Chapter 910 - 910: We Will Meet Again on the Road Ahead

After leaving that Sky Island above the clouds, the group rode the descending current and returned once again to the Blue Sea they had been away from for so long.

The long-missed scent of the real ocean, salty and damp, came rushing toward them.

Everyone breathed greedily, as if they wanted to refill their chests with the freedom that belonged to the sea.

The Red Hair Pirates' ship had already been waiting on the surface of the sea.

After abandoning the ship they had seized on the Sky Island, which had then been wrecked by the fall from high altitude, everyone boarded Shanks's ship, finally having a safe place to stay for the time being.

However, as soon as they settled onto the ship, Luffy began grumbling, "Although riding on Shanks's ship is pretty nice, how can a pirate not have his own ship!"

He looked at the deck beneath his feet that did not belong to him, his face full of dissatisfaction.

Hearing this, everyone merely looked at one another speechlessly, but they still prepared to get a new ship.

After all, there was still a road ahead to travel.

Although Luffy had all kinds of problems, his potential had already become the basis for everyone present to continue moving forward.

This was originally a performance in which they followed Luffy and played along.

Since the stage had already been set, naturally they still had to accompany him and keep playing the part.

Before reaching the end, Luffy was the hope of all pirates.

Thus, after discussing it, the group set their course for the world-famous Water 7.

Water 7 was located on the Grand Line. It was a huge city floating on the water.

Canals crisscrossed the entire city like a spiderweb.

People traveled not on foot or by carriage, but by small boats, weaving through the waterways.

On the Fountain Plaza, water splashed everywhere, sunlight fell down, and refracted into rainbow-colored light.

The entire city was built along the water and prospered because of it, everywhere giving off a lively and prosperous atmosphere.

And the Water 7 of today was even more different from before.

Ever since Rosse ascended to the highest position, the city had been designated as territory directly under the World Government.

With the World Government's protection and support, Water 7's shipbuilding industry had reached an unprecedented peak.

It was now unquestionably the top shipbuilding center in all four seas.

Countless highly skilled shipwrights gathered here, while rare timber from all over the world was continuously transported to the port.

The ships launched here were first-rate in every respect, whether in durability or sailing speed.

And behind all this prosperity was naturally the World Government's omnipresent control.

Even though Shanks and the others knew that the World Government would ignore them, they still didn't dare to openly dock in this territory directly under the World Government.

What if?

If they happened to run into some hotheaded fool, wouldn't their hopes be ruined?

Everyone disguised themselves, changed into ordinary travelers' clothes, and quietly entered the city by small boat.

Walking through the bustling streets of Water 7 and feeling the flourishing prosperity rushing toward them, everyone's mood was complicated and difficult to describe.

Crocodile, a cigar in his mouth, looked at the imposing shipyards, a trace of emotion passing through his eyes.

Back then, he had also once been a powerful force in these waters.

At that time, when he passed through Water 7, he had looked down on this place.

But now, he had to keep his tail between his legs and behave.

That feeling was quite unpleasant.

Robin, meanwhile, lowered her head slightly and pulled down the brim of her hat.

The city was full of the World Government's eyes and ears. She didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble.

Luffy, on the other hand, looked around all the way, his face full of excitement.

He was captivated by those incredibly crafted ships, his eyes practically fixed on them, "Wow! This ship is amazing! That one is amazing too! Which one should I choose..."

Just as everyone was traveling through the streets with their own thoughts.

A burst of noisy discussion came from a tavern not far away.

"Have you heard? Whitebeard's commander Juste is going to be publicly executed!"

Juste!

That name suddenly struck everyone's hearts.

Luffy's footsteps abruptly stopped.

Everyone slowed down at almost the same time and pricked up their ears.

"Executed? Where?"

"Where else? Marineford! Marine Headquarters!"

"Tsk! Tsk! This is a big deal. That guy is Whitebeard's son, after all. I heard he's also Roger's son!"

"What Whitebeard's son! He's nothing but a pirate!", a rough voice sneered, "Pirates deserve to die in the first place! After committing so many crimes, isn't being executed only natural? What's there to make such a fuss about!"

