Under Carina's gentle comfort and careful questioning, Nami gradually recounted the entire sequence of events that had led to this disaster.
Only then did Jerry and the others learn the complete story of what had transpired.
The Straw Hat Pirates had successfully reached Sky Island, enjoyed their adventure there, and returned safely to the Blue Sea below. After arriving at Long Ring Long Land, they'd first encountered a group of local pirates, and then faced the completely unexpected appearance of Marine Admiral Aokiji.
The Admiral had shown up without warning, delivered a cryptic lecture filled with philosophical warnings, then easily defeated Luffy and his friends in battle with almost casual effort.
After announcing that he had no immediate plans to arrest them, Aokiji had leisurely departed on his distinctive bicycle, leaving the crew battered but free.
Then, before the Straw Hat Pirates could set sail and escape the area, the Blackbeard Pirates had launched their devastating assault.
During the initial confrontation, several crew members had been inadvertently infected by Doc Q's disease-based attacks, weakening them significantly.
In the fierce resistance that followed, not only had every crew member sustained serious injuries, but Luffy, Zoro, and Robin had been captured by the enemy.
That was when Ace had arrived on the scene.
Thanks to Ace's combination of Devil Fruit powers and advanced Haki techniques, his duel with Teach had ended in what could generously be called a draw—though both fighters had been severely exhausted and injured.
Just as Van Augur and the other Blackbeard Pirates had tried to capitalize on the situation with coordinated attacks, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper had awakened from their injuries at the crucial moment. Despite their weakened condition, they'd thrown themselves into the battle with reckless courage, desperately trying to protect their captain and crewmates.
Like Ace, Teach had been completely exhausted and seriously wounded by the prolonged combat.
Considering that his crew had already secured their primary objectives—the high-bounty prisoners—Teach had been unwilling to continue fighting against opponents who were clearly prepared to battle to the death with terrifying determination.
Teach understood that even though his side might have better odds in a prolonged group battle, one careless moment could result in catastrophic losses if their enemies unleashed desperate, all-or-nothing counterattacks. Such an outcome would transform victory into devastating defeat.
After rapid calculation, the panting Teach had suddenly erupted with endless dark smoke and shadows, not only disrupting the movements of Ace and the others but successfully obscuring everyone's vision completely.
When the unnatural darkness had finally dissipated, Teach, Van Augur, and the rest of the Blackbeard Pirates had vanished without a trace, taking their prisoners with them.
At this moment, perhaps because hearing the events recounted reminded him of his failure, Ace became so overwhelmed with emotion that he punched the ground with devastating force, as if trying to vent his inner rage and helplessness.
"I'm completely useless!" he roared with self-loathing. "I watched Luffy and the others get kidnapped right in front of me, and I couldn't do anything to stop it!"
He lowered his head and pressed his hands against both sides of his skull like a wounded beast, letting out a low, agonized growl.
Ace's words acted like a lit fuse, completely igniting the long-suppressed emotions of Sanji and the other surviving Straw Hats.
"We're the ones who failed!" Sanji threw his cigarette butt to the ground and crushed it viciously under his heel, shouting with obvious self-blame. "Even though we outnumbered them, we were defeated one after another by Aokiji and then the Blackbeard Pirates!"
Usopp, Chopper, and Nami couldn't help but loudly voice their own feelings of helplessness and inadequacy.
"TEACH!" Ace suddenly stood up, clenched his fists, and roared toward the sky with volcanic fury. "I won't let you get away with this! If anything happens to Luffy and the others, I swear I'll tear you apart piece by piece!"
As Ace's emotions reached their breaking point, an incredibly powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted from his body without warning.
The tangible domineering aura swept through the area like a physical force, radiating in all directions and shocking everyone present with its sheer intensity.
Although Jerry reacted quickly and immediately used his own Haki to construct an invisible defensive barrier protecting his crewmates, this unexpected explosion of Conqueror's Haki was so violent that Nami, Usopp, Carina, Deuce, and several others collapsed to the ground unconscious the moment they came into contact with its overwhelming pressure.
As Ace continued his anguished roar, the intensity of his Conqueror's Haki continued rising rapidly, colliding violently with Jerry's protective aura and creating powerful winds that whipped around them. The seawater in the distance began churning with massive waves.
