The Holy Land of Mary Geoise
The streets surrounding Pangaea Castle were unusually quiet.
Groups of Celestial Dragons had gathered inside their estates, demanding guards, explanations, and immediate protection. Government officials hurried between buildings with stacks of reports clutched against their chests.
"Marineford was destroyed?!"
"Two Admirals were killed?!"
"What were those useless Marines doing?!"
"Bring me another guard! No—bring me ten!"
Their furious shouting echoed throughout the Holy Land.
Yet none of that noise reached the deepest chamber of Pangaea Castle.
The Room of Authority remained silent.
The Five Elders sat around the chamber, surrounded by reports from Marineford.
Saint Marcus Mars held one of the documents in his hand.
"This time, I fear the damage can no longer be concealed. The entire world witnessed the disgraceful defeat of the Navy that was supposed to protect them."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter stared down at another report.
"No one could have predicted this. To think the Navy would suffer such a humiliating defeat... We should have kept a closer eye on that bastard from the beginning."
His expression darkened.
"Our immediate priority must be limiting the spread of this news. We cannot allow the world to be influenced by what happened at Marineford."
"The newspapers are already printing special editions," Saint Topman Warcury said. "Even if we confiscate every publication within the allied kingdoms, the news will continue spreading through the underworld. We will not have a complete estimate of the damage for several days."
The side of Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro's face twitched.
He sat with one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"That changes nothing. The Navy gathered its strongest forces in one place and lost before the eyes of the entire world."
His fingers tightened around the hilt.
"Even if we try to suppress it, we cannot stop the coming storm. Not when that bastard Morgans will make certain every corner of the world hears about it."
The Elders exchanged heavy glances.
For the moment, none of them could offer a solution.
Marineford had been chosen as the stage upon which the World Government would display its absolute power by publicly executing Gol D. Roger's son.
Whitebeard would be drawn into their trap, his forces would be destroyed, and the Great Pirate Era would finally begin to crumble.
Instead, the exact opposite had occurred.
Just then, a voice came from deeper within Pangaea Castle.
"Come."
The Five Elders immediately rose.
Without hesitation or question, they passed through the concealed corridor behind the Room of Authority and made their way toward the chamber at the very centre of the castle.
The enormous doors opened before them.
Beyond those doors stood the Empty Throne.
Hundreds of weapons had been planted into the floor before it, symbolising the oath once sworn by the rulers who had founded the World Government.
No single ruler would stand above the others.
No one would ever sit upon the throne.
That was the lie shown to the world.
The Five Elders approached the steps and knelt.
"Imu-sama."
A slender figure sat upon the Empty Throne.
Imu's red eyes looked down at them from beneath a tall crown.
Several wanted posters had been spread across the steps.
Monkey D. Luffy.
Portgas D. Ace.
And Shiki.
Imu held Shiki's poster between two fingers.
The photograph had been taken shortly before Marineford sank.
Shiki stood tall with a fearless smile on his face and a sword resting against his shoulder. Darkness covered the ground around him, stretching across the battlefield like a living shadow.
Beneath the photograph was the bounty issued after the war.
DEAD OR ALIVE
SHIKI
฿6,000,000,000
At last, Imu spoke.
"So this is the one."
"Yes, Imu-sama."
A small sound escaped Imu.
"Hm..."
It was impossible to tell whether it came from amusement or displeasure.
"What do you believe Mu should do?"
A bead of sweat slid down Saint Jaygarcia Saturn's temple.
At first glance, the question sounded as though Imu were asking for their opinions.
However, that depended entirely upon the occasion.
None of them misunderstood the meaning behind those words.
Imu-sama was angry.
Mars was the first to answer, knowing that remaining silent would be an even greater mistake.
"We should order the surviving Marine forces to regroup immediately. Once their command structure has been restored, preparations can begin for a second operation."
"No," Warcury said at once. "The Navy is in no condition to move again. Sending them after Shiki now would only invite another defeat."
Ju Peter turned his head, carefully choosing his words.
