"This is Edward Newgate."

Sengoku said from the side, "Therefore, he must be eliminated."

"Dad..."

Ace stared blankly at Whitebeard, who was relentlessly attacked by the Marines yet continued to advance. He pounded his head on the ground, tears streaming down his face, and roared, "Dad, don't come any closer! I'm a sinner, you shouldn't have come to save me!"

Bang!!!

Whitebeard once again shook off another group of marines who surrounded him. His body swayed, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His body was gradually beginning to give out.

But soon he stood still and laughed: "Gurarara, don't underestimate me, I'm Whitebeard."

At this moment, two more executioners brought back to the execution platform by the Navy stood on either side of Ace, quickly raising their bayonets. The cold glint of the bayonets was dazzlingly bright under the sun.

At this moment, Aokiji and Kizaru appeared below the execution platform, their posture indicating that they would not allow Whitebeard to destroy it.

With Akainu blocking their way, it would be virtually impossible to destroy the execution platform in that instant.

The bayonet fell.

"Ace!!!"

Luffy roared.

"stop."

Sengoku suddenly stopped them, looked at Ace, then at Whitebeard, and sighed:

"Any last words? It's the end, say something. Although it was said before that you were to be executed because you were Roger's bloodline, in reality, it has nothing to do with Roger's bloodline."

Estun paused, looked up, and asked somewhat blankly, "Can I... say something...?"

"That's what you're saying."

Kuro then laughed and said, "Even death row inmates get a good meal before they die, so what's wrong with letting you say a few words?"

"Really... You can still talk?"

Ace suddenly smiled; at that moment, he suddenly saw things in a new light.

He looked at Whitebeard and the pirates behind him, and finally his gaze settled on Luffy.

"I actually have something to say... Luffy, if it weren't for your troublesome younger brother and what happened with Sabo, I would have given up on life a long time ago."

"As Roger's son, no one ever wanted me to live. There was no way around it; everyone wanted me dead. I've thought for a long time that if I died, would the world become quieter? I really shouldn't have come into this world. It's better that I'm dead..."

"But it would be quite a pity if I died, Luffy, I'm sorry I couldn't see you achieve your dream. Also, everyone, I've been so happy to be with you all all this time, I'm really sorry to cause you trouble before I die."

"What are you saying, Ace? You won't die!" a captain cried out. "I will definitely save you!"

"That's right, charge in! Even an admiral is nothing special. We'll risk our lives to save Ace!"

Listening to the pirates' words, Ace shook his head and smiled, then looked at Whitebeard, "Old man..."

Bang!

Whitebeard slammed his naginata down, causing a tremor.

"Ace, whether you are Roger's child or not is not important. What is important is that you are my son, Whitebeard's son. As a pirate, of course, you have to steal what you want. What I, Whitebeard, steal, even something like a 'son,' the moment he becomes my son, he is no longer any other son, but only my son, Whitebeard's son!"

Ace was stunned, his lips trembling, but tears still streamed down his face: "Thank you, Father. Only with you, Father, have I felt the warmth of a father's child, not as the son of a sinner. Father, without a doubt, this is your era. This era is called 'Whitebeard,' and I am proud to be your son!"

Whitebeard looked at Akainu, who was blocking his way, then at Ace, and slowly said, "Have I been a competent father all this time?"

Ace roared, "Of course!!!"

"Gurala, that's good, that's good..."

Whitebeard gripped the Murakumogiri tightly, his pupils contracted, and an immense aura emanated from him. However, at that moment, his body trembled again, and he involuntarily staggered to the side.

My body... can't take it anymore.

“Execute him, or Newgate will go mad,” Sengoku said, noticing Whitebeard’s actions.

Kuro looked at Ace and sighed, saying, "In this situation, you can only escape by turning into light, but even if you take Whitebeard's bones apart and boil them into soup, you still can't turn into light, even though you have the same name."

"Oh, right, I also think that whether you are Roger's child or not, and all that talk about sinful bloodlines, is just nonsense. Even the Celestial Dragons, who supposedly have divine bloodlines, are still the same disgusting people. So, the idea that bloodlines produce certain types of people is utter nonsense."

Ace laughed and said, "Really? You, as a Marine, are comforting me. Thank you. But I don't understand your strange remarks. I am fire, of course I can't turn into light."

At this moment, the soldiers on both sides raised their bayonets.

He took a deep breath, straightened his back, and said loudly to the white-bearded man, "Thank you for your care all this time!"

He looked ahead and, in the eyes of the many marines and pirates, revealed the most radiant smile, "I'm really going to die."

Pfft!!!

Two bayonets pierced through his body, and blood flowed down, spreading and forming a circle below him.

Ace remained motionless; even in death, his body stood upright with a smile on his face.

It was chilling and deeply moving.

Kuro didn't even look at him. He remained seated cross-legged in front of the execution platform, gazing at the sky and silently exhaling a puff of smoke.