Cavendish and Brook seemed frozen in place, mouths hanging open as they stared in silent awe at Ace, whose presence was becoming increasingly terrifying by the second.
Sanji and Chopper, who had recovered from their initial dizziness, looked around at the supernatural phenomena with shock, feeling a mixture of confusion and deep respect.
Jerry observed Ace silently, and when the fire-user's outburst gradually began to subside, he walked over and placed a gentle but firm hand on his shoulder.
"Ace, you need to calm down," Jerry said with serious authority. "Your brother and his crewmates were handed over to the government, but that means we can still find a way to rescue them!"
"What?" Hearing this, Ace's eyes immediately regained their focus and clarity.
He excitedly grabbed Jerry's arms, staring at him with desperate intensity. "How can we save them?! Tell me quickly!"
"Calm down!" Jerry shouted in a commanding voice, pointing at the unconscious forms of Deuce and the others. "Look at what your outburst just did! Forget about protecting your family and friends—if you get impulsive like this, you might accidentally hurt them yourself!"
Hearing this harsh truth, Ace froze completely.
After several moments, he took a deep breath, slapped both of his cheeks with his hands, and whispered with genuine remorse, "I... I'm sorry."
"You don't need to apologize to me," Jerry replied in a steadier voice that gradually helped calm Ace's turbulent emotions. "Save it for when Deuce and the others wake up, and we can discuss our options properly."
Ace nodded slightly and walked toward Deuce and the other unconscious crew members with an apologetic expression, wanting to check on their conditions personally.
Sanji and his fellow Straw Hats gradually relaxed their anxious tension and began unconsciously thinking about potential rescue strategies.
Thanks to Jerry's timely intervention and protection, Deuce and the others hadn't suffered serious injuries—they'd simply lost consciousness briefly from the overwhelming Haki pressure.
Soon, they began awakening one by one, groaning and rubbing their heads as they regained their bearings.
After confirming that everyone was safe and relatively unharmed, Ace solemnly apologized to the entire group before speaking with deadly seriousness.
"Jerry, I know you're incredibly resourceful when it comes to strategy. And Deuce, everyone else—please, I'm begging you to help me figure this out. I have to rescue them! Please!"
"Hey now! What do you mean 'resourceful'?" Jerry glanced at Ace with mock offense. "All my plans are absolutely brilliant, thank you very much!"
Then he waved his hand and addressed everyone present with solemn authority. "First, let's establish the known facts: Luffy and his crewmates have been captured, and Teach explicitly stated he plans to hand them over to the World Government."
"Based on standard procedure for arresting high-bounty pirates, they'll most likely be transported to Impel Down, the world's most secure underwater prison."
Sanji stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Then couldn't we intercept them before Blackbeard makes the handover to the Marines, or before the Marines transfer them to the prison?"
Deuce nodded as he considered their limited options. "Theoretically, we have three possible courses of action available to us."
"First, we could set sail immediately and pursue Teach directly to recover the prisoners by force. However, I think our chances of success are minimal—they'll want to transfer their captives as quickly as possible to avoid exactly this scenario."
"Second, we could identify which Marine unit will be escorting Luffy and his friends, then stage a rescue operation before they reach Impel Down."
"If both of those options fail..." Deuce paused and looked around at the grim expressions on everyone's faces before continuing, "we'll have to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Breaking into Impel Down itself."
He let that sink in for a moment before adding, "However, Impel Down is the world's most formidable prison, located in the Calm Belt and surrounded by Sea Kings. Its security is absolutely legendary. In recorded history, only Golden Lion Shiki has ever successfully escaped—and that was under extraordinary circumstances."
Ace's eyes blazed with determination as he declared, "If it comes to that, I don't care what kind of prison it is or how impossible it seems!"
"That's right!" Usopp chimed in, having learned about Jerry's crew's incredible strength from Sanji's hasty introductions. He straightened his back and shouted with newfound courage, "We have to rescue Luffy and the others no matter what!"
Chopper nodded vigorously and added his own voice to the chorus. "We'll save them for sure!"
"Excellent! As long as you're not afraid of the challenges ahead, there's nothing we can't accomplish!" Jerry felt genuinely pleased seeing everyone's expressions filled with fighting spirit and unwavering determination.
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