Shaking her head slowly, Gion spoke in a firm tone, though it carried a faint trace of sorrow:
"Your father is dead."
The words fell like thunder.
Jewelry Bonney felt as if she had been struck directly by lightning—her body trembled, her eyes widened, and her breathing faltered for a moment.
"That's unforgivable!!" she roared, her voice filled with pain and fury. "And you still dare to call yourselves justice?!"
"Your father…" Gion began, letting out a quiet sigh, as if bearing a burden that wasn't hers, "voluntarily took part in the experiments… all to protect you. Today, there are more than a hundred Pacifistas in this fleet…"
She paused briefly, averting her gaze for a second.
"Fortunately, I was the one who discovered your attempted attack first. Anyway… stay here and keep quiet. I won't do anything to you."
—
At the same time.
At the very center of the fleet.
Like stars orbiting the moon, countless ships protected a main vessel, heavily guarded and surrounded by elite forces.
Inside it, Borsalino—the Admiral known as Kizaru—prepared a cup of coffee with his usual carefree calm. He then respectfully handed it to one of the Five Elders:
"Please, help yourself… Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro-san."
"How is the situation?" Nusjuro asked, holding his sword with a stern expression, clearly impatient.
Behind him stood his bodyguard, motionless: Bartholomew Kuma.
Further back, two agents dressed in black observed silently. One of them stepped forward, tasted the coffee to check for poison, and, after confirming it was safe, stepped back like an emotionless machine.
"According to the latest information…" Kizaru said, pulling out a small white Den Den Mushi—a special model that prevents eavesdropping. "An unexpected individual has appeared among the wedding guests."
On the other end of the line, a female voice responded:
"The leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, has appeared in Totto Land."
Nusjuro's expression shifted slightly.
"And the other revolutionary commanders?"
"They haven't been found… but it's possible they are hiding."
Before the conversation could continue, footsteps echoed through the corridor.
A refined-looking man in his thirties, with long golden hair and a rough beard, entered the room. A sword rested at his waist.
He was one of the God's Knights: Figarland Garling.
"So you ran off to Totto Land, Dragon?" he said with a cold smile. "I took two men to your hideout… we destroyed everything. And even so, you escaped."
The former headquarters of the Revolutionary Army, Baltigo… was now nothing but ruins.
Even so, Dragon had not been captured.
Worse still, the God's Knights had been injured in the attempt.
"It doesn't matter," Nusjuro said with a cruel smile. "Since Dragon is here… we'll capture them all at once."
His eyes gleamed with disdain.
"Garp's family deserves to be exterminated. Son and grandson… will die together."
After a brief pause, he spoke again into the Den Den Mushi:
"Continue the investigation. Report any changes immediately."
Click.
The communication ended.
Kizaru scratched his head, letting out a nearly imperceptible sigh.
The situation… was extremely complicated.
Main enemy forces: — Yonko, Monkey D. Luffy
— Yonko, Charlotte Linlin
— Leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon
Government forces: — Admiral Issho (Fujitora)
— Admiral Aramaki (Ryokugyu)
— Elite Vice Admirals, including Gion
— Over 100 Pacifistas
— God's Knights
— Shichibukai
— And one of the Five Elders himself
Not to mention…
Sengoku and Tsuru, who were also participating in the operation.
Even so…
"Even if we win… the losses will be enormous…" Kizaru murmured internally.
This battle would surpass even the War of Marineford.
And this time, they were not on home ground.
Even Sakazuki had opposed such a risky operation.
But orders from the Five Elders could not be questioned.
"I hope nothing goes wrong…" Kizaru thought, feeling a faint sense of envy toward Kuzan, who had left the Navy after his defeat.
—
In the southeast of Totto Land, on one of the 34 subordinate islands.
The island ruled by Charlotte Moscato was… frozen.
Literally.
"Kuhhh…!"
Half of Moscato's body was trapped in solid ice.
Standing before him, a tall, lazy-looking man with a bored expression let out a small sneeze.
It was Kuzan.
"I just came for a wedding… do you really have to insult me like that?" he said, scratching his nose.
"Admiral Aokiji!!" Moscato roared furiously.
"Former Admiral," Kuzan corrected calmly. "Now I'm just a free man."
He raised an invitation and waved it.
"Take a good look. This is an invitation from the Straw Hats. I even cut my vacation short to come… and this is how I'm welcomed?"
Moscato froze—this time in shock.
It was a legitimate invitation.
"I… didn't insult you… now let me go!" he said through clenched teeth.
"You're lying. If you hadn't insulted me, I wouldn't have sneezed," Kuzan replied with complete conviction. "I'm a user of the Hie Hie no Mi, after all."
Moscato was left speechless.
"You must've annoyed a lot of people…" Kuzan added thoughtfully.
He then sighed.
"Anyway… just tell me where Totto Land is. I'll go on my own."
Without waiting for an answer, he got on his bicycle.
Moscato noticed something.
Kuzan's right leg… below the knee… was made of ice.
A reminder of his battle against Sakazuki.
"Don't mess around!" Moscato warned. "If you cause trouble, you won't leave alive! This is an alliance between Mama and the Straw Hats!"
"You talk too much…" Kuzan muttered.
CRACK!
The ice spread, completely freezing Moscato.
Without looking back, Kuzan pedaled across the frozen sea, heading toward the center of Totto Land.
—
In another region of the sea…
A massive warship advanced, bearing the flag of the New Marine.
It was immediately detected by Big Mom's surveillance systems.
"Alert! Alert!"
On the deck, an old man with a relaxed posture picked his nose without the slightest concern.
It was Garp.
"What an annoying noise…" he grumbled. "I just came for a wedding! Where's someone to guide me? Doesn't this Big Mom have any manners?"
Then his eyes narrowed.
BOOM!
A colossal wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, spreading like an invisible storm tinged with black and red, sweeping across the seas of Totto Land.
Instantly, everyone felt his presence.
Like a light tearing through the darkness.
An absolute declaration that Garp had arrived.
(End of Chapter)