In a spacious conference room within the colossal Headquarters building at New Marineford, the top echelons of the Navy, led by Fleet Admiral Sengoku, were all gathered.
Everyone's expression was incredibly solemn, and the atmosphere in the entire room was so tense the air felt almost solidified.
Just then, the conference room door was pushed open, and a lackadaisical man sauntered in.
"Oh, oh, oh, my apologies,"
Wearing a coat of justice and a yellow pinstripe suit, Borsalino (Kizaru), one of the current Marine Admirals, greeted everyone with a chuckle. "Did I keep everyone waiting? Can't be helped. Even at my speed, it takes a while to get here from G-1 Base."
Over twenty years ago, this location, New Marineford, was the Marines' G-1 Base. It only became the new Headquarters after pirates destroyed the original Marineford.
In the two decades since, a new G-1 Base has long been constructed on the other side of the Red Line, built upon the ruins of the original Marineford.
As a great fortress defending Mary Geoise, an Admiral-level figure is needed there year-round.
"Borsalino,"
Chief Instructor Zephyr shot the man an impatient glare. "No more nonsense. Take your seat."
"Yes, yes, yes. Honestly, after all these years since graduation, Sensei Zephyr is still so strict."
Grumbling, Kizaru slowly made his way to his reserved seat.
That's when Kizaru noticed the dark-haired youth standing by the wall.
"Hehehehe! Long time no see, Uncle Borsalino!" the youth greeted him with a grin.
"Little Brother Luffy?"
Kizaru offered a friendly smile. "Sensei Zephyr brought you here?"
Sensei Zephyr certainly held this young junior student in high regard.
It was understandable—how many years had it been since the Marines gained a powerful recruit?
And this youth—Vice Admiral Garp's grandson—was an exceptional genius. Even Kizaru had heard that among the current batch of recruits, the strength this boy displayed was overwhelming!
Furthermore, beyond his talent, the boy had been brought to Headquarters by Garp when he was seven or eight. Since Garp didn't have much time for him, the boy was essentially raised by Sensei Zephyr.
"Borsalino, sit down!"
Zephyr frowned and let out another cold snort.
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Lazily responding, Kizaru shrugged helplessly at the young Luffy and headed straight for his seat.
"Now that everyone is present, let the meeting begin!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, seated at the head table, spoke slowly. "I won't waste words. Everyone should understand what exactly we are about to face."
"I have a question!"
A beautiful female Marine with a sword at her waist raised her hand. "We didn't live through that era. Was that man, Roa the Calamity, truly that terrifying?"
"He's only more terrifying than you can imagine, Gion (Momousagi),"
Sengoku said. "The battle that took place in Loguetown twenty-five years ago—that fellow single-handedly defeated all the Five Elders! The strength he displayed then was likely already superior to Roger and Whitebeard!"
"Eh? That powerful?"
The man nicknamed Chaton Tokikake, wearing a yellow checkered coat, had a grin no less vulgar than Kizaru's.
"That's right, you see,"
Kizaru spoke slowly. "Although we were much older than him, truthfully, neither Sakazuki (Akainu) nor I could even fight back against him back then."
"How long ago was that?"
Admiral Akainu, seated next to him, snorted coldly. "Time changes everything!! How much humiliation did that bastard bring to the Marines? If he dares to return, now is the time for revenge and to wash away the disgrace!"
"Enough, everyone quiet down,"
Sengoku tapped the table. "The most terrifying thing about Roa is not just the power he possesses."
"The most terrifying thing is that with his return, the three forces of the Golden Lion, Kaido, and the Charlotte Family will likely gather around him again!"
"Hiss—"
A Marine Vice Admiral gasped sharply. "In other words, Shiki, Redfield, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Charlotte Katakuri will all unite because of Roa?"
All the officers' faces darkened.
Every name on that list shook the world, and three of them were known as Pirate Emperors!
"It's not just them,"
Hero Garp, arms crossed, was also unable to smile. "Don't forget that Loki, Teach, and even Moria were once Roa's subordinates! No one can say what choice they'll make now! Not to mention the hidden Calamity Company!"
"Oh, right. And there's Bullet and King. They were Roa's strongest officers back then."
