Chapter 224: Fire Fist, A Sudden Change
East Blue, Loguetown.
The execution stand in the central square, the original one that witnessed the Pirate King’s downfall twenty years ago and recently saw the end of the Golden Lion’s legend in its damaged state, has been demolished······ The current execution stand is newly built, modeled after the original style, and deliberately aged.
After all,
the execution stand is now Loguetown’s most important tourist attraction.
Most of the island’s tourism industry has prospered because of the execution stand. Even if many visiting guests are pirates, as long as they don’t cause trouble on the island or skip bills, they are wealthy big shots and honored guests.
“The Pirate King······ was executed right here?”
A short and chubby boy with pink hair, wearing round glasses and a Navy Soldier uniform, looking like a winter melon, stood in front of the execution stand, straining to widen his eyes and gaze up at this legendary execution stand.
“Idiot Koby, didn’t we say it’s newly built? The original one was already destroyed.”
A boy with golden short hair and a butt chin unceremoniously retorted to his friend.
“What’s the difference? Helmeppo, it’s not the object that’s important, but the Navy’s determination to uphold justice here. Even the Pirate King couldn’t escape justice’s punishment.” The pink-haired boy, that is, Koby, spoke very fine words.
“Tch! Anyone can talk big.”
Helmeppo muttered, then leaned close to Koby’s side and whispered, “Hey, Koby, why do you think Vice Admiral Garp came here?”
Not far away, Garp stood alone under the execution stand, silently staring at it, motionless like a wooden man. Even Helmeppo felt an indescribable atmosphere that made it hard to approach, so he could only stand far away.
“How would I know? You should ask Mister Bogard about this kind of thing.”
“I’m not going! You think I’m stupid? Mister Bogard hits super hard.”
The little guys were chattering noisily.
It wasn’t until Garp’s adjutant, Bogard, stepped in to discipline the two kids that they settled down and obediently shut their mouths.
The subordinates’ commotion didn’t affect Garp reminiscing about old friends. This old Navy gazed at this unfamiliar execution stand······ recalling the day Roger was executed, when he had hidden in the shadows to maintain order, in case members of the Roger Pirates came to rescue him.
Unfortunately, the grand prison break drama never came in the end.
Roger died here, without using Haki, voluntarily relaxing his muscles to let the executioner take his life. If Roger hadn’t sought death himself, the Navy would probably have had to send Garp or a General-level figure to execute him; even an ordinary Vice Admiral couldn’t easily break Roger’s Haki.
“Time has flown by so many years······ That idiot kid Ace really lives up to being your son. I put so much effort into training him, but he still ended up on the same path as you······ And he even led my grandson astray. Hmph, that brat, next time we meet, I’ll definitely give him a good lesson.”
“······Also, I didn’t expect that old rooster Shiki to die here too······ That guy was probably delighted even in death······”
The muttering Garp lacked his usual carefree demeanor.
His wistful appearance was so rare.
Not only did the two rookie eggs find it novel, but many nearby Navy Soldiers also looked like they’d seen a ghost. Was this still the carefree Vice Admiral Garp who could fall asleep while walking?
At that moment,
The Den Den Mushi in Bogard’s pocket rang. He answered it, and after a few seconds, the man who had followed Garp for a lifetime’s expression changed instantly. He gripped the microphone tightly, his gaze turning to Garp standing in front of the execution stand, hesitating······
“What’s wrong? Bogard, what happened? You’re so flustered?”
Bogard hadn’t said anything yet, but Garp had already walked over.
“Vice Admiral, this isn’t good news for you.” Bogard sighed, his expression complex. “Marineford just contacted me. General Kuzan and G2 branch Commander Vice Admiral Gumile joined forces in the Alabasta Kingdom to capture the Whitebeard Pirates’ Second Division Commander [Fire Fist] Portgas D. Ace.”
Garp was stunned.
He stood in place motionless for over ten seconds.
Bogard didn’t make a sound either, waving his hand to disperse the surrounding Navy, leaving enough space for Garp to avoid any mishaps that could cause trouble.
Like the time he stepped through the Eckmond Kingdom’s embassy palace.
“That idiot Ace.”
This time,
Unexpectedly, he didn’t lose his temper.
The old Navy just let out a weary sigh. “I knew this day would come sooner or later since that idiot set out to sea······ But I didn’t expect it to come so soon!”
“What did Marineford say?”
“They notified us to return to headquarters at the fastest speed. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has ordered elite forces from around the world to head to headquarters, in case the Whitebeard Pirates make any moves. I hear CP is taking action too.”
“Is war coming?”
Bogard fell silent.
War?
This war was proactively sought by the Navy, right? The goal is Whitebeard?
“Vice Admiral, what do we do next?”
“······Let’s go back! Ace has been caught. If that idiot kid Luffy hears this news······ None of them listen.” Garp clenched his fist, then helplessly released it. “Ace, you idiot!!! Why mix with that old guy Whitebeard.”
“Alright, Bogard, prepare to set sail. Destination: return to Marineford······ Wait, stop by Impel Down first. Ace should be sent there.”
“You gonna break him out?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I’m going to see my grandson.”
Bogard shook his head, relaying the Vice Admiral’s orders, directing the Navy Soldiers back to the warship. Though puzzled that this shore rest was too short······ as soldiers under Garp, they faithfully carried out the orders without any complaints.
“Hey, Koby, what’s going on?”
“I told you not to ask me. We were together the whole time. How would I know what happened? Stop talking nonsense and hurry up, or Mister Bogard’s stick will come down again.” The two rookie eggs chatted while trying hard to keep up with the main group.
The group under Garp were all elites who could campaign in the New World with him. The two rookies soon had no time to talk; just keeping up exhausted all their strength.
