WHOOSH!!
Monet: "Captain!" Monet suddenly appeared beside Arthur . Her breathing was uneven.
Arthur: "What's wrong?" He looked at her.
Monet quickly spoke.
Monet: "Our intelligence network just sent an emergency report. Both Admirals entered West Blue several days ago. According to our sources, they're searching for us." She unfolded a small piece of paper.
Arthur slowly looked toward the sea. His Kenbunshoku Haki expanded across the sea surrounding Ohara like an invisible tide. Countless presences... Hundreds of Marines. More than ten warships. Two overwhelmingly powerful auras.
"...They're already here." Arthur's expression gradually turned serious.
The peaceful silence surrounding Ohara lasted only a few more seconds. From the shoreline...
BOOOOM!!
The thunderous roar of naval cannons suddenly shattered the quiet. A moment later—
BOOOOM!! BOOOOM!! BOOOOM!!
Dozens of shells streaked through the sky before crashing into the abandoned outskirts of the island. The earth shook violently. Towering columns of fire erupted one after another. Robin froze. Her pupils contracted. The scene before her... was almost identical to the nightmare she had witnessed twenty years ago.
Another bombardment... Another Buster Call. Arthur immediately turned toward the sea. Beyond the smoke... more than twenty Marine warships were rapidly surrounding Ohara from every direction. At the front of the western fleet... a gigantic figure stood at the bow. The white Justice coat fluttered behind him, Admiral Akainu. On the eastern side... another fleet quietly approached. Standing calmly upon the flagship... Admiral Aokiji. Ohara had already been completely encircled. No escape route remained.
Only then did Monet finally sense it herself—the overwhelming pressure surrounding the island.
Monet: "...We're too late." She slowly lowered the report.
Arthur: "No. They are. This is what we need."
Another volley of naval shells descended from the sky.
BOOOOOOM!!
Massive explosions engulfed the shoreline. Pieces of rock rained through the air. Robin instinctively clenched her fists. The memories she had spent twenty years trying to bury came flooding back. Arthur placed one hand upon her shoulder.
Arthur: "Robin. This time... you're not alone." She slowly looked at him, Robin's expression softened and she quietly nodded.
Monet: "You have us, Robin." Monet nodded.
Arthur: "Monet. Take me back to the Athena." Arthur immediately issued his orders.
The mark she had previously placed aboard the ship immediately resonated with the power of the Swap-Swap Fruit. Arthur and Monet vanished from Ohara. A heartbeat later... both of them appeared aboard the Athena. The ship still floated quietly inside the abandoned harbor. Without hesitation, Arthur raised his right hand.
The entire Athena slowly rose from the sea.
Water cascaded from its hull like a waterfall.
A heartbeat later...
The massive ship disappeared into the storage space inside Arthur's ring.
Monet stared with widened eyes, even after witnessing Arthur's abilities countless times... the sight still felt unbelievable.
Arthur: "That should keep our home safe. No one touches our home."
Meanwhile... the Marine fleets reached the shoreline. Large landing craft were lowered one after another. Vice Admirals leaped onto the beach first to land. Rear Admirals followed immediately behind them, leading wave after wave of Marines ashore. Hundreds upon hundreds of Marines charged forward.
MARINES: "Advance!!" Their battle cries echoed throughout Ohara.
Arthur simply turned around and walked back toward the battlefield. His footsteps never hurried. When he reached the center of the island... Two familiar figures already stood waiting. Akainu and Aokiji. The two Admirals silently watched him.
Arthur: " You sent two Admirals just to welcome me? I'm honored." He smiled faintly.
Sakazuki: "You're worth exterminating." Akainu snorted.
Arthur: " I'm flattered."
Behind Arthur... the rest of the Art Pirates quietly stepped forward. No one showed fear. Arthur calmly issued the final commands.
Arthur: "Hancock, you and baby-5 handle one admiral. Robin and Monet, deal with the Vice Admirals. Ikaros, Nymph and Astrea long range support and take care of the chlidren. The rest of you... take care of the remaining Marines. Don't hold anything back."
Hancock: "Understood. I've wanted another rematch." Hancock smiled confidently, already activating the power of her second Devil Fruit.
Robin & Monet: "Leave it to us."
Astrea, Nymph & Ikaros: "Yes, master!" No one stepped back.
A cold wind swept across the ruins of Ohara.
Marine soldiers tightened their grip on their rifles, yet none of them dared to move first. The pressure radiating from both sides was overwhelming. Even experienced officers instinctively swallowed hard.
Behind Arthur, every member of the Art Pirates silently stepped into position. Hancock's white clouds drifted around her feet. Baby-5's emerald fairy wings shimmered beneath the sunlight. Robin's countless blooming hands quietly emerged across the ruined streets, while Monet's body dissolved into drifting snow before reforming again.
Sabo twirled his iron staff once before resting it across his shoulder. Law slowly drew Kikoku from its sheath. Kuina lowered her stance, her hand resting lightly upon Dojigiri's hilt. Koala rolled her shoulders, preparing for close combat. Sugar calmly adjusted the scope of her rifle, while Bepo's white fur crackled with growing Electro.
Far above the battlefield... Three brilliant streaks of light descended from the clouds. WHOOSH!!
Ikaros, Nymph and Astrea.
Each Angeloid hovered high in the sky. Arthoria rested peacefully in Ikaros's arms. Lancelot sat atop Astrea's shoulder, constantly trying to peek at the battlefield below. Merlin quietly slept in Nymph's embrace. They hadn't come to seek glory. They hadn't come to wage war. Their mission...Was to protect the children.
Nymph immediately deployed dozens of floating targeting circles. Astrea unfolded enormous black wings. Ikaros quietly activated her long-range weapon systems. The sky itself became another battlefield.
Across the battlefield, the Marines mirrored their resolve. Vice Admirals unsheathed their swords. Rear Admirals barked commands. Hundreds of rifles were raised simultaneously.
Neither side fired.
Neither side spoke.
For one brief moment...
Time itself seemed to stop.
The Marines finally charged. The Art Pirates moved simultaneously. Arthur vanished in an instant... Aokiji was already standing in his path..
Kuzan: "It's been a while." Kuzan calmly slipped both hands into his pockets.
Arthur: "It has." A freezing aura instantly engulfed the battlefield.
Elsewhere... Akainu's magma erupted violently. Hancock immediately transformed into clouds. Baby-5's emerald Fairy wings burst open behind her. The ground exploded beneath them.
Robin unfolded hundreds of blooming arms. Two Vice Admirals simultaneously drew their swords.
Monet vanished. WHOOSH!! She instantly reappeared behind another pair of Vice Admirals.
Sabo and Law charged directly into the Marine officers.
Kuina and Koala followed close behind.
Sugar climbed onto the ruins of a collapsed tower and calmly aimed her rifle.
Bepo let out a roar as blue-white Electro exploded across his entire body.
Twenty years ago...
A frightened little girl had stood alone against the entire world. She thought had lost her mother. She had lost her home. She had lost everyone she loved. Today...
That little girl had returned. But this time...
She wasn't alone. She had comrades. She had a family. She had people willing to challenge the world itself for her sake. And today...
The world would learn...
What it truly meant...
To stand against the Art Pirates.