The Marine who heard him immediately nodded and ran inside.
Soon,
Ace, dragging a bloodied Teach, passed through the archway of Marine Headquarters, the heavy chains scraping an ear-splitting sound across the granite ground.
The Marine soldiers on the training plaza stopped their movements, staring in astonishment as "Fire Fist" Ace, a Warlord, dragged a disfigured black-haired man.
"Is that 'Fire Fist' Ace?"
"Who is he dragging? He looks like a dead dog…"
"That person seems to be half-dead."
Whispers spread through the crowd.
Suddenly, a majestic sound of footsteps came from behind.
The crowd parted like a tide as Fleet Admiral Sengoku strode over in his marshal's cloak, with Garp following behind, chewing on a senbei and smiling.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku." Ace flung Teach forward, "This is my proof of allegiance—Blackbeard Marshall D. Teach, a traitor of the Whitebeard Pirates."
Teach struggled to lift his head, his swollen eyes barely opening a slit: "Sen…Sengoku??? Did he really bring me to Marine Headquarters?!"
A strange silence suddenly fell over the scene.
Sengoku frowned as he scrutinized the dying Teach on the ground, then suddenly laughed: "This…little pirate? Just a small fry, is he even worthy of being a Warlord's proof of allegiance?"
The surrounding flag officers immediately chimed in with laughter:
"Hahaha, just a deserter from the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"I thought it was some great pirate!"
"He wants to be a Warlord with this level? How naive!"
Garp stood behind Sengoku, seemingly nonchalantly munching on his senbei, but his gaze never left Ace's face.
He noticed that his adopted grandson's expression was not anxious, as if he didn't care about everyone's mockery.
"Unqualified." Sengoku flicked his cloak. "Go find a more respectable pirate. At least someone with a bounty over 500 million…"
"500 million?!" The surrounding Marines gasped.
Ace suddenly laughed. He squatted down and grabbed Teach's hair: "Did you hear that? Fleet Admiral Sengoku says you're worthless."
As he spoke, he leaned close to Teach's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Do you want to tell them…your identity?"
Teach's cloudy eyes suddenly widened, and he struggled to say something, but Ace had already stood up, abruptly pulling Teach's collar and turning towards Sengoku, his voice like thunder exploding in the Marine plaza:
"The 'little pirate' you speak of—" He deliberately drew out the words, "—he is the blood heir of Rocks D. Xebec!"
This sentence exploded like a bomb in the crowd!
Sengoku's marshal's cloak fluttered without wind, Garp's senbei fell to the ground, and even Akainu, who had just arrived at the plaza, his pupils suddenly constricted to pinpricks, heard this shocking news!
The entire Marine Headquarters instantly fell into a deathly silence; even the recruits stopped their training.
"Non…Nonsense!" A Vice Admiral was the first to break the silence, but his voice was clearly trembling.
Ace calmly pulled out a blood-stained logbook from his pocket and casually tossed it to Sengoku: "See for yourself. From his appearance alone, he bears a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to Rocks."
"This…this…" Sengoku looked closely, his expression shocked.
The Marines across the entire plaza were stunned.
The young soldiers exchanged glances, not knowing what the name "Rocks" signified;
While the veteran flag officers turned pale, some even unconsciously taking a few steps back.
Garp slowly walked to Ace's side and heavily patted his adopted grandson's shoulder: "Well done, kid."
His eyes gleamed with complex emotions, "I really didn't expect you to capture Teach."
Ace shrugged indifferently: "My Warlord position is secure now, right?" He kicked the already unconscious Teach, "Is this proof of allegiance weighty enough, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
Sengoku's face fluctuated between expressions, finally taking a deep breath: "From today onwards, 'Fire Fist' Ace officially becomes a Warlord!"
He turned to the messenger beside him, his voice hoarse: "Immediately contact the Five Elders…Highest emergency meeting!"
...
In the highest-level secret room of Marine Headquarters,
The images projected by the golden Den Den Mushi flickered continuously. The Five Elders' images sat around the round table, each face enveloped in an unprecedented solemnity.
"Has the news been confirmed?" Saint Saturn's voice was hoarse, his knuckles white from clenching.
Sengoku spread his hands on the table: "Absolutely true. Not only is there a paternity certificate, but more importantly…he seems to have inherited Rocks' will."
Saint Jupiter's glasses glinted coldly: "Immediately activate the highest alert. That war from forty years ago must never be repeated."
Saint Mars slammed his hand on the table: "Public execution! Right here in Marine Headquarters Plaza!" His scepter heavily struck the ground, "We must let the whole world know that the legend of Rocks ends here!"
"I second that." Saint Mercury nodded grimly, "Use this execution to deter all pirates, especially…those lunatics still seeking Rocks' legacy."
The Den Den Mushi suddenly simulated Saturn's cold laugh: "And while we're at it, let's test the attitudes of Rocks' former crew members. If they dare to come and rescue this traitor…"
The sentence was left unfinished, but the murderous intent within was already self-evident.
Sengoku's brow beaded with cold sweat: "When will the time be set?"
"One week from now." Saint Venus said decisively, "And simultaneously broadcast it globally, so every corner of the four seas can see the execution."
When the communication was cut, the air in the entire room seemed to have been sucked out.
Sengoku slowly took off his marshal's hat, then suddenly looked out the window at the execution platform, where special Seastone handcuffs were being urgently installed, and a live broadcast setup for the entire Grand Line was being built.
"Garp…" His voice suddenly aged ten years, "Do you think we can truly end this legend?"
Garp, uncharacteristically, didn't eat his senbei. He just silently gazed at the sea, then grinned: "If they don't want to become legends, then just throw them all into Impel Down!"
...
The next day,
In the highest conference room of Marine Headquarters, the crisp sound of a gold-lacquered seal heavily stamping on parchment was particularly clear.
Sengoku pushed the Warlord commission towards Ace across the table, the words "Justice" on his marshal's cloak shining in the sunlight.
"From this moment on, Portgas D. Ace officially becomes a Warlord." Sengoku's voice, broadcast through the Den Den Mushi, echoed throughout Marine Headquarters, "He shall enjoy all privileged rights and immunities."
"This is your privilege order." Sengoku pushed over a jewel-encrusted golden scroll, "With this, you can freely enter and exit all Marine facilities, including Enies Lobby and Impel Down."
He added meaningfully, "Of course, Mary Geoise requires prior notification."
Ace casually took it, gave it a quick glance, and tucked it into his pocket.
"The global announcement has been issued." The messenger respectfully reported, "All Marine bases, branches, and affiliated nations will receive notification within 24 hours."
....
The journey continues right now for our Jade Dragons! 🐉
For just $6/month, you can step into the advanced chapters and never face a cliffhanger again. Gain instant access to 50+ chapters immediately, support the story you love, and help decide its course.
🔗 Become a Jade Dragon:https://patreon.com/J_Dragon