Luffy's Call: My Journey with the Straw Hats

The group had been trapped in the ice, but when Akainu had turned into magma and flown into the sky, the terrifying heat had begun to melt the ice around them. Then, Whitebeard's tremor had shaken the very heavens, shattering the ice layer completely.

Now, just as the Navy, on Akainu's order, was about to press their advantage and attack the injured Whitebeard, the ice finally broke, and the ship, with everyone on it, fell from the sky. Luffy was at the forefront, followed by the others.

"Aaaah!" The sound of their fall and the crash of the ship resounded throughout Marineford Plaza, shocking both the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines. Everyone looked up at the sky.

"Ace!"

Luffy, being made of rubber, inflated his body into a giant balloon as he fell, slowing his descent. Buggy and the others all jumped onto him, using his elasticity to soften their landing.

After landing, Luffy looked around, his eyes finally locking on Ace on the execution platform. "Ace!" he screamed and immediately ran toward him.

"Luffy!" Ace was shocked to see his brother fall from the sky. He knew Luffy had come to Impel Down to save him, but he never expected him to make such a dramatic entrance. His little brother truly never took the conventional path.

"That Straw Hat boy!" Sengoku gritted his teeth and glared at Garp. The advantage the Navy had just gained had been completely upended by Luffy's sudden arrival. On the battlefield, opportunities were fleeting. Now, he feared, this would be another hard-fought battle.

Garp scratched his head in embarrassment. He was truly at a loss when it came to his grandson.

"The Straw Hat boy?" Mihawk's eyes flashed as he saw Luffy fall from the sky. He remembered their encounter in the East Blue and had been impressed by the boy's spirit. Recently, as the Straw Hats' fame had grown, he had heard the name "Straw Hat" more and more. Seeing Luffy also made him think of Roronoa Zoro, the rookie swordsman who had dared to draw his sword against him, and of Moonlight, the man who had earned his respect.

At this time, as the Vice-Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Moonlight's reputation was no less than Luffy's, and in some circles, it even surpassed it.

"It's that guy!" Aokiji frowned. With Luffy and his group joining the battle, the situation was about to change.

"Yo, he's still alive!" Kizaru looked at Luffy in surprise. Hadn't Kuma sent him flying?

Smoker and the other Marines who had clashed with Luffy before all gritted their teeth. The arrival of the Straw Hats, along with pirates like Crocodile, Jinbe, and Buggy, had shattered the Navy's certain victory. Though this group was small compared to the entire naval force, they had broken their momentum. No one was happy about it, especially as Luffy charged toward Ace as if they didn't even exist.

"So this is the Straw Hat boy," Doflamingo and the other Warlords watched with amusement, none of them interfering. Even Gecko Moria, who had been defeated by Luffy, just stood by. In this war, besides Mihawk and Kuma, the other Warlords were just here to watch the show.

Of course, there was one exception. Boa Hancock's eyes were fixed on Luffy.

"That group of bastards!" Akainu gritted his teeth. The victory he had worked so hard to create had been destroyed by Luffy falling from the sky.

"So this is Ace's brother, Straw Hat Luffy?" The members of the Whitebeard Pirates were relieved by the sudden change of events. Marco, Vista, and the others recognized Luffy immediately. Ace had often talked about his little brother. Recently, Luffy's fame had grown, and they had all heard of him.

"He is Ace's little brother, which makes him our brother too!" Marco said solemnly. No one disagreed. They immediately followed Luffy, charging toward the execution platform.

"Whitebeard!" After landing, Crocodile transformed into a sandstorm and attacked Whitebeard directly. He didn't care about the Navy or other pirates; in his eyes, there was only Whitebeard, his greatest enemy. But even with Whitebeard's heart pierced, he was still no match for him and was immediately sent flying.

At the same time, Luffy was also sent flying. Kizaru had attacked him. Though Luffy's arrival had stunned everyone, the Navy still had the upper hand. Whitebeard was seriously injured, and his old, aging body was weakened to its limit. His strength was now only a quarter of what it once was. The Navy's victory was still assured. Kizaru, who was near the execution platform, had seen Luffy rushing toward him. Though he was surprised the boy was still alive, he didn't hold back. With a single kick, he sent Luffy flying, and he landed right in front of Whitebeard.

"So this is Ace's brother?" Whitebeard had often heard Ace talk about Luffy, but this was the first time he had seen him. He saw the straw hat on his back and thought of what Shanks had told him—that he had bet his arm on him. "Sure enough, he is a sharp man," Whitebeard said, gently setting Luffy down. Luffy, panting but persevering, didn't even look at Whitebeard. After a quick "Thanks, old man," he was about to rush toward Ace again. He had to save him.

