Arima heard a knock at the door and immediately knew the young man Dragon had mentioned, the one called Sabo, had arrived.
"Come in!"
A moment later, a handsome young man stepped into the room.
He wore a black top hat with a pair of wind goggles attached beneath the brim, a blue military-style uniform, and a long black overcoat.
The way he carried himself was sharp and full of spirit. A scar marked the area around his right eye, likely the result of a burn long ago.
"Third Hokage, Chief, Sabo reporting for duty!" Sabo stood straight and saluted the two men formally.
They both gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
At that moment, Luffy was saying goodbye to his crewmates when he suddenly heard a name that struck his heart like lightning, "Sabo."
His whole body froze. That tall, upright back looked so familiar.
Though the years had changed the man's appearance, his voice, his blond hair, and even his clothes were exactly as Luffy remembered them from childhood.
"Sabo?" Luffy shouted, his voice trembling.
Sabo turned his head at once when someone called his name. His gaze fell toward the corner of the office, a young man wearing a straw hat.
The sight stunned him. The person before him overlapped perfectly with the figure who had appeared countless times in his dreams.
"Luffy?" Sabo blurted out, calling the name that had never once left his heart.
"Eh? What's going on? It's the first time I've ever seen you, but… why do you feel so familiar?
Why do I feel so happy? Why can't I stop crying?"
Sabo wiped at the tears streaming down his face, murmuring softly as emotions surged uncontrollably.
"Uwaaah… Sabo, you're really alive! You're really alive! This is… this is amazing!"
Luffy lunged forward, crashing into Sabo and clinging to him tightly. His face was covered in snot and tears, smearing them all over Sabo's coat.
And at that instant, Sabo's lost memories came flooding back. The young man clutching him was his brother. His brother, Luffy. After ten long years, he was finally reunited with family.
Then another name surfaced in his mind, Ace.
Scenes from the past flashed before his eyes, the three of them stealing sake from Dadan to swear brotherhood, building a secret base together, hunting and playing in the mountains, sharing dreams beneath the stars.
Those memories, long buried, now played vividly in his mind.
"Alright, Luffy, I'm fine. I didn't die. I'm really fine! But Ace… he…"
Sabo's words trailed off as realization struck him, the man about to be executed was none other than his other brother, Ace.
"Uhh… Ace… Ace is going to be executed!" Luffy choked out between sobs.
Sabo's expression darkened instantly. He hadn't expected that his long-awaited reunion with family would coincide with his brother's impending execution.
Ace's life was hanging by a thread, and Sabo could never stand by and do nothing.
"Third Hokage, Chief, Ace is Luffy's and my brother. I must go save him," Sabo declared firmly, his voice resolute as steel.
Neither Arima nor Dragon had expected things to take such a turn. Both were momentarily stunned.
But seeing Sabo's determination, Arima didn't try to stop him. Dragon, however, tried to reason with him, hoping he'd think carefully.
"You're going to save Ace, I completely understand, and I support you.
But we'll need to rearrange some things here first. We'll find someone to take your place.
You and Luffy should catch up for now. I'll discuss the rest with Arima."
Dragon ultimately chose not to voice what he was truly thinking.
Soon, everyone left the Hokage's office, leaving only Arima and Dragon inside.
"Kuma is one of the Seven Warlords, right? Let him take Sabo's place. After this battle, the dust will settle anyway. Even if his cover is blown, it won't matter much," Arima suggested.
"Hm. That's probably our best option for now," Dragon agreed. "Still… among the Warlords, who else could we potentially win over?"
"Hawkeye Dracule Mihawk and the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, both are worth a try. As for Mihawk, I can ask Shanks to reach out. But the Empress… I don't have any connections there."
"The Empress, huh? Then I'll leave that to you. I don't know her at all," Dragon said helplessly.
"Alright. I'll visit her with Tsunade later," Arima replied. "By the way… do you know Ace's true identity?"
"Hm? Ace's identity? Why do you ask?"
"I doubt the Five Elders would stage such a massive public execution just for the commander of Whitebeard's second division.
If that were the case, they've had plenty of chances to crush the Whitebeard Pirates before."
"You mean…?"
"I suspect there's more to Ace's lineage. His surname is Portgas, and I recall Shanks once mentioning a woman with that same family name."
"Who?"
"Portgas D. Rouge, the wife of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King," Arima said slowly.
"Now that you mention it, I remember. Back then, Garp and the Navy launched a massive hunt for Roger's bloodline.
When the search ended, Garp came back with a baby, that baby was Ace."
"So you're saying… Vice Admiral Garp secretly preserved Roger's bloodline?"
Arima frowned, unable to understand why the Navy's hero would do such a thing.
"Garp and Roger were both rivals and comrades. They once joined forces to defeat the Rocks Pirates, who ruled the seas in their era.
And knowing Roger's unpredictable nature, it's not impossible that he entrusted his child to Garp before his death," Dragon explained.
"I see… Garp truly is a man of emotion. And Roger, worthy of the title Pirate King indeed," Arima said with a sigh.
"So, in short…"
"So the World Government wants to erase Roger's bloodline in front of the world, to symbolically destroy the Pirate King's legacy.
They've always branded Roger as a 'demon,' and executing his son would not only boost the Navy's prestige but also crush the morale of those who still chase the dream of the Pirate King."
"Then perhaps we should inform Shanks," Dragon mused. "Though, I suspect he's already figured it out."
"That's likely. Still, I'll give him a call."
Arima took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed Shanks.
"Hey, Shanks, where are you now?"
"In the New World. What's up?"
"You've heard about Ace's execution, right? What do you make of it?"
"There's nothing I can do about it," Shanks replied with a sigh.
"I personally tried to persuade Whitebeard not to go after Teach, but he wouldn't listen.
That man… he's dangerous. When I fought him, he left these three scars over my left eye. That should tell you how deadly he really is."
"Then… do you know who Ace really is?"
"Ace? He's Garp's grandson and the Second Division Commander of Whitebeard's crew, Portgas D. Ace… wait, what are you saying? Could it be…?"