Morning arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago.
The moment Haruko opened her eyes, she found herself tucked firmly into her Young Master's arms. She could feel the soft warmth and a faint, pleasant fragrance against her face. She realized immediately that Yamato was once again using her as a body pillow.
Although this had happened many times during their journey, it still made Haruko feel a bit embarrassed. It often felt as if she were the one taking advantage of her master, which was a strange thought since they were both women. But Yamato's presence was so overwhelming and her personality so bold that it often made Haruko feel uncharacteristically shy.
"Huh," Haruko let out a soft sigh. She tilted her head up, but her view was mostly blocked by Yamato's towering presence. "Young Master really does have an incredible figure," Haruko thought to herself before reaching out to gently pat Yamato's back.
"Young Master, it's time to wake up!"
At the sound of Haruko's voice, Yamato groggily opened her eyes. She stretched her long limbs, finally releasing her grip on Haruko. Haruko sat up quickly, got out of bed, and hurried to wash up and get dressed. When she finished, she saw Yamato still sitting on the edge of the bed, looking like she had only half-returned to the land of the living.
"Young Master, should I go out and buy some breakfast?" Haruko asked.
"No need! Let's go out and eat together, and then we're heading straight back to the amusement park," Yamato said, springing up with sudden energy. She jumped off the bed and dashed toward the bathroom to get ready.
"Whoa-ho! This is even more fun than a regular roller coaster!"
Inside the Soap Bubble Park, a long Bubble Train raced along winding, translucent tracks. Yamato and Haruko were seated in the very first row, windswept and soaring.
"Charge, Bubble Locomotive!" Yamato shouted with pure glee.
Listening to Yamato's excited cheers, Haruko couldn't help but feel that her Young Master had suddenly regressed into a child. "Is this what they mean by having a youthful heart that never grows old?" Haruko wondered. However, she didn't find this side of Yamato annoying at all; in fact, it was quite cute.
Haruko spent the entire day accompanying Yamato through the park's various attractions.
"Today was way too much fun, Haruko! But your bumper car skills definitely still need some work," Yamato teased as they walked toward the exit at sunset.
"Young Master, was it really that exhilarating for you?" Haruko asked. While she had enjoyed the day, she didn't feel the same level of wild excitement. To her, it was just a pleasant way to pass the time.
"Of course! Haven't you ever heard the saying? 'A woman remains a girl until the day she dies,'" Yamato said with a perfectly serious face.
Haruko gave her a look that clearly communicated her disbelief.
"It's true! This Young Master never lies to you," Yamato insisted.
"I know you don't lie, Young Master, but you certainly do talk a lot of nonsense. Anyway, let's not dwell on that. The execution is scheduled for tomorrow," Haruko said, her tone shifting to something more somber.
Hearing Haruko mention the execution, Yamato's eyes sharpened. "Yeah, tomorrow is the day. I need to seriously think about how I'm going to make my entrance."
"Young Master, even knowing that this is a war the pirates are likely to lose, you still plan to jump into the middle of it?" Haruko asked.
"Mhm. I decided that a long time ago. Besides, whether it's a 'loss' or not depends on the goal. If we achieve what we set out to do, then it's a victory," Yamato said with a confident smile.
"You mean rescuing 'Fire Fist' Ace," Haruko clarified. As long as Ace was saved, the Whitebeard Pirates could technically claim they hadn't been defeated.
"Haha! Regardless, it's going to be incredibly lively tomorrow. I might even cause a huge scene. I've wanted to test myself against the Admirals for a long time," Yamato laughed heartily.
Haruko's expression turned stern. "Young Master, tomorrow is a war between the Navy and an Emperor. Please, do not just charge blindly into the front lines."
"I know, I know. I'm not stupid. When two great armies face off, the soldiers fight the soldiers and the generals fight the generals. That's the rule. Besides, that's Whitebeard's stage. I won't steal too much of his spotlight," Yamato said, waving her hand reassuringly.
"It's good that you understand," Haruko said, feeling slightly relieved. She knew that despite her Master's playful nature, she was usually very clear-headed when the stakes were high.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford, the atmosphere was thick with tension.
The island was ablaze with artificial lights. Marine troops were mobilizing in every corner, their numbers reaching a staggering total of 100,000 elite soldiers.
"Move faster! Get to your designated combat positions! There is no time left for rest!" an officer barked. "The Whitebeard Pirates will attack tomorrow! There must be no slackness! Check every cannon! Report any issues immediately! We cannot allow a single mistake in tomorrow's battle!"
The execution was set to begin in just over ten hours. Even with the home-ground advantage, the Marines knew they were facing the "Strongest Man in the World." No amount of preparation felt like enough.
