NOVEL NEXT Chapter 97: CHAPTER 97
"Let the Flying Squirrel go, no matter what, we need to make sure the Pirate Empress accepts the order."
The Warring States sent the elite lieutenant general, Flying Squirrel, from the Navy Headquarters, which could be seen as giving Boa Hancock enough face. But even with that, he couldn't guarantee that the most willful beauty in the world would accept this request.
After several hours of intense work, everything in the office was finally arranged. As the senior officers began to leave, Sengoku leaned back tiredly in his chair, rubbing his temples.
Even though he was resting, his mind was still racing. He couldn't help but wonder if he had overlooked something. Whitebeard, the Warlords of the Sea, the Four Emperors...
A particular figure suddenly crossed his mind—a tall figure who constantly pressured him, someone the Five Elders had instructed him to deal with.
Alastor, the so-called "Thunder Calamity."
After a brief pause, Sengoku quickly dismissed the thought. He reasoned he was worrying too much. The man had killed a Celestial Dragon and was considered a world-class criminal. Surely, someone as reckless as Alastor wouldn't dare to show up at Marine Headquarters, would he?
Just as Sengoku was contemplating this, the door burst open with a loud crash.
A burly, old man with a gray beard and a heavy expression strode in, making the officers outside hastily clear a path for him.
It was Garp. His grief and anger were apparent as he bellowed, "Is this what it's come to, Sengoku?!"
Garp marched up to Sengoku, his massive hands slamming onto the desk, causing his gray beard to tremble with emotion.
Sengoku met Garp's gaze with a rare coldness in his eyes, offering no room for compromise.
"Garp, do you still have the nerve to blame me?"
"You think this old man doesn't know anything? Do you remember why Ace was born? What did Roger say when you sneaked into the prison to see him?"
"I've investigated every step of Ace's path. His pirate career started in the East Blue, your hometown, Garp!"
"Don't try to deflect. Answer me, Sengoku!"
The tone of Sengoku was harsh and direct, hitting Garp's soul with a force that left the Marine hero speechless.
Garp stood frozen. He hadn't realized that Sengoku had already pieced together his hidden actions. It was true that Sengoku, the wise General, was far more perceptive and meticulous than Garp had ever imagined.
For all these years, Sengoku had been protecting him in silence.
But now, Garp realized, there was no more room for leniency.
Garp's expression turned sorrowful, his old eyes clouded with emotion as he persisted.
"I can't deny that all of this is connected to me," Garp said, his voice filled with regret. "But Sengoku, I beg you, there's no need to execute Ace publicly! Can't you just lock him away on the sixth floor of Impel Down for the rest of his life?"
"No," Sengoku replied firmly, without hesitation.
"This execution is necessary to put an end to the rampant arrogance of pirates. Roger started this age of pirates, and it is only fitting that his son's life ends this way."
"There is no such thing as a free lunch. Roger's final words shook the world to its core, and Ace must pay the price for them—his life!"
Sengoku's words were final and uncompromising.
At that moment, Garp knew there was no chance of saving Ace. His fists clenched in frustration, and his grief weighed on him.
After a long silence, Garp's voice trembled as he spoke again, "Then, at least allow me one last request. Let me see Ace in Impel Down—just once, before he's executed."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes, his tone stern, "You'd better not do anything reckless, Garp. Remember your position!"
Without another word, Garp made his way to the sixth floor of Impel Down.
Meanwhile, on the sixth floor of Impel Down, Ace was chained to a wall, his body worn and exhausted from his imprisonment.
When Garp laid eyes on his grandson, the pain in his heart only deepened. His old hands trembled as he reached for Ace.
"Ace, you stubborn idiot! Why couldn't you just listen to the old man and become a Marine?!"
Ace, head bowed, slowly lifted it, looking more haggard than the proud, confident man he had once been aboard the Moby Dick.
His pride, his arrogance, and his recklessness—all of it seemed like a distant memory now.
"Old man..." Ace croaked hoarsely.
Tears streamed down Garp's face as he gazed at Ace. Despite the permission from Sengoku, it was clear that the prisoners on the sixth floor were notorious criminals, and Garp couldn't stay long.
"Ace, don't you know that because of you, the world is about to fall into the biggest war it's ever seen? Whitebeard has summoned all his allies to attack the Navy Headquarters!"
At these words, Ace's eyes widened in shock. He shook his head in confusion.
"There's no need to go this far for me. I'm just an insignificant person... Dad..."
For a brief moment, Ace felt a strange sense of fulfillment in his heart. His life, though on the verge of being lost, seemed worthwhile for the chaos he had set in motion.
Elsewhere, at that same moment, Luffy and Sabo quietly arrived at Judicial Island.
Not long ago, Luffy had made a major ruckus here, defeating the CP9 agents and rescuing Nico Robin. However, the CP9 members hadn't fully recovered, and security on Judicial Island was still lax.
The two hid in the shadows, with Sabo analyzing their next move.
"There's still a few days before Ace's execution, and he should still be locked up in Impel Down," Sabo reasoned. "It'll be easier to break him out if we act now."