"Exactly! Pirates are all criminals who burn, kill, and rob. They deserve to die!"

"I say, the World Government should have dealt with these guys long ago!"

The tavern was filled with voices of agreement.

Luffy's fist suddenly clenched. His expression darkened until it seemed ready to drip water.

"..."

He gritted his teeth, his body trembling slightly as anger burned fiercely deep in his chest.

He couldn't stand it. He didn't want to endure it.

They weren't only insulting Juste. They were also insulting pirates.

Shanks noticed Luffy's abnormal state and calmly placed a hand on his shoulder, saying quietly, "Endure it."

Even if he couldn't endure it, he still had to.

Shanks dared to guarantee that as long as Luffy did anything that harmed civilians, he would definitely be punished.

Just then, another somewhat worried voice came from inside the tavern, "That may be true... but is it really safe to execute him at Marineford? Juste is Whitebeard's son, after all. What if those Whitebeard pirates come in full force to rescue him? Wouldn't the Marines suffer heavy losses then?"

As soon as these words came out.

"Hahahaha!"

That rough voice actually burst into loud laughter, laughing so hard that he bent backward, "I say, are you stupid? You really underestimate our World Government!"

"Do you think this is still the era from twenty years ago, when pirates ran rampant?"

He spat, his face full of disdain and pride, "I'm telling you! Forget one Whitebeard Pirates! Even if ten Whitebeard Pirates went together to Marineford, they'd be walking into certain death. Not a single one of them would make it back alive!"

"With the strength our World Government has now, are we supposed to be afraid of that bunch of rabble?"

"Hahaha, well said! Very well said!"

"If you ask me, that old bastard Whitebeard should go if he really dares! It would be just right, we could wipe them all out in one sweep!"

A burst of uproarious laughter erupted from the tavern.

But that laughter sounded especially grating to Luffy and the others.

Shanks's expression darkened.

Crocodile's hand holding his cigar paused slightly, a trace of gravity passing through his eyes.

They knew better than anyone that the rough voice wasn't merely making an empty boast.

With the terrifying strength the World Government possessed now, perhaps even ten Whitebeard Pirates couldn't make a ripple.

That helplessness beneath the shroud of despair once again quietly climbed into everyone's hearts.

Luffy, on the other hand...

"What do you know!"

He could no longer suppress himself. He was about to rush into the tavern and argue with those people over right and wrong.

Juste was his brother!

Not some damn pirate!

"Luffy!"

Shanks reacted quickly and grabbed him tightly, lowering his voice as he sternly shouted, "Don't be impulsive!"

"But they!"

Luffy struggled, his eyes red.

"If you rush in, what can you change?", Shanks held him down firmly, speaking one word at a time, "Can you shut all those people's mouths one by one? Can you stop Juste from being executed?"

"This is the World Government's territory," His voice was extremely low, "There are Marine eyes everywhere. Once you're exposed, forget rescuing Juste. All of us will be finished here!"

"By then, who will go save Juste?"

Luffy's body suddenly froze.

He gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at the tavern, tears turning in his eyes, yet he stubbornly refused to let them fall.

"Damn it!", He clenched his fists, his voice full of unwillingness and anger, "Damn it!"

Shanks looked at him desperately suppressing his anger and grief, and his heart also ached.

How could he not want to rush in?

How could he not want to vent all that pent-up frustration?

But reason told him that now was not the time.

"Endure it, Luffy."

He slowly released his hand and patted Luffy's shoulder, his voice low and firm, "Remember this anger. Remember this unwillingness."

"And then!"

He raised his head and looked toward Marineford, an unextinguished flame burning in his eyes, "When we get to Marineford, give it all back to them."

Luffy gritted his teeth and nodded heavily.

In those eyes, amid the tears of grief and anger, a flame called determination was quietly burning.

Marineford.

Juste.

He would definitely go.

No matter what kind of desperate situation or abyss lay ahead.