"Then Cipher Pol should be dispatched into the New World. If direct confrontation is impossible, Portgas D. Ace can be eliminated through other means."
Nusjuro pulled his sword closer.
His palms were already sweating, and a vein bulged across his forehead.
"That will not be enough."
He glanced at the wanted posters lying upon the steps.
"Shiki has already allied himself with the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates. If they are given time to recover, they may gather Whitebeard's remaining territories beneath a single flag."
The Elders continued giving their opinions one after another.
Imu offered no response.
Then, without warning, Imu spoke.
"Call Garling."
Imu released the damaged poster, allowing it to fall onto the steps.
Saturn raised his head in slight surprise.
"Figarland Garling?"
Imu's eyes shifted toward him.
Saturn immediately lowered his head.
"Forgive me. I will summon him at once."
One of the guards stationed beyond the throne room received the order and hurried away.
A short while later, footsteps echoed throughout the chamber.
Saint Figarland Garling entered the throne room.
His long white hair and beard curved around his head in the shape of a crescent moon. A sword hung from his waist, while a dark cloak rested over his shoulders.
He passed the weapons planted before the throne and stopped beside the Five Elders.
Garling knelt.
"Imu-sama."
Imu looked down at him from the Empty Throne.
"Mu has but one command for thee. Take Roger's son when the darkness turns its gaze elsewhere."
Garling's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Great One, do you wish for me to capture Portgas D. Ace?"
"Did Mu speak unclearly?"
"No, Imu-sama."
"Thou art a hunter, art thou not?"
Imu's red eyes glinted beneath the crown.
"Then hunt."
A suffocating pressure filled the throne room.
"Take the other God's Knights with thee. Mu will not tolerate failure this time."
Garling glanced toward the wanted poster lying before him, which had been thrown by Imu earlier.
"Or has age dulled thy fangs?"
Garling placed one hand upon the hilt of his sword.
"My blade has yet to rust."
He raised his eyes toward the throne.
"Imu-sama, do you believe Shiki is connected to the ancient enemy?"
"Mu does not know."
Imu's gaze fell upon them but his eyes lost focus for a while.
"That is why Mu wishes for him to reveal what lies within it."
The throne room fell silent.
"Does your shadow still linger there..."
Imu's red eyes glinted with suppressed madness, as though recalling something buried deep within the distant past.
"...Davy?"
...
Far away from the Holy Land, neither Shiki nor Ace knew that the World Government had already begun preparing another attempt on Ace's life.
It was exactly as Shiki had predicted.
The World Government would never allow Gol D. Roger's bloodline to continue living freely.
Marineford had ended in disaster, but that humiliation had only strengthened the resolve of the rulers who sat at the top of the world.
This time, however, they would not rely upon the Marines.
They would wait until Shiki's attention was drawn elsewhere.
Then the God's Knights would strike.
Unaware of the order issued from the Empty Throne, the surviving Whitebeard Pirates remained aboard their ships in the New World.
Several days had passed since Edward Newgate's burial.
The grief weighing upon the crew had not disappeared, nor would it fade so easily.
However, the Whitebeard Pirates could not remain frozen in mourning forever.
Their enemies would not grant them that luxury.
Inside the largest cabin of the fleet, the surviving division commanders gathered around a long wooden table.
Marco stood near the head of the table with his arms folded.
Ace sat to his right.
Jozu, Vista, Izo, and the other commanders occupied the remaining seats. Shiki stood on the opposite side of the table, his sword resting against the wall behind him.
A map of the New World had been spread across the table.
Small markers indicated Whitebeard's former territories, known Marine routes, and islands already being threatened by rival pirate crews.
Without Whitebeard's name protecting those islands, scavengers had already begun to gather.
Marco studied the map.
"We can protect some of Pops' territories, but not all of them."
Jozu frowned.
"The moment word spreads that we're divided, every bastard in the New World will come running."
"They're already moving," Vista replied. "Several of our scouts reported unidentified ships near three of the outer territories."
Ace silently stared at the map.
Every island marked before him represented people who had once depended upon Whitebeard's protection.
