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In the dimly lit prison cell, Whitebeard furrowed his brows slightly, eyes locked onto Arashi. It was obvious how much he cared about Ace.
Even now, stripped of his freedom and thrown behind bars, with his stage in the world already fading, he still couldn't let it go.
Garp, sitting nearby, also perked up his ears, listening carefully. Sengoku, on the other hand, remained expressionless, as though he hadn't heard a word.
With his retirement imminent, the future no longer concerned him. The son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, likely had little to do with him anymore.
Even if the world were thrown into chaos, that would be Arashi's burden to bear.
After a long pause, Arashi finally let out a helpless smile and said softly, "That kid... to be honest, I really can't bring myself to hurt him."
Upon hearing this, a smile appeared on Whitebeard's face, and Garp threw up his arms with a loud laugh, sloshing his wine.
"This is a drinking session between us old-timers! Why are you asking Arashi such heavy questions?"
Whitebeard roared with laughter. "Gurararara! You're right!" The three of them clinked cups again and sank back into their old men's gathering.
Occasionally, Arashi called for the guards to bring more drinks and even added a few dishes to their table.
Time passed unnoticed, and before long, dawn broke over the horizon. Sengoku and Garp were dead drunk, fast asleep.
Arashi sat cross-legged, gazing intently at Whitebeard. The old man was tipsy, a flush on his cheeks, yet still conscious.
Looking at his slumped companions, he laughed aloud. "Gurararara! Looks like I won this final match!"
His crescent-shaped white mustache trembled as he drained the last cup of sake. His eyes lifted toward Arashi.
"If you've got something to say, spit it out. I need to get some rest." Arashi gave a faint smile and slowly stood. "Today, I will escort you to Impel Down."
At those words, Whitebeard's pupils narrowed. After a moment, he smiled again, a hint of reflection in his voice. "So it's finally time for me to step off the stage."
Arashi looked back at him and nodded gently. "Then let's not waste time, old man." Whitebeard let out a hearty laugh. "Even in Impel Down, I'll sleep like a baby!"
With a sudden movement, he stood up. The chains around his wrists and ankles clinked and clanged.
"Truly worthy of the name Whitebeard," Arashi praised. "That kind of spirit commands respect."
Whitebeard scoffed. "Cut the crap. I lost to you. If you praise me, you're just praising yourself." Arashi smiled and waved to the guards.
The clatter of unlocking shackles echoed through the corridor as the cell door swung open. Sengoku and Garp were carefully carried out to rest elsewhere.
They had drunk heavily—though even so, a giant-blooded man like Whitebeard could handle many times more than them.
Whitebeard lowered his head slightly and stepped out of the cell. He scanned his surroundings before laughing aloud.
"Let's go, kid! Let's see what this legendary Impel Down looks like." Arashi nodded and turned to lead the way.
The prison guards were visibly tense, their bodies stiff with nerves as they trailed behind. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads.
This man before them was Edward Newgate, the strongest man in the world, Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.
His bounty had reached an astronomical 5,460,000,000 Berries—an unimaginable sum to most. Among pirates, it was the pinnacle of power and prestige.
Though the distance from the cell to the prison gates was short, for the guards, it felt like an eternity.
Only when they emerged and saw the morning sunlight did they finally breathe a sigh of relief. Ahead, a massive force was already waiting silently.
"Admiral Kizaru!"
"Admiral Aokiji!"
"Vice Admirals Rosinante, Buggy, Stainless, Dalmatian, and many others!"
"Three full Admirals, nearly twenty Vice Admirals, and over a thousand elite Marines!"
"All just to escort Whitebeard to Impel Down? This goes beyond any Buster Call!"
"Only a man like Whitebeard would warrant such a deployment!" The guards trembled, throats dry and tight, as an oppressive silence blanketed the area.
Even Whitebeard's pupils contracted. Seeing all these familiar faces, he felt a heaviness settle over him.
With a force like this, even he had no chance of escaping.
"You're really cautious, huh?" he muttered with a sigh. "When it comes to you, no amount of caution is too much," Arashi replied with a smile.
He stepped forward and nodded at Kizaru and Aokiji. "Let's move." He then took the lead, walking between the two lines of Vice Admirals.
Whitebeard followed behind, voice low. "Thank you for the respect." He knew the unspoken message: at this point, don't even think about trying anything.
"This is the Marine's way of showing respect to an enemy," Arashi said calmly. Whitebeard's body stiffened.
He took a deep breath and followed closely. Kizaru and Aokiji flanked him from behind, while the rest of the Vice Admirals fell in line.
Escorting Whitebeard to Impel Down was a matter of utmost importance. The entire Marineford was under lockdown, with Marines posted on every corner.
Battle-hardened soldiers carried an intense aura, their presence overwhelming.
