Chapter 212: A World War Erupts—Crusade Against White Wolf Silas
This was how top fighters fought in the pirate world.
When they went all out, a small island nearly ten kilometers across could be casually destroyed, and even ships tens of kilometers away were nearly swallowed by rolling waves.
"I-I suddenly regret this."
"White King Silas's money isn't easy to earn after all."
"Let's pull back, now!"
A group of reporters wore funeral faces. As one of the Four Seas, the South Blue's weather was far more stable than either half of the Grand Line.
These reporters had never seen waves tens of meters high. If they hadn't kept their distance, they'd already be fish food.
"Shut up!"
The editor-in-chief snapped at them.
"We were paid. If we bail now, you think White King Silas won't make trouble for us?"
"That's the most fearsome pirate in the world!"
Silence fell instantly.
They were still far from Oss Island. At this distance, so long as they were careful, the battle wouldn't necessarily reach them.
But if they left now… and offended Silas… they'd be done.
Of course, that was only their own paranoia. Silas wasn't so cruel as to demand they risk their lives to keep filming.
Because Silas knew.
"It's over."
The moment Newgate successfully linked up with Rocks, Silas knew this operation had succeeded. Rocks plus Newgate might not be able to defeat all the government elites on Oss Island.
But getting out intact wasn't a problem.
Not to mention the scientists had already been gathered and moved.
"Tch, ridiculous."
Gloriosa sat to the side, munching seeds. Even through a distant feed, the sheer scale made it clear to her just how strong Silas's people really were.
"Prep to withdraw."
"You're leaving already?"
"The mission's objective is complete. If we linger and that old woman in Mary Geoise loses it, what then?"
Silas hadn't expected it, but by accident, Rocks had destroyed Uranus's energy supply. If Uranus couldn't be recharged, Imu had one less trump card.
If Imu had no other trump cards, she wouldn't tolerate Silas's existence any longer.
No matter the price.
A monster who never died, who could unite countless top fighters—and even make them undying too.
That was essentially another Imu.
After this battle, Imu would realize Silas's side didn't only include old-era monsters like Harald and Rona.
It also had new-era monsters like Rocks and Newgate.
But at this point—even if Imu prepared for all-out war—Silas didn't fear it.
Rocks and Newgate already possessed future Yonko-class combat power. Linlin now was no worse than her future, senile self, and would keep growing over the next few years.
Shiki was about to reach Admiral-class strength.
With a crew full of commanders, how do you lose?
Just as Silas told Imu not long ago, her era was over.
Oss Island.
What followed the great battle was ruin.
The island's former outline had completely vanished. Seawater kept eating away at the weakened landmass. The roar of collapsing rock layers boomed on and on.
Many Marines tossed into the sea struggled back onto ships. Even thousands of meters away, the deck trembled beneath their feet.
Roger escaped again.
Newgate's full-force strike wrecked the island's base strata, splitting the island in two and funneling in a flood of seawater.
Grabbing his chance, Roger dove into the sea and vanished.
Laughable.
He knew he still wasn't Garp's match, but seeing everyone else retreating, if those World Government elites returned empty-handed, he'd become the punching bag.
He wasn't that stupid.
Garp raged on shore, seeing it, but Newgate's strike had swept up a lot of regular Marines. Many Devil Fruit users had fallen into the water. If they weren't rescued quickly, they'd die.
Garp wanted to catch Roger, but he couldn't ignore drowning men.
"Damned Roger! Next time, I'll catch you for sure!"
Diving in and hauling several soldiers to safety, Garp roared in Roger's direction.
"Idiot Garp, catch me first!"
Roger popped his head out of the water to retort—just in time to see a gigantic spider pounce like a predator.
"Garp! You set me up!?"
Roger was shocked—his attacker was none other than Saint Jaygarcia Saturn.
Though he and Stevens had saved Saint Lucas from Newgate's terrifying strike, the three of them—Saturn, Stevens, and Lucas—were all blasted deep into the island.
Newgate's all-out strike was among the highest in destructive power on the seas. Even Silas wouldn't claim he could overpower Newgate's current full force head-on in normal condition.
Silas's skill points weren't all in offense.
His strength wasn't his attack—it was his monstrous regeneration, monstrous body, and the lack of any obvious weakness.
But at that critical moment, Newgate did exactly what he should—he used his strengths against their weaknesses.
Saturn's expression was pitch black.
He knew his mission had failed.
Though climbing out of the island's depths took less than half a minute, the floating slab bearing the scientists had already flown far.
There were still three top fighters circling the slab and trading blows with Rocks and Newgate. But what was originally six versus one was now three versus three.
Saturn hadn't taken Shiki seriously at first. He hadn't expected that while Shiki couldn't defeat old monsters like them, he could still pin down someone like Glyndwr one-on-one.
That left Rocks against Saint Claude, and Newgate against Kong. One-on-one, Saturn's side couldn't even keep them busy.
Teleport to Claude?