At the same time, on the other side of the Red Line, dozens of pirate ships were sailing deep beneath the sea. The entire fleet was coated in specialized resin bubbles. Leading the charge was the Moby Dick, Whitebeard's massive flagship. To bypass Marine surveillance, the fleet was traveling underwater, preparing to pass through Fish-Man Island and emerge in the first half of the Grand Line.
Back in the hotel room, Yamato sat on the balcony, staring out toward the horizon in the direction of Marineford. Haruko walked out and placed a cup of black tea on the table.
"Thanks, Haruko. Have a seat," Yamato said.
Haruko sat down and watched her master. "What are you thinking about, Young Master?"
"I'm wondering how Blackbeard is doing. I wonder if he took a lot of damage during his fight with Ace," Yamato mused with a small smile.
"Blackbeard? Ace's strength is nothing to scoff at. Even if he lost, he definitely wouldn't have let Blackbeard escape unscathed. He must have landed some serious wounds," Haruko noted. It had already been reported that Blackbeard had handed Ace over to the World Government to secure his spot as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"That's my thought too. After all, I personally trained him twice. If he got taken down without leaving a mark on his opponent, it would be an embarrassment to me, his teacher," Yamato nodded firmly.
"Teacher?" Haruko blinked. Yamato had basically just beaten Ace into the ground twice. Could that really be called "teaching"?
"Exactly! I taught him about Haki. It's up to him how much he actually learned, but I'm claiming the title," Yamato said.
"That's just your one-sided opinion, Young Master," Haruko remarked.
"I don't care. I taught him, so he's my disciple," Yamato shrugged.
The night passed in a flash. Finally, the day of the execution arrived. The eyes of the entire world were fixed on Marineford. Many hoped for a Marine victory to ensure "peace," while others simply wanted to see the strongest man in action.
On the Sabaody Archipelago, giant screens in the plazas began broadcasting the live feed from Marineford. The screen showed the harbor packed with tens of thousands of elite Marines and rows of heavy artillery.
High on the execution platform stood Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Below him, the three highest combat powers of the Navy sat on their thrones: Admirals Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji. Nearby were legendary figures like Monkey D. Garp and Vice Admiral Tsuru.
At the front of the line stood the Seven Warlords of the Sea. There was the towering Bartholomew Kuma and the bizarre Gekko Moriah. Beside them stood the "Pirate Empress" Boa Hancock, the most beautiful woman in the world, accompanied by her serpent. Next was Donquixote Doflamingo, looking frivolous in his pink feather cape, and finally, "Hawkeye" Mihawk, his sharp gaze fixed on the horizon.
Blackbeard was nowhere to be seen, and Jinbe had been stripped of his title and imprisoned in Impel Down for opposing the war.
It was now 12:00 PM. The execution was scheduled for three hours from now.
"Tsk, the scale of this is massive. With this many troops, a single Emperor's crew would normally be crushed. You'd need at least two Yonko crews working together to make this a fair fight," Yamato remarked. She was sitting on a rooftop overlooking one of the giant screens.
Soon, a young man in heavy shackles appeared on the platform. It was Portgas D. Ace. His appearance caused a wave of gasps and shouts from the crowd in the plaza.
"Is it really worth all this? To risk a world-scale war for one man... does he have some kind of secret?" Haruko wondered aloud. The last time the world saw an execution this grand was for the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
"Haruko, your intuition is as sharp as ever. Just watch; the secret he carries won't disappoint you," Yamato said.
The answer came moments later from the mouth of Fleet Admiral Sengoku himself. He revealed to the world that Portgas D. Ace was actually the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger!
The revelation shocked the globe.
"The Pirate King's son... no wonder the Marines are going to these lengths," Haruko said, her pupils contracting.
"Sengoku is a great Fleet Admiral, but he's still just a pawn of the World Government. He calls it 'justice,' but for them, 'justice' often involves a lot of oppression. They never waver in their beliefs, no matter who they have to kill," Yamato said calmly.
"He is known as the 'Resourceful General' for a reason," Haruko added.
"True. You don't get to be Fleet Admiral by being ordinary. He's doing his job," Yamato admitted. "But I can't let my disciple die at his hands."
"Disciple? Who's the other one you mentioned?" Haruko asked, curious.
"Charlotte Katakuri, of course! He's my first disciple. Ace is the second," Yamato declared proudly.
Haruko's eye twitched. She doubted Katakuri would ever acknowledge that.
Suddenly, a roar went up from the crowd at the screen.
"Look! The Whitebeard Pirates! They're here!"
"They came from underwater! The Marines didn't see them coming!"
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