novelraw Chapter 203 202 - The Weight of a Promise
Chapter 203 202 - The Weight of a Promise
The frozen battlefield groaned beneath the weight of war.
The bay of Marineford had become a land of shattered ice, cracked seas, and colliding monsters.
Cannons roared.
Smoke rose.
Pirates and Marines stood frozen between awe and terror as legends moved before their eyes.
Above them, Marco's blue phoenix flames still danced against Kizaru's golden light.
At the center of the battlefield, Whitebeard stood like an unmoving mountain.
And before him—
Jozu, Third Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, stood after having just blocked Dracule Mihawk's world-shaking slash with his diamond body.
Even now, fragments of shattered force still cracked across the frozen battlefield.
The Marines could barely believe what they had just witnessed.
"He stopped it…"
"Hawkeye's slash…"
"The strongest slash in the world…"
"With his bare body?!"
Even veteran officers stared in disbelief.
That attack should have split ships.
Mountains. Entire fleets.
And yet—
Jozu stood there like a fortress.
Untouched.
But he wasn't finished.
Far from it.
Jozu suddenly turned his head sharply and roared across the battlefield.
His voice thundered like a war drum.
"All of you—!"
He clenched his fist.
"STAND BACK!!"
The Whitebeard Pirates immediately reacted.
Veterans moved without hesitation.
Because when commanders gave that tone
You listened.
The Pirates near Jozu shouted.
"Move!"
"Get back!"
"Jozu's about to do something!"
"Clear the area!"
Even Marines tensed.
One officer shouted. "What is he planning?!"
Without another word—
Jozu charged forward.
The frozen battlefield cracked beneath every step.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
Each footstep was like cannon fire.
His massive frame rushed across the ice like a charging beast.
Then—
He stopped.
His arm transformed fully into brilliant diamond.
The sunlight reflected violently from his fist.
His muscles tightened.
And with a roar—
He slammed his fist into the frozen ground.
BOOOOOOM!!
The entire battlefield shook.
The impact exploded outward like an earthquake.
Massive cracks spread through the ice in every direction.
Marines lost their footing.
Ships trembled.
Even the giant frozen tsunamis seemed to groan.
The Marines shouted in panic.
"What power!!"
"The ground itself is breaking!"
"He punched the bay?!"
Vice Admirals barked orders.
"Hold formation!"
"Stabilize the lines!"
"Don't lose your footing!"
Even Whitebeard looked down.
Then—
He smirked.
He already knew what was coming.
The Admirals watched carefully.
No one underestimated Jozu.
Not after that.
The pirates quickly retreated.
"Move back for now!"
"Give him space!"
"Don't get caught in it!"
The cracked frozen bay began to separate.
Not randomly.
Not from chaos.
But in a perfect massive circle.
A giant section of frozen ocean—
Split cleanly from the rest.
The Marines stared.
Silent. Confused. Then terrified.
"No way…"
"What is he doing?"
"That's not…"
"That can't be…"
Jozu bent down.
Placed both hands beneath the massive frozen section.
And lifted.
The battlefield froze.
Again.
He lifted it.
He actually lifted it.
A gigantic block of frozen sea—
The size of a mountain.
Larger than warships.
Larger than the giant Marines themselves.
A monstrous slab of ice and destruction.
Held like a weapon.
The Marines screamed.
"THAT'S INSANE!"
"He lifted that block of ice?!"
"That thing is bigger than the giants!"
Even the giants among the Marines looked up in shock.
Because compared to that—
Even they looked small.
Whitebeard crossed his arms.
Smiling.
Proud.
That was his son.
Jozu let out a battle cry.
And threw it.
The giant block of ice flew through the air like a falling island.
Casting a shadow over all of Marineford.
The sunlight disappeared.
The Marines below looked up—
And saw death.
"IT'S A BLOCK OF ICE!"
"He's throwing it directly at us!"
"It's too gigantic!"
"We can't stop that!"
"We're all going to die!"
Panic spread instantly.
Some Marines ran.
Others froze.
Some simply stared upward in despair.
Because there was no dodging that.
No escaping that.
Only impact. Only destruction.
From his seat—
Akainu clicked his tongue.
His expression darkened with irritation.
"Damn those two…"
His voice was cold.
Sharp. Annoyed.
His eyes glanced upward briefly toward Kizaru and Aokiji.
"They shouldn't have left their positions like that."
His jaw tightened.
"If all three of us leave our posts…"
His voice lowered.
"…then who covers for them?"
That was the difference.
Aokiji moved first.
Kizaru followed.
And now—
Akainu had to clean up the mess.
Slowly—
He stood.
The Marines below immediately straightened.
Because when Sakazuki stood—
Judgment followed.
Heat began to rise.
The air itself distorted.
The frozen battlefield hissed.
Steam exploded from beneath his feet.
His arm ignited.
Not fire.
Magma.
Pure volcanic destruction.
His fist became a mass of molten death, dripping with unbearable heat.
The ice around him melted instantly.
Even nearby Marines stepped back from the heat.
He looked upward.
At the falling mountain.
At Whitebeard's commanders.
At the pirate scum daring to challenge justice.