"Don't even think about it!!!"
Rocks and Newgate unleashed Conqueror's Haki together. One alone might not have stopped Saturn and Stevens from teleporting.
Two together was more than enough.
As the fight wore on, even Saint Claude was rattled. One-on-one, he had no chance against Rocks.
Rocks's Conqueror's Haki wore him down like a dull blade—couldn't kill him instantly, but grind it out and he'd die for sure.
Seeing no path forward, Saint Claude didn't hesitate to retreat.
This mess wasn't his fault.
Who would've thought the Rocks Pirates would strike from inside the island? If they'd attacked head-on—and even with Newgate—they couldn't have evacuated a single scientist.
With Claude gone, Kong—helpless—could only withdraw.
He could fight Newgate, but time would only bring defeat. Of the three Silas had sent, the only one he could soundly beat was Shiki.
And only for now.
Give it a year or two, and Shiki might become like Rocks and Newgate—surpassing him.
Silas had started as just a captain.
Now, among Silas's crew, Rocks, Newgate—legends rarely seen in any era—were appearing.
The above top-tier great pirates were legends.
Kong could only be grateful that while Silas had a powerful crew, the Marines still had two stars rising.
In this battle, Garp and Sengoku hadn't joined the apex clashes, but they were getting closer.
Garp fought Roger.
Sengoku faced other Rocks Pirates officers.
John and Wang Zhi.
While not as strong as vice-captain Patrick Redfield, they were in no way inferior to vice-captain Rayleigh.
Beyond the apex battlefield, the Rocks Pirates and Rayleigh held off Marines pouring in from all directions.
Ordinary Marines couldn't fly.
But Marine officers could almost all use the Six Powers.
Moon Walk was basic.
After this one battle, nearly everyone was exhausted.
"Huh—where's Roger?"
Rayleigh finally realized he hadn't heard Roger's voice for a while.
Beneath the slab, having finally shaken Saturn by diving deep, Roger surfaced and looked toward the sky.
Hey—wait for me!
The slab soared a thousand meters up—no chance it could hear his shout.
Rocks and Newgate noticed Roger, though.
Newgate: "Rocks, that one below—yours?"
Rocks: "No idea. Probably a very persistent Marine."
Rocks played dumb.
It took a full day for Roger to re-board the slab.
Mary Geoise.
Pangaea Castle.
Another failed operation plunged the conference hall into ice.
Everyone knew:
The scientists on Oss Island determined Uranus's charging progress.
Once Uranus's energy supply returned, they'd wield a superweapon against the White Wolf Pirates.
But the plan failed again.
"We can't delay any longer."
The long, white-haired Elder spoke calmly. "The power in White Wolf Silas's hands is about to exceed our control."
Silence fell.
Everyone knew Silas was growing stronger. But until now, no one had proposed a full-scale war against him.
Because at Acropolis Port, Silas proved he could kill the undying. If they escalated to total war, the five of them would all have to enter the battlefield.
Otherwise, the government had no chance.
Yes—without the five of them, the World Government could even lose.
And that was with Imu's avatars in play.
Who would have believed that at the start?
But this was reality.
The Elders didn't dare start a war—not because they couldn't—but because they feared becoming the one sacrificed. Years of living in comfort had left them with power but without the courage to gamble their lives.
If their immortal bodies still worked perfectly, they'd have crushed Silas immediately.
But Silas could break immortality.
Saint Granreed's death proved that even apex fighters might fall in such a war.
In that case, how could they be willing?
Even Imu was unwilling.
Not only Gunko by Imu's side—every Elder sensed Imu's change, the fear she could not hide.
They were afraid.
Imu was afraid.
But fear wouldn't solve anything. Silas's blade was already at their throats.
The Elders even entertained a thought:
Split the world with Silas.
The world was big enough. Give Silas half, and the other half would keep them very comfortable.
That notion died as soon as it formed.
They were afraid of death, not stupid.
In their eyes, Silas was a beast that could never be satisfied. Now, his territory was limited, his number of top fighters constrained.
But half the world? That was a noose around their own necks.
Trust Silas to honor such a deal?
They had only one choice—and must make it.
"Lord Imu, give the order!"
The Elders gathered in the grand hall, eyes upon the throne at the palace's apex—at the world's apex—beyond the countless blades.
At the cloaked figure upon it.
They spoke in low, solemn voices.
"Lord Imu, it is time the world learns we exist."
In the past, they hid history—and created the Void Century.
Now, they could do the same.
"I understand."
No more false hope. No more delay. Even a rabbit bites when cornered—let alone the World Government, the colossus at the world's peak.
Imu lifted her head, revealing a flawless face.
Her deep eyes burned with unprecedented authority.
"I hereby decree—"
Her voice rang across the hall, across Pangaea Castle, across all Mary Geoise.
"From this moment—"
The five most exalted figures in the world—the Five Elders—bowed their heads and listened to the one upon the throne.
"Crusade against White Wolf Silas!"