95 Toughest choices require the strongest wills.

Back at Marineford

Galan was back in the office with Olvia, listening to reports.

Not even a day after they got back, he got a startling report…

Blackbeard is confirmed Warlord Status in exchange for the captured Pirate Portgas D. Ace!

Galan was stunned and didn't remember approving Blackbeard's Warlord status! He called the 5 Elders and they told him that they approved it based on his promise at the last Warlord meeting.

Galan smiled and hung up before his expression turned grim. This wasn't good… they were expecting a public execution!

Olvia didn't know what to say and Galan held his forehead, executing an innocent boy… he couldn't do it! No matter what! He had been monitoring Ace's movements for a long time, only losing track of him when Luffy went to Sky Island…

Now he was captured by Blackbeard!?

The Boy had never killed a single innocent person! He was completely innocent, not only that but he was very kind! Galan heard reports that Ace had helped many villages and people in the Grandline before Marines even knew there was a problem!

He was like Roger!

Galan let them execute him once before, he wasn't going to let it happen again! Olvia held his hand and smiled "Calm down." as she traced the creases in his palm gently. Galan let out a deep breath and she smiled "It's okay… just think. I know you can find a solution, you always do."

Galan closed his eyes and thought about it, ignoring her words of encouragement…

Ace… Whitebeard's Second Division Commander… they wanted him publicly executed…

Where was Ace now…

Galan made a call and sent Ace to Impel Down for now, putting him in the 6th Level. He told the Jailers to leave him alone because he was going to be publicly executed and they couldn't have him looking dead on the execution stand.

Magellan promised that nobody would get to Ace and Galan didn't really care about this idiot's opinion. Just replying "Ok." before hanging up. EVeryone in that prison was braindead, Galan quickly forgot about them.

He was thinking quickly, how do you play this Galan…

How to get the most benefits from this event… the Government wants him publicly executed but he has to escape. How do you get from A to B?!

Then he opened his eyes, saying "Of course!" isn't this what he always wanted and needed?! The Elders wanted a Public execution and he would give them one! He could show his loyalty and force all in one fell swoop!

Not only this, but annihilate all the trash in Marineford all at once! There's no doubt that Whitebeard would be intensely angry and storm Marineford! He would do it because he is Whitebeard!

If it was Linlin or Kaido, they would simply scoff and abandon the captured pirate. But good people don't work in logical ways, they do irrational and illogical things to save the ones they care about!

Galan finished his work and clocked out, dragging Olvia by the hand as he left the office quickly. Olvia was waving like a flag in the wind as Galan dragged her off quickly, returning home as fast as possible!

Sugar was riding a giant elephant and cheered "Yay, Tiny! You did it!" Tiny, formerly known as Funkfreed, raised his trunk and cheered as well.

They were throwing balls into hoops…

Galan gave Sugar Spandam's Sword that the Marines confiscated. The 5 Elders didn't say anything, letting him do it. They were considering killing Spandam for his failure in the first place! Why would they care about a Devil Fruit sword? They had so many of these weapons in the first place…

They found out that the weapons were extremely weak, only being a novelty in actuality. So Galan gave it to Sugar so she could play with a friend. The girl hugged him and even kissed his cheek in happiness before going to play with the Elephant sword.

It had been treated so badly by Spandam that it shed tears of joy playing with Sugar.

It was a free Elephant!

However at the moment, Galan had more important things. He pulled out Whitebeard's snail and went to the bedroom, Olvia following him quickly, slipping in the room as Galan closed the door, forgetting about her.

He set up the snail with the black box and a ton of wires, before saying "Newgate, listen carefully." Whitebeard held up the snail and laughed "Boy you called me again! Have a change of heart?! I can accept you as my son! GURARARARARA~!"

Galan ignored his nonsense saying "Go somewhere nobody can hear you. Ace is in Impel Down at the moment." Whitebeard froze and a terrifying Conqueror's Haki exploded on the Moby Dick as he growled dangerously "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

Galan was not scared at all, saying "You heard me. Make sure you're alone. I don't want this leaking out." Whitebeard roared "Get out of here, brats!" The crew looked at him before leaving as Whitebeard covered himself in his Conqueror's Haki, blocking any spying eyes as he said "What happened."

Galan explained "Your best son, Blackbeard, captured Ace and traded him to the Government for a Warlord status. So you see, now we have an issue." Whitebeard's expression was frighteningly cold as he replied "I guess we do. What are you going to do, Galan."

He was so angry, he used Galan's name directly.

Galan could hear the warning in his tone and the anger bubbling under his cold tone, he snorted "Scaring me? You should know that nothing in this world can scare me. At most I'll die, who cares. Listen carefully, I don't care about sending you to the grave a few days in advance! You've got a foot in the grave, I'd be showing you mercy by killing you."

Whitebeard narrowed his eyes and had an inkling, "Public Execution?" Galan snorted "You're not as stupid as you look, Newgate." Whitebeard sneered "You're one terrifying little prick, you know that? Let me hear this plan."

Galan's eyes were full of coldness as he explained "I'm giving you time to collect all the rat bastard scum you can find. Half a month from now, I'll announce Ace's public execution in the papers a week later. You take all the scum you found and attack Marineford, I'll cleanse the Marines and Pirates in the New World at the same time."

Whitebeard sneered "Only you profit? What's in it for me?" Galan replied slowly "Ace lives." Whitebeard's lips curled and he retorted "Right under the nose of the World Government?! You've got guts! Are you sure you don't want to join my crew? You can set up a Division all on your own."

Olvia smiled sweetly and Galan snorted, ignoring him, "You don't get to survive, old man." There were a few moments of silence as a grim atmosphere descended in the room and on the ship…

Whitebeard suddenly laughed, saying "You think I care!? As long as my sons and daughters are safe, this old man can die! I'll take Marineford with me! But how are you going to protect the good ones?"

Galan's eyes turned expressionless as he said "What good ones." Whitebeard sucked in a cold breath of air, before laughing wildly. Galan's expression was blank as Whitebeard said after a few minutes "Deal! If you're not careful, I will really kill you, Galan!" Galan replied slowly, "You're too old to kill me, Newgate." before hanging up.

Olvia looked at him and couldn't understand, "You're going to kill him?" confusion all over her face, Galan clenched his fists, saying "Edward is a good man. His honor and pride won't let him die on a bed covered in IVs… If anyone should kill him, it will be me."

Galan's face was hard to look at as he replied "You don't know… Edward saved my life at God Valley… If it wasn't for him, I would've been killed by Rocks and his crew. Afterwards, we met many times for many different things… Information on trash, news about Linlin and Kaido, where he should take territories to protect the most people…"

Galan closed his eyes, adding "If anything… He can be considered a friend… It's only right that a friend gives him an honorable death." Olvia looked at him in shock, asking "But… nobody knows?!" Galan turned away, walking to the door, replying "Roger knew… Garp also knows." he turned his head slightly, grabbing on the door handle, "Why do you think one of my special squads are Fish-Men."

Olvia widened her eyes and covered her mouth, "Galan…" He frowned, "I'll be fine. Don't look at me like that…" he walked out of the room, she shed tears for him, muttering sadly "Otherwise you'll doubt yourself, right…? You poor man…"

That night the dull bangs with heart wrenching shouts, echoed in the isolated house by the shore…