And then—
He punched upward.
"GREAT ERUPTION!!"
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive volcanic fist of magma exploded into the sky.
It collided directly with the giant ice mountain.
For one moment—
Ice and magma clashed.
Cold and absolute heat.
White and red.
Silence and destruction.
Then—
The entire block shattered.
Exploded.
Vaporized.
Gone.
Reduced to steam and shattered fragments that rained harmlessly into the sea.
The Marines below erupted.
"AKAINU-SAN!!"
"He destroyed it!"
"He saved us!"
"That's Admiral Akainu!"
Relief crashed through the battlefield.
Marines who thought they were about to die nearly collapsed.
Some raised their weapons and shouted in victory.
Others simply stared in awe.
Because once again—
An Admiral had reminded them why they stood at the top.
Even the pirates were stunned.
One pirate stared upward, speechless.
"That gigantic block of ice…"
His voice trembled.
"…disappeared into thin air…"
Another cursed under his breath.
"Damn monster…"
Doflamingo laughed from the sidelines.
"Fufufufufu!"
He spread his arms wide.
"This is perfect!"
His grin stretched.
"Diamond against magma!"
"Admirals against commanders!"
"This is exactly how a war between legends should look!"
Moria cackled wildly. "Kishishishi! Now this is getting fun!"
Mihawk remained silent.
Watching. Measuring. Waiting.
And above them all—
Whitebeard stood smiling.
Because this was only the beginning.
Marineford had not even truly started bleeding yet.
————————-
The battlefield of Marineford continued to roar.
Cannons thundered. Ice shattered. Magma hissed against the frozen sea.
Pirates and Marines clashed beneath the shadow of giants and monsters, while the world watched from afar, unable to look away.
Above it all—
Ace remained kneeling on the execution platform.
Chains bound his hands. But it was not the chains that weighed on him most. It was guilt. It was love.
It was the sight of his family risking everything below.
And slowly—
Another old man began climbing the stairs toward him.
Monkey D. Garp.
Hero of the Marines.
Vice Admiral.
The man who had cornered Roger more times than anyone alive.
And right now—
Just a grandfather.
His footsteps were heavy. Each step felt slower than the last. The war around him seemed distant.
The shouting. The explosions. The screams.
All of it blurred.
Because his mind had gone somewhere else.
Far away.
Years ago.
To another prison cell. To another impossible request.
———————-
Flashback
The prison was quiet. Cold stone walls. Iron bars. The smell of salt and old blood.
And behind those bars sat the man who had changed the world.
Gol D. Roger.
The Pirate King.
Waiting for death.
Yet somehow
Still smiling.
Garp stood outside the cell, arms crossed, his expression darker than usual.
He had come because he had to. Because despite everything. There were some conversations only they could have.
Roger sat casually against the wall, as if he were simply waiting for a drink rather than execution.
Then suddenly he laughed. A real laugh.
Bright. Unexpected.
"Garp…"
He looked up.
"Can you believe this?"
His grin widened.
"I'm expecting a baby."
For a moment—
Even Garp said nothing. Then he exhaled sharply.
Annoyed. Tired. Almost offended.
"Why the hell are you telling that to me…"
His eyes narrowed.
"…a Navy officer?"
A pause.
"Roger."
His voice hardened. "The mother of that child…"
He clenched his fists. "Any woman connected to you will be hunted down."
His jaw tightened. "She'll be executed."
Roger's smile faded.
But only slightly. Because he already knew.
That was exactly why.
"That's why I'm telling you."
Garp froze.
His eyes sharpened. And for the first time he truly understood where this was going.
"…You bastard."
Roger stood up.
Slowly. Walked toward the bars. Toward the man who had chased him across the seas for years.
"The Government will search everything."
His voice was calm now. Serious. "They'll dig through every island I visited. Every person I met. Every place I stayed during the last year."
His eyes darkened.
"And when they find her…"
A pause.
"They'll kill her."
Garp looked away.
Because he knew it was true. The World Government would never allow Roger's bloodline to live. Never.
Roger continued. "But they can't blame a child…"
His voice softened. "…for being born."
Then he stepped right up to the bars. Staring directly at Garp.
No Pirate King. No Marine Hero. Just two men who had spent their lives trying to kill each other.
And Roger shouted. "GARP!"
The prison walls seemed to shake.
"We've tried to kill each other dozens of times!"
His eyes burned with absolute certainty.
"That's why…"
He pointed at him.
"I trust you…"
A pause.
"As much as I trust my own friends."
Silence. Heavy. Unavoidable.
Roger smiled.
Small. Honest. Human.
"You must protect my baby."
Garp's hand slammed against the railing.
His voice exploded. "STOP BEING SO SELFISH!"
The guards outside flinched. Even Roger remained quiet.
"Why me?!"
Garp's fists shook.
"Why should I be the one carrying your damn burden?!"
His voice cracked with frustration.
"With all your people—"
He pointed furiously.
"You have Rayleigh!"
"Gaban!"
"Even Ada!"
His eyes burned. "Why not them?!"
Roger listened. And then he smiled again.