Pops had called those lands his territory, but he had never treated their inhabitants as property.
His flag had protected them from slavers, pirates, and corrupt kingdoms.
Now, that flag no longer inspired the same fear.
But they could not simply abandon everyone who had trusted it.
Marco looked across the table at Shiki.
"The Whitebeard Pirates won't become anyone's subordinates but we'll accept an alliance."
This was not a decision Marco and Ace had made on their own.
Every commander present had carefully considered the risks and benefits. An alliance of this scale would determine the future of the entire crew, and none of them had treated it lightly.
Marco extended his hand across the table.
"From this day onward, anyone who attacks one of our crews will answer to both."
Shiki clasped Marco's hand.
"Trust me. You won't regret it."
The remaining commanders voiced their approval.
Marco released Shiki's hand and looked back down at the map.
"That settles the alliance. What about our next destination?"
Shiki reached across the table and moved one of the markers.
"Wano."
Several expressions changed at once.
Marco's eyes narrowed.
"Kaido's territory."
"And Pops once sailed there... and met with Kozuki Oden," Izo said quietly.
Ace stared at the island marked on the map.
He had visited Wano before joining the Whitebeard Pirates.
He remembered Tama, the ruined villages, the starving people, and the promises he had left behind.
He had always intended to return.
"Kaido won't welcome us," Jozu remarked.
"That saves us the trouble of pretending to be friendly," Shiki answered.
Jozu stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Hahaha! I like your style, Shiki!"
The commanders continued discussing the matter.
In the end, they agreed that Wano would be their next destination.
However, the Whitebeard Pirates needed time to rest, repair their ships, and treat their wounded before challenging another Emperor of the Sea.
Shiki informed them that he would return to Fish-Man Island to collect Nami, Vivi, and Robin.
Once he returned, their newly formed alliance would set sail for Wano.
Marco and the others agreed to the plan.
...
Fish-Man Island
While Shiki was preparing to return, trouble had already erupted on Fish-Man Island.
After learning about Whitebeard's death, Hody Jones believed the island had finally lost its greatest protection.
He gathered the New Fish-Man Pirates, launched an attack on Ryugu Palace, and attempted to seize control of the kingdom.
However, taking over the island was not his only objective.
Hody knew that Nami, Vivi, and Robin were members of Shiki's crew.
He intended to capture them alive and use them as hostages. With Shiki's companions in his hands, Hody believed he could force him to obey any demand.
Unfortunately for Hody, the battle did not go as easily as he had expected.
Nami confronted Hody directly, while Vivi and Robin faced his officers and the large number of New Fish-Man Pirates surrounding Ryugu Palace.
Both Nami and Vivi possessed Logia Devil Fruits, making most ordinary attacks useless against them.
Nami could transform her body into lightning, while Vivi could become wood and command the plant life growing around her.
Even so, Hody had prepared before launching his attack.
Several of his men carried weapons tipped with Seastone, while Hody and some of his stronger officers possessed Armament Haki.
Their Fish-Man Karate also allowed them to manipulate the water and moisture surrounding their opponents, launching attacks that could damage the body from within.
Because of this, Nami and Vivi could not rely completely upon their Logia abilities.
Hody had also swallowed a large number of Energy Steroids, greatly increasing his strength and speed.
Although the drugs were destroying his body, he continued taking more whenever Nami injured him.
Their battle quickly spread throughout the streets surrounding Ryugu Palace.
Nami used her lightning to keep Hody at a distance, but his enhanced body allowed him to endure several of her attacks.
With Armament Haki and Fish-Man Karate, he also managed to injure her more than once.
Hody became increasingly confident after seeing blood running from her forehead.
"You humans always look down on us."
Nami wiped the blood away and stared at him.
"I didn't even know who you were until today."
Her response only enraged him further.
While the two of them fought, Vivi used her Devil Fruit to transform the surrounding district into a forest.
Enormous roots tore through the streets, restrained hundreds of pirates, and blocked every path leading toward the palace.
Robin remained close to her, using the Hana Hana no Mi to restrain anyone who managed to escape Vivi's roots.