"Impel Down is nearly impossible to breach," Sabo continued. "Its location is protected by the Gate of Justice, which only Navy ships can open."
Impel Down, the world's most secure prison, was more than just a fortress. Its structure, reinforced by the warden Magellan's strength, made it a nearly impenetrable stronghold.
Fortunately, Sabo had come prepared. If not, Luffy would never have considered such strategic planning.
In the original One Piece story, Luffy was able to infiltrate Impel Down with the help of Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress.
"Sabo, what should we do next?" Luffy asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.
Sabo smiled knowingly: "The next step is simple. Have you seen those warships anchored at the port? As soon as one of them starts sailing, we'll board it. We'll take control halfway and redirect it to Impel Down."
Luffy's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Sabo, you're so smart!"
Indeed, compared to Luffy's impulsive nature, Sabo's strategic thinking had earned him his position as Chief of Staff in the Revolutionary Army.
A short time later, a warship began to set sail. Without wasting any time, Sabo and Luffy snuck aboard.
As the island of Justice disappeared from sight, they made their way to the cockpit, where they held the ship's commander hostage. Sabo threatened him: "Change course to Impel Down, or else..." He tightened his grip on the naval officer's neck.
The officer, trembling, knew better than to defy a revolutionary. "I-I'll do it! I'll do it right away!"
The warship, originally heading to Marine Headquarters, abruptly changed course, heading toward Impel Down.
The sailor guarding the Gate of Justice was suspicious, but after receiving a stern order from the ship's commander over the Den Den Mushi, he hurriedly opened the gate.
This allowed Sabo and Luffy to slip into Impel Down undetected, and the warship continued its journey towards the infamous prison.
Luffy was overjoyed: "We'll rescue Ace soon!"
But Luffy's optimism was misplaced. Even if they managed to reach Impel Down, rescuing Ace wouldn't be so simple.
The first challenge was how they would even get through the gates of the city. Impel Down was known for its top-notch security, with surveillance Den Den Mushi and numerous guards stationed throughout. Even Boa Hancock would have to go through a thorough body search to enter.
Given Luffy's reckless nature, it was all but certain he would be detected before even reaching the gate, which would inevitably lead to a fight—and Magellan, the warden with the powers of the Doku Doku no Mi (Poison-Poison Fruit), would be alerted. Against Magellan, even Sabo and Luffy together would stand little chance.
But Sabo had already thought of a solution. He pulled out a secret Den Den Mushi and muttered to himself, "I haven't heard from Ivankov in years. Wonder how they're doing now?"
Sabo was referring to Emporio Ivankov, the Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom and an important Revolutionary Army commander. Ivankov was currently stationed on the 5.5th floor of Impel Down—a floor that had been specially created by the Revolutionary Army's commander, Morley, using his powers from the Tuitui Fruit.
With Ivankov's help, getting into Impel Down would be much easier. After a few rings, the Den Den Mushi was answered, and a cheerful voice filled the air.
"Long time no see, Sabo!" Ivankov's voice rang out. "What can I help you with?"
Sabo smiled broadly, relieved: "It's been too long, Ivankov. I need your help with something urgent."
On the eve of the war...
The world was on the brink of a storm. Various forces were moving in the shadows, preparing for the coming conflict. Even Alastor, with the advantage of his knowledge as a time-traveler, couldn't foresee everything.
For example, Sabo and Luffy's plan to infiltrate Impel Down was an unexpected outcome, caused by the butterfly effect of Alastor's actions.
Who would have thought that Bartholomew Kuma would change his mind and take Luffy to the Revolutionary Army's headquarters, causing Sabo, who had lost his memories, to regain them? This led the two of them to plan a daring rescue of Ace, and with Sabo's knowledge of Ivankov, sneaking into Impel Down became far more feasible.
It also seemed that Luffy's luck was extraordinary. Everywhere he went, he had connections that made his journey easier.
Even Alastor hadn't overlooked Luffy's potential impact. When he left Boa Hancock's island, he had advised the Empress to inform him if any other men showed up at Amazon Lily. Her cold, silent response suggested that she wasn't interested in the alliance.
So far, the Empress had not contacted him. It seemed that she had forgotten their deal.
Alastor shook his head and decided to call her instead. "Hancock?"
There was silence on the other end of the line.
Just as he was about to give up, the Empress's voice finally came through, cold as ever: "Watch your words, rude man."
Alastor chuckled, unfazed. "Has anything unusual happened in Amazon Lily lately? Any outsiders coming in?"
The Empress scoffed. "Are you referring to the Navy ships asking to take this concubine to war?"
Alastor's mind raced. He realized that only the Navy had recently arrived at Amazon Lily, and no one else had breached the island. Boa Hancock was not lying.
But where had Luffy gone?
The answer seemed clear. Luffy was likely headed to the summit, the war to rescue Ace, just as he had originally planned.
Alastor smiled to himself. He wasn't concerned with Luffy's safety. What interested him was whether Luffy could awaken the true power of Nika, the Sun God, during the battle at Marineford. If that happened, it would certainly be a spectacle worth witnessing.
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