"Huff... huff..."
Whitebeard gasped heavily as he assessed his physical condition.
He knew that in his current state, he wouldn't last much longer, so... he had to rescue Ace as soon as possible!
The key to rescuing Ace lay with the Straw Hat Boy!
Glancing at the man running alongside Meiser, Whitebeard thought: 'This kid is Garp's grandson, so... he's the only one who has a chance to get past Garp!'
Thinking this, Whitebeard roared: "My sons!"
"Yes, Pops!"
"From now on, provide full cover for Straw Hat Luffy!"
"Huh?"
Hearing Whitebeard's command, the Whitebeard Pirates were stunned.
Why would their Pops issue such an order?
"Go now!"
"Yes!!"
Though they didn't understand why Pops would say such a thing, the captain's orders were absolute!
With this in mind, the pirates began changing direction, quickly charging toward Luffy's position.
"Ace's brother?"
Marco glanced at Luffy's retreating figure and fell silent for a moment before saying: "I understand!"
Looking at Garp, whose expression had turned grim, Marco immediately understood Pops' reasoning.
Without hesitation, he charged toward Luffy, kicking directly at the man holding the ice spear!
"Aokiji, I won't let you interfere with Ace's brother!"
"Azure Flame Thrust!"
"Clang!"
"Boom!!"
A terrifying shockwave erupted, sending everyone nearby flying!
"Marco."
Staring at the flame-covered Marco, Aokiji frowned and said: "I didn't expect you to break free so quickly."
"Someone helped me, so I naturally got free."
After speaking, Marco glanced at the pirates behind Aokiji and said: "Take Jozu for treatment immediately!"
"Right!"
The pirates who received the order carefully lifted Diamond Jozu and ran toward the sea, clearly intending to melt the ice covering Jozu's body.
"You think I'll let..."
"Don't even think about it!" Marco shouted.
After his loud cry, Marco adjusted his position by flapping his wings, then delivered a whip kick!
"Clang!"
"Boom!!"
Looking at the bird leg wrapped in Haki, Aokiji said: "It seems I'll have to take you out first!"
"You can try!"
With a cold laugh, Marco and Aokiji became locked in combat.
"Why are all these guys helping me?"
Luffy looked bewildered as pirates blocked one Navy Vice Admiral after another for him.
"Because of what Whitebeard said earlier." Meiser scanned their surroundings and replied: "With these guys here, no high-level combatants can interfere with us anymore."
In this way... they could reach the execution platform at the fastest speed possible!
Thinking this, Meiser turned his gaze toward Ace.
"Ace's brother, charge forward without hesitation!" the pirates of the New World roared. "We'll hold these guys back for you!"
"That's right!"
"Marines, come face your grandpa!"
"Ooh!!"
"Damn Whitebeard," a Marine rear admiral who was blocked said with a grimace. "Why gamble your hopes on a mere brat?"
This way, they simply couldn't eliminate the Straw Hat Boy!
"That's because Pops has seen through something!" a pirate shouted.
Although he didn't know what Pops had seen through... he didn't need to understand it either!
As a member of his pirate crew, he only needed to follow Pops' orders."
"Damn it, then try blocking us if you dare!"
"Let's give it a try!"
"Ooh!"
Both the Marines and pirates roared, then charged at their enemies with ferocious expressions.
At that moment, Meiser stopped and said, "Luffy, get ready!"
"Ready for what?"
"To send you up, of course!" Meiser replied.
As soon as he finished speaking, Meiser quickly crouched and slammed both hands on the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Road Elevator!!"
"Rumble!"
With Meiser's words, the earth began to tremble.
Then, one massive platform after another emerged!
Starting from in front of Luffy, these platforms gradually rose, eventually forming an enormous staircase!
"Go, Luffy!" Meiser urged.
"Ooh!"
Understanding what he needed to do, Luffy quickly dashed onto the steps and charged toward the high execution platform.
"Well done, ninja boy!" the pirates cheered excitedly.
"Straw Hat Boy, use this to rescue Ace!"
"Ooh!!"
