Taro's gaze locked onto Burgess the moment he appeared—more accurately, it locked onto the object he was carrying.
"Wee-ha-ha-ha! Captain, I've brought him!" Burgess placed the object on the ground and shouted to Blackbeard with a loud laugh.
"Ze-ha-ha-ha! Burgess, now, let these two famous Marine generals see who we've caught!"
Blackbeard also started laughing, then looked at Taro and Onigumo. "I guarantee you'll be greatly surprised!"
Burgess yanked off the black cloth. Beneath it was a cage. When Taro saw the person inside, his heart instantly sank to rock bottom.
Ace!
It was still him. Could some things truly not be changed?
Taro felt so stifled he could hardly breathe.
Ace's hands were bound by Sea Stone handcuffs. His hair was disheveled, and blood continuously seeped from the corner of his mouth. He was covered in wounds, and his injuries appeared much more severe than Taro remembered.
The sudden brightness made Ace squint. After a moment, he clearly saw everyone present, yet he remained unexpectedly calm.
"Portgas D. Ace!" Onigumo looked at the person in the cage in surprise. "Blackbeard, you really have surprised me!"
Taro just looked at Ace in silence. In his current state, had Ace already developed a death wish?
Ace, who had spent his whole life searching for the meaning of his existence, wanting to escape the curse of the "Devil's Blood" and longing for the free sea—had he given up?
Seeing Ace captured, the group of Marine Soldiers became somewhat restless. Seeing the Marines' reaction, Blackbeard became even more smug.
"Ze-ha-ha-ha! I said I would hand over a great pirate with a bounty of over a hundred million to the World Government, and now I've done it!"
"It's about time the World Government gave me what I want, isn't it?"
Onigumo nodded. "Naturally." Then he turned back and ordered, "Escort Ace onto the ship!"
Blackbeard stepped back half a pace, allowing the Marine Soldiers to take the prisoner. He then looked at Taro and gave a sinister laugh.
"Rear Admiral Taro, we are allies now. Our previous grievances can be wiped clean, right? Ze-ha-ha-ha!"
Taro glanced at him, then swept a gaze over Burgess, saying with disdain, "Allies? Are you even worthy?"
Burgess, caught by Taro's gaze, saw his wide grin freeze on his face. After a long while, he let out an angry snort. "Our Captain is now one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Do you still dare to make a move against us?"
Before Burgess could finish his sentence, Taro drew his sword and unleashed a flying slash.
"Ah!"
Burgess let out a scream and was sent flying backward, crashing into a house.
"Boom!"
The building couldn't withstand the immense force and collapsed with a roar, burying Burgess under the rubble as dust billowed everywhere.
"Taro, you!" Blackbeard hadn't expected Taro to dare strike at a time like this, and was instantly both shocked and enraged.
Onigumo also looked at Taro with some dissatisfaction.
Taro sheathed his sword, his expression grim, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness. "Asking if I dare? What kind of thing are you, Burgess, to talk to me like that?"
Taro's strike was incredibly swift; not only did Burgess fail to react, but Blackbeard and Onigumo were also caught off guard.
Not to mention the Marine Soldiers. When they came to their senses, they all stared at Taro in shock, which quickly turned into eyes full of reverence.
This is the light of the marines; his moves are truly extraordinary!
By this time, Burgess had managed to crawl out of the ruins, his eyes looking at Taro as if they were about to spit fire.
That slash just now had left a terrifying wound on his chest, from which blood was continuously gushing out.
Taro looked at Burgess with contempt.
"This strike was just a warning. If you dare say another word of nonsense, we'll see if your neck is tough enough. Try me if you don't believe it!"
The other two members of the Blackbeard Pirates, Lafitte and Doc Q, emerged from the shadows upon seeing the sudden change.
Doc Q, as the ship's doctor, quickly treated Burgess's wounds, while Lafitte stood beside Blackbeard, watching Taro warily.
"Enough, Rear Admiral Taro. Don't forget our mission." Onigumo stepped forward, stopping Taro with a low voice.
Taro ignored him and instead looked mockingly at Lafitte. "It seems you didn't remember very clearly what I told you in Mary Geoise!"
"But no matter, I'll make sure you remember it clearly!"
After saying this, Taro flicked his cloak and turned to leave.
Blackbeard was enraged to the extreme. The dark energy behind him surged wildly, and he almost couldn't restrain himself. It took a while before he suppressed the violence in his heart.
"Ze-ha-ha-ha! Rear Admiral Taro, I'll be waiting!"
Taro paused for a moment upon hearing this but continued walking toward the ship.
Onigumo, left hanging by Taro, was also quite annoyed.
"Since the criminal has been handed over, the World Government will naturally not break its word. Just wait!"
Onigumo said one last thing to Blackbeard, then also boarded the ship and left... The Great Underwater Prison, Impel Down.
"Rear Admiral, we're about to hand over the criminal Ace to Impel Down. Aren't you going to disembark?"
Mike reminded him softly.
Taro stood by the ship's railing, watching Onigumo escort Ace at the entrance of Impel Down. He shook his head. "No. Pass down the order: as soon as the handover is complete, return to Marineford at full speed immediately."
"Yes, sir."
Mike took the order and left.
Taro pulled out a den den mushi. "Bulu bulu bulu..."
"Vice Admiral Garp, I..."
"Ah, Rear Admiral Taro, this is Koby..."
Taro had just started speaking when he was interrupted. "Koby? Where is Vice Admiral Garp?"
"The Vice Admiral has gone on a mission and isn't at headquarters," Koby replied from the other end of the den den mushi, then followed with a question, "Does Rear Admiral Taro have urgent business with Vice Admiral Garp?"
On a mission? What a coincidence.
Taro didn't believe in such a coincidence at all. Sengoku, or even those old fellows from the World Government, must be meddling in this.
"No, it's nothing." Taro pondered for a while before finally breaking the silence. "Koby, notify me as soon as Vice Admiral Garp returns!"
"Understood, Rear Admiral!"
"Click."
Taro hung up the den den mushi, his face as still as water. Garp had just returned only to be sent out on another mission; it seemed the Marines' two great great tacticians, Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru, had already made up their minds.
What should be done?
...Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"Sengoku, have you already made up your mind?" Vice Admiral Tsuru leaned on her arms, fingers interlaced, deep in thought.
"Yes, Tsuru. Although it's an order from the World Government, I also feel this is an opportunity!" Sengoku stood up from his chair, hands in his pockets. "An opportunity to clear away the pirates' fantasies in one fell swoop."
"I still feel it's a bit too risky, Sengoku."
Vice Admiral Tsuru's expression grew more solemn. "Once the balance is broken, it might stir up even more terrifying waves."
"I know that, of course, which is why I need your help even more," Sengoku stared at Vice Admiral Tsuru, his gaze resolute.
"Help me perfect this plan. Let's sweep all the pirates into the dustbin of history together!"
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