Along the way, reporters from the outside world snapped photos, documenting the moment.
Eventually, Arashi and the others boarded the Ship, followed by twenty warships setting sail through the Gate of Justice.
Click! A female reporter's trembling finger pressed the shutter, her breath caught in her throat as she watched the fleet disappear into the distance.
"A historic moment," she whispered.
"The last of the three legendary pirates... The strongest man in the world, Edward Newgate, Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates... has been personally escorted to Impel Down by Admiral Arashi."
"Before this, Gol D. Roger and Golden Lion Shiki were also captured and imprisoned by him."
"Admiral Arashi has personally ended an era!"
Her voice, though shaky, echoed through the quiet square of Marineford. It was loud enough to be heard by many nearby.
Countless Marines stared at the massive Gate of Justice, their hearts stirred.
To end an era with his own hands—such a feat was unprecedented, and perhaps would never be repeated.
There was no doubt: Admiral Arashi's name would be carved into the annals of Marine history.
The fleet set out from Marineford, sailing past the dangerous whirlpools slowly, without haste. Nearly three hours later, they arrived at the harbor of Impel Down.
Acting Warden Hannyabal waited nervously at the gates, standing beside the towering Vice Warden, Magellan.
Due to the chaos caused by Blackbeard and Luffy's intrusion into Impel Down, the two had swapped positions—a decision personally approved by Arashi.
Magellan had even submitted a resignation letter to take responsibility, but Arashi rejected it.
"They're here! The strongest man in the world, Edward Newgate!"
"From today on, he too will be imprisoned in this underwater fortress!" Magellan's pupils contracted as he stared at the incoming fleet.
He had spent years at Impel Down and still remembered meeting Admiral Arashi more than two decades ago—back then, the one he brought in was Golden Lion Shiki.
Not long after, Roger was delivered as well. Around ten years later, Arashi himself was imprisoned in Impel Down.
Now, having been released and returned to the Marines, he once again rose to the top and was even expected to become the next Fleet Admiral.
The fleet docked, and Arashi was the first to disembark, followed by Whitebeard, Kizaru, Aokiji, and others. Magellan's heart stirred as he watched.
To him, this man's life was nothing short of legendary. From the moment he debuted, he stood at the summit.
Even after being exiled to the West Blue, he turned the entire Marine force there into his personal army and became the most powerful warlord within the Marines.
After more than a decade, he returned, was imprisoned in Impel Down, then rose once more to the peak.
"Warden Hannyabal! Vice Warden Magellan!" Arashi's voice snapped Magellan from his thoughts. He looked up as Hannyabal rushed forward eagerly.
"Admiral Arashi, welcome!" Hannyabal bowed deeply.
"To capture a pirate like Whitebeard, you are truly incredible! Also, thank you for promoting me—I'm so happy, I don't even know how to express it!"
Seeing his flower-like smile, Arashi nearly burst out laughing. The guy was definitely excited—but completely lacking in tact. Magellan's face was dark as coal.
"Don't be ridiculous. Capturing Whitebeard was the result of the entire Marine effort," Arashi said sternly.
"Yes, yes, of course!" Hannyabal nodded quickly.
"But this time, we'll be extra careful. If anything goes wrong, as Warden, I'll take full responsibility!" He stood straight and declared solemnly.
Magellan's face darkened even further.
"And thank you as well, Vice Warden Magellan," Arashi said, turning to him.
"Impel Down is where the world's worst criminals are held. If something happens here, the world would only mock us." He sighed.
"I understand," Magellan replied in a grave tone. "Mistakes won't happen twice. I swear on my life."
Hearing this, Arashi nodded with a smile. Compared to the ambitious yet lacking Hannyabal, he preferred the capable and serious Magellan.
Still, after the Impel Down incident, someone had to be held accountable. And truthfully, in some ways, Magellan wasn't fit for a higher post…
More than twenty years ago, Gol D. Roger was captured and executed in Loguetown, marking the end of one era and the dawn of the Great Pirate Era.
Now, over two decades later, as Whitebeard is imprisoned in Impel Down, another cycle of change begins. And in both of these monumental events, Arashi played a role.
That unique feeling—of standing at the turning point of history—is something no one else can understand. Twice, the world has shifted almost entirely because of him.
But this time is different: now, he's about to open a new era of his own. With the end of the Summit War, the decision of the next Marine Fleet Admiral has become urgent.
Once a brief transitional period passes, Arashi will take office. The future of the Marines will be reshaped into the vision he desires.
Time passed swiftly, and three days had gone by in a flash. The news of Whitebeard being sent to Impel Down spread across the world like wildfire.
People were shocked to learn that the legendary pirate was still alive—and stunned by the Marines' confidence.
"Thank goodness, Pops is still alive!! Impel Down, huh? One day, we'll break in there and rescue him! But Ace... he still hasn't returned yet."
