Roy tapped his fingers on the table.
"Those core members— Marco, Jozu, Vista, these captain-level figures—if they're willing to come to Hachinosu, I'll reserve a place for them."
Crocodile nodded. " Marco's Phoenix Fruit and Jozu's Diamond-Diamond Fruit —they are indeed top-tier fighters."
"It's not just about combat power."
Roy looked out the window at the night sky.
"That Whitebeard man, although I haven't drunk with him many times, I acknowledge his charisma."
He protected his sons his whole life; if the pirate crew were to fall apart after his death, he wouldn't be able to rest in peace.
Crocodile didn't say anything more, stood up and patted Roy on the shoulder, "Suit yourself. You're in charge of Hachinosu anyway."
As he reached the door, Roy called out to him.
" Crocodile, you did a good job in that Alabasta scene."
Crocodile waved his hand without turning his head, "If you make me do this kind of thing again, I'll have to fight you first."
The door closed.
Roy stood by the window, looking at the scattered lights in the direction of the harbor.
The port lighthouse was still spinning, its beams sweeping across the sea and illuminating the dark hull of the Pluton Battleship anchored in the outer harbor.
One month.
A month later, this sea will be stained red with blood.
He wanted to be the one standing at the very top of the blood-red tide.
Meanwhile, at Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, on the other side of the Grand Line.
The Sengoku was precisely because he was signing a document that would change the world order.
The document contained only a few lines of text, but every word carried immense weight.
" Portgas D. Ace, son of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."
The public execution will be carried out on [date] at Marineford Square, Marine Headquarters, in the Sea Circle Calendar.
After signing the last character, Sengoku put down his pen and let out a long breath.
The moonlight shining through the window shone on his gray hair, making his wrinkled face look even older than usual.
"Hopefully, this time, we can successfully take down Whitebeard, the strongest man."
He muttered something to himself and then pressed the Den Den Mushi on the table.
"Issue the order—all naval officers, enter Level One combat readiness."
Den Den Mushi came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi, followed by a series of "yes" replies.
Sengoku leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
He knew what this war meant.
If they win, the navy's prestige will be restored to its peak.
We lost--
He didn't think any further.
Because he can't afford to lose.
Even as he closed his eyes, the lighthouse in Marineford harbor continued to spin its beam, casting a golden halo onto the dark sea.
This is just the beginning.
In the year 1520 of the Sea Circle Calendar, a message, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, spread from Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, to the entire world through News Coo and radio Den Den Mushi.
" Portgas D. Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, has been arrested by the Navy."
It has been verified that the criminal is a blood relative of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
Marine Headquarters decided to publicly execute him in Marineford Square one month from now.
News Coo swarmed to every corner of the sea, and newspapers featured Ace's photo on their front pages—an orange cowboy hat, freckles dotting his cheeks, and those defiant eyes that remained even when bound by Seastone chains.
The whole world was in an uproar.
East Blue, Loguetown.
The plaza where Gol Pirate King Roger, was executed was packed with people, all talking about it.
Roger actually had a son?
"Still alive?"
What has the navy been doing for the past twenty years?
"Excellent! This evil bloodline should be eradicated completely!"
Cheers erupted everywhere, and vendors even took the opportunity to sell T-shirts printed with Ace's wanted poster, doing incredibly well.
In a tavern in a small fishing village in the South Blue, a group of old pirates gathered around a radio listening to the broadcast. After it ended, they all fell silent.
An old pirate with a gray beard put down his wine glass, a complex light flashing in his cloudy eyes.
" Captain Roger... he even has a son..."
The first half of the Grand Line, the Alabasta Kingdom.
Princess Vivi stood on the palace balcony, clutching a newspaper in her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly. Although she had never met Ace, she knew he was Luffy's brother.
King Cobra stood behind her, remaining silent for a long time before speaking.
"This war will change the entire world order."
Meanwhile, in the New World, in the waters off Sphinx Island, the Whitebeard Pirates ' fleet is assembling at full speed.
On the deck of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard sat in that huge chair, clutching a newspaper so tightly that the edges of the paper were tearing.
Before him stood all sixteen captains, including Marco, Jozu, Vista, each with an expression of anger and fighting spirit.
" Pops, give the order."
Marco's voice was filled with suppressed anger, and his usual lazy expression was completely gone.
Whitebeard did not answer immediately.
He looked up at his sons, whom he had raised single-handedly over the years, and saw the anger and determination on their faces. A slow smile spread across his lips.
"Sons--"
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone on deck could hear him clearly.
"Ready to go. Let's bring Ace home."
There were no impassioned oaths, no passionate speeches.
With just that one sentence, the Whitebeard Pirates entered a state of war.
The flags of forty-three affiliated pirate crews were raised around the flagship. The fleet was so large that the sterns could not be seen from the bow, and it set off in a mighty procession toward Marineford.
At the same time, in East Blue Foosha Village.
Rouge saw the newspaper in Makino's tavern. The tray she was carrying fell to the ground, glasses shattered, and wine splashed onto her faded apron, but she didn't feel a thing.
The photo in the newspaper—the young man in the orange cowboy hat,
Those eyes, exactly like hers; that face, exactly like Roger's—
Her hands began to tremble.
It started at my fingertips, spread to my wrists, spread to my arms, and finally my whole body was trembling.
Makino quickly helped her up and led her to a chair behind the bar.
Rouge gripped Makino's arm, her nails digging into her skin, her lips trembling as she couldn't speak.
Rouge didn't know how she got home. She only remembered picking up Den Den Mushi and dialing a number she thought she would never dial herself.
" Mr. Garp, Ace —could you—"
Her voice trembled, and each word seemed to be squeezed out of her throat.
There was a long silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
When Garp's voice came through, he sounded much older than she remembered.
"I... I'm sorry, I can't help it."