———

[Ten Thousand Meters Above the Ground, in the Cloudtop Palace]

Inside the palace, everything was magnificent and resplendent, yet it also carried a sense of quiet.

Sunlight passed through the transparent dome and fell down, enveloping the entire hall in a hazy and sacred glow.

At the center of the hall, Rosse was lazily half-reclining on a large and luxurious couch.

His left arm held Olvia, while his right arm held Makino. The two leaned obediently against him, each with a different expression.

Before him, an elegant figure was dancing.

Hiyori wore a thin gauze garment. As she moved, the fabric fluttered lightly, outlining her graceful figure.

Her long green hair, flowing like jade-green waves, spread and flew freely as she spun and leaped, like a flowing green cloud.

In her hand, she held a gleaming long sword.

The blade's light traced graceful arcs as she moved with the dance.

Because her strength was high enough, Hiyori could perform many movements that ordinary people could not.

And some of those special movements often possessed a different kind of beauty.

The dance ended.

Hiyori stopped, and the long sword returned to its sheath.

She breathed slightly heavily, her chest rising and falling, fine beads of sweat appearing at her temples, making her look even more charming.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Rosse smiled and gently applauded.

"You danced even more beautifully than last time."

A bright smile blossomed across Hiyori's face.

"Thank you for the praise, Your Majesty."

She bowed gracefully.

"Hiyori will improve even further. When the time comes, I will definitely offer Your Majesty an even more wonderful dance."

As she spoke, she moved lightly and gracefully to Rosse's side, slowly kneeling before him like an obedient little cat.

Rosse reached out and gently stroked her green hair, smiling as he asked, "This time, you want to go to Marineford for the execution too?"

Usually, although Hiyori never refused any of his requests and always obeyed him, she had never taken the initiative to curry favor with him like this today.

Hiyori's movements paused slightly.

She lowered her eyes, a faint glimmer of moisture in those beautiful eyes.

After a long while, she finally choked out softly:

"Yes, I want to go."

"I want to go and see for myself what kind of person that Whitebeard, whom my scumbag parents admired so much when they were alive, really is."

She truly wanted to go and see.

Even though she knew that, even if she went, given the scale and spectacle of that execution, there probably wouldn't be much of a role for her to play.

She still wanted to go.

Rosse quietly looked at her, a trace of understanding passing through his eyes.

He gently patted her head and said warmly, "If you want to go, then let's go and take a look together."

Then he turned his head toward the two women pressed against him and asked gently, "What about you two? Do you want to go together?"

He paused, then added, "Luffy, Robin, and the others have already left Water 7. They should reach the Sabaody Archipelago before long."

"I'll meet them at Sabaody. I won't go to Marineford."

Olvia spoke softly, her voice carrying a faint complexity that was difficult to detect.

Her feelings toward Robin were complicated.

There was guilt and regret in them.

Unfortunately, once some things were done, there was no way to turn back.

But even if she couldn't obtain Robin's forgiveness, she didn't regret it.

At least now, all the sleeping history had seen the light of day again.

Everything that these historians, who were willing to devote themselves to the truth, had paid forward and backward for had not been in vain.

That was enough.

Even if it had to come at the price of her daughter's hatred.

"If possible..."

Makino, who had remained silent all this time, hesitated before speaking, "Let me go with you to the Sabaody Archipelago too."

In the end, they had to meet.

Luffy, and Shanks.

Those two people she had always kept in her heart and could never bring herself to let go of.

Perhaps meeting them sooner would allow her to persuade them sooner to abandon this path that was destined to lead to destruction.

The World Government was simply an existence they could not resist.

It was an insurmountable chasm.

Turning back from the wrong path was the best choice.

If she could let everyone live.

Then she was willing to do anything.

Even if it meant lowering her head, humbly begging, or giving up all her dignity and paying any price.

In any case, her life had already become what it was now.

What difference would a little more make?

Makino quietly nestled in Rosse's arms, feeling the burning ache in her chest as she slowly closed her eyes.

"That's good."

A meaningful smile curled at the corner of Rosse's mouth. He patted her and made the decision, "Then let's go to Sabaody first and meet them."