Looking at the staircase that represented hope, the pirates' eyes shone with excitement.
"Hey... this can't be a joke," a Marine said in shock, staring at the scene. "This guy actually created a giant staircase?"
The thickness of these steps... made them impossible to shatter!
"That ninja brat again," Akainu frowned. "In that case... I'll take care of you myself!"
But before Akainu could act, he noticed Garp appearing in mid-air.
"Huh?"
Seeing this, Akainu thought, 'Is Vice Admiral Garp going to make a move again?'
Considering this, Akainu instinctively halted, deciding to assess the situation first.
"Grandpa?"
Seeing Garp in mid-air, Luffy froze momentarily.
Then he shouted, "Grandpa, move aside!"
"How could I move aside!" Garp retorted. "I am also a vice admiral of the Marine Headquarters!!"
"But I don't want to—"
"Enough of that nonsense!" Garp angrily cut Luffy off. "If you want to pass through here, you'll have to take me down first!"
With those words, Garp leaped up and delivered a powerful punch to the massive staircase below.
"Boom!!"
With a single strike, he shattered the steps created by the Earth Release Technique.
"What a fearsome old man."
Sensing the change in the stairs, Meiser instinctively furrowed his brow.
He then looked up at Garp on the higher platform and said, "So... can you really bring yourself to strike Luffy down?"
Old man Garp!
"I'm begging you, Grandpa!" Luffy shouted. "Please move aside!"
"I've said it already—if you want to pass through here, you'll have to kill me first!"
Hearing Garp's words, Luffy recalled scenes from his childhood—some of his most cherished memories.
At this thought, Luffy closed his eyes and roared, "Grandpa, I can't do it!"
"Please, just move aside!"
"If you can't strike me down, Ace will be killed!"
"I don't want that!"
"Not everything will go the way you want, Luffy!" Garp bellowed. "If you lack the resolve, then die right here!"
With those words, Garp shattered the rock beneath his feet and charged toward Luffy.
"Straw Hat Boy Luffy, prepare to die!"
"Why are you forcing me to do this!!"
Watching Garp rapidly closing in, Luffy bit his lip so hard it drew blood.
He then crouched down and declared, "If that's how it has to be..."
"Second Gear!"
Activating Second Gear, Luffy rushed toward Garp, shouting, "Grandpa!!"
"Gomu-Gomu Jet Pistol!"
Seeing the expression on Luffy's face, Garp's body suddenly trembled, and images of his two grandsons from their childhood involuntarily flashed through his mind.
At this thought, the fist Garp had thrown began to shake, its power diminishing rapidly.
In the end, the Haki surrounding his fist dissipated entirely.
The next moment—
"BAM!!"
A heavy punch slammed into Garp's face, sending him flying from the high platform!
"WHOOSH"
"BOOM!!"
Like a cannonball, Garp crashed into the ruins below, gouging a massive crater in the ground!
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
The Marines stared in disbelief as Luffy sent Garp flying.
They never could have imagined that Vice Admiral Garp would be knocked away like that.
"Excellent, the Navy Hero has been taken down!" the pirates cheered. "Well done, Straw Hat Boy!!"
With the incredibly powerful Navy Hero defeated, then... was rescuing Ace still far off?!
The thought filled everyone with excitement.
"Gurararara"
"It seems my judgment wasn't wrong," Whitebeard laughed heartily.
That guy Garp truly couldn't bring himself to strike down the Straw Hat Boy!
"Fufufufufu"
"What a terrifying background," Doflamingo chuckled.
Not only is he the son of that Dragon, but he's also the grandson of the Navy Hero.
This is truly... shocking!
"The final test has arrived," Crocodile remarked.
If this kid can rescue someone right under Sengoku's nose... then this war will be theirs to win!
With that thought, Crocodile fixed his gaze on the higher platform, watching to see how events would unfold.
After glancing at Luffy racing upward, Borsalino turned to Meiser and said, "Is this why you've bet everything on this guy?"
"It's quite effective, isn't it?"
