Chapter 124: News of Ace
Meanwhile, thanks to Rayleigh's help, the Straw Hat crew had taken refuge in Globe 13's "Shaki's Bucket Bar" and received a string of rather big news.
"A-Ace is sentenced to death?"
Luffy and the Straw Hats were stunned when they learned that Rayleigh had been a companion of the Pirate King. But what shocked them even more was the news that Luffy's sworn brother, Portgas D. Ace, had been sentenced to death.
"Really? You didn't know? I thought you came here because you heard about him," Shakuyaku said, smoking a cigarette, puzzled.
"No, I didn't know at all…"
Luffy's embarrassed look silenced the crew. Shakuyaku watched them and sighed.
"Hmm… that's unfortunate. But now that you know, what are you going to do?"
"Who—who captured Ace?"
The Straw Hats all fell silent. The Ace they knew was not someone who could be easily captured. Luffy in particular had a childhood memory burned into him: he had never once beaten Ace. That memory was engraved in his body, so the news that Ace had been caught hit Luffy hard.
The others felt the same. Portgas D. Ace carried a bounty of 550,000,000 Berries. That put him well above ordinary criminals—he was a formidable fighter.
"Do you think there are many Marines who could capture Portgas D. Ace?"
"..."
"..."
No one answered. Shakuyaku sighed again and, more out of exasperation than anything else, explained the situation to them.
"Sigh… you guys know nothing about the Marines, do you?"
"..."
They were speechless. Shakuyaku inhaled deeply from her cigarette and continued.
"Right now, the Marines have one Fleet Admiral, and three Admirals are regarded by the public as the World Government's greatest military force."
"Under them are 16 Vice Admirals, and among them there's one man who's the closest to becoming an Admiral."
"Could it be… [Flame Pillar] Rengoku?" Nico Robin asked cautiously.
"Bingo. You know about [Flame Pillar] Rengoku?" Shakuyaku asked. The Straw Hats then described what had happened at Enies Lobby.
"He used three rumble balls to force himself into a rampage and beat us in ways we didn't even understand…"
"My technique, Asura, was matched by his sheer willpower…"
"Even Gear Third's punches were bounced back…"
They all remembered that fight with heavy faces. Shakuyaku drew a long drag and said, "Sounds like you had a pretty severe fight."
"It wasn't a fight… we were just utterly dominated."
"In any case, it was that [Flame Pillar] Rengoku who apprehended Ace. From what I hear, he subdued him in a one-on-one fight in just one minute."
One minute. To subdue a man with a bounty of 550,000,000 Berries in a single minute—that's how powerful he must be. There might be some exaggeration in the rumors, but the point remained: Rengoku was fearsome.
"Because of that, we ended up here."
"…We have to rescue Ace."
"What are you talking about? We can't just leave Dressrosa now. The currently serving Admirals and Rengoku are all here, and more Marines are landing on Sabaody. I know Monkey-chan's actions well, but if you run in now, do you really think you won't be the only one to get hurt?"
Shakuyaku opposed Luffy's rash idea. She was right—Sabaody was swarming with Marines now.
"Your point's taken!"
"Hey—talk of business and the tiger shows up," she muttered. As if on cue, Rengoku himself walked into the tavern.
"How—Rengoku!" Nico Robin blurted first, reacting strongly.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to arrest you guys."
Rengoku had no intention of capturing them; he had bigger fish to fry at the moment.
"So, what brings the Vice Admiral—no, the most likely next Fleet Admiral, Rengoku—out here?" someone asked.
"I happened to come by after cleaning up some nearby pirates. It was just a coincidence that this place was the last confirmed location."
"Hmm… care for a drink?"
Shakky asked casually, already reaching for the bottles behind the counter.
"Sweet potato latte, please."
"What a strangely specific taste…" she muttered, though she began preparing it anyway.
Rengoku smiled faintly. "If the Navy sees me drinking this, what will they think?"
Rayleigh chuckled and answered before taking a sip of his own sake.
"Suspended until Ace's execution, aren't you? So you've got no duties to the Navy right now. Even if you let pirates slip away, it wouldn't be a crime."
"But still," Rayleigh continued, "you've made quite a stir outside. Word is you wiped out twelve pirate crews stationed around this area."
Rengoku tilted his head slightly. "You've got sharp Observation Haki, as expected of the Dark King."
The two of them spoke as though it were a normal afternoon chat—leaving the Straw Hat crew speechless.
Twelve pirate crews weren't a small number.
Unlike the Straw Hats, most crews of that size had dozens, sometimes hundreds of members each.
To destroy twelve crews meant over a thousand pirates killed or captured.
And judging from the time since he'd left the Human Auction House, that had all happened in less than thirty minutes.
One thousand enemies in half an hour… that's roughly one every two seconds.
Even seasoned crews strong enough to reach Sabaody were swept away.
So this was the power… of the man closest to becoming Admiral.
Then Rengoku's expression hardened slightly.
"Now then, Monkey D. Luffy… you'd best accept that Ace is as good as dead."
Luffy immediately grabbed Rengoku by the collar, rage blazing in his eyes.
"What did you just say?!"
"Exactly what I said," Rengoku replied calmly. "Ace will die."
"Don't be ridiculous! I'll save him! I'll save him with my crew!"
Rengoku looked straight into Luffy's furious eyes.
"Your crew has no connection to Ace. Do you really think you can rescue someone the Navy has already condemned to execution?"
"I don't care! Don't underestimate us!" Luffy shouted back.
Nami stepped forward, defending her captain.
"Nami… your foster mother, Belle-mere, was a Marine."
"So what?! Even Belle-mere would forgive us if she knew we were doing this for a friend!"
Rengoku sighed—a rare thing for him.
"The upcoming execution will trigger a war unlike any other. Whitebeard—the strongest man in the New World and rival to the late Pirate King, Gol D. Roger—will come for Ace. A clash with the Marines is inevitable."
Roger's rival?
The entire Straw Hat crew froze. Even Luffy's pupils trembled.
"The embargo's been lifted, so I can tell you now," Rengoku continued. "Every participating Marine is a fighter of at least lieutenant rank. Whitebeard will bring every subordinate fleet he commands."
He gently pried Luffy's hands from his collar and spoke with grim finality.
"Would you really drag your friends into a war where hundreds of thousands of the world's strongest warriors will collide… just for your own desire, Monkey D. Luffy?"
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