Another day began with the usual morning exercise routine. Zoro and Tashigi engaged in a fierce duel, but it was quickly cut short when they were both sent flying. Tashigi was clearly distracted, and while everyone noticed, no one commented on it.
Everyone on the crew understood Tashigi's dilemma. She was torn between her sense of justice as a Marine and her loyalty to her new "crewmate". Ultimately, this was a decision only she could make, and no one felt they had the right to sway her. Even Ikki, who was a master of manipulation, found himself at a loss for words.
He couldn't just say, "Tashigi, quit being a Marine and be a pirate with us!" Such a suggestion would be trampling on her deepest beliefs. But the thought of her leaving to return to the Marines was equally painful.
She had become a genuine companion, and it was clear she felt the same way. The problem was, Marines and pirates could never be true partners. This was a personal choice, just like when Vivi chose to stay behind in Alabasta.
"Zoro, this is all on you from now on," Ikki thought to himself. "As her fake childhood friend, you're the only one who can help. She might complain about you, but she trusts you more than anyone else on this ship!"
With that in mind, he decided to give them some space and took Robin on a walk through the city. Even Luffy remained silent about the situation. Ikki figured it was best to let Tashigi work through it on her own until she couldn't hold back anymore.
Ikki and Robin spent a lot of money visiting the city's information brokers, which were essentially the dark corners of the underworld. Robin was well-versed in this world, so Ikki brought her along. She seemed happy, holding his arm the entire time, looking like a couple out on a date. He bought a large stack of newspapers and intelligence reports.
The news confirmed that the Warlords had received a summons from the Marines and were on their way to Marine Headquarters.
The execution of Ace was officially scheduled, and the Marines were determined to use the Warlords' strength to fight Whitebeard and his crew.
Their goal was to use this opportunity to eliminate one of the Four Emperors once and for all. The reports also noted that Jimbe, the "Knight of the Sea," had refused to join the battle and had willingly been imprisoned in Impel Down alongside Ace.
There was also no response from Boa Hancock, the Empress of Amazon Lily, so it was unclear if she would participate in the war.
"It looks like the Marines are serious about this," Robin said, her expression grave.
"The official announcement will be in the newspapers soon," Ikki replied, not surprised. "The entire world will know."
This was a decision made not just by Fleet Admiral Sengoku, but by the entire World Government. Ace's lineage as the son of the Pirate King was a powerful symbol.
A successful execution would send a message to every pirate on the seas. However, Ikki knew that Sengoku and the World Government weren't the only ones with a plan; this was exactly what Blackbeard wanted.
He was hoping for a war where both the Marines and Whitebeard's crew would be weakened, leaving him to come out on top.
"But with the Straw Hats joining the battle, Blackbeard will never get his way!" Ikki silently vowed, a dangerous glint in his eyes.
Blackbeard was the kind of pirate who would do anything to achieve his goals, even killing his own crew members and adoptive father.
He was arrogant and conceited, and Ikki had no respect for him. In contrast, Ikki had a degree of respect for Whitebeard. For this war, he wanted Whitebeard to live and Blackbeard to die.
Just then, his Den Den Mushi rang. He quickly pulled Robin into a secluded alley to answer it.
"Hello? Sabo?" Ikki said, surprised to hear from him.
"Is that you, Ikki? Does Luffy know that Ace is about to be publicly executed?" the Den Den Mushi asked anxiously.
"Yeah, we know. I was just waiting for the official newspaper announcement to confirm the date and then we were going to head straight for Impel Down."
"Don't. I'll handle Impel Down. Just tell Luffy to hold off."
Ikki was taken aback. "What? You're going to do it yourself?"
"I'm already heading there to rescue a partner of mine," Sabo explained. "It'll be easier if I have someone on the inside to help. Just tell Luffy not to come to Impel Down. I'll get Ace out, I promise."
"Okay, then the Straw Hats will wait at Enies Lobby," Ikki said. "If anything goes wrong, we'll go straight to Marine Headquarters!"
"...Alright. Consider it a backup plan, just in case," Sabo agreed.
Sabo was confident in his own ability to save Ace, but he wasn't reckless. Anything could happen in a fight against the Marines.
If the rescue at Impel Down failed, then a direct assault on Marine Headquarters would be the only option. And knowing Luffy, he would never give up.
Sabo was only slightly concerned about Luffy's safety because he knew just how powerful the Straw Hats had become.
After hanging up, Ikki and Robin returned to the port.
"Was that Sabo, the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army? I never knew he was Luffy's brother," Robin said, a genuine look of surprise on her face.
"You haven't met him yet, have you?" Ikki remembered. "He and Luffy reunited in Alabasta a while back. It was a really touching moment, but since he's with the Revolutionary Army, we didn't take any pictures."
Robin simply nodded, not overly interested in the Revolutionary Army itself, but still intrigued by Sabo's connection to Luffy. When they arrived back at the ship, Ikki told Luffy what Sabo had said.
Luffy grinned, showing his teeth. "So Sabo is going to handle Impel Down! Awesome! Then I won't worry. We'll just follow Teacher Ikki's plan and wait at Enies Lobby, just in case. But I know Sabo will be able to rescue Ace!"
Luffy's trust was completely blind. He didn't know Sabo's strength, but he still had faith in him. It was the same blind trust he had in Ace, even though Ace had ultimately lost to Blackbeard.
Fortunately, Sabo was in a completely different league now. After eating the Flame-Flame Fruit, he had a fighting strength comparable to a Marine Admiral, so there was no need to worry about him.
Ikki's main concern was how the Marines would react. Sengoku most likely knew about the relationship between Ace and Luffy and would surely anticipate the Straw Hats' intervention.
He would undoubtedly make arrangements, perhaps by reinforcing the defenses of Impel Down or even inviting the World Government's forces to join the war. In short, this Summit War was going to be anything but smooth.
Soon after, new newspapers were distributed across the globe.
"The Marines to Publicly Execute Portgas D. Ace, Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division, at Marine Headquarters!"
The news sent shockwaves across the entire sea. All eyes turned to Marine Headquarters, awaiting the massive battle that was about to unfold.
The final section of the story describes the preparation for the Summit War. How do you think the different crews and forces, like the other Emperors or the Revolutionary Army, will react to the news of the impending war? What kind of actions might they take?
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