When a brother long thought dead suddenly appears before you—
What kind of emotions would that bring?
Confusion, shock, overwhelming joy, as if lost in a dream?
A surge of indescribable emotions crashed into Ace's heart.
Sabo's sudden appearance, coupled with the sheer determination of his crewmates and Whitebeard himself to rescue him, struck him deep in his soul.
A man who had already come to terms with his fate—could no longer hold back his tears.
"Sabo, you…!!!"
Tears streamed down Ace's face. His gaze locked onto Sabo, still struggling to process if this was reality or an illusion.
Sabo looked up at Ace and grinned. "After all these years, you've turned into a crybaby just like Luffy."
"And whose fault is that, disappearing for so long without a trace…?"
"Ah, even I didn't expect…"
Sabo pressed his hat down, cutting himself off before shaking his head. "Anyway, we need to get out of here—"
"Ace! We're here to save you!!!"
Luffy's voice boomed across the battlefield, interrupting Sabo mid-sentence.
Despite being sent flying by Sengoku moments ago, Luffy seemed largely unscathed.
After all, Robin's Spider Net had softened his landing, reducing the impact significantly.
Desperate to free Ace, Luffy immediately activated Second Gear, dashing at full speed to Sabo's side.
The three brothers—long separated—had finally reunited in the most chaotic of circumstances.
Rumble—
The ground cracked open.
Morley, one of the Revolutionary Army's four commanders, emerged from the crevice, her ultra-short skirt swaying as she surfaced.
It was thanks to her timely intervention that Sabo had managed to push back Fujitora and lift the immense gravitational force weighing down the Straw Hat crew.
"This isn't exactly the best time for a family reunion, you know?" Morley reminded them, her tone urgent yet playful.
Sabo nodded, then shifted his gaze toward Maude, who stood beside Ace.
No greeting, no emotions betrayed—just an impassive look, as if they were strangers.
Given their opposing positions, maintaining this facade was necessary.
Morley, too, glanced at Maude, pursing her lips as she resisted the urge to greet him warmly.
Was it just Sabo and Morley?
Or was there more waiting in the shadows?
Maude's expression remained unreadable as he observed the Straw Hat Pirates and Sabo surrounding the execution platform.
For the Marines, the situation was beginning to tilt unfavorably.
At least—
Until the wild beasts rampaging across the battlefield were dealt with, the forces capable of defending the execution platform were limited.
That said—
With a monster like Fujitora present, even if the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hats broke through, rescuing Ace wouldn't be an easy task.
"Law should be keeping himself well hidden."
As that thought crossed Maude's mind, his gaze flickered toward Whitebeard's position.
The unexpected arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army was like the sounding of a halftime whistle, momentarily halting the blood-soaked battlefield.
Even Whitebeard and Akainu, as if by mutual understanding, had momentarily ceased their clash.
But their pause was only to assess the sudden shift in circumstances.
Once they had a grasp of the situation—
The battle would surely resume in an instant.
Maude knew he had to act fast.
While Whitebeard and Akainu were locked in their duel, he had to strike—
To claim Whitebeard's head before Sabo and the Straw Hats could make their move.
"To ensure everything goes smoothly, stopping their rescue attempt comes first."
With his mind made up, Maude unleashed his aura, sending a wave of oppressive force crashing down upon the Straw Hat Pirates below.
"Hm?"
"He's serious this time…"
"This time, we won't go down so easily."
Feeling Maude's terrifying presence wash over them, the Straw Hats tensed, their instincts screaming danger.
More than anyone, they knew just how fearsome he was.
Usopp stared at Maude, his lips trembling, but no words came out.
That suffocating aura left no room for negotiation—no place for sentimentality.
They had waited for the perfect moment—Akainu leaving the execution platform to confront Whitebeard.
They thought a swift, coordinated strike would be enough to free Ace and make a quick escape.
But Maude had cut across the battlefield like a phantom, emerging as their greatest obstacle yet.
Robin's fingers brushed against the hidden safeguard in her pocket.
If she used it now, she could erase Maude as a threat.
But…
She was certain—
Maude would stop them, but he wouldn't go for the kill.
Under that assumption, was it worth using their one and only trump card?
Strategically, it might be wiser to save it for the retreat.
At the center of the battlefield—
Shunk—
Aokiji's ice spear impaled several of the rampaging beasts.
"Ara ara…"
Radiating an icy chill, he silently gazed down at Nico Robin beneath the execution platform.
"Nico Robin, you should understand what this situation means for you…"
"Even so, you've made an incredibly irrational choice."
"At this point, dying here… is no one's fault but your own."
Aokiji's eyes reflected Robin's image as he recalled the moment in Water 7 when he had returned her "freedom" to her. It felt as if it had only happened yesterday.
He truly hadn't expected this.
Robin—one of the world's most wanted criminals, long regarded as a thorn in the World Government's side—had finally found a place to belong after enduring so much hardship. Yet now, she was risking everything to take part in a war that should have had nothing to do with her.
All around the world.
In front of the broadcast screens, a deathly silence reigned.
Everyone's eyes were glued to the unfolding events.
The atmosphere was so heavy that even breathing felt oppressive.
Just minutes ago, the world believed the Navy had secured victory, only for a series of unexpected twists to turn the tide.
Most shocking of all was the moment when the Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army suddenly appeared at the execution platform, sending shockwaves through everyone watching.
When the platform began to tilt, many had even thought—for a fleeting moment—that Fire Fist Ace was about to be rescued.
"The Demon Child… Nico Robin!"
"The Revolutionary Army has joined forces with the Straw Hat Pirates?!"
"How the hell did the Navy let this happen?! If not for Warlord Maude's swift intervention, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
"Are they really going to rescue Fire Fist Ace?"
"Don't be ridiculous! That wicked bloodline… must not be allowed to survive!"
"How much time is left until the execution?"
"Thirty-one minutes!"
"If you ask me, they should just execute him immediately."
"I feel the same way!"
The endless string of shocking developments unsettled the people watching from their homes, their anxiety growing by the second.
To them, wiping out the Pirate King's accursed bloodline was more important than anything else.
They believed the Navy had no reason to adhere to the scheduled execution time—Ace should be eliminated at once.
"Look! Maude is making his move again!"
Countless eyes locked onto the screen, fixating on the imposing figure radiating an overwhelming presence.
"His body… it's changing…"
Staring in disbelief at the screen, they watched as Maude underwent a transformation—his physique, his facial features, even his skin tone—all shifting at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Marineford, atop the execution platform.
Sengoku's expression darkened as he observed Maude's body undergoing an unmistakable change.
He could sense it clearly—Maude's presence was growing stronger by the second.
So strong that even he couldn't help but feel a tinge of unease.
Below the execution platform.
The Straw Hat Pirates widened their eyes in shock as they watched Maude's rapid transformation.
His skin took on a grayish hue.
His physique expanded significantly.
Dark, swirling markings spread across his face and arms.
The moment his transformation reached completion, the Straw Hats felt an unprecedented sense of oppression.
And then—
He vanished.
In the next instant—
Before they could react, they were struck by sheer terror as an invisible force bound their bodies in place.
They couldn't move—not even a finger.
A suffocating pressure crashed down on them, invading their very souls.
"Where's Maude?!"
"What… is happening…?"
The overwhelming fear that nearly drove them to suffocation had thrown their senses into disarray.
They could feel Maude's presence—clear as day.
And yet—
They had no idea where he was.
—————————
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parenthesis ( )]
NOTE: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon!