Chapter 491: Whitebeard's Laughter and a World Connection
While the entirety of Marine Headquarters was a maelstrom of activity, a frantic search for the missing Portgas D. Ace underway, Admiral Borsalino was lazily wandering its halls. He ambled along with his hands tucked into the pockets of his pinstripe suit, his usual languid expression untouched by the surrounding chaos. He did have a suspicion about where the boy might have gone, but if Ace was truly there, he certainly wouldn't be able to catch him. So, it was far better to just slack off.
At that moment, a sharp-eyed female officer with a cigarette dangling from her lips stepped into his path. She observed the Admiral's unhurried, almost leisurely stroll, and her brow furrowed. "Admiral Borsalino," she said, her voice a low, serious timber. "You don't seem to be in a hurry at all."
"Ooooh~," Borsalino drawled, his lips pulling into a slow, vague smile. "But there's no use in this old man rushing, is there~?"
The woman's gaze narrowed slightly. "While that may be true, I can't help but feel that you seem a bit too relaxed, Admiral."
Borsalino's smile widened. "This old man just happens to know the situation over there. Portgas D. Ace wasn't actually secured in his cell with both hands cuffed. What a coincidence, wouldn't you say~?"
He had barely finished his sentence when a thunderous laugh echoed down the corridor, accompanied by a loud, satisfying crunch. Vice Admiral Garp rounded the corner, munching on a senbei rice cracker. "Bwahahaha! Borsalino, this whole mess is somewhat related to you, you know!"
"Oh my~, Vice Admiral Garp," Borsalino replied, his head tilting. "Why ever would you say that?"
Garp swallowed his mouthful and let out another booming laugh. "It's because Sentomaru and the others suddenly reported that you, Admiral Borsalino, had vanished! The entire Headquarters practically had an earthquake! Bwahahaha!"
"Hmm? But what does that have to do with this matter?" Borsalino asked, feigning confusion.
Garp shot him a knowing look, a wide grin splitting his face. "Of course it's related! Their report came in right after the interrogation, just when Ace was supposed to be locked back up. In the chaos, he was just thrown back into his cell with the Sea-Prism Stone handcuffs still on! Bwahahaha!"
Borsalino blinked, then scratched the back of his head with a slow, deliberate motion. "Well now, that really is a coincidence. But for something like that to happen because of me... how terrifying~. Though, my own interrogation had also just ended."
Garp's grin didn't falter. "You went to some otherworld restaurant, didn't you? Ate a very delicious meal. Heard one day there is about a month here, which is why you were gone for so long, Borsalino..."
"How outrageous!" Garp suddenly roared, his good mood evaporating into comical fury. "You didn't tell me about a place like that! Just hearing you describe it is making me hungry! Damn it!"
Borsalino looked momentarily taken aback, his mouth twitching before settling back into a smile. "I don't know how to get there either. It might just be somewhere in this world. In any case, I haven't had a chance to go in again since."
"That's a real pity," Garp grumbled, before his boisterous mood returned. "Alright then! I'll just go observe the search! Bwahahaha!"
The Vice Admiral was clearly ecstatic to learn of Ace's disappearance. After all, he had watched the boy grow up, treating him like his own grandson. To witness his execution would have brought Garp immense sorrow, a grief he had been forced to bury beneath his duty.
But now, the problem had solved itself. Ace was gone. As long as he had truly escaped and could make it back to the Whitebeard Pirates, the Marines would be powerless to recapture him.
The female officer, who had been listening quietly, took a long drag from her cigarette. "So, Admiral Kizaru," she said, her voice laced with skepticism. "Does that shop truly exist?"
"Of course," Borsalino replied, his tone oozing sincerity. "I always speak truthfully to my own people. That is a fine virtue of the Marines, after all."
A small, knowing smile touched the woman's lips. "If you speak truthfully about everything... then why do I get the feeling you know exactly how to get back to that shop?"
"Hmm? What are you trying to say~?"
"Nothing," she said, exhaling a plume of smoke. "I just feel like I've found a good place to keep in mind. Maybe one day I'll also 'coincidentally' stumble upon it, Admiral Kizaru."
Borsalino's grin was wide and lazy. "Remember to order the large ramen," he advised. "It's very good~."
"Thank you for the tip."
While the search raged on within Marineford, the seas outside quaked with news. Not long after the announcement of Ace's impending execution, another message was sent out: the execution was postponed, with the new time yet to be determined.
On the massive deck of the Moby Dick, a colossal old man sat upon his throne, medical IVs dripping into his powerful arms. He stared out at the endless sea, lost in thought, when he suddenly spotted a flash of yellow. A pineapple-headed... no... a man was running towards him.
The old man's lips split into a massive grin, and a deep, rumbling laugh shook the very planks of the ship. "Gurararara... Marco, what's wrong? You're in such a hurry. Did something happen?"
Marco skidded to a halt, panting for breath. "Pops! This is an emergency!"
Whitebeard's expression shifted, a flicker of concern in his eyes, but his voice remained a confident boom. "Gurararara... I don't think anything could be more urgent than rescuing my son, your brother Ace!"
"Pops! It is about Ace!" Marco said quickly. "The Marines suddenly released news! Ace's execution has been temporarily canceled, and the sentence will be rescheduled! The specific time is unknown!"
Whitebeard fell silent. His gaze returned to the horizon, his mind working. After a long moment, his face broke into another earth-shaking laugh. "Marco! Tell the men to focus on gathering information! Ace should be temporarily safe! Gurararara!"
"Eh? Pops! Why do you say that?" Marco asked, bewildered.
"The confirmed time hadn't been public for long, Marco. It hadn't even spread across all the seas yet. And now the Marines suddenly withdraw it, making it pending. What do you think is the reason for that?"
Marco's mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. "Ace... Something's happened to Ace! It's definitely not an illness; they wouldn't need to delay the execution for that. It can only be one thing... Ace has gone missing! Or he's been rescued! The Marines are searching for him!"
Whitebeard smiled and gave a slow, approving nod. A look of dawning comprehension and fierce joy spread across Marco's face. "So, Pops, we should immediately gather intelligence from inside the Marines and across the sea!"
"That's right, Marco. Go do it," Whitebeard commanded, his grin turning predatory. "Sengoku must be absolutely furious! Gurararara!"
On the other side of the universe, Ace had finally calmed down. The reason was simple. Ren had casually asked, "Mr. Ace, was it daytime or nighttime when you came here?"
"I don't know! Is that important?"
Ren smiled faintly. "It should be approaching daytime... or perhaps just after nightfall... It truly is hard to calculate without a synchronized timeline. But don't worry. As a prisoner the Marines are guarding so closely, your sudden disappearance will force them to stall for time."
"What do you mean?"
Lucifer, leaning against the counter, spoke up with a note of impatience. "It means that to cover up the fact they lost you, the Marines will definitely release news that the execution is postponed. Your captain, as one of the Four Emperors, will likely guess the situation and won't act rashly."
Hearing this, Ace let out a long, shuddering breath. The tension that had coiled in his gut finally began to unwind. As long as Pops and the others weren't charging into a trap, everything was fine. But a new worry quickly surfaced. "But if I go back, won't I just reappear directly in the cell?"
"The connection to your world has not been fully established yet," Ren explained calmly. "Once it is, you will be able to choose a safe location to return to."
Ace's shoulders slumped in complete relief. He then looked at the shopkeeper, a new kind of confusion on his face. "Connecting Worlds... Does that mean you can also come to our world, Mr. Shopkeeper? Are there any other effects besides that?"
"No, it is simply a channel for passage. As for the customers in the shop wanting to go to your world, they would first need my consent."
Ace processed this for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh. "Anyway, I'm safe for now." He looked up, a sudden, primal hunger overtaking his features. "Mr. Shopkeeper, please give me something to eat first. I'm starving. We can talk after I've eaten. Pops and the others are safe, I'm safe, and Luffy is safe... so there's nothing more to worry about right now."
"Alright," Ren replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "What would you like to eat?"
Ace's face split into a wide, familiar grin. "Meat! And alcohol!"
"You really do order in the same way."
"Hahaha! Thank you, Mr. Shopkeeper!"
"You're welcome. Please wait a moment."
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