The Moby Dick cut through the ocean, the sound of waves crashing softly against the hull. The crew was busy with preparations, but Lupin stood alone at the ship's railing. His mind was miles away, lost in the chaos that was about to unfold. The war was on the horizon—Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom—three of the most powerful pirates in the world, about to collide in a battle that could reshape everything.
Lupin gripped the railing tightly, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in his chest. I can't just sit back and let this happen, he thought. There's too much at stake.
He knew that the fight was inevitable. But knowing that didn't make it any easier to accept. Whitebeard was powerful, but he was going up against two of the Four Emperors. No matter who won, the outcome would change the world. And Lupin had to stop it. He had to warn someone, anyone who could stop this madness before it was too late.
Lupin pulled out the old Den Den Mushi—Rosinante's Mushi. It had been a long time since he'd even thought about it, but now it was his only option. The shell was cracked, worn with age, but it still worked. He'd heard stories of people who'd used old Mushi like this to reconnect with lost friends. Lupin hoped that was true.
He dialed the number, holding his breath as he waited for the line to connect. A familiar face appeared on the screen. Sengoku.
Lupin's voice came out steady, though there was a tightness to it. "Sengoku… It's me."
Sengoku's expression shifted from neutral to confused. He stared at the screen for a moment before his voice came out uncertain. "This is Sengoku… Rosinante? Is it really you?"
The words hit Lupin harder than he'd expected. To hear Sengoku's voice, after all this time, it made him realize just how much of his past he'd left behind. "Yeah. It's me."
There was a long silence, and Lupin could see Sengoku's face slowly shift from disbelief to shock. Finally, Sengoku spoke again, his voice shaky. "But… But you're dead. I saw the picture of your body. We thought you were gone for good. I mourned you, Rosinante."
The weight of those words hung in the air. Lupin had known it wouldn't be easy to hear, but he had to say it anyway. "I know, Sengoku. I know. I didn't want you to have to go through that. But I'm alive. I wasn't… I wasn't killed by Doflamingo."
Sengoku was silent for a moment, his face clouded with confusion and pain. He clearly didn't know how to process what Lupin had just said. "But how? Why didn't you contact us? We thought you were gone… For all these years, we thought you were dead."
Lupin felt a lump form in his throat. It was hard to even think about everything he'd left behind. But there was no time for that now. The war was coming, and he needed to get through to Sengoku before it was too late.
"Sengoku, listen to me. There's no time for explanations right now. A war is coming. Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom—they're about to clash in Wano. If this war happens, everything changes. We can't let this happen."
Sengoku's face hardened, his shock giving way to concern. "A war between them? That's… that's not something we can ignore. No one can stop those three when they're in full force. They'll destroy everything in their path."
"Exactly." Lupin's voice grew more urgent. "If this war goes down, one of them is going to claim the title of Pirate King. And whoever wins is going to be unstoppable. We need to stop them before it happens. You need to send the Marines. Now."
Sengoku's eyes widened, but he didn't hesitate. He knew Lupin wasn't lying. "I can't believe this… But you're right. If they fight, it's going to be a disaster. We can't let this happen."
Lupin's heart eased slightly, relieved that Sengoku was taking it seriously. "You're the only ones who can stop this. Please, you have to send your fleet to Wano before it's too late."
Sengoku's expression turned steely. "I'll mobilize the fleet. We'll get to Wano as fast as we can. This can't go on."
Lupin exhaled, though the relief didn't fully reach him. There was still so much left to do, and the road ahead was uncertain. But this was a start. "Thank you, Sengoku. You don't know what this means to me."
Sengoku nodded, his face softening just a little. "I didn't expect this. I thought I'd lost you forever. But you're right, Rosinante. We've got a lot of work ahead of us. Don't do anything reckless."
Lupin smiled faintly, though it didn't reach his eyes. "I won't. Stay safe, Sengoku."
The call ended, and Lupin stood there for a moment, staring at the Den Den Mushi. His mind was spinning, but there was no time to dwell. He'd done what he could. Now, he had to prepare for the storm that was coming.
Marine Headquarters
Back at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku stared at the Den Den Mushi in his hand. The disbelief was still fresh. Rosinante—alive? After all these years, he was hearing that voice again, the voice of a man he had mourned. He had seen the pictures of his body, the blood, the life gone from him. But now, hearing him alive—it felt surreal.
Garp stepped into the room, watching his old friend with curiosity. "Sengoku, what's going on?"
Sengoku let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "It was Rosinante. He's alive."
Garp blinked, surprised. "Alive? But we saw his body. Doflamingo showed us. How is that possible?"
Sengoku's face tightened as he looked out the window. "I don't know. But he's alive. And there's a war coming—a war between Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom. If this happens, the world will change. We can't let that happen."
Garp frowned, his expression darkening. "Those three together? That's a recipe for disaster. We can't just sit by and let that happen."
Sengoku nodded, his jaw setting with determination. "We'll mobilize everything. We'll stop them before they start."
Aokiji entered the room, looking grim. "The fleet's ready to move out when you say the word."
Sengoku turned to him, his gaze sharp. "Get it moving. We're not letting this war happen."
Garp put a hand on Sengoku's shoulder, his voice quieter now. "You've got your son back, Sengoku. Don't lose him again."
Sengoku nodded slowly, his expression hardening. "I won't. I'll do everything I can to protect him."
The wheels of the Marine fleet were already in motion. The storm was coming. And it was up to them to stop it.