Dosun, Daruma, Zeo, and Ikaros Much attempted to break through their defences, but Vivi's roots constantly separated them.
Whenever one of them exposed an opening, Robin immediately attacked.
Although the New Fish-Man Pirates possessed an overwhelming numerical advantage, they could not properly surround the two women.
Even so, the battle remained difficult.
That changed when Jinbe appeared.
After returning from Marineford, Jinbe had remained on Fish-Man Island because he feared Hody would take action once Whitebeard's death became public.
His concerns had proven correct.
Jinbe first helped the civilians escape from the battlefield before joining Nami in confronting Hody.
Hody immediately accused him of betraying fish-men by siding with humans yet again.
Jinbe ignored the accusation.
Hody had attacked his own people, endangered the island, and used hatred as an excuse to seize power.
Jinbe had no reason to stand beside him.
Hody then revealed what he intended to do with Shiki's crew.
He planned to keep Nami, Vivi, and Robin alive.
Whenever Shiki refused one of his orders, Hody would cut off a piece of one of them and send it to him.
Nami's expression immediately changed.
Jinbe also realised that Hody had said far too much.
The two attacked together.
Jinbe used Fish-Man Karate to break through Hody's defence, while Nami struck him repeatedly with lightning.
Hody continued swallowing Energy Steroids, but his body was already beginning to collapse beneath their effects.
At the same time, King Neptune arrived with the Neptune Army.
Neptune had initially been occupied with defending the palace and evacuating civilians, but he could no longer remain away from the main battle.
He knew that Hody had to be stopped for the sake of Fish-Man Island.
He also understood what would happen if Shiki returned and discovered that his crew had been killed while staying as guests of the Ryugu Kingdom.
However, fear of Shiki was not the only reason Neptune joined the battle.
Hody had attacked Ryugu Palace and placed countless innocent citizens in danger.
As the king of Fish-Man Island, Neptune could not overlook such an act.
With the Neptune Army entering the battle, the New Fish-Man Pirates quickly began losing their numerical advantage.
Hody still refused to surrender.
After swallowing even more Energy Steroids, he forced his damaged body to move and charged toward Nami with a weapon coated in Armament Haki.
Nami transformed into lightning and stopped the weapon before it could reach her.
Above the battlefield, storm clouds churned beneath the enormous bubble surrounding Fish-Man Island.
Lightning flashed across the false sky.
Nami raised one hand.
A deafening thunderclap shook the entire district.
A massive bolt of lightning descended from the clouds and struck Hody directly.
This time, Hody could no longer remain standing.
His burned body fell into the crater created by the attack, while the remaining Energy Steroids scattered around him were reduced to ash.
Once their captain had been defeated, the remaining members of the New Fish-Man Pirates lost their will to fight.
Dosun and the other officers were restrained by Vivi and Robin, while the Neptune Army arrested the rest.
With that, the rebellion came to an end.
Nami had used too much power during the battle and nearly collapsed afterward, but Robin caught her before she struck the ground.
Vivi was also exhausted.
However, by drawing nutrients through the roots spread around the place, she was able to gradually regenerate her injuries.
King Neptune approached the three women and apologised for allowing the attack to occur while they were guests of the Ryugu Kingdom.
Neither Nami nor Vivi blamed him.
Neptune and Jinbe had both fought beside them.
That was enough.
With the battle finally over, Nami sighed and rubbed her aching shoulder before turning toward Robin with a twitching brow.
"You just had to say we might get attacked, didn't you? Next time, keep that cursed mouth of yours shut."
Robin smiled calmly.
"Ara, I'm sorry. I'll try to predict something more pleasant next time."
Vivi covered her mouth, unable to hold back a laugh.
Before Nami could complain again, a soldier's shout rang out from the harbour.
"Another pirate ship is approaching!"
Everyone turned toward the sea.
The soldier stared at the flag fluttering above the approaching vessel.
"That flag..."
His face turned pale.
"It belongs to the Big Mom Pirates!"
"..."
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