Chapter 180: Marine's Genius Plan

"Grandpa brought me here!" Luffy explained. Ace then noticed a bracelet on Luffy's wrist identical to his own. A twitch formed at the corner of Ace's mouth. It seemed Garp had truly sent Luffy over. This was classic Garp.

In Garp's eyes, Luffy should be a Marine. Failing that, at least not a pirate. He knew how fixated his younger brother was on becoming Pirate King, so bringing Luffy here now didn't seem entirely unreasonable.

"I brought Luffy here because I don't want to see him arrested and imprisoned in Impel Down, including you," Garp explained. "The seas won't be peaceful for much longer."

"The Revolutionary Army has secured the Four Seas, and the situation in the New World is mostly stable. Only the Grand Line remains."

"The Revolutionary Army is constantly on the move, and Luo Ning aligns with them. A clash with the World Government is inevitable. This will completely reshape the entire sea's power structure."

"The World Government has a slim chance of winning. If the Revolutionary Army prevails, the world will undergo a drastic change. All pirates will become targets. And you, Ace, I don't need to remind you of the consequences of clinging to piracy."

It was rare for Garp to be so serious, and Ace mirrored his expression. Only Luffy remained confused. His simple mind struggled to retain such complex information.

Not only was Luffy simple, but he also suffered from face blindness.

"I... I know!" Ace conceded. He'd attempted escape numerous times before, but success always eluded him. Instead, he faced repeated punishment – solitary confinement being the most common form of discipline in Impel Down.

Originally, Ace, a Flame-Flame Fruit user, could manipulate flames. However, the Seastone shackles negate his abilities entirely.

Now, understanding the larger situation, Ace recognizes the dire fate awaiting him if he continues his pirate career. More importantly, the era of great pirates is on the verge of collapse.

While this situation wasn't directly caused by him, his biological father played a significant role.

Therefore, Ace acknowledges the need to abandon his freewheeling pirate life. As for Luffy, Garp believes it's better to have him here than risk him being captured later. Who knows what dangers Luffy might encounter? Impel Down, at least, offers a degree of safety.

"Alright, I've brought you here. You two brothers can work things out. You're safe here, but remember – no major trouble, Ace. Watch Luffy, this rascal can stir things up!"

Recognizing his grandson's penchant for causing chaos, Garp tasked Ace with keeping an eye on Luffy. Ironically, this might be unnecessary. Luffy has likely already undergone a significant change in perspective after his worldview was shattered.

"Don't worry, Luffy's my little brother,"

Ace reassured him with a nod.

***

After Garp's departure from Impel Down and return to the East Blue, the Marines were also taking action. Akainu, the new Fleet Admiral, was fixated on finding a way to deal with Luo Ning.

Luo Ning loomed over the Marines like a dark cloud. Akainu, never one for leniency, remained steadfast in his resolve, even in his new position as Fleet Admiral.

Unlike the World Government, which under Im's orders remained unconcerned – their plans shrouded in secrecy – Akainu, as the leader of the Marines, couldn't simply let the matter lie. He relentlessly pursued a strategy for dealing with Luo Ning.

He even commissioned a weakness analysis, but the final report left him speechless. The report concluded that Luo Ning's only apparent weakness was beautiful women. This stemmed from Luo Ning having gathered many attractive women around him during this period.

The Marines, therefore, believed Luo Ning had a strong preference for beautiful women. This wasn't entirely inaccurate. Luo Ning did appreciate beauty, but he wasn't so shallow as to be easily swayed by it.

"While it seems unbelievable, it appears to be the only lead we have."

Tsuru had also reviewed the report, and this was the only potential weakness they could exploit. Back when they'd commissioned the initial analysis of Luo Ning, he hadn't been as publicly entangled with beautiful women as he is now.

Therefore, the Marines had resorted to using the villagers of Cocoyashi Village as hostages, even if their threats were purely verbal. Such irony wasn't lost on them, but the Marines had a history of questionable tactics in their relentless pursuit of their goals.

"Does he appreciate beautiful women? That could be a vulnerability. After all, the Marines have no shortage of attractive women."

Akainu's sudden remark left Tsuru stunned. Her expression darkened.

"Sakazuki, we are Marines! We cannot stoop to such tactics. Marines don't sacrifice their own for personal gain!"

Tsuru understood Akainu's nature. He was a man who achieved his objectives at any cost, even if it meant sacrificing his subordinates without a second thought. Akainu's suggestion sent a wave of anger through her.

"As Marines, it's our duty to fight evil with every fiber of our being."

Akainu, ever the stoic leader, didn't react with outrage. He simply delivered a blunt statement, as was his style.

"Absolutely not!" Tsuru, a prominent female Marine officer, vehemently opposed Sakazuki's suggestion.

"Remember," she continued, "roughly ninety percent of the female Marines fall under the jurisdiction of either myself or Momousagi. Sacrificing lives in the line of duty is one thing, but using them as pawns in a beauty trap is another entirely. I will not allow such an underhanded tactic."

"This doesn't require further discussion. You didn't hesitate to use the Cocoyashi Village residents as bargaining chips before!"

Akainu struck a nerve. While Tsuru hadn't truly intended to resort to such tactics, she couldn't deny her actions. It was a stain on her record, no matter how hard she tried to scrub it clean.

Tsuru, after a heavy silence, finally conceded a point. "Their consent is mandatory. That's my non-negotiable condition."

Akainu, who had previously disregarded Tsuru's concerns during his Admiral days, had become somewhat more diplomatic as Fleet Admiral. He understood the need to consider the bigger picture. This time, he refrained from further argument and acquiesced to her demand. The Marines were desperate, and Akainu decided to utilize their female Marines' beauty in an attempt to gain an advantage over Luo Ning and uncover his weaknesses, if any.