The kind of smile only he could wear. Like he had already accepted everything.
"As much as I'd want to…"
He leaned back slightly.
"They have their own lives."
His voice was soft. Quiet.
"They're people who can't be bound by something like this."
He looked upward. As if seeing old friends across the sea.
"I thought about Ada too…"
A small laugh escaped him.
"For a moment, I really did."
His grin returned.
"But knowing her…"
He shook his head.
"She's not the type to settle down yet."
A faint smile.
"She belongs to the sea too much."
Garp stayed silent.
Because deep down he understood exactly what Roger meant.
Roger stepped closer once more. His smile fading. His voice becoming serious. Final.
"I'm sure you'll do it."
A pause. No joke. No laughter. Just trust.
"Look after my child."
And Garp. The Hero of the Marines had no answer. Because for the first time he had lost. Not in battle but in choice.
—————————-
Garp reached the top of the stairs. The memory faded but the weight remained. It had never left. Not for a single day.
Ace sat there. Kneeling. Bound. The living proof of that promise.
Roger's son. His burden. His family.
Garp looked at him. And for a moment he didn't see the son of the Pirate King. He saw the little boy who cried. The reckless brat who smiled like Luffy. The child he had raised with his own hands.
For a long moment. Garp simply stood there.
Silent.
The battlefield below still raged. Cannons thundered. Men screamed. The sea cracked.
But up here. It felt strangely quiet. As if the world itself was giving them one final moment.
Ace slowly lifted his head.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Gramps."
His voice was quiet. Almost small. Like he was a child again.
Nearby, Sengoku turned sharply. His expression hardened the moment he saw Garp standing there.
"Garp."
His voice was stern. Heavy with warning.
"Why have you come here?"
A pause.
His eyes narrowed.
"Do you intend to protest my decision?"
"Do you wish to stand against my plan?"
The air became tense.
Even the executioners stiffened. Because if Garp made a move here. Marineford itself would lose its mind.
Garp stood still. His massive fists clenched once. Then loosened.
His voice came low. Tired. Like every word weighed years.
"No."
He looked forward. Toward the battlefield.
Toward Whitebeard. Toward justice. Toward the impossible.
"We're up against pirates."
His jaw tightened.
"There's no room for sympathy."
Sengoku stared at him.
Still suspicious. Still watching.
"Then why—"
"Be silent."
Garp cut him off.
The words were sharp enough to freeze the air.
Even Sengoku stopped speaking.
For a moment. Fleet Admiral and Hero stood in silence.
Garp slowly walked forward. Past Sengoku.
Past the executioners. Until he stood beside Ace.
He glanced once at Sengoku.
His voice calm again.
But firm.
"You don't mind, right?"
A small pause.
"…I'm just gonna sit here."
And with that—
Monkey D. Garp sat down cross-legged beside Ace.
Like an old man sitting on his porch. Like none of this was war. Like none of this was the end.
Ace kept his head lowered. He couldn't meet Garp's eyes. Couldn't bear to. Because he knew. Out of everyone here this hurt Garp the most.
For a while. Neither of them spoke. Only the distant sounds of war filled the silence.
Then Garp spoke first. His voice was low.
Heavy. Honest.
"I have no sympathy…"
A pause.
"For pirates."
His eyes stayed forward.
"And I have none for criminals either."
Another pause. Longer this time. More painful.
"But…"
His voice cracked slightly.
"For family…"
He swallowed.
"…I do."
Ace's fists tightened against the chains.
His shoulders trembled. He still didn't look up. Because if he did. He knew he might break.
And then suddenly. Garp broke. His massive shoulders shook. His face twisted. And the Hero of the Marines. The man who had laughed in the face of legends. Began to cry.
"What should I do now?!"
His voice thundered. Not with strength. But with helplessness.
Raw. Painful. Human.
"Damn you, Ace!"
Tears ran openly down his face.
His fists slammed against his knees.
"Why?!"
His voice cracked.
"Why couldn't you just live the way I told you to?!"
"You could've been a great Marine!"
He shouted through tears.
"You could've lived!"
"You could've survived!"
His voice trembled.
"You stubborn idiot…"
Ace's head lowered even more. His own eyes burned. Tears threatened to fall. Because every word was true. Every word hurt. Every word was love.
"…Gramps…"
His voice was barely a whisper. Full of guilt.
Full of regret. Full of things too late to fix.
Sengoku stood nearby.
Watching. Silent.
Even he said nothing for a moment. Because there was no justice here. Only pain.
Finally, Sengoku spoke. His voice cold. But quieter now. "If you're going to cause a commotion here…"
His eyes narrowed. "…I won't show you mercy, Garp."
Garp wiped his face roughly. Still sitting beside Ace. Still staring forward. Still carrying everything.
His answer came immediately. Without hesitation.
"If I was going to do something…"
A small pause.
His eyes darkened.
"…I would've done it already."
Silence followed.
Heavy. Final.
Because everyone understood what he meant.
Garp wasn't here as a Marine. He wasn't here as the Hero. He wasn't here as Roger's rival.
He was here. As a grandfather.
Watching his grandson walk toward death.
And there was nothing he could do about it.