AN : Good News!!!
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Hancock's cry naturally drew Marco and Ace's attention. But Ace's mind was fixed on one thing only—saving Luffy as fast as possible. He didn't even spare a glance for the world's most beautiful woman begging for help.
Marco, however, looked over at Hancock—now collared and shackled like a slave again—and a flicker of discomfort passed through him. They had never been close, but in his previous life, he'd always liked Hancock's character. She was, after all, the most beautiful woman in the world.
The Marines were brutally rough with her, yanking on her chains as if they were dragging a dog, forcing the pirate empress back toward the warships.
Before long, Marco brought Ace down onto Amazon Lily.
"Luffy…" Ace shouted, spotting Luffy collapsed on the ground. He bolted forward, charging straight ahead as if the Gorosei standing in his way didn't even exist.
Saint Garling seized Luffy in one hand, pressing a blade to his neck. His voice was icy. "Stop, Fire Fist Ace."
The moment Ace saw the blade at Luffy's throat, he froze. His expression darkened, and he roared, "Let Luffy go!"
"Hmph. A mere insect dares to speak to us like that," Saint Garling replied coldly.
" A–Ace…" Luffy, now looking like an eighty- or ninety-year-old man, forced his eyes open and stared weakly at Ace.
He was truly an old man now—withered and spent. The prolonged use of his Sun God form had burned away his lifespan. The only thing keeping him going had been his faith that Ace would come back to save him. Now that Ace was finally here, a frail, relieved smile tugged at Luffy's lips.
Marco landed beside Ace, his gaze falling on the shriveled Luffy. Using Observation Haki, he could feel just how faint Luffy's life force had become. It was so weak, it seemed as if he could die at any moment.
This was Luffy, the man destined to be the main protagonist, and Marco didn't even know where to begin. Judging from Luffy's current state, he must have already awakened the Nika Fruit.
On the way here, Luffy's life force had kept flickering—snuffing out, then recovering again—eerily similar to the Sun God's awakening described in the original story.
Ace stared at Luffy, who was only eighteen yet now looked like he was in his seventies or eighties, and shouted, "Luffy, hold on! I'm coming to save you right now!"
Then he turned his fury back on the Gorosei and roared, "You bastards, what did you do to Luffy?!"
The Gorosei's faces remained blank, their gazes ice-cold. Warcury said flatly, "We didn't do anything. He just kept using that Sun God form and burned through his own lifespan. If he'd obediently let us kill him, he wouldn't be suffering like this."
"You can see it just by looking at him. He's already at his limit."
"What…?" Ace frowned, thrown for a moment by the term "Sun God form." He didn't know what it was, but he could guess it was some new ability of Luffy's that consumed his life.
But none of that mattered to him now.
"Let Luffy go, now!" Ace roared.
Saint Garling snorted, contempt curling his lip. "So this is the 'deep brotherhood' between ants? Letting him go isn't impossible… but first, you have to kill Marco. Do that, and we'll release Luffy immediately."
"What?" Ace's pupils shrank. He turned his head slightly toward Marco, conflict flickering in his eyes.
Hearing Saint Garling suddenly turn the spear toward him, Marco let out a derisive laugh. "Trying to sow discord? How boring. Just abandon him, and I'll let you go."
At Marco's brazen words, the Gorosei's expressions hardened. Saturn said coldly, "Hmph. An insect like you… what gave you the confidence to be so arrogant? If you want to save Luffy, surrender right now. If not, this brat dies."
Marco snapped back without a pause, "Surrender? Not a chance. Even if he's Ace's brother, I don't know him well enough to throw my life away for him."
"Marco…" Ace's chest tightened with a sharp, bitter ache.
He knew the Gorosei's promises were worthless. He would never let Marco walk into danger just to save Luffy. Still, if Marco had even hesitated for a moment, it might have eased the sting. But Marco had refused outright, without the slightest pause, and that cut Ace deeply.
Yet when he thought about it, it made sense. Marco and Luffy weren't close. They'd only met briefly at Marineford. Expecting Marco to surrender his life for Luffy was impossible.
Ace drew in a breath and shouted at the Gorosei, "Use me instead of my brother! I'll surrender right now! As long as you're willing to release him, I don't care if you make me a slave or kill me—I'll accept it all!"
Marco yelled immediately, "Ace! These bastards can't be trusted at all! They'll never let your brother go!"
The Gorosei were masters at playing with people's hearts.
Saint Garling said coldly, "We have no interest in your life. We already said it—so long as Phoenix Marco is willing to surrender, we will release Luffy immediately."
"Or do you want your brother to die right in front of you?" As he spoke, Saint Garling pressed the blade closer to Luffy's neck.
"No...!" Ace roared, his chest tightening as if it were being torn in two. On one side was his little brother, on the other his comrade and Captain. He had no idea how to choose.
Marco's face had gone ashen, Destruction Black Flame coiling around him, ready to explode into motion. Saint Garling snapped at him at once, "Marco, you'd best stop right there. If you so much as take one more step, I'll kill him on the spot."
"Marco, no, please…" Ace rushed in front of Marco, blocking his path as he pleaded.
Frustration twisted across Marco's features, his patience at its limit, trapped between two impossible options. He shouted at Ace, "Get a grip! These old geezers are never gonna let Luffy go. They're using him on purpose to tear us apart!"
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