Jinbei's Response
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Brontes had just gotten in touch with Kuma, a spy who used to work for the Revolutionary Army but now served the World Government.
Kuma always followed orders without question, charging into any situation as soon as he was told.
When Brontes asked Kuma to find Moria, he didn't waste any time and rushed to get the job done. Brontes, having given the order, shifted his focus to other things.
But it wasn't long before Kuma came back with news. It was just after sunrise when he returned with word that Moria had been defeated, and the Straw Hat Pirates had managed to escape, once again.
In a meeting at Mariejois, Sengoku, the fleet admiral, pointed angrily at Kuma and cursed him out for failing to capture the Straw Hats. Garp, the Vice-Admiral, just stood there with a prude smile, watching the scene before him.
"Don't worry about Luffy. He's not the type to go around bragging about beating Moria." Garp said to Sengoku, trying to calm him down.
Sengoku snapped back: "Shut up, Garp! It's always because of your family! Moria is still alive, so he should be at the Shichibukai meeting. We're going up against Whitebeard, and we need every bit of power we can get from the Seven Shichibukai. We can't have anyone missing."
Brontes spoke up: "I've already sent word to my people. The summons should reach everyone in about three days."
Sengoku then asked: "What about the execution date? When's that happening?"
Brontes replied: "It's set for seven days from now."
"Did you choose that date?" Sengoku asked, eyeing Brontes.
"Seven days should give us enough time to get the Seven Shichibukai and the elite marines ready at Marineford." Brontes explained slowly, after a slight pause, he continued: "Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, they're all joining this war, right? I need time to organize to people on my side, so a week should be enough."
Sengoku nodded, but he still had concerns: "We have to watch out for the other pirates in the New World. If Whitebeard makes a move, we can't ignore Kaido and Big Mom either."
It was clear that the World Government was preparing for a major showdown, and everyone knew that this wasn't going to be an easy fight.
"Who are you sending to the New World?" Garp asked, curious about Brontes's plans.
Brontes glanced at his list and said: "Hmm, let's send Gion and Lonz. They're not busy with anything else, so it's a good time to assign them to the New World." He handed Garp two pieces of paper with their orders.
Garp nodded, chuckling a bit: "They're good choices. They might not be as strong as some other Vice-Admirals, but they can hold their own. They'll do fine in the New World."
"Alright, get those two to the G-1 Base in the New World." Sengoku said slowly: "On the Vice-Admiral side, we need to gather them all—Comil, Dalmatian, Bastille, Strawberry, Stainless, and John Giant. They should bring their elite squads from their bases, too. We're going up against the Whitebeard Pirates this time. We can't underestimate them at all."
Brontes nodded and said: "You handle Marineford. I will take care of the Shichibukai. The biggest problem is the Empress Hancock. The others, like Blackbeard, Kuma, Doflamingo, Hawkeye, and Moria, shouldn't be much trouble. Oh, and there's also Jinbei."
Sengoku let out a heavy sigh: "Jinbei...that guy gives me a headache."
Brontes replied: "Let's bring him in and see what he's thinking. If he's not on board, we'll leave him out of the plan."
"Okay, let's do that." Sengoku nodded.
"Let's get moving. This time, we're hitting Whitebeard at Marineford and broadcasting it worldwide. You know what could happen if things go wrong, right?" Brontes nodded, as he looked at Garp.
Both Sengoku and Brontes stared at Garp, expecting him to respond. The pressure was intense.
They knew that Garp had raised Fire Fist Ace, even though they weren't related by blood, and Ace considered Garp his grandfather.
The bond between them was strong, and if Ace were executed, nobody could predict how Garp would react.
Garp kept his calm on the outside, but inside, the uncertainty was real. As the stakes got higher, it was hard to say how the old Marine would handle the coming storm.
"Bwahaha! Why are you two looking at me like that? We're just executing a pirate. I've seen it all, no big deal. Do what you gotta do." Garp laughed loud and boisterous, masking his sadness and worry with a big laughter.
"Alright, let's wrap this up." Brontes said, standing up: "You handle Marineford, and I'll take care of the situation in the New World. If we need more firepower, I'll get CP0 to step in. They're good at keeping things under control. Plus, I'll be stationed at Mariejois. If you need me, just let me know."
"Sounds good. We'll head back and start making arrangements." Sengoku got up to leave, and Garp followed. As they walked out, Brontes caught Garp's eye. It was clear the old man was struggling with the thought of watching Ace's execution.
Garp's grandsons had both turned into pirates, and now one of them was in Marine custody, set to be executed. Given Ace's identity, there was no way the World Government would let him go.
As a Vice-Admiral and a Naval Hero who had served in the Marines for over sixty years, Garp knew the seriousness of the situation.
It was hard to imagine what was going through his mind as he left the room, knowing what was coming.
...
Soon after the meeting, notifications were sent to the Seven Shichibukai. Kuma was the first to receive the news, followed by Jinbei, since he was at Fishman Island and could be contacted via Den Den Mushi. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to get the message to him at all.
When Jinbei learned that Ace had been captured, he rushed to Mariejois to meet Brontes, worried about what it might mean.
