Translator: PapaSmurf0700
"Then I leave it in your hands, Master Zephyr."
Kuzan looked at the former Admiral, his expression serious. "The situation in the New World is growing more chaotic by the day. Even the World Government is being forced to make its move. I have a feeling the final war isn't far off."
"Do you think training soldiers is that easy?" Zephyr retorted with a gruff smile. "Even you spent a full year under my command before you were ready. I need time."
"Time is not a problem," Kuzan said, handing Zephyr a strange, iridescent talisman. "The Rainbow Mist, a legend of the seas, has been controlled and transformed by the Straw Hat's own strategist, the Priest, Bai Ye. In that space, we will have five times the time."
A faint, helpless smile touched Kuzan's lips as he recalled the war. "The Straw Hats trained there. It's how they were able to unleash such monstrous power at Marineford. Because of the relationship between the Spark Alliance and the Straw Hats, he has granted us limited access. The Wildfire Army's recruits have already been training inside."
Kuzan then explained the full story to Zephyr, whose amazement grew with every word.
"To command a space like that… 'The Priest' Bai Ye is truly an astonishing figure," Zephyr admitted. For the first time, he felt a pang of sympathy for his old comrade, Sengoku. It was no disgrace to lose so spectacularly to an opponent like that. When he, Garp, and Sengoku were in their prime, they faced monsters like Whitebeard, Roger, and the Golden Lion. They were overwhelmingly strong, but their strength could be measured.
The Straw Hat Pirates were a different beast entirely. The Rainbow Mist alone was an advantage that could catch any force off guard, to say nothing of the mind that conceived its use.
A thought struck Zephyr. "For access to such a powerful tool, Bai Ye must have demanded something significant in return." In his experience, a price was always paid.
"Nothing at all," Kuzan shook his head, a rare note of admiration in his voice. "In fact, it was Bai Ye who contacted us first and offered us the use of the Rainbow Mist. Dragon once asked him why he would help us so freely. Bai Ye's answer was simple."
Kuzan's voice took on a reverent tone. "He said, 'A single spark can start a wildfire, but I want this fire to burn bigger, and faster. I may have time to wait, but the people who are suffering do not.'"
After Kuzan finished, even Zephyr was stunned into silence. "'A single spark can start a wildfire.' So that is the origin of the Spark Alliance and the Wildfire Army."
Seeing Kuzan nod, Zephyr fell silent again, his thoughts churning. Those pirates… sometimes, the things they did were more just than the Navy itself.
"In that case," Zephyr finally said, his old fire rekindled, "I'll have to work myself to the bone. I refuse to be outdone by a group of youngsters."
"I believe in you, Master Zephyr," Kuzan nodded. "I must head to the New World myself. Others will be in contact with you regarding your needs."
Zephyr understood. Kuzan was one of the Wildfire Army's top combatants; he couldn't be wasted here. Still, curiosity got the better of him. "The New World? Has the Army received new intelligence? Are you making a move against one of the Emperors?"
"Not an Emperor," Kuzan clarified. "This information came from a pirate crew allied with the Straw Hats. This time, our target is one of the dark emperors of the underworld. Consider it the prelude to our war with the Five Emperors."
As Kuzan departed, the Sunshine Merry finally completed its perilous underwater journey and broke through the surface of the sea. It is worth mentioning that during their ascent, they encountered a pod of Island Whales, colossal creatures just like Laboon. The crew was shocked. Island Whales were thought to be a species unique to the West Blue. Finding them here, in the New World, ruled out the possibility that they had crossed Reverse Mountain or the Calm Belts.
This discovery solidified a theory Bai Ye had been entertaining. During the Void Century, the world was not as it is now. The Red Line and the Calm Belts that isolate the four seas were likely later creations.
"In that case," Bai Ye murmured, gazing out at the tumultuous horizon, "the so-called Grand Line is less of a path and more of a cage."
"WHOA! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! THIS IS THE NEW WORLD?!" Usopp screamed, clinging to the ship's railing for dear life. "This weather is insane!"
He wasn't the only one. A chorus of astonished cries rose from the deck.
"Yohohoho! It's raining lightning!"
"Ouch! There's a hurricane made of hail!"
"The wind is a wall of solid force!"
"The Log Pose is spinning uselessly!"
"The sea ahead is blood red!"
"And that part is on fire!"
"It's like the entrance to hell!"
Finally, a triumphant shout came from Luffy, who was perched on his favorite spot on the figurehead. "THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS HOPING FOR!"
The Straw Hat Pirates had officially entered the New World.
Here, the rules of the sea change. Magnetism, the lifeblood of navigation in Paradise, is chaotic and unreliable. A standard Log Pose is useless. Navigators must rely on a special three-needle Log Pose. Each needle points to a different island, and the degree to which a needle jitters often indicates the level of danger on its corresponding island. Fortunately, starting from Fishman Island, recording the magnetism for the next island takes only half a day.
"Hold on, Luffy," Bai Ye called out just as his captain was about to impulsively pick a direction. "Before we set sail, there's an old friend we need to meet."
"Huh?" Luffy asked, confused. "An old friend? Who?"
"They're here," Bai Ye said with a knowing smile, gesturing toward a yellow submarine surfacing nearby.
"It's Truffle and his crew!" Luffy shouted, recognizing the figures emerging on the deck. He waved excitedly. "HEY! LONG TIME NO SEE!"
It was, of course, the Heart Pirates, led by the former Supernova, Trafalgar D. Water Law. After spending five months training alongside Luffy in the Rainbow Mist, the two crews had formed a strong bond.
"ROOM."
With a flick of his wrist, Law swapped a handful of pebbles for his entire crew, transporting them instantly onto the deck of the Sunshine Merry. Franky then expertly maneuvered their submarine, the Polar Tang, into the ship's dock.
Law, now standing before Luffy, smirked. "It's been a while, Straw Hat-ya."