The warship quickly set sail again,
Speeding toward Marineford, Navy Headquarters in the Grand Line.
————
Alabasta Kingdom, eastern desert.
“Fire Fist was captured here? Wow, it’s really spectacular. A glacial landscape in the desert······ Worthy of a General; one move changed the climate. With this glacier, the nearby desert will probably gain quite a few oases.”
Elus stood at the boundary between desert and glacier, feeling the starkly different hot and cold climates.
“Logia Devil Fruit······ Not bad at all. I’m getting more and more eager to get my hands on the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.” Elus excitedly surveyed the surrounding scenery.
Just two days ago,
Navy Headquarters General, codenamed ‘Aokiji’ Kuzan, landed in Alabasta and teamed up with G2 branch Commander Vice Admiral Gumile to besiege Fire Fist. Even one General was too much for Fire Fist, let alone the Vice Admiral ceiling Gumile.
After a day of fierce battle,
Fire Fist was defeated and captured.
Fortunately, the battlefield was in an uninhabited desert, and with the vast territory of the Alabasta Kingdom, the fight didn’t affect civilians. On the contrary, the glacier and icebergs left by Kuzan would provide a steady water source to the Alabasta Kingdom’s desert for a long time to come.
“Your Highness, it’s a call from His Majesty Berville.” Fran walked over holding the Den Den Mushi.
“Dad? Must be about Fire Fist. One move affects the whole body······ Capturing Fire Fist means the Whitebeard Pirates will act, and if Whitebeard moves······ The entire New World will be turned upside down. Give me the microphone!”
Then,
“Hey, El, how long are you going to play around in Paradise?” As soon as he picked up the microphone, the Den Den Mushi vividly mimicked Berville’s anger.
“It’ll take a while longer!”
Elus said calmly, unaffected by Berville’s mood.
“The New World is about to turn into chaos, and you’re still in the mood to wander around? Don’t tell me you don’t know about Fire Fist’s capture. Whitebeard is definitely going to go berserk this time. The Navy and pirates might break into all-out war!!”
“I know. I’m sightseeing at the place where Fire Fist was arrested right now!”
“What did you say? El, you, you, you exactly······ what are you doing?”
“Dad, don’t worry. This matter has little to do with us. The World Government and Navy are targeting the Whitebeard Pirates, not our Eckmond Kingdom. Why worry so much?” Elus said leisurely.
“You say it so lightly. Without Whitebeard as that pillar holding up the sky, the New World’s order will collapse. Once the existing order is broken, you think it won’t affect us?”
“That’ll at least wait until Whitebeard is truly dead. Otherwise······ No matter how much they clamor now, as long as Whitebeard lives another day, those clowns won’t take any real action. And when Whitebeard really dies······ I’ll naturally go back by then.”
Elus narrowed his eyes at the glacier before him.
“So, no need to worry about anything happening. Even if New World order collapses, as long as I’m alive, they won’t dare do anything outrageous to our country.”
Berville on the other end of the Den Den Mushi fell silent.
He was convinced by his son.
Indeed!
Not to mention that as long as Whitebeard lives one more day, the New World won’t descend into chaos. Even if Whitebeard dies and New World order collapses, the most basic rule of the strong ruling remains unchanged. With El there, few would dare provoke the Eckmond Kingdom.
“Fine, I can’t control you. Hand over the throne when you come back this time!”
Berville sighed.
Regardless of whether Whitebeard falls in the coming turmoil, just the Navy’s revealed hostility toward the Whitebeard Pirates foretells that the next era will no longer be as calm as before. No one knows what the future era will become.
Though Berville was still in his prime,
he knew that in that turbulent future, he couldn’t maintain the Eckmond Kingdom’s current influence on his own.
“Got it. But Dad, don’t rush off to enjoy freedom. Don’t forget my dream; I’ll need your help when the time comes!”
“You brat······ We’ll talk then!”
Call ended.
Elus handed the Den Den Mushi to Fran.
“Your Highness, how much longer are we staying here?” The maid holding the Den Den Mushi asked.
“What? Fran, are you eager to return home too?”
“No, that’s not it. I’m fine as long as I’m by Your Highness’s side. It’s just that this trip has been really too long······”
“No rush. If I’m not mistaken, even if we returned now, we’d have to come back to Paradise soon. Don’t forget the inevitable war between the Navy and Whitebeard Pirates. The World Government and Navy will probably muster all available forces. The Seven Warlords······ will definitely be summoned.”
“Ah! I almost forgot, Your Highness, you are still one of the Seven Warlords.”
“······You can forget that?”
Elus shook his head. “Besides that, there’s also······ Paradise has the Devil Fruits I want. Until I get those Devil Fruits······ No need to rush leaving.” His gaze rose continuously from the glacier, soon looking out toward the distant sea of clouds.
He snapped his fingers.
His whole body floated up and flew.
This was—
The power of the Float-Float Fruit.
After mastering the Gaze-Gaze Fruit’s power, his speed at analyzing Devil Fruit abilities had improved again. After the Gaze-Gaze Fruit, in less than a month, he had already analyzed and mastered the Slow-Slow Fruit’s power. Now he was analyzing the Float-Float Fruit, expected to switch to a new Devil Fruit in another three to five days.
For this,
he had his eyes on the Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit.
“Fran, where’s Miss Nami’s Life Card? Any changes lately?”
“Come to think of it, yesterday the Life Card in the bottle suddenly floated from the bottom and stuck near the mouth······”
“Oh! Already reached Skypiea? As expected of destiny!”
Elus marveled.
Since it’s already at Skypiea, he needed to hurry and hunt the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. Otherwise, if Enel lost the fight and fled to that Infinite Earth······ chasing him would be troublesome. Better to go early.
“Fran, give me Miss Nami’s Life Card later. I need to use it.”
“Understood.”
