To the Five Elders, eliminating Souta Kiryuu and Kaido of the Beasts was the highest priority at this stage.
They had already abandoned the Navy's side, including Kuzan—and especially Garp, the traitor. If Garp died, he died. It no longer mattered.
But now Saint Nasujuro had begun slaughtering pirates instead, provoking that lunatic Charlotte Linlin.
His actions did grant the Navy a brief moment to breathe, but this was not aligned with the Five Elders' interests nor their plans.
On the central glacial battlefield—
Saint Peter was unable to finish off Barrett quickly, now that Barrett had partially restored his stamina by consuming blood-crystals and combat stimulants.
Saint Woljuli and Saint Mas could not kill Kaido in a short time either. Whether on land, in the sky, or at sea, the Beast King remained the world's strongest living creature.
Meanwhile, Imu—splitting focus to stabilize the arcane teleportation array—had to simultaneously suppress Souta Kiryuu and his allies, while also halting interference from the Red Count, Kuma the Tyrant, and the Sixfold Arhat Arts of Kiryuu's group.
Seeing his four subordinates failing to resolve their opponents swiftly, each dragged into prolonged battles, Imu's rage threatened to boil over.
Opportunities handed to them on a silver platter, and they still failed.
At that same time, in the Flower Gardens of Pangaea Castle atop the Holy Land of Mariejois—
Trafalgar Law, accompanied by PX-Bruno and the Seraphim Kuma, finally located a palace courtyard overflowing with rare and carefully cultivated flora.
While passing through an ice-sealed chamber, Law noticed a massive straw hat—ancient, heavy with centuries of history.
On one palace wall hung a grand portrait of a crown-bearing woman with long blue hair, her posture regal and dignified.
And Law could not help but notice how closely her features resembled Princess Vivi of Alabasta.
"Nefertari Lily?"
The name inscribed beneath the portrait matched Vivi's family name exactly.
He deduced that this must be the legendary queen—ancestor of the Nefertari line—one of the original Twenty Kings who chose to abandon her Celestial Dragon status, return to Alabasta, and sever all ties with the Holy Land.
Law took in the image only briefly before continuing toward his true objective.
As he approached a vast, open palace hall, an aura so overwhelming his heart trembled filled the space.
He knew he had found the location of the King of the World—Imu.
He signaled PX-Bruno, who immediately prepared a Door-Door Gate for emergency escape.
The Seraphim Kuma activated maximum combat readiness, prepared to use the Paw-Paw Fruit to evacuate them instantly if needed.
Law also connected a secure transponder snail to Lafitte, sending the coded evacuation signal.
If they forced Imu to retreat, each would escape on their own.
Only after the escape routes were secured did Law retrieve a specialized seastone artillery launcher from behind Bruno.
Inside it lay the Seastone Cluster Warhead—a custom weapon Souta Kiryuu had commissioned Vegapunk to develop specifically for this moment.
This shot had to land.
He had to interrupt Imu's teleportation ritual.
Meanwhile, aboard the airborne fleet at the Red Line's edge—
After receiving Law's signal, Lafitte immediately issued the Kiryuu Crew Evacuation Order, summoning back Moria, Bartolomeo, Burgess, and the rest of the main commanders.
Twenty Pacifistas and an endless wave of lunar automata continued charging toward Pangaea Castle.
The Ghostface Unit, Van Augur, and Doc Q withdrew at once toward the airships.
Brook and Don Achino, being more disciplined, retreated shortly afterward.
However, the mass of liberated slaves within Mariejois—and Moria's horde of zombies—continued overwhelming the CP agents and Marine forces.
Upon hearing the distinctive retreat signal, both Karasu and Morley of the Revolutionary Army sensed that something was wrong.
They slowed their search for Uranus, watching for sudden shifts.
If Imu or the Elders returned unexpectedly, they intended to escape through the Red Line passage immediately.
In front of a luxurious castle—
Champion Burgess and sound-manipulator Edra, leading a band of elite pirates, clashed violently with a CP strike team.
Inside that castle, a family of six Celestial Dragons had holed up in panic.
At the shout of a middle-aged Celestial Dragon, dozens of Holy Guards and CP agents hurled themselves into battle, fighting to the death against the Kiryuu Crew.
"Damn it! Retreat already?! So soon?!"
Edra cursed as he unleashed another sonic bombardment, collapsing part of the castle in a fiery blast.
"Wahaha! I've made good profit today!"
Burgess laughed wildly. A blood-soaked sack hung at his waist—inside it, the severed head of a Celestial Dragon. His trophy.
And he already had his eye on a prize: the Power-Power Fruit once possessed by the former first mate under the Pirate King.
That prisoner was wasting such a gift.
Burgess was certain he could wield it to far greater heights.
Yet the retreat signal also stirred unease within Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who guarded the battlefield in his Great Buddha form.
"This is bad… pirates have breached Pangaea Castle!"
Knowing the Kiryuu Crew's objective, Sengoku realized immediately—but without authorization, even he could not enter the sacred palace.
He turned toward Saint Penance, locked in combat with the zombie version of Gallen.
Only a high-ranking Celestial Dragon and acting leader of the Holy Knights had the authority to intervene.
"Sainte Penance! Stop wasting time battling Gallen! Someone has infiltrated Pangaea Castle! Imu-sama's teleportation ritual cannot be allowed to fail!"
Sengoku blasted aside a dozen lunar automata loaded with self-detonation cores, triggering a chain of explosive bursts.
Then he raised his voice in resonant Buddha-tone, even as he leapt forward to block a barrage of Pacifista lasers.
These war machines were completely unaffected by Conqueror's Haki. None of them could be stunned.
Hearing Sengoku's call, Saint Penance felt a chill crawl down his spine.
He had been so fixated on reclaiming Gallen's corpse that he had nearly forgotten the most crucial matter.
If the Kiryuu Crew could breach the Holy Land's defense shield, then reaching Imu's Void Throne Hall was not impossible.
"Plaisaz! Perigold! Abandon the search for those two revolutionaries! Hold down Gallen's corpse!"
Penance roared, ordering two Holy Knights to restrain the zombie, and sprinted into Pangaea Castle at full speed to defend Imu's ritual.
At that same moment, Law stood carefully beside the open Door-Door portal, seastone artillery aimed toward the massive teleportation array, where only the lower half of Imu's body remained present.
Dark, oppressive waves of Conqueror's Haki flooded the palace, streaked with black and crimson lightning.
Cold sweat dripped from Law's brow as he steadied his aim.
Imu… get back here.
With a roar inside his heart, Law fired the Seastone Cluster Warhead straight at Imu's lower body.
...
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