After ten grueling hours, Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally arrived at G-8 with a formidable naval force.
By this time, Caesar had already retreated one step ahead, leaving only Gnaly and Hades behind to guard the island.
The world was in turmoil. With those two in command, even the Marines, led by Sengoku himself, would struggle to reclaim the island. The stability of this stronghold seemed assured.
---
Prelude to War: The Next Target, the Kingdom of Prodence
Upon arriving in the waters near G-8, Sengoku stood at the bow of his warship, telescope in hand, observing the island. His expression darkened.
He had not expected the Central Puppet Army to move so quickly. The moment the Marines redirected their forces in the New World, Caesar struck from behind, seizing a base of immense strategic importance.
A deep frustration settled in Sengoku's chest. The situation felt akin to a house springing a leak just as a torrential downpour hit.
The Marines were already stretched thin across the New World, the Four Seas, and the Grand Line. Spreading their forces too thinly here would only lead to further vulnerabilities elsewhere. And now, the immediate threat before him was daunting.
Gnaly, a swordsman of unparalleled skill and a master of all three types of Haki, was standing in his way. Sengoku had clashed with him before and knew full well the extent of his strength. But the situation became even worse with the presence of Hades, the strongest Fish-Man alive, whose power was said to rival that of an admiral.
Though Sengoku, as a veteran Marine, had battled against monsters of the sea, the battlefield they stood on was the ocean itself—an arena where Fish-Men possessed an overwhelming advantage. Even a legendary Marine like himself had to be cautious; a single misstep could lead to disaster.
It was widely known how terrifying Fish-Men could be in water. From Arlong's early tyranny to Hody Jones' rampage on Fish-Man Island, and even Jinbe—who withstood Big Mom's attacks—history had proven that Fish-Men could become near-invincible when submerged. Hades, recognized as the strongest of his kind, posed an even greater threat.
But Sengoku was no fool. He knew Caesar had anticipated this battle. The Marines' communications had been intercepted, meaning the enemy had full knowledge of their movements. This was not a mere occupation—it was a calculated war.
If even Garp were here, the situation would be dire. The Marines lacked sufficient high-ranking officers to match the might of Gnaly and Hades, let alone the elite forces stationed here.
Still, Sengoku was not one to retreat. The Navy's prestige was on the line.
As they neared the island, Marine warships opened fire, bombarding the Central Puppet Army's defenses. Then, in a flash of golden light, Sengoku himself leapt from his ship, using Geppo (Moonwalk) to propel himself through the air, heading straight for the shore.
"Oh? The great Sengoku himself! What an honor!" Hades taunted, his silver-gray skin gleaming under the sunlight, his razor-sharp teeth flashing in a grin. His long, curly gray hair swayed in the ocean breeze as he mocked the Marine legend. "So, what's it gonna be? Tea or a fight?"
Sengoku's expression remained steely. "Enough nonsense. Leave now, or I will expel you myself!"
His commanding voice carried a weight that silenced the battlefield for a moment. His piercing gaze, filled with the authority of a Fleet Admiral, bore into them. A surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, shaking the very air.
Gnaly, ever serious and unsmiling, responded in kind. Without a word, he drew his saber and held it before his chest in a battle stance. His own Conqueror's Haki flared, colliding violently with Sengoku's like a crashing tidal wave.
Hades sneered and took his stance, preparing to unleash a devastating Fish-Man Karate attack.
Their combined presence sent shockwaves across the battlefield. Recognizing the impending clash of titans, both Marine and Central Puppet Army soldiers instinctively withdrew to safer ground, leaving the battlefield to the three monstrous combatants.
The sky itself darkened as their Conqueror's Haki clashed, creating sparks and distant thunderous echoes. The very air seemed to crackle under the weight of their wills.
The battle was about to begin.
---
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Kong slammed his fist onto his desk, splintering it into pieces.
"Damn that Caesar! How dare he make his move!"
He had just received Sengoku's report, and it only worsened his already foul mood. Beside him, Vice Admiral Tsuru remained silent, her sharp mind already predicting this outcome.
They had known Caesar would not stay passive. He was never the type to sit still.
If the Marines lost control of the Four Seas and the first half of the Grand Line, then the New World would inevitably fall into complete chaos. There was no winning scenario anymore—only damage control.
Steel-blooded decisions had to be made, and soon.
Even the Five Elders, upon hearing the news, sat in grim silence.
Had they acted sooner, had they eliminated Caesar when they had the chance, none of this would be happening.
Regret filled the air, but it was too late for second-guessing now.
---
Back in the New World, the battle's outcome seemed predetermined. Sengoku found himself overwhelmed from the very start. Even as he activated his Mythical Zoan form—turning into the mighty golden Buddha—he was forced onto the defensive. His most powerful attacks failed to turn the tide.
The battlefield itself was transformed by their overwhelming strength.
Meanwhile, Caesar, having already returned to his base, remained motionless.
In addition to securing G-8—now renamed Energy Island—he had also seized a nearby volcanic island. This location had once played a critical role in the events of the Z movie, where explosive Dyna Stones had been stored. The island was a natural disaster waiting to happen.
Caesar had no intention of allowing such a weapon to be used against him. By securing the volcanic island, he ensured that its potential devastation would not fall into enemy hands.
To safeguard the island, he left Brad in charge—a near-admiral-level fighter with an awakened Devil Fruit. His sheer endurance and recovery abilities made him an immovable force, one that even Kaido would find difficult to defeat quickly.
In addition to strengthening his defenses, Caesar had also acquired the powerful Paramecia-type Mirror-Mirror Fruit. Entrusting it to a subordinate named Mirror, he created an interconnected network within the Mirror World, allowing near-instantaneous transportation between key islands.
With his infrastructure secured, Caesar turned his sights to his next conquest:
The Kingdom of Prodence.
Known for its warrior king and devastating King Punch—an attack said to rival even the power of an admiral—Prodence was no ordinary kingdom.
But Caesar was undeterred.
His expansion had only just begun.
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