Chapter 228

He became one of the supernovas dubbed "the most evil era."

On this day, on the Straw Hat crew's ship.

"Huh?! Brook, you know Luo En too?"

Luffy and the others were greatly startled upon hearing Brook, the skellington with the spiky hair.

Enel, sitting nearby sipping an iced cola, glanced over in their direction.

Amid the crowd's watchful eyes.

Brook slowly recounted his chance encounter with Luo En all those years ago.

"Mr. Luo En was the first living human I've met in decades—so gentle and courteous… How could I ever forget? He even bought me a drink back then, yo ho ho ho!"

"By the way, he told me I'd surely meet the perfect companions for me, and he made a promise with me to drink together on the sea someday—he truly was a kind, good man."

Brook sighed nostalgically: "Ah, it's already been six years… I wonder how he's doing now?"

"He's now a figure on this sea rivaling the Four Emperors—he's doing just fine."

Sanji lit a cigarette.

"The Four Emperors?"

Brook tilted his head.

"What's that?"

"Someone incredibly powerful on this sea."

Luffy grinned at him.

Usopp couldn't help saying: "I feel like almost everyone on this ship knows that traveler Luo En—only I haven't met him in person yet…"

"No, I don't know him either."

Franky placed a hand on Usopp's shoulder.

"Super…"

Usopp, as if finding a kindred spirit, turned around and slapped his shoulder hard.

"Exactly! That's Luo En the traveler—a figure rivaling the Four Emperors! It's normal for guys like us not to know him! It'd be weird if we did! Yes, that's it!"

…………

On their way to the Sabaody Archipelago.

On the other side, after Ace's battle with Blackbeard on Pahn Island.

He was defeated and captured.

Blackbeard Marshall D. Tich, who had already formed the Blackbeard Pirates, handed Ace over to the Marines and successfully earned the title of Warlord of the Sea.

As Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division Commander, "Fire Fist" Ace, was escorted to the underwater prison, Impel Down.

The Marines launched an investigation into Ace's origins and quickly discovered his true identity: he was the biological son of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger, and as a child in the East Blue, he had been friends with the traveler Luo En.

Upon learning all this, the World Government, after consulting with the Marines, quickly devised a plan.

Publicly execute Ace at Marineford!

Lure out the Whitebeard Pirates and that traveler Luo En, concentrate the Marines' highest combat power, and launch a full-scale encirclement against them at Marineford!

After the plan was set, troop deployment began.

"Besides the full combat strength of the Marine Headquarters, we'll also mobilize all Warlords of the Sea and the forces conscripted through the World Government's call to arms."

Admiral Kong's words startled Sakazuki, who frowned and said:

"But most of them are new recruits… Should they really be sent into this battle?"

"New recruits with no combat experience won't be sent to the front. By 'combat strength,' I mean those with division-commander-level power."

Admiral Kong stood up from his seat.

"Sakazuki, first the Four Emperors entrenched in the New World, then that reckless traveler Luo En, and now this 'most evil era'… The Marines are gradually losing control over this sea."

Admiral Kong stepped before Sakazuki, locking eyes with him: "For the order and justice of this sea, we must win this battle—we cannot lose! No sacrifice is too great."

Sakazuki met his gaze, his expression resolute.

"I understand."

After Ace was sent to the sixth level of the prison, Impel Down—the Infinite Hell—

The Marines immediately held a press conference at Marineford Headquarters.

"'Fire Fist' Ace will be publicly executed in fifteen days at Marineford!"

Ace was the Second Division Commander of Whitebeard; announcing his public execution was tantamount to declaring war on one of the Four Emperors.

This was enormous—a super news story that would shake the entire sea!

News agencies rushed to report it.

When the Straw Hat crew arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago,

the news that the Marines would publicly execute Fire Fist Ace had already reached the New World and Whitebeard's ears—before any newspaper could print it.

"Damn it, Tich! You sold Ace to the Marines!"

Ma Erke spat bitterly.

Jozu slammed his fists together, furious: "I'll crush his bones one day!"

"Now's not the time for that—we need to rescue Ace first."

Bista looked at Whitebeard and said: "Papa, the Marines have crossed the line. We don't need to hold back—let's make a huge ruckus!"

"Papa."

"Papa!"

"Crush Marineford and rescue Ace!"

All eyes turned to Whitebeard, seated there.

Bai Huzi closed his eyes and said nothing.

Everyone gradually fell silent.

After a long pause.

Bai Huzi opened his eyes, picked up the Yongdao Congyunqie beside him, and slowly stood up; a commanding aura of a supreme warrior who had long reigned at the world's peak radiated from him.

"Red-Hair, is this the surprise you mentioned…? I never expected it to actually come."

Ma Erke, Jozu, and the other members of the Whitebeard Pirates gazed at Bai Huzi now, their eyes filled with respect and admiration.

This was their father; this was the strongest man in the world!

"Lulalala! If the Navy wants to invite us to Marineford as guests, how could we refuse such kindness!"

Bai Huzi laughed loudly: "Everyone, get ready!"

"Ooooh!!"

The roaring shouts from the Moby Dick instantly shook the heavens and earth.

The Whitebeard Pirates, along with their 43 subordinate pirate crews, were fully mobilized!

Prepare for battle!

……

Red-Hair Pirates.

Red-Hair Shanks, upon hearing this news, wore a grave expression.

Ben Beckman bit his cigar and looked at him: "Captain, the worst outcome you imagined has finally come—this great battle was truly unavoidable."

"What should we do?"

Jesus asked.

"Should we stop this battle?"

Lazi Lu bit into his chicken leg and asked.

Shanks shook his head: "We can't stop it. This battle is inevitable between the Navy and the pirates."

With a grave expression, he turned his head toward the distant sea—the direction of Wano Country.

"All we can do now is try our best to prevent other factions from joining in; we must not let this battle expand further."

Beckman exhaled a puff of smoke and glanced at Shanks: "But what if… that traveler Luo En also gets involved?"

Shanks remained silent.

Given the current state of the Grand Line, that man is the greatest wildcard.

…………

Before the newspaper had spread across the seas.

The Revolutionary Army also obtained this intelligence through spies embedded within the Navy.