Chapter 1666 Righteous Soul Pill

Shanks continued his pursuit of Uta and Loki. When Sengoku's resolute and murderous declaration pierced the sea breeze through the Den Den Mushi, even his usually composed face showed a slight change in expression.

He knew that the situation at sea had completely spiraled out of control, sliding into an abyss that no one could predict.

The Navy's public declaration of war is tantamount to completely tearing up those tacit rules of the past.

It will be extremely difficult to have any communication or limited cooperation with the Navy in the future. Whether the Navy will still give Shanks face is another matter.

At this moment, his thoughts were preoccupied with one thing: Where did Luffy go?

Not long ago, he had a brief phone call with Morganstone, from which he learned the information from that well-informed birdman.

Luffy made a brief appearance in the Sabaody Archipelago and clashed with, and even briefly fought, the Five Elders, the highest authority in the World Government.

But after that, the person seemed to vanish into thin air, disappearing without a trace, most likely rescued by someone or some force.

If Luffy had fallen into the hands of the Five Elders, given their style of doing things and their emphasis on the Nika Fruit, they should have already taken Luffy into custody.

They should have returned to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise for now; it's impossible for them to remain near the dangerous Marineford.

Shanks was worried, wondering if the news of Ace's impending execution would reach Luffy, who had disappeared without a trace.

In Shanks' view, the boy wearing the straw hat needs more time to grow, to hone his skills, and to accumulate experience; he needs to grow for at least a few more years before anything else.

Uta and Loki continued to run towards Marineford without hesitation, their young yet determined faces filled with conviction.

She believed that Luffy would reappear, just like in every crisis before.

She believed that Luffy, Ace, and Sabo, the three brothers, would miraculously reunite once again on that war-torn land.

Meanwhile, inside that secluded pawnshop number eight.

The question of whether Ace can be resurrected is still a source of intense inner turmoil for Monkey D. Luffy, the Straw Hat Pirates.

The shop owner watched him quietly, as if he could see through all the turmoil in his heart.

Taking advantage of the silence, the shopkeeper dropped a bombshell: "Ace is about to be executed, Luffy, you don't have time to think anymore."

"What?!" Luffy suddenly raised his head, his eyes, which were always full of energy and laughter, were now wide open, filled with disbelief and shock.

He never imagined that while he was agonizing over this, the outside world had already undergone such terrible changes.

The shopkeeper explained the situation outside in very brief terms: Fleet Admiral Sengoku had delivered the final execution order, and two experienced executioners had ascended the execution platform.

Not only will they pierce Ace's heart with a spear, but they will also use a battle axe to cut off the head of the pirate's son, thus demonstrating the absolute authority of the Navy to the world.

"Ace..." Luffy murmured his brother's name, his eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins.

An unprecedented rage, and an impulse to destroy everything, surged wildly within his chest like magma. He was on the verge of exploding in fury.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind: to save Ace, immediately and at all costs!

The shopkeeper, seeing Luffy on the verge of losing his mind, showed no surprise whatsoever. "I know you still have a Senzu Bean on you."

"However, while that thing can replenish physical strength and heal some injuries, it cannot regenerate a severed head."

Before the shop owner could finish speaking, a crystal-clear jade box appeared in his hand.

He gently opened the jade box, inside which lay a pure white, oval-shaped pill.

"You should need this."

"This thing came from the hands of the Grim Reaper. It is a drug that has long been abolished and listed as an absolute forbidden drug, called the Soul-Binding Pill."

The sole function of the Soul-Binding Pill is that when a human in the real world takes it, the soul of the user will be forcibly expelled from their body.

The specially modified soul stored inside the Soul Pill will temporarily take over the body and maintain its basic physiological functions.

"If Ace really reaches that point, give him a Soul-Binding Pill at the moment he is about to die, so that even if his physical body temporarily perishes, his soul will be forced out of his body."

Luffy then had an opportunity: to rebuild Ace's physical body, or to find a new, suitable body for Ace to possess.

"This Soul-Protecting Pill can help you ensure that Ace's soul is immortal."

The shopkeeper's words were like a spark that suddenly ignited in the darkness; though faint, they were enough to rekindle the dying hope in Luffy's heart.

He stared intently at the pure white pill in the jade box; he knew it must be very precious.

If it's considered a banned drug by the Grim Reaper, then the price to pay for it might be very high, right?

Luffy took a deep breath, trying to calm his trembling voice, which was pounding with rage. "What do I have to give up?"

He had already made up his mind; if possible, he was willing to trade his own lifespan for it.

This young man never cared how long he could live, as long as he lived freely, unrestrained, and without regrets.

Without this kind of personality, he wouldn't have been able to develop that kind of second gear that comes at the cost of burning his life.

Lifespan? For Luffy, who fights to protect those he cares about, it's never something he's willing to be stingy with.

The shop owner's answer, however, was beyond his expectations.

"No," the shop owner gently shook his head.

To Luffy's astonishment, the jade box containing the Soul-Giving Pill was slowly pushed in front of him.

"Consider this a small gift from me. Next time you come, remember to bring your crew along. This medicine won't be a complete waste."

Luffy never expected to hear this answer.

He paused for a moment, but his anxiety to save his brother made him unable to delve into the meaning behind those words.

Fearing the shop owner might change his mind, he almost instinctively grabbed the jade box with both hands, holding it tightly in his arms, and turned to leave.

As for the idea that free things are the most expensive, Luffy can't think that far ahead right now.

His idea was simple and pure: if he couldn't save Ace's body, he would save Ace's soul first.

It's better than Ace losing both his body and soul. Luffy came all this way but got nothing and could only watch helplessly as his brother completely disappeared from this world.

Moreover, the effects of the Soul-Saving Pill far exceeded the expectations of those present.

If the soul leaves the body on its own and is no longer bound by the physical body, then it can be said that it has temporarily escaped the cycle of life and death and is no longer subject to the guidance of the River Styx.

More importantly, in this soul state, Ace was able to retain his original memories and personality, which was an incredible miracle for Luffy.

Even if Luffy can't hug or touch Ace's soul, as long as he can see him and chat with him, his trip to Marineford won't be in vain.