"Old man?" Hearing this, Whitebeard was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but smile. He was just like Ace. The others, however, had their expressions contort as they stared at Luffy in disbelief. Even the enemy Admirals looked on with strange expressions. To call the man before him by such a title... he was probably the first person in history to do so.

"Hey, hey, Straw Hat! Do you know who the man in front of you is?!" Buggy shrieked, pointing at Whitebeard and Luffy.

"Yeah, Ace told me about him," Luffy said, nodding nonchalantly. "He's a man who wants to become the Pirate King. But the Pirate King can only be me." He knew of Whitebeard's power, but even so, he was the man who would be the King of the Pirates. Even if Whitebeard stood in his way, he would have to defeat him. This was his pride and his confidence.

"What?!" Buggy was speechless.

Whitebeard, however, just smiled. Ace's little brother was indeed a sharp man. Only a man like this was worthy of Ace's devotion.

"Buggy," Whitebeard said, seeing him. "The last time I saw you, you were still an apprentice on Roger's ship. I didn't expect you to be a pirate captain in your own right now."

"What?!" Buggy's mouth fell open, ecstatic. He never expected Whitebeard to speak to him, let alone remember him so clearly. The pirates who had come with Buggy were all excited.

"Execute him immediately!" At that moment, Sengoku, seeing the chaotic and complex battle situation, ordered without hesitation. With Luffy's arrival, the situation had become unpredictable. But Whitebeard was still injured. As long as Ace died, Whitebeard and his crew would lose their will to fight. What could hit them harder and weaken their morale more than killing Ace right in front of them? As the commander-in-chief, this was his strategy.

On the execution platform, the guards who heard the order raised their swords, ready to execute Ace just as his father had been.

"Ace!" Luffy rushed forward, entering Gear Second, his speed and strength surging.

"Ace!" Marco and the others also screamed.

"Sengoku!" Whitebeard's pupils shrank. He swung Murakumogiri, and the force of his tremor shook the very earth, creating terrifying cracks that threatened to split Marineford in two.

"Hmph!" Akainu snorted and charged at Whitebeard, determined to stop him.

Luffy rushed toward Ace, his path cleared by Whitebeard's attack. But the two guards had already raised their swords, about to strike. Luffy was in a hurry and roared at the sky, but they ignored him.

Ace, the son of the Pirate King, was about to be executed. Just like his father.

"I said... STOP IT!" Seeing that he couldn't stop them in time, Luffy let out a violent scream. At that moment, he felt an invisible force surge from his body.

Hmph.

An invisible wave of majesty swept out from him. All the pirates and Marines within a kilometer radius suddenly froze, then collapsed, foaming at the mouth, unconscious. On the execution platform, the two guards who were about to strike also fell.

It was Conqueror's Haki.

After unleashing it, Luffy didn't stop and continued his charge. But everyone around him was frozen in shock.

"This is..." Sengoku and Garp looked at each other. Luffy had this kind of power?

"So he was born with it," Garp murmured. Luffy's father was Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army. As his son, he had inherited his lineage and strength.

"Luffy, you have it too," Ace thought, stunned.

"Oh, how scary. It's actually Conqueror's Haki," Aokiji and Kizaru both looked at Luffy, their expressions now solemn. This was the power of a chosen one.

"This guy has a terrifying power in his body," Doflamingo and the other Warlords all looked at Luffy, their expressions a mixture of surprise and excitement.

Mihawk leaped down and headed for Luffy. From the East Blue to now, what Luffy had done had piqued his interest. Now, with this display of power, he wanted to see it for himself. He attacked, and though Luffy dodged repeatedly, he was no match for the world's greatest swordsman. Mihawk's casual strikes were masterfully precise, cutting through the earth and icebergs around them, creating a terrifying sword field within a thousand-mile radius. Though he was deliberately holding back, otherwise he could have cut Luffy down with a single blow.

"Crack!" Just as Mihawk was about to strike again, Crocodile flew in and blocked him. But Mihawk just slashed again, and then Jinbe also stepped in, but even he couldn't stop him. Finally, when "Flower Sword" Vista attacked, he was finally able to hold him off. With every slash of Vista's famous sword, flowers seemed to bloom in the void, a testament to his incredible skill.

"Flower Sword Vista?" Mihawk's pupils shrank. He clearly knew the name.

"Mihawk!" Vista's eyes burned with a fierce fighting spirit. To fight a swordsman like Mihawk was the dream of every swordsman, himself included.

But seeing Luffy continuing on his way, Mihawk had no time to continue their duel. From Crocodile to Jinbe to Vista, all people who had no real connection to Luffy had unhesitatingly fought for him, blocking his path. He had already gotten his answer.