Whitebeard wasn't the type to lose his cool over a kid's antics.
Still, when Sabo snapped out of his daze, he rubbed his forehead with an exasperated look and quickly grabbed Luffy's arm. Turning to Whitebeard, he said, "Sorry about that, Whitebeard. My little brother doesn't know any better. Please don't take it personally."
Whitebeard just waved a hand dismissively. "No need for apologies. If you're here to save Ace, you'd better watch yourselves. Kids like you could easily lose your lives in a place like this."
At his words, Sabo and Luffy both turned their gazes toward the execution platform where Ace was held.
"We knew what we were getting into before we came," Sabo said, his voice steady.
"Damn right! We're definitely saving Ace!" Luffy declared, brimming with determination.
Whitebeard gave them a look. "Then I'll be watching to see what you've got." With that, he turned his attention to the battlefield, assessing the situation.
To an outsider, it might've seemed like Whitebeard was just barreling through with brute force, but even a legend like him—now free of injury or illness—had to tread carefully when facing the World Government. The fall of Little Oars Jr. had been a stark reminder: one wrong move could cost his crew dearly.
But before he could finish strategizing, a shout rang out beside him: "Ace, hold on! I'm coming to save you!"
Whoosh!
A figure launched forward, charging straight toward the execution platform.
It was Luffy, of course.
The moment he took off, Sabo's face fell. "Hey, Luffy, don't just rush in like that!" he yelled, but Luffy was already too far gone to hear. With no other choice, Sabo bolted after him.
Whitebeard watched, speechless. This is their grand plan to save Ace? Two kids charging headlong into danger? He shook his head, muttering to himself, "Guess I shouldn't have expected much from a couple of reckless brats."
At that moment, the World Government's forces snapped into action, launching a fierce counterattack. But Luffy and Sabo's arrival wasn't entirely in vain—it disrupted the Navy's rhythm just enough for the Whitebeard Pirates, who'd been on the back foot, to regain their footing and fight on equal terms.
As for Luffy and Sabo, their reckless charge didn't get them far before they ran into trouble. Sabo found himself surrounded by three Marine Vice Admirals, who'd recognized him as the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff.
Luffy, meanwhile, had made a spectacle of himself with his bold antics, but with a bounty of only 30 million Berries, he wasn't exactly a priority target for the Navy's heavy hitters. Still, he crossed paths with a formidable opponent: Rob Lucci, the animal-type Zoan user of the Cat-Cat Fruit, Leopard Model, hailed as the strongest CP9 member in Judicial Island's 800-year history.
In an instant, both Sabo and Luffy were tied up in their own battles, unable to get any closer to Ace.
But thanks to the butterfly effect caused by Lin Xuan, the battlefield wasn't quite what it would've been. Ace had been captured early, and Blackbeard hadn't yet infiltrated Impel Down, meaning the powerful prisoners he would've freed were now here, fighting alongside Luffy and Sabo. Not all of them cared about saving Ace, but they all had their own grudges against the World Government, so they stood united against the Navy.
The battlefield descended into a tense stalemate.
Sengoku, watching from the Navy's side, grew increasingly anxious. He hadn't planned for a drawn-out war of attrition. This was supposed to be a decisive strike to crush the Whitebeard Pirates and reassert the World Government's dominance. But things weren't going as planned. Even if they managed to wipe out Whitebeard's crew, the Navy would suffer heavy losses—hardly leaving them in a position to intimidate the other Emperors or deal with the Ninja Guild.
As Sengoku wrestled with his thoughts, a figure emerged from the Navy Headquarters building.
Steel Bone Kong.
From his vantage point aboard a hidden warship, Lin Xuan's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Looks like the old rats can't sit still anymore."
His senses picked up something else—inside the Navy Headquarters, there were several other powerful presences. One was unmistakable: the bald monk, one of the Five Elders, whom Lin Xuan had nearly killed with his Planetary Devastation. Two other auras accompanied him, likely the other two Elders.
The World Government had clearly gone all out, even deploying three of the lofty Five Elders. They hadn't planned to get involved directly, but with the battle tipping out of their favor, they could no longer stay on the sidelines.
Still, they weren't ready to throw their full weight into the fight. Instead, they sent Steel Bone Kong.
Kong didn't join the fray himself. Instead, he approached Sengoku and said, "Leave the commanding to me. You and Garp take care of Whitebeard."
Sengoku let out a relieved breath, handing over the burden of leadership. Without a word, he leaped down to where Garp stood.
Garp didn't need words to understand. With a heavy sigh, he steeled himself, and the two of them launched toward Whitebeard.
The sight of the Navy's two legends taking the field sent a surge of morale through the Marines.
"It's Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp!"
"They're finally making their move!"
"Haha, Whitebeard, your time's up!"
Amid the excited shouts, Sengoku and Garp closed in on Whitebeard. Two titans of the old era against the world's strongest man.
Lin Xuan, watching from afar, let out a soft chuckle. "Roger, it's your turn."
Roger's eyes lit up, his excitement barely contained. He'd been waiting for this moment.
----------
T/N:
You'll also get 5 extra chapters just for being a free member!
Access 40 chapters in advance on my Patreon: [email protected]//allbluestories