One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

Roy tapped his fingers on the table.

"If those core members—Marco, Jozu, Vista, these captain-level figures—are willing to come to Beehive Island, I'll reserve a place for them."

Crocodile nodded. "Marco's Phoenix Fruit and Jozu's Diamond Fruit—they are indeed top-tier combatants."

"It's not just about combat power."

Roy looked out the window at the night sky.

"Although I haven't drunk with that guy with the white beard many times, I acknowledge his charisma."

He protected his sons his whole life; if the pirate crew were to fall apart after his death, he wouldn't be able to rest in peace.

Crocodile didn't say anything more, stood up and patted Roy on the shoulder, "Suit yourself. Anyway, you're in charge of Hive Island."

As he reached the door, Roy called out to him.

"Old Sha, you did a good job in that Alabasta scene."

Crocodile waved his hand without turning his head, "If you make me do this kind of thing again, I'll have to fight you first."

The door closed.

Roy stood by the window, looking at the scattered lights in the direction of the harbor.

The port lighthouse was still spinning, its beams sweeping across the sea and illuminating the dark hull of the Pluto warship anchored in the outer harbor.

One month.

A month later, this sea will be stained red with blood.

He wanted to be the one standing at the very top of the crimson tide.

.................................................. ..................................

Meanwhile, at Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, on the other side of the Grand Line.

The Warring States period was precisely because he was signing a document that would change the world order.

The document contained only a few lines of text, but every word carried immense weight.

"Portgas D. Ace, son of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, and the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."

The public execution will be carried out on [Date] at Marineford Square, Naval Headquarters.

After signing the last character, Zhan Guo put down his pen and let out a long breath.

The moonlight shining through the window shone on his gray hair, making his wrinkled face look even older than usual.

"Hopefully, this time, we can successfully take down Whitebeard, the strongest man."

He muttered something to himself and then pressed the button on the Den Den Mushi on the table.

"Pass down the order—all naval officers, enter a state of first-level combat readiness."

A gasp came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi, followed by a series of "yes" replies.

Warring States period leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He knew what this war meant.

If they win, the navy's prestige will be restored to its peak.

We lost—

He didn't think any further.

Because he can't afford to lose.

Even as he closed his eyes, the lighthouse in Marineford harbor continued to spin its beam, casting a golden halo onto the dark sea.

Everything has just begun.

In the year 1520 of the Sea Calendar, a message, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, spread from Marineford, the headquarters of the Navy, to the entire world through news birds and radio Den Den Mushi.

"Portgas D. Ace, the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, has been arrested by the Navy."

It has been verified that the criminal is a blood relative of Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.

The Navy Headquarters decided to publicly execute him in Marineford Square one month from now.

Newsbirds swarmed to every corner of the sea, and newspapers featured Ace's photo on their front pages—an orange cowboy hat, freckles dotting his cheeks, and those defiant eyes that remained even when bound by seastone chains.

The whole world was in an uproar.

East China Sea, Rogge Town.

The plaza where Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, was executed was packed with people, all talking about it.

"Roger actually has a son?"

"Still alive?"

What has the navy been doing for the past twenty years?

"Excellent! This sinful bloodline should be eradicated completely!"

Cheers erupted everywhere, and vendors even took the opportunity to sell T-shirts printed with Ace's wanted poster, doing incredibly well.

In a tavern in a small fishing village in the South China Sea, a group of old pirates gathered around a radio listening to the broadcast. After listening, they all fell silent.

An old pirate with a gray beard put down his wine glass, a complex light flashing in his cloudy eyes.

"Captain Roger... he even had a son..."

The first half of the Grand Line, the Kingdom of Alabasta.

Princess Vivi stood on the palace balcony, clutching a newspaper in her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly. Although she had never met Ace, she knew he was Luffy's brother.

King Cobra stood behind her, remaining silent for a long time before speaking.

"This war will change the entire world order."

Meanwhile, in the New World, in the waters off Sphinx Island, the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet is assembling at full speed.

On the deck of the Moby Dick, the white-bearded man sat in that huge chair, clutching a newspaper so tightly that the edges of the newspaper were tearing.

Before him stood all sixteen captains, including Marco, Joz, and Vista, each with an expression of anger and fighting spirit.

"Dad, give the order."

Marco's voice was filled with suppressed anger, and his usual lazy expression was completely gone.

Whitebeard did not answer immediately.

He looked up at his sons, whom he had raised single-handedly over the years, and saw the anger and determination on their faces. A slow smile spread across his lips.

"My sons—"

His voice wasn't loud, but everyone on deck could hear him clearly.

"Ready to go. Let's go bring Ace home."

There were no impassioned oaths, no passionate speeches.

With just that one sentence, the entire Whitebeard Pirates went into a state of war.

The flags of forty-three affiliated pirate crews were raised around the flagship. The fleet was so large that the sterns could not be seen from the bow, and it sailed majestically toward Marineford.

At the same time, in Donghai Windmill Village.

Rouge saw the newspaper in Makino's tavern. The tray she was carrying fell to the ground, glasses shattered, and wine splashed onto her faded apron, but she didn't feel a thing.

The photo in the newspaper—the young man in the orange cowboy hat,

Those eyes, exactly like hers; that face, exactly like Roger's—

Her hands began to tremble.

It started at my fingertips, spread to my wrists, spread to my arms, and finally my whole body was trembling.

Makino quickly helped her up and led her to a chair behind the bar.

Rouge gripped Makino's arm, her nails digging into her skin, her lips trembling as she couldn't speak.

Rouge didn't know how she got home. She only remembered picking up a Den Den Mushi and dialing a number she thought she would never dial herself.

"Mr. Garp, Ace—could you—"

Her voice was trembling, and each word seemed to be squeezed out of her throat.

There was a long silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.

When Garp's voice came through, he sounded much older than she remembered:

"I...I'm sorry, I can't help it."