a moment's thought. He was furious and struggled to stand up to attack Wang Hao.
Unfortunately, the Seastone shackles were too effective against him, a Devil Fruit User. He was still weak and sore all over, and even standing up was difficult, let alone fighting.
Reminded by his grandson, Garp realized his mistake, slapped his forehead, and grinned, "That's right! When that old bastard Whitebeard comes over later, I'll have to make him call me 'Dad'!"
A blinding light flashed into Wang Hao's eyes. He squinted and saw that it was reflected from his best friend Garp's forehead.
Looking at the other person's shiny bald head, his eyes twitched involuntarily, and he almost burst out laughing.
This guy really is bald!
It turns out that Garp had a wig glued to his forehead. He just slapped his forehead and ripped the wig off, revealing his shiny, highly reflective forehead.
"Old man, why are you losing your hair?"
Ace was also blinded by the reflection, and when he saw his grandfather's shiny bald head, he was completely stunned.
His grandfather's new look is really...
He didn't know what to say.
Kizaru and the others were equally dumbfounded, then their faces twitched as they tried to suppress their laughter; the pose was just too hilarious.
" Zephyr!"
Noticing something amiss, Garp quickly straightened his wig, glaring angrily at his best friend Wang Hao, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
If it weren't for the inappropriate situation and the fact that he couldn't beat this bastard, he would have wanted to fight to the death immediately.
When that old bastard gave him the Superman Devil Cultivation Method, he didn't mention any of these terrible side effects. Now, all the hair on his forehead has fallen out, and even his eyebrows are starting to fall out.
Before long, he'll be a blank slate, how will he ever face anyone again!