With news spreading that Portgas D. Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, had been captured and imprisoned, the seas... grew strangely calm.
But beneath that false serenity, powerful undercurrents began to churn.
This was merely the silence before the storm.
And just as tensions mounted, another explosive incident occurred — this time on Sabaody Archipelago.
The Straw Hat Pirates had attacked a Celestial Dragon.
In response, the Navy deployed one of its highest-ranking Admirals to suppress the situation…
---
"Urgent report!"
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marineford, a breathless Marine messenger rushed in.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!
After the incident at Sabaody Archipelago, Admiral Kizaru took out his frustration by capturing over 5000 pirates!"
"Impel Down can't even process the intake fast enough…"
Sengoku frowned, face tense.
"Forget it. Unless it's about Whitebeard — don't bother reporting anything else."
"But… there's also the matter of Celestial Dragon Saint Rosward…"
"Let an Admiral handle it."
Sengoku pressed his fingers against his forehead, a headache flaring.
He sighed, then asked:
"Where's Garp?"
> "Vice Admiral Garp just left for Impel Down..."
The messenger broke into a nervous sweat.
Sengoku's expression darkened, voice full of worry.
"What the hell is that old fool doing…?
With things this unstable, he's still acting on his own?"
---
Impel Down – Level Six: Eternal Hell
Calm Belt, Undersea Prison
Alone, Garp stood in front of Ace's cell, staring down at his grandson, who lay motionless on the cold floor.
He frowned.
"Brat, you dead already?"
As if sensing something, Ace twitched, then slowly sat up.
His eyes were shadowed. He looked up at Garp.
"Old man…"
Garp gave a short, amused snort.
"You're tougher than you look."
He sat down cross-legged outside the cell, letting out a heavy sigh.
> "Thanks to you, Ace, the Navy Headquarters — hell, the entire World Government — is in total chaos."
"Hahaha…"
Ace's heart twisted as he heard Garp laugh. He couldn't tell what he was feeling anymore — only that it hurt.
Hurt so much he couldn't even face the old man.
"Kill me," he muttered. "Just… kill me."
Garp frowned, his expression hardening.
"Kill you?
Don't be stupid, boy! You think dying will solve anything?"
"This situation is already past the point of no return. Even if you die, Whitebeard won't stop."
He barked in frustration, his voice scolding — not without affection.
Ace bit his lip, speechless, sitting in silence behind the bars.
Garp looked at him strangely.
"It's odd. Hannyabal didn't fully restrain you — just the shackles?"
He muttered to himself.
"My original plan… was to make you and Luffy into fine Marines.
Now look at you. Not only did you not become Marines, you're both infamous criminals."
He looked off into the distance.
"You've heard about Luffy, haven't you?"
"That little punk actually invaded Enies Lobby.
I rushed there personally — gave him a fist full of love... and he still didn't learn."
"Now he's attacked Sabaody and even punched a Celestial Dragon…"
"If it weren't for my protection, the two of you might already be reunited here in this prison!"
"Hahahaha!
That's my grandson, alright!"
Garp's weathered face lit up with a rare touch of pride, his laughter echoing in the silent cell block.
Even Ace couldn't help but crack a faint smile.
---
After a long pause, Garp spoke again.
"Oh yeah... I told Luffy about his father."
"You should've seen his face when he found out he actually had one. Hilarious."
Ace looked down. His eyes darkened.
"That kind of thing... whether I knew or not, it's always been a curse."
"Luffy and I — we both carry the blood of a man the world calls the worst criminal alive."
"There's no way we could ever be Marines."
"That bastard's bloodline... it disgusts me."
"The only father I've ever had… is Whitebeard."
BANG!
Garp slammed his fist into the floor, eyes blazing with fury.
"Watch your damn mouth!"
"There are things you don't understand — don't speak like you know everything!"
Startled, Ace looked up at Garp's suddenly fierce expression.
He couldn't make sense of it. This man had been his father's enemy... and yet here he was, burning with anger on his behalf.
"Huh...? Garp?"
Suddenly, that voice echoed again in Ace's mind.
His eyes widened.
He didn't respond aloud — but inside, his heart was racing.
Heh heh heh… interesting kid. You're already different from the original timeline.
Ghidorah sensed Garp's presence and couldn't help but feel intrigued.
---
"There are things you're not ready to know," Garp muttered to himself.
"So live. Live long enough to understand."
With those cryptic words, Garp turned toward the distant giant cage.
He paused… then started walking toward it.
"Old man!!"
Ace yelled, panic in his voice.
"Don't go over there!!"
"Hah! You think you can tell me what to do, brat?"
Garp chuckled as he strode forward, his eyes flashing with curiosity and boldness.
---
It didn't take long before he stood before the massive cage.
His expression turned solemn.
"Terrifying…"
He didn't say whether he meant the cage's size — or the three monstrous, dragon-like heads sealed in ice within.
Without hesitation, Garp reached out and placed a hand on the frozen cage.
"Roger… I hope you didn't lie to me."
Then suddenly, his calm eyes snapped open.
Veins bulged across his forehead like coiled dragons.
A blinding surge of golden Haki exploded from his body, snaking up his arm and surging into one of the massive frozen chains on the cage.
A moment later, he pulled his hand away, gasping, sweat pouring from his brow.
"Still that sturdy, huh…"
He turned around and walked away from the cage, heading back toward the elevator.
As he passed Ace's cell, he paused briefly.
"Live well, Ace.
I've done all a grandfather can."
"A Navy hero… huh.
What a damn joke."
Without waiting for a reply, Garp entered the lift and ascended — leaving Ace wide-eyed and speechless.
---
Crack… crack… crack…
A quiet, shattering sound echoed through the prison.
It sounded like ice breaking.
Only Ace — close to the giant cage — heard it.
He turned sharply, eyes wide.
---
Heh… "Hero of the Marines," Garp?
You're definitely different from the one I remember.
So… you know something, don't you?
From inside the cage, Ghidorah felt the faint fracture in the frozen chains and stirred with excitement.
The damage was small — not nearly enough to break free.
But…
It's enough.
Seven days.
That's all I need to shatter this icy prison.
And when I do…
The world will tremble beneath my feet.
PS:
The King of Monsters – Ghidorah is about to descend upon the world of One Piece.
Stay tuned…
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