They were overwheld in an instant, and the crucial key snapped cleanly in Tsuru's hand. With the key destroyed, it would be extrely difficult for Whitebeard's forces to find another.
Yet before Tsuru could even relax, the sharp sound of shackles unlocking reached her ears.
She turned imdiately.
Ace stood there, his restraints already undone. Beside him hovered a grinning man with a bright red nose, none other than Buggy the Clown.
"Old lady Tsuru, you are celebrating too early."
Buggy floated slightly above the platform, holding a wax key between his fingers. That was what he had used to free Ace.
Below the execution platform, Mr. 3 clung tightly to Buggy's leg, allowing Buggy to split his body and rise upward using his Chop-Chop powers.
Ace stared at his freed hands in disbelief. When Luffy had been taken down, his focus had been completely on his brother. He had not noticed Buggy at all.
Now, that ridiculous grin seed strangely reliable.
Flas burst from Ace's body as he clenched his fists. The feeling of freedom surged through him. After more than a week in chains, he could finally move again.
"Thanks, Buggy. I did not expect you to be the one to save ."
Their previous eting had been far from friendly, which made this mont even more unexpected.
Buggy placed his hands on his hips, trying to appear impressive.
His subordinates were broadcasting everything through Den Den Mushi. The thought of becoming famous across the world filled him with excitent.
Across the seas, countless viewers watched in shock.
The one who freed Ace was not Whitebeard, not Roger, and not even Straw Hat Luffy.
It was a clown.
No one had expected this outco.
Buggy, completely unaware of the reactions, was already imagining his rise to fa, along with the treasure map Aether had promised him.
"It is nothing. Saving you was sothing Captain Roger entrusted to . And the one who made the key is my good brother, Mr. 3."
"..."
Roger.
That na stirred complicated emotions within Ace.
It had followed him his entire life, bringing him pain and loss. His mother had died because of that na. Questions he had buried resurfaced again.
Why now?
Why here?
If that man truly cared, why had he not been there before?
Ace's gaze shifted briefly toward Aether, who was locked in battle with Garp. The man felt both familiar and distant, soone Ace had never truly understood.
He pushed those thoughts aside.
Right now, only one thing mattered.
Getting Luffy out alive.
Flas roared around him as his presence sharpened.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, return my foolish brother to ."
Tsuru let out a quiet sigh.
"I did not expect you to break free after all. As for letting Monkey D. Luffy go, that is not possible. I am still a Marine."
Despite Ace's escape, her expression remained calm.
With Aether's appearance, the execution itself had already lost its original aning. The return of the Pirate King carried far greater consequences.
The battlefield had also shifted beyond control.
Rather than pursuing Ace, it was more practical to change focus.
Her gaze moved toward Whitebeard, who was battling Sengoku. His massive body was covered in wounds, and his slowing movents revealed the toll on his health.
If they could defeat Whitebeard, the symbol of this era, the Marines could still claim victory.
As for capturing Aether, that was no longer realistic.
Even if the Marines wiped out the Whitebeard Pirates, there was no guarantee they could stop Aether from escaping, especially with Rayleigh present.
Tsuru's eyes shifted toward Akainu in the distance.
At that exact mont, Akainu also looked toward the execution platform.
Their gazes t.
Tsuru's thoughts settled.
If it were him, he would choose the most decisive course without hesitation.
Unaware of her calculations, Ace's flas surged higher.
"Great Fla Commandnt!"
A massive pillar of fire erupted, engulfing the entire execution platform. The intense heat caused the steel beneath to glow red, almost lting under the pressure.
Tsuru leaped back just in ti, distancing herself from the flas. She calmly brushed off a small spark that landed on her clothing.
She made no move to pursue.
Weighing everything, it was not worth the risk.
By the ti the fire faded, Ace had already grabbed Luffy, who was still in a weakened, flattened state, and jumped off the platform.
Buggy had long since fled to a safe distance.
Ace glanced at Luffy's condition and frowned.
"Luffy, that was reckless. If things had gone wrong, you would not have made it out."
Still flattened, Luffy grinned as if nothing was wrong.
He had achieved his goal.
He had saved Ace.
Though sothing lingered in his mind.
"Ace, is Aether your father? Why does everyone say he is Roger? I thought Roger died a long ti ago."
Ace fell silent for a mont.
"...That is not sothing you need to worry about."
He avoided the question.
Instead, he tightened his grip on Luffy and moved forward.
They needed to regroup with Whitebeard quickly. This was still the center of Marine forces.
After a brief pause, Ace spoke again, his tone slightly puzzled.
"By the way, Luffy, you said earlier that you wanted to beco a Marine."
Luffy blinked.
"Did I?"
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