Whitebeard and Dave returned to the crew, their steps steady despite the toll of their battle. However, as they arrived, the atmosphere among the crew was heavy with tension. Something was clearly wrong.
Dave furrowed his brow as he stepped forward. "What happened?" he asked.
Shakky, standing nearby, silently handed him a newspaper. Whitebeard leaned over to look as well. The instant his eyes landed on the headline, his grip on his bisento tightened, the metal creaking under the pressure.
"Those bastards are at it again," Whitebeard snarled, his voice trembling with restrained fury.
Dave scanned the paper quickly, his sharp eyes catching the details immediately. His jaw tightened as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Ace's execution... a week from now," he muttered.
"They're just trying to regain their lost face," Dave continued, his voice calm but laced with disdain.
Whitebeard turned to him sharply, his eyes blazing with anger and confusion. "What do you mean by that, brat?"
Dave let out a small sigh, folding the paper and tossing it onto a nearby table. "He's Roger's son. After their humiliation by us, they want to save face by executing the Pirate King's bloodline. They think it'll make them look strong again."
The room fell silent, the Whitebeard Pirates staring at Dave in shock. Marco was the first to find his voice. "Wait—how do you even know that?"
Dave glanced at him, then at Whitebeard, before shrugging. "Because I'm Roger's apprentice," he said matter-of-factly.
Whitebeard's eyes widened, as did the rest of the crew's. For a moment, no one said anything. Then, Whitebeard stepped forward, his voice booming with disbelief. "You?! Roger's apprentice?! Why didn't you say so sooner?!"
Dave rolled his eyes. "Because it wasn't relevant. Now, however, it's obvious they're targeting Ace because of his connection to Roger. And before you ask, yes, I've known about it for a while. But I'm here now, so let's deal with it."
Before Whitebeard could respond, a sudden disturbance erupted outside the ship. A powerful slash of wind came hurtling toward them, cleaving through the air. Without missing a beat, Dave extended his hand and activated his technique.
"Divine Avoidance," he murmured.
A gleaming slash of energy shot forth from his fingertips, intercepting the incoming attack and deflecting it harmlessly into the sea. The sheer force of his counterattack left the surrounding crew stunned.
Dave turned back to Whitebeard, his expression calm but firm. "We don't have much time. If you're serious about saving Ace, you'd better start preparing now."
Rayleigh, who had just tested Dave with an attack, nodded approvingly. "That was definitely Roger's swordsmanship."
Dave rolled his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Don't you have any other method to verify it, old man?"
Rayleigh shrugged, a small grin on his face. "It was the best way."
Shaking his head, Dave turned his focus back to Whitebeard. "With you now younger, the Marines and World Government likely have no clue yet. I suggest only taking your strongest fighters to Marineford. Leave the weaker ones behind—they'd just die pointlessly."
Whitebeard nodded in agreement. "Hmm, that's a good idea," he said, then looked at Dave. "I guess your crew will be coming as well?"
Dave nodded. "Yes, but there are a few more I need to gather. Once I get them, we'll join you at Marineford."
Whitebeard smirked, his restored vitality shining through. "Go on then. We'll meet at Marineford. Don't keep me waiting, brat."
"See you there, old man," Dave replied with a grin before turning toward Tony. "Let's go, Tony. Full speed ahead."
Tony nodded, and the ship roared to life, speeding away from the Whitebeard Pirates. There was no time for a banquet or celebration; saving Ace was now the priority.
As they sailed, Dave leaned back, deep in thought. "Once this quest is complete, I can return to Marvel," he mused. His eyes narrowed with determination as he issued his next command. "Head to Amazon Lily. There are four more girls there we need to pick up."
Tony pushed the ship's thrusters to maximum, and within moments, they were moving faster than any ship could hope to follow. The CP0 agents who had been tracking them were left stunned as the ship disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"By the way, why did we leave Kaito back there?" Shakky asked suddenly, her tone curious.
Dave smirked knowingly. "Whitebeard is young again. We have to keep that a secret for now, and Kaito's illusion is a perfect distraction. The World Government won't suspect a thing."
Shakky nodded in understanding, though her curiosity lingered. Rayleigh rubbed his chin, looking intrigued. "With Kaito illusion covering them, they won't realize Whitebeard's new condition. Sengoku's face when he finds out... I'd pay to see it," he chuckled.
Dave chuckled but quickly changed the subject. "By the way, I have plans for two people in the Marines," he said, catching Shakky's attention.
"Old man Garp and Kizaru," Dave replied, his voice steady. "Both of them still hold some form of true justice, unlike Sengoku and Akainu, who are nothing but lapdogs."
Shakky nodded slowly. "Interesting choice," she murmured.
Dave leaned back, confident. "I know what I'm doing. Trust me."
Shakky just nodded knowing he is planning to give them the rejuvenation potion too, but she is not going to stop him, knowing even if Garp and Kizaru become young again, they won't be no match to him.
Shakky reclined on her seat, her gaze distant as she pondered silently. "I truly wonder if you'll defy the prophecy and save the world in your own way, unlike the Joy Boy, whose destiny it is to bring salvation." A faint smile crossed her lips as she shifted to make herself more comfortable, her thoughts lingering on the enigmatic man before her.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Marines were deep in preparation. Fleet Admiral Sengoku had called for an emergency meeting, issuing orders for the Marine forces to gather in full strength at Marineford. Confident in their intelligence, they believed Whitebeard would come with an overwhelming force of thousands. Every available soldier, from rookies to Admirals, was being mobilized for what they believed would be the ultimate battle.
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