"Brontes-dono, does the World Government really want to go to war with Whitebeard?" Jinbei asked, he looked very anxious as he met with Brontes.
"War? Well, if Whitebeard can't let go of his son, then there will be a war, but if he decides to stay out of it, nothing will happens." Brontes had a playful grin, almost teasing Jinbei's concern.
"But Ace is the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. You really think Whitebeard's gonna let his son get executed without trying to save him?" Jinbei was anxious, pacing back and forth. He had a close bond with both Ace and Whitebeard, and he didn't want anything bad to happen to them.
Brontes shrugged, still grinning, but there was a hint of seriousness in his eyes: "Doesn't matter anymore. The World Government decided to execute Ace at Marineford in seven days."
"What?! Execute him?" Jinbei was shocked. He had only heard about Ace's capture and didn't know the World Government planned to go this far.
"Yep, and that's why we're all gearing up. If we announce a public execution, you know the old man—Whitebeard—is going to try to save his son, and it'll turn into a big battle." Brontes said.
Jinbei shouted loudly: "No, there's no way this will end well! If you go through with this, Whitebeard's going to strike back hard, and it'll be a massive war!"
Brontes nodded and smiled: "That's what I mean when I say it doesn't matter. A big war is on its way. The Marineford is already preparing, and the Seven Shichibukai are being notified to gear up for the fight against Whitebeard."
"The Seven Shichibukai are going to join this war?" Jinbei was taken aback by the news.
Brontes looked him straight in the eyes, his playful grin now gone: "You know what the Seven Shichibukai are for, right? They're designed to keep balance in times like this. You signed up to be a Shichibukai, and you knew what it meant. When the Marines want to make a move against the Four Emperors, the Seven Shichibukai have to back them up. You guys get a lot of perks, but now it's time to pay up with some real action. This time, we need all the strength we can get for the war against Whitebeard."
Jinbei stood there, trying to process everything. The stakes were higher than he had imagined, and the thought of a massive war with Whitebeard made him uneasy.
"No, I'm not joining this war. I won't go against the old man. That just doesn't sit right with me. If you were fighting one of the other three Yonko, I'd consider it, but I can't go against Whitebeard." Jinbei stood his ground, his voice defiant as he faced Brontes.
Brontes sighed, shaking his head: "That's not up to your anymore."
Jinbei didn't back down: "Then I'm renouncing my title as a Shichibukai. I absolutely won't be part of this war."
Brontes stared at Jinbei, noting his fearless stance: "Are you sure you want to give up your title as a Shichibukai?" Brontes asked, his lips curving into a strange smile.
"I'm against this war. It won't do any good for anyone, so I won't agree to it or take part " Jinbei replied with firm conviction.
Brontes cautioned him: "Don't forget, you're representing Fishman Island."
"No, I represent the Sun Pirates because I'm a pirate. I don't want Fishman Island involved in this." Jinbei quickly clarified, making sure his home wouldn't suffer because of his choices.
"It looks like you've already made up your mind." Brontes said, letting out a deep sigh.
Jinbei nodded, his eyes steady: "I won't fight against the old man. I owe him, and I owe Ace. I will not take part in this war. So, I suggest that you, as Fleet-Admiral Ragnarok, call off this war. It won't benefit anyone." He took a deep breath and then bowed respectfully, his voice firm and serious.
The moment was heavy, each word weighing on Brontes. Jinbei had drawn a clear line, one he wouldn't cross, even if it meant losing his status and everything that came with it. He wasn't just thinking of himself; he was standing up for what he believed in, regardless of the cost.
"It's already been decided, Jinbei. You're either in or out." Brontes stood up, his voice became cold and firm.
Jinbei's shoulders slumped as he mumbled: "It seems I can't change it..." Then, without warning, he bolted toward the door and out of the room.
"Bang!"
Brontes watched him flee, said calmly: "Since you no longer want the title of Shichibukai, that means you're just another pirate, Jinbei."
"ZliZli!"
In an instant, Brontes appeared in front of Jinbei, blocking his escape.
"Damn it!"
Jinbei clenched his fist and swung at Brontes, his punch fueled by frustration and desperation.
"Boom!"
Brontes effortlessly blocked the punch with his arm and countered with a hard blow to Jinbei's face, sending him sliding back into the office.
"Bang!"
Jinbei felt the crushing pressure from Brontes as he stood over him. He tried to stand but found himself being pushed down by an invisible force.
"Boom!"
Brontes struck again, this time slamming Jinbei into the floor with a powerful punch. The impact cracked the ground beneath them, sending debris flying.
Jinbei knew he was in trouble. He realized he shouldn't have come here in the first place. The situation was more dangerous than he had anticipated, and now he was stuck in Mariejois, with Brontes standing between him and freedom.
Brontes appeared beside him, his eyes solemn. Despite his admiration for Jinbei's straightforward nature, they were now on opposite sides.
"Take him to Impel Down." Brontes said, sitting back in his chair.
Jinbei's struggle was over. The marines entered to restrain him, preparing to transport him to the infamous prison, where escape was nearly impossible. What he thought was a simple meeting had turned into a one-way trip to a place he didn't want to be.