(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
(The first chapters of the new book are released in p.atreon)
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According to their usual dynamic, seeing Garp barge in so casually, Sengoku's reaction should have been this:
"Garp!!"
Scold him for being disrespectful, accuse him of slacking off and taking too long to catch a small pirate, and then warn him not to do it again.
A standard three-in-one lecture.
But today, given the gravity of the situation, Sengoku decided to skip the formalities and get straight to the point.
"Your grandson has been arrested."
"Huh?"
Garp was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.
"What are you talking about, Sengoku? Luffy's out there causing chaos in the world! His exploits are all over the newspapers!"
Even though he didn't approve of Luffy becoming a pirate, Garp still kept tabs on his grandson's activities.
That's why he immediately brought up Luffy's latest exploits.
Sengoku, however, remained calm.
"Isn't it possible that I'm talking about your other grandson?"
Gak!
Garp's laughter died abruptly, as if he'd been choked.
He stared at Sengoku in disbelief.
"Ace? Ace is Whitebeard's second division commander. How could the Marines capture him? Aren't you afraid of Whitebeard's retaliation?"
Sengoku sighed, sitting down beside Garp and speaking earnestly.
"Blackbeard defected. Your grandson Ace went after him, but Teach contacted the CP0 and set up an ambush. That's how he got caught."
Seeing Garp's expression darken, Sengoku dropped the bombshell.
"The Five Elders and I already know that Ace is the son of Gol D. Roger."
Boom!
Garp shot to his feet, his chair clattering to the floor. He stared at Sengoku in shock.
"You… how did you know?"
"Blackbeard revealed it," Sengoku said, not hesitating to throw Teach under the bus.
"Garp, the World Government has decided to publicly execute Ace in a month, marking the end of the Great Pirate Era."
"I believe you'll make the right choice, won't you?"
In an instant, Garp seemed to age decades.
His once-straight posture slumped, and his shoulders sagged.
Ace wasn't his biological grandson, but he'd raised him as his own.
To Garp, Ace was no different from Luffy.
How could Garp feel anything but anguish knowing his grandson was about to be executed?
For a moment, Garp even considered breaking Ace out quietly.
But he quickly suppressed the thought.
Because he wasn't just a grandfather—he was also a Marine veteran.
Seeing his old friend's turmoil, Sengoku couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.
"Garp, take some time off. Go somewhere and clear your head. Don't get involved in this."
He was genuinely worried that Garp, unable to bear watching Ace's execution, might impulsively try to rescue him in public.
That would be an unprecedented blow to the Marines.
In the Marines, while Sengoku was the Fleet Admiral, Garp was a legend in his own right.
Ask any Marine who they admired most, and more than half would answer not the Admirals or the Fleet Admiral—but Garp.
That was the reputation Garp had earned with his fists and his deeds.
Even if he didn't betray the Marines, watching his grandson die in front of him would devastate Garp.
The best solution was to get Garp out of the picture entirely.
But to Sengoku's surprise, Garp shook his head slowly, rejecting the suggestion.
"I'm a Marine. How can I run away?" Garp's voice was hoarse.
"And… I want to see Ace one last time."
"That foolish boy… why did he have to become a pirate? Why couldn't he just live a peaceful life?"
Garp left, hid wide back looking lonelier than ever.
Sengoku could only watch helplessly.
The decision was final. No one could change it.
Who could possibly overthrow the World Government or the Marines?
Soon, all the top brass stationed at the Marine Headquarters were summoned by Sengoku.
Kizaru, Akainu, and Fujitora—the Admirals—along with Vice Admiral Tsuru and several elite Vice Admirals from Headquarters.
Those who weren't present were on missions.
Aokiji and Naruto were stationed in the New World branch, Momousagi and Chaton were in Mariejois, and Ryokugyu was in Sabaody Archipelago, guarding against another Celestial Dragons incident.
Sengoku didn't mince words.
"Let's start the meeting!"
He revealed the plan to publicly execute Ace, sending shockwaves through the room.
While Akainu was shocked, he was also thrilled.
He despised pirates more than anyone. What could be more satisfying than executing the son of the Pirate King?
Not to mention, this time, the target included Whitebeard himself!
Vice Admiral Tsuru frowned slightly. She knew about Garp's relationship with Ace, but since Garp wasn't present, she hesitated to speak.
Seeing Sengoku shake his head subtly at her, she ultimately stayed silent.
The others reacted differently, but only Kizaru remained calm, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips.
Sengoku knew Kizaru was always like this—never revealing his true thoughts—and chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the task at hand.
The Five Elders had decided to broadcast Ace's execution live during the World Government summit, declaring the end of the Great Pirate Era.
Naturally, Sengoku was mobilizing all available forces to ensure the safety of the allied kings traveling to Mariejois.
During this time, tens of thousands of elite Marines were quietly assembled.
A week before the execution, the announcement of this news would draw the Whitebeard Pirates—and even the Straw Hat Pirates—into the fray.
After all, judging by their recent exploits, the Straw Hat Crew could no longer be ignored. Their ability to cause chaos across nations without being stopped spoke volumes about their strength.
Aokiji and Naruto, still in the New World, would be recalled, as would Ryokugyu from Sabaody.
The Warlords couldn't sit this one out either.
The Warlords, who had grown too powerful over the years, would also be weakened during this event, making it easier to abolish the system in the future.
One by one, Sengoku issued orders, weaving a tight and intricate net.
The targets were the Whitebeard Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates.
But what Sengoku didn't know was that even without Colt's involvement, the net he'd woven already had a fatal flaw.
Because the prey he underestimated was growing stronger at an unprecedented rate.
Totto Land had become a proving ground for Luffy and his crew.
By the time they reappeared before the world, another Yonko crew would have risen.