The entire room was terrifyingly silent.
Gion's breathing quickened.
She lowered her head, her pink short hair covering her eyes, making her expression unreadable.
But her hand, resting on the famous sword konpira, was trembling slightly.
Not out of fear.
But because of... excitement!
Unparalleled excitement!
A tremor from the depths of her soul, a thousand times more intense than the annoyance she felt when she heard the guinea pig's confession!
A powerhouse from another world!
A completely new power system!
A monster that could defeat an Admiral in three minutes!
These words were like red-hot branding irons, deeply seared into her mind.
All thoughts of guinea pigs, gossip, and all other trivial matters were burned clean from her mind!
Only a swordsman's purest desire remained!
A desire for stronger opponents!
A desire for a higher realm!
"I..."
Gion slowly raised her head.
In her icy blue eyes, two raging fires were burning fiercely!
That extreme sharpness made the air in the entire room feel as if it were tearing apart.
She grinned, revealing a smile full of madness and fighting spirit.
"When do we leave?"
Sister He looked at the fighting spirit almost gushing from her sister's eyes, and a relieved smile appeared on her aged face.
But she still asked one last question, following the procedure.
"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
"This murky water is far deeper than you imagine."
"What you will face is completely unknown, perhaps even a danger that will overturn all your perceptions."
"Reconsider?"
Gion smiled.
It was a wild, uninhibited smile, full of a swordsman's heroic spirit.
"Sister He, do you think I still need to reconsider?"
She gripped the konpira at her waist with a backhand, and the feel of the hilt made the blood throughout her body rush faster.
"A monster that can utterly defeat Admiral Aokiji in three minutes..."
"A completely new power system that can teach Old Man Garp to walk on water..."
"A mysterious shop, hiding countless top powerhouses from other worlds..."
Every word from Gion carried a scorching heat.
"My konpira, it yearns!"
"It yearns for a real battle, one that can make it fight to its heart's content!"
Gion's gaze was burning, looking directly at Tsuru.
"I can't wait any longer!"
"Good."
Tsuru nodded, saying no more.
She knew her sister's personality all too well.
She was a pure swordsman.
For her, nothing was more appealing than "stronger opponents" and "a higher realm."
White Night's appearance, for her, was the brightest star in the dark night.
"Go prepare."
Tsuru's voice returned to calm.
"Tomorrow morning, under the guise of a secret patrol, depart for the East Blue."
...Marineford, Marineford.
In the highest-level conference room, the atmosphere was so heavy it could be wrung out.
Around the massive circular conference table sat a group of beings capable of striking fear into any pirate.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Great Staff Officer Tsuru.
Admiral Akainu Sakazuki.
Admiral Kizaru Borsalino.
Admiral Aokiji Kuzan.
And all of the Marineford Vice Admirals.
Even the former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr, who had already retired to the second line as the chief instructor of the elite training camp, was urgently summoned.
Every person present was a pillar of the Marine, a stabilizing force of the sea.
Yet at this moment, a greater or lesser degree of solemnity and surprise was etched on each of their faces.
Because this summons had come too suddenly, too strangely.
"Ahem."
Sengoku cleared his throat, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room.
"The reason for urgently summoning everyone here is a matter of paramount importance concerning the future of the Marine, and even the entire world order."
He emphasized the words "paramount importance."
Kizaru lazily lifted his eyelids, a characteristic lewd grin on his lips.
"Oh my, that's scary, Mr. Sengoku."
"For you to use such words, have the Four Emperors joined forces and attacked?"
Akainu Sakazuki's face was cold and he said nothing, but the scorching aura around him slightly distorted the air.
He hated Kizaru's slovenly attitude the most.
"Borsalino, cut out that behavior!"
Sengoku slammed his hand on the table, roaring.
"Every word said from now on is top-secret Marine information!"
"I don't care what methods you use, if even half a word is leaked, it will be treated as treason against the Marine!"
Seeing Sengoku's seriousness, everyone dropped their last shred of casualness.
They knew something big was about to happen.
Sengoku nodded to the orderly behind him.
Soon, sealed files in kraft paper envelopes were distributed to everyone.
On the seal, a crimson stamp, representing "Top Secret," was imprinted.
"Open it."
Sengoku said in a deep voice.
Everyone tore open the seals and pulled out the files inside.
When they saw the contents of the files, the entire conference room fell into an eerie silence.
Only the sounds of heavy, uneven breathing rose and fell.
The files detailed three reports.
The first was from Marine Hero Garp.
The content was brief, yet shocking.
In Foosha Village in the East Blue, he experienced something called a "Novice Dungeon," fought to the death with an otherworldly powerhouse named Third Raikage, and ultimately won by a narrow margin.
The cost: one million Berries.
The gain: a new power system called "Chakra," which allowed him to walk on water.
The second was from Admiral Aokiji Kuzan.
The content was even more outrageous.
He spent ten million Berries to experience an "Intermediate Dungeon" and was overwhelmingly crushed by a Six Paths-level monster named Uchiha Madara within three minutes.
In the report, Kuzan described with trembling strokes how the black spheres called Truth-Seeking Orb easily annihilated his ice.
And that strange attack called "Limbo," which was difficult to detect with Observation Haki.
The end of both reports pointed to the same existence.
Foosha Village in the East Blue.
A young man named White Night.
A stall owner who called himself the "Dungeon Shop."
He sold tickets to other worlds, claiming that as long as the money was right, he could even... revive the dead!
"..."
"..."
In the conference room, a pin drop could be heard.
Every Vice Admiral, every Admiral, stared intently at the files in their hands, cold sweat unknowingly beading on their foreheads.
Their worldview was being shattered by this document.
Other worlds?
A completely new power system?
A monster that could crush an Admiral in three minutes?
Reviving the dead?
Is this... a myth?!
"Haha... Hahahaha..."
A dry laugh broke the silence.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku... today isn't April Fool's Day, is it?"
"Where did you find a novelist to write such a story?"
His words voiced everyone's inner thoughts.
It was too absurd.
So absurd that they would rather believe it was a cruel joke by Sengoku.
Sengoku did not answer him.
He just looked at Tsuru.
Great Staff Officer Tsuru slowly put down the file in her hand and spoke calmly.
"Garp is currently in the Calm Belt of the New World, chasing Sea Kings to practice his 'Lightning Release.'"
"After Kuzan returned, he locked himself in his office for three days, and to this day, he still trembles at the name 'Uchiha Madara.'"
"Do you think the three of us old folks would team up to play such a joke on you?"