The evidence showed he was right—that old man Garp truly couldn't bring himself to harm Luffy.
"After all... he's his own grandson!"
Borsalino nodded, then said, "But what difference can he make even if he goes up there?"
"You'll find out."
Hearing Meiser's words, Borsalino subconsciously furrowed his brow.
Then he thought to himself: 'Could this kid still have some trick up his sleeve?'
Thinking this, Borsalino turned his gaze back to the execution platform.
"Where are you looking?!" Meiser shouted.
As he spoke, he thrust the pale golden spear in his hand forward!
"Clang!"
"Boom!!"
Borsalino raised his long leg to block Meiser's attack, then said with a smirk, "It seems you won't let me stop the Straw Hat Boy."
"Of course not!"
Seeing Meiser's confident expression, Borsalino said, "I hope you'll still be smiling later."
Did you think you'd won just by getting the Straw Hat Boy to the execution platform?
Don't forget, there's still a Marine Admiral up there!
"Garp..."
Looking at the fallen Garp, Sengoku murmured, "In the end, he's still your grandson."
Very well, he would capture this brat alive himself!
With this thought, Sengoku's eyes turned sharp.
Just at that moment, Luffy charged up using the rubble and landed steadily on the execution platform!
"Whoosh"
"Click"
"Great, I finally made it here!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly.
Seeing Luffy's big smiling face, Ace was momentarily stunned.
Then a smile appeared on his face.
"Luffy, you really..."
At this moment, Ace's heart was filled with emotion.
"Ahahaha, don't worry, I'll save you right now," Luffy said.
With that, Luffy quickly took out the Sea Prism Stone Handcuff Key that Meiser had given him earlier and ran toward Ace.
"A key?!"
Seeing the very familiar Sea Prism Stone Handcuff Key in Luffy's hand, Sengoku's pupils constricted sharply.
Damn it, why does this kid have that?!
What were the people guarding the Sea Prism Stone Handcuff Key doing?!
Ace looked at Luffy with shocked eyes, clearly not expecting him to have such a thing.
Was this really the same fool who only knew how to charge forward?
"Once I unlock the handcuffs..."
Before Luffy could finish speaking, he noticed a yellow light appearing from the side.
Luffy: ???
He instinctively turned his head and immediately spotted the familiar figure.
"Kizaru?!"
Seeing Kizaru appear beside him, Luffy's pupils shrank to their smallest size.
Ace was equally shocked to see Kizaru, wondering why this guy had suddenly appeared here.
Wasn't he just fighting the Blood-Eyed Ninja a moment ago!
Thinking this, Ace glanced sideways at where Meiser was.
'Huh?'
That's not right... Kizaru was still beside the Blood-Eyed Ninja.
Then this guy must be... Kizaru's Light Clone?
"Damn it!"
Luffy performed a backflip to dodge the Light Clone's slash, gritting his teeth as he said, "I was so close."
"Luffy, behind you!"
"Behind me?"
Hearing Ace's warning, Luffy instinctively turned around and immediately saw the situation behind him.
He... had already moved beyond the edge of the execution platform!
No way, he couldn't fall down after finally making it up here!
Realizing this, Luffy immediately stretched out his arm to grab the execution platform's floor, intending to forcibly pull himself back.
But before he could exert any force, he saw the Light Clone raising its hand to slash at his arm!
Luffy: !!!
Not good!
At that moment, a high-pressure water jet shot up from below, heading straight for the Light Clone on the execution platform!
Mistaking it for seawater, the Light Clone immediately abandoned its attack and swiftly retreated to create distance.
Seizing this opportunity, Luffy managed to return to the execution platform.
"It seems I'll have to step in after all."
After glancing at Meiser's clone using the high-pressure water jet to pursue the Light Clone, Sengoku fell silent for a moment before decisively activating his Devil Fruit Ability.
"Bzzzt"
"Bzzzt"
"Bzzzt" — A golden light flashed as Sengoku's body rapidly expanded at a visible rate!
"What... what is that?!!"
Seeing the now gigantic Sengoku, the pirates were utterly stunned.