Aboard the Moby Dick, Marco and the others stared at the newspaper with trembling excitement. They nearly leapt with joy.
These days had been dark for them. The Whitebeard Pirates' defeat was a heavy blow.
With their father missing, the New World had descended into chaos as pirate crews everywhere grew restless.
If they hadn't launched several swift, brutal counterattacks recently, they might not have been able to hold their ground at all.
"The Marines didn't execute Pops? They're extremely confident in their current strength. They really believe no one can rescue him?"
Vista murmured, his expression grim. While the news of Whitebeard's survival was encouraging, it didn't change the danger he faced.
Brutal, vicious predators were circling, ready to tear them apart. Several of their territories had already been attacked, and the losses were painful.
After their defeat in the war at Marineford, they no longer had the manpower to defend such a vast domain.
"Pops being alive is good news, but Marco, the current situation is still terrible!"
"Yeah, what do we do next?" Vista and the others sighed, their hearts still heavy despite the relief.
"Consolidate our forces. We're giving up the outlying territories," Marco said through gritted teeth. His words made everyone's expression change.
"Marco!! We fought with blood and sweat to take those lands! They're our legacy—we can't just abandon them!"
"If it comes to it, we'll fight again! We're the Whitebeard Pirates!" Voices rose around him. Marco's face twisted with conflict, but then he clenched his jaw.
"Abandon them all! We wait for Ace to return! I believe when he comes back, his strength will rival even Pops!"
"For now, we need to focus on preserving our strength—and surviving!" But not everyone was convinced. Their loyalty to Whitebeard was absolute.
Even with Ace, they could follow him without question—he carried the blood of Roger, and was personally chosen as Whitebeard's successor.
But Marco wasn't the same. Though powerful, he wasn't vastly stronger than the others, and as fellow commanders, his rank didn't set him far apart.
The Whitebeard Pirates were now a ship without a true captain—an extremely dangerous place to be. If they weren't careful, they'd fracture and fall apart just like in the original story.
"Marco, are you scared? We're the Whitebeard Pirates—how can we back down now?"
"Today it's the outer territories. What's next?" The commanders' voices made Marco's face darken. He took a deep breath and shouted,
"Everyone, I am the acting captain right now! Even if it's just temporary, I ask you—no, I order you—to follow my command!"
His words finally quieted the room. But in this moment, a seed of conflict had been planted among them.
Once the others had left, Marco held his head, temples throbbing with pain.
Only now did he understand why Pops had chosen to give the captain's position to the younger Ace without hesitation.
Ace had the bloodline, the potential—things Marco simply didn't possess.
"Ace...I hope when you return, you'll be strong enough to suppress everything and lead us back to the top."
He whispered, leaning against the ship's rail as the sea breeze blew past, his heart heavy with doubt.
Meanwhile, on a desolate island not far from Marineford—
Boom!
A figure wreathed in flames was sent flying, crashing through dozens of trees before skidding over a hundred meters across the ground.
"Fufufufu...Spirit! You still lack spirit!"
"Where's your determination to become stronger? Your ambition to rule the world? Your defiant, kingly aura?"
Doflamingo leapt into the air, landing atop a tree. He looked down and sneered.
"He said you have the qualities of a king, but I just don't see it. You're not worthy."
"Living under someone else's shadow, without an unshakable belief in your own strength, lacking the drive to stand at the top—you're not even fit to exist in this world!"
"Your Haki, your combat skill, your Devil Fruit... you're far behind."
"Portgas—no, more accurately...Gol D. Ace!"
At the sound of that name, Ace, who lay motionless on the ground, suddenly trembled. A second later, he slowly stood up, head lowered, his entire body shaking.
"I told you...! Don't say that name again!!"
The first sentence was calm. The second was a furious roar. As he shouted, Ace lifted his head, blood-red eyes locked onto Doflamingo.
A wave of invisible pressure burst from his body.
Buzz!
The trees shook. Doflamingo's coat fluttered, and the smirk on his face vanished. Feeling the intense, domineering aura from Ace, his eyes narrowed.
"Conqueror's Haki, huh? Expected, yet still surprising."
Of course. As the son of Roger, how could he not possess such force of will?
But before, he'd lived under Whitebeard—sheltered, like a flower in a greenhouse. His spirit, his will... had all been suppressed.
"Fufufufu...Now that's more like it, Gol D. Ace!"
Doflamingo laughed. His words only enraged Ace further. The wave of Conqueror's Haki surged like a tsunami, making the trees and grass across the island bow down.
"To unleash that much force at the moment of awakening...Looks like you were seriously held back."
Doflamingo gave a soft chuckle, a rare glint of seriousness in his eyes. He had no experience as a teacher, but the first phase of this task... was finally complete.
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