Chapter 519: The Path to the Execution Platform

“Karl?”

“So you’ve finally come? I’ve waited far too long for this day.”

Tap, tap, tap…

Soft footsteps echoed as a figure in a crimson robe stepped out from within.

“Let’s go. It’s time I meet him face-to-face, see what he’s been up to all these years.”

…

While chaos raged above, Luffy finally made it to the foot of the execution platform.

At first, faced with the towering platform stretching endlessly upward, Luffy searched desperately for a way up. He didn’t expect the stone slabs beneath his feet to suddenly soften and shoot upward, forming a steep ramp connecting him to the top.

“A path appeared!”

“I’m coming, Ace!”

The road showed up at just the right time. Luffy no longer had to waste time searching, instead charging straight up the winding ramp.

“Grandpa, move out of the way!”

Suddenly, a figure blocked Luffy’s path. It was none other than the Navy hero, Garp.

“Move aside? Not a chance. I’m a Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters.”

“I’ve been fighting pirates long before you were even born.”

“If you want to get past here, you’ll have to step over my dead body.”

“Straw Hat Luffy, this is the road you chose yourself.”

How could Garp not feel heartache? Both boys were his grandsons. He stood in their way out of duty to the Navy, not for lack of love. If only they’d both chosen to follow him and become Marines, none of this would be happening.

“Please, Grandpa, just let me through!”

Seeing this, Garp braced his legs, shattering the stone beneath with a sudden burst of strength.

“Luffy!”

Ace watched Luffy barreling upward, worry twisting his heart. Even if Luffy made it past Garp, there was still Sengoku standing right there.

“Straw Hat just charged the platform! Damn, that’s close enough—the target’s within range. Aim for Straw Hat Luffy!”

A group of Marines at the base spotted Luffy, immediately raised their single-shot bazookas, and targeted his sprint. Just as they locked on, a bullet from afar sniped the rockets out of their hands.

“Special Attack—Exploding Star! No way I’m letting you block Captain’s path!”

Dodging the enormous white holy bullets, Usopp still managed to squeeze off three precise shots, clearing the way and letting Luffy keep charging forward.

He stayed mobile, leaping across the shifting white waves, dodging Doflamingo’s relentless attacks.

If Usopp’s Observation Haki hadn’t started brushing the edge of seeing several seconds into the future, he’d have been taken out by Doflamingo long ago.

“Hurry up and think of something, Straw Hat! If you don’t pick up the pace, that ramp’s going to collapse.”

Ivankov was still battling that tough robot—well, not the same model as before, but who knew where the Marines found so many? Every time he smashed one, another popped up, leaving him no chance to follow Luffy.

“I’ve already said, if you want to get through here, you’ll have to do it over my dead body.”

Garp’s resolve looked unshakeable, refusing to give Luffy even the slightest chance. Still, in his heart, he’d already decided to hold back; how could he bear to truly go all out against his own grandson?

Surging forward, Luffy suddenly remembered the lessons his grandfather taught when he was a kid.

Back then, Grandpa threw him into every sort of dangerous situation and had him fight wild beasts, all just to forge him into the strongest Marine possible. But things didn’t turn out that way…

“I can’t do it, Grandpa! Please move!”

Luffy had reached a point of no return.

“If you can’t, Ace is as good as dead.”

“I won’t accept that!”

“Life’s full of things we don’t want, Luffy. I won’t go easy on you. From now on, I see you as an enemy.”

As Garp threw his punch, Sengoku’s gaze flickered. After all these years as friends, how could he not see through Garp? “Garp!”

Garp only threw a normal punch—but Luffy instantly launched into Gear Fourth. Their fists collided with a thunderous crack. In the next moment, Garp was sent flying, blood trailing from his mouth.

The contrast was stark: one giant, one small, yet it was Garp who was sent sprawling, while Luffy reached the final step of the platform. No one expected that outcome.

“No way, a showdown between grandfather and grandson? Are you kidding me?”

“Was Garp always this weak? He didn’t seem this bad when he was chasing me down years ago.”

Hidden in the crowd near the platform, a figure in a Marine uniform watched quietly.

It was Roger himself. There was no way he’d stand idly by as his son faced execution.

Quietly pulling off a masterful swap, he took out a Marine and borrowed his clothes, blending into the throng and waiting for the perfect moment to rescue Ace.

“Is that old geezer going easy on him? Is he letting them off the hook?”

“Back in the day, those Iron Fists of his hurt like hell! There’s no way some rookie could knock him down—Garp, don’t tell me you’re really getting old.”

As Luffy kept running past, Garp opened his eyes wide, finally letting out a silent sigh. Suddenly, his gaze hardened. He caught a glimpse of a Marine near the platform who looked just like an old friend—only for that man to vanish into the crowd a moment later.

“Impossible… Was I seeing things?”

“That was close, so close. Garp almost spotted me.”

Roger was shocked—even just staring at Garp for a few seconds nearly got him noticed. The old man’s strength definitely hadn’t faded.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Battle raged on, the sounds of explosions and fighting never stopping. Even though Garp was sent flying by Luffy, it didn’t sway the overall battle.

“In the end, you’re still their grandfather, Garp.”

Sengoku understood Garp’s actions, but he couldn’t let Ace just be rescued.

“Finally, finally made it here.”

“Luffy!”

“Ace!”

Ecstatic, the two started talking, momentarily forgetting that Sengoku was right there.

Luffy walked up to Ace like no one else existed, pulled an unknown key from his pocket, and moved to slot it into the lock. But brilliant gold light suddenly filled the air—a gigantic golden Buddha shimmered to life behind them.

Golden radiance flooded the land, dazzling even brighter than the sun above.

“What is that?!”

“That Buddha’s massive!”

“Look! Fleet Admiral Sengoku just used his power!”

“I’ve never seen this before!”

Layer after layer of golden light spread across the ground, as the enormous, twenty-plus-meter Buddha slowly took shape, its foot shattering even the bolts on the execution platform.

“Did you really think you could escape from the palm of my hand?”

At the sound of that, Ace turned around in a panic. Seeing the enormous Buddha glaring down, his face paled—escaping the shackles wouldn’t matter; getting past Sengoku was a whole other thing.

“Never imagined Luffy would have something like that…”

High in the air, Tradis had a feathered wing suddenly flare with gold. With Sengoku not attacking, a golden feather lashed out and smashed the key to bits.

“No! The key!”