On the Sabaody Archipelago, bubbles drifted lazily up from the ground, floating into the air before popping with a soft pop…
A unique and mesmerizing landscape, teeming with life. Even the most discerning of elite connoisseurs would find themselves enamored by its beauty.
Compared to two years ago, order on the Archipelago had improved significantly.
The newly appointed Fleet Admiral Wright—known as "Orange Horse" Wright—had launched a powerful crackdown against the island's criminal underbelly and human trafficking rings, undeterred by the tremendous pressure from both the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
Two years earlier, when the Straw Hat Pirates assaulted a Celestial Dragon at the Human Auctioning House, it triggered the arrival of Admiral Kizaru. In the ensuing chaos, Grove 27's Mangrove Tree was shattered, and over 500 pirates on the island were captured and forced into labor. The so-called "Worst Generation" Supernova pirates were nearly wiped out…
It was then that pirates across the seas began to understand—the Admirals of the Navy were even more terrifying than the legends claimed.
Later, when the Summit War was broadcast live across the world, and the Navy brought a crushing end to an era by defeating the Yonko Whitebeard, the newly reorganized and powerful Navy under Fleet Admiral Wright shocked even the lawless corners of Sabaody into submission, simply by virtue of its overwhelming force.
The Celestial Dragons remained arrogant as ever, but the world knew—Fleet Admiral Wright had little tolerance for their antics. When he began clamping down on the slave trade in Sabaody, it was said that several Celestial Dragons attempted to pressure the Navy through the World Government.
But in the end, even the World Government backed off.
Truth be told, not even the World Government wished to provoke Wright over a matter as trivial as this.
Unlike former Fleet Admirals, Wright's prestige was simply too immense. So much so that even the World Government dared not treat him as a mere figurehead.
Especially after he saved the lives of several dying Celestial Dragons using his miraculous healing abilities—when even the world's most advanced medical systems had failed them—the Government's attitude toward the Fleet Admiral became increasingly… enigmatic.
Those in power had wealth, influence, and indulgence. But when it came to health…
Though the World Government boasted the best medicine in the world, disease took many forms, and not every high-ranking official or Celestial Dragon was a seasoned warrior. Illness still posed a mortal threat to them.
Over the past two years, several Celestial Dragons had quietly developed strange ailments—internal tumors, abnormal growths, leukemia, skin necrosis, eye disorders, and more…
Rumors began to circulate in hushed whispers: that due to the Celestial Dragons' chaotic bloodlines and degenerate lifestyles, their so-called "divine lineage" was in decline. The bizarre symptoms they suffered were said to rival the Amber Lead Syndrome of Flevance from over a decade ago—so strange and deadly that not even the world's best doctors could cure them.
No one knew where these rumors originated, but the World Government was furious. They clamped down hard, silencing the whispers—at least on the surface.
Even so, the Celestial Dragons began to show more restraint. After all, they knew full well that those who fell ill were the ones who'd caused the most trouble.
Was the human trafficking trade on the Sabaody Archipelago worth more than their lives?
As a result, the Navy was able to drastically reduce criminal activity in the island's lawless zones. The territories from Groves 1 to 29 saw their illicit operations halved. Groves 1–5 and 20–29 were now under firm Navy control.
Groves 1–5 had once been the epicenter of the slave trade, while Groves 20–29 contained civilian areas—residences, hospitals, restaurants, bars—so the Navy's liberation of these zones from pirates and criminals won broad public support.
This, however, represented the limit of what the Navy could accomplish—for now. And likewise, it was the extent of what the World Government was willing to tolerate. After all, it still required the Archipelago as a hub for its many… less-than-savory dealings.
Meanwhile, Sabaody was once again welcoming a fresh wave of pirates, eager to enter the New World.
In an effort to bolster the Navy's grip on the Archipelago and break its reputation as a haven for pirates, Fleet Admiral Wright redeployed his promising young officers, assigning them to Sabaody in rotating tours. The results were significant.
Among these rising stars were Rear Admiral "Skyblade" Kuina, Rear Admiral "Fire Fist" Ace, Commodore "Nine-Tailed Fox" Tashigi, and Commodore "White Horse" Cavendish. Each had become a standout force under Wright's command in recent years.
Recently, even Rear Admiral "Ship Cutter" T Bone had begun to gain renown—though his age disqualified him from being called a "rookie."
These four young officers took turns commanding the Sabaody outpost. It was both a period of rest from the front lines of the New World and a strategic show of force to suppress unrest in this crucial crossroads.
It also served as a vital safeguard for Fish-Man Island, now protected under the Navy's shield.
At this moment, it was Rear Admiral Fire Fist Ace who held command over Sabaody.
Ace, though far more suited to charging headlong into battle, was now stationed at the naval base, managing operational affairs. Despite his aversion to paperwork, he knew full well that one man alone could not change the world.
And so, however reluctantly, he had studied tactics and strategy. His command style remained wild and fiery, but it was now tempered with a growing grasp of leadership.
"Ugh—haaahhh~~~"
Stretching with a dramatic yawn, Ace rubbed his neck, yawning again.
"So weird… I could fight for three days straight without blinking, but just two hours of desk work? Totally exhausting…"
"I seriously don't get how Sensei handles the Navy's entire daily operation…"
He knew exactly how much his Sensei—Fleet Admiral Wright—had accomplished over the past two years, beyond just running the Navy.
Why were the Celestial Dragons suddenly plagued by so many strange diseases?
With Trafalgar Law, the Surgeon of Death—now a Warlord who had mastered the Super Surgery: Lineage Factor series—it wasn't hard to imagine him tailing a few overly rowdy Celestial Dragons.
Using the Op-Op Fruit's mysterious powers, Law could manipulate anatomy from within all kinds of terrain. Against weaklings like the Celestial Dragons, he didn't even need to go all out as he had against Queen. Within the range of ROOM, a few precise tweaks…
And the Celestial Dragons would never even feel it—only to discover that their Lineage Factor had silently been altered.
In a sense, their "degenerating bloodline" might not be such an unfounded rumor after all.
Whenever a Celestial Dragon got too arrogant, a little "adjustment" here or there, and suddenly they'd become very quiet.
And once the disease spread? No one could cure it—except Wright. Not even Law himself.
"Rear Admiral Ace!"
Just as Ace was rubbing his neck, still in awe of his teacher's genius, a Marine came sprinting in to deliver a report.
"Sir! In Grove 46, we've spotted the notorious pirate crew thought to have been eliminated two years ago—the Straw Hat Pirates! They're boldly recruiting new crewmates and preparing to head for the New World!"
"Several rookies with bounties in the tens of millions—and even this year's Supernovas—are converging on Grove 46! We're requesting immediate reinforcements!"
"..."
Ace's eyes went wide, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.
"Huh?!?"
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