Kizaru clicked his tongue. "While not as strong as Roa, they were terrifying monsters, capable of matching me and Sakazuki even at a young age."
"It's truly hard to imagine what level they've grown to now."
"..."
The conference room suddenly fell silent.
These high-ranking Marine officers, all wearing at least Vice Admiral epaulets, couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
With all those powers combined, how could the Marines possibly stand against them?
"This is the gravest situation we have faced in decades!"
Sengoku declared loudly. "Prepare for war! The hardest fighting may be about to begin!"
"But there's no need to worry. We are not fighting alone! The CP agencies, the Warlords of the Sea, and even the Holy Land Defense Force and the God's Knights will fight alongside us!"
Hearing the Fleet Admiral's words, the expressions of the high-ranking officers improved slightly.
Then.
Zephyr sneered. "Wang Zhi and Silver Axe are dead. Moria was once Roa's subordinate, and Jinbe was an ally of the Calamity Company back then. Hmph, how many of the Warlords can we actually trust?"
The atmosphere in the office immediately plummeted again.
"Enough, Zephyr!"
Sengoku frowned slightly. "Don't build up the enemy's morale while tearing down ours! At least for now, the Warlords are a powerful force!"
"But Sengoku, isn't it a pipe dream to rely on those opportunists to fight Roa?"
Zephyr's voice was cold. "They have the guts to pillage freely under the guise of being legal pirates, and plenty of it, but ask them to hunt a monster like Roa—Hmph!"
"Arara, Sensei Zephyr is right,"
The third Admiral, Kuzan (Aokiji), who hadn't spoken until now, grinned. "Fighting alongside those guys, I'm honestly a little afraid they might suddenly turn on us."
"It's better than nothing."
Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had also remained silent, spoke coolly. "This is bound to be a difficult war. We cannot easily give up on any force we can secure."
The atmosphere in the office instantly became even more strained.
Despite being comrades fighting side-by-side, a strange tension now divided the entire conference room.
Almost simultaneously, in the seas near Hachinosu Island in the New World.
A pirate ship was rapidly approaching Hachinosu Island.
On the deck.
"Captain!"
A pirate looked at his captain, who was standing at the bow with an excited expression, and couldn't help but voice his concern. "Are we really going to Hachinosu Island?!"
"Hahaha! Why wouldn't we?"
The Captain laughed, cutting him off, and spun around abruptly. "That's a man worth six billion Berries! A full six billion! That number alone is worth betting everything to see with my own eyes!"
"If he's truly as formidable as the legends say, I'll join his crew! I'll gain worldwide fame alongside him!"
"But if he's just a fool with a fake reputation, then I'll take his six-billion-Belly bounty! His head will be my ticket to fame!"
"How could his reputation be fake?"
The pirate felt utterly powerless. "He defeated Wang Zhi! And the White Tyrant Katakuri is right by his side!"
"Hahaha! I don't care!"
The Pirate Captain's eyes were bloodshot, shimmering with avarice and madness. "Achieve worldwide fame, or be buried at the bottom of the sea! From start to finish, those are the only two choices!!"
The pirates fell silent.
They felt their Captain's greed and understood his ambition.
What more could they say now?
Then—
"Eh! What is that!!"
Suddenly, the lookout man on the mast cried out in disbelief. "Look at the sky over there!!"
Everyone looked up in astonishment.
They saw a gigantic island approaching Hachinosu Island in the distance.
"That—that is!"
Cold sweat instantly beaded on the pirates' foreheads. "The Golden Lion? It must be the Golden Lion! He's heading toward Hachinosu Island too! Right, the paper said the Golden Lion was Roa's mentor, and they were close allies back then!"
After their shock, all the pirates turned to look at their Captain.
The Pirate Captain, whose face had been crazed a moment ago, suddenly looked a bit more lucid.
Their crew had once operated in the Golden Lion's territory for a while and had been kicked out like wild dogs.
"Cough, cough—"
The Pirate Captain coughed lightly. "Turn the ship. We'll circle around to the other side of Hachinosu Island first, and observe the situation from a distance."
So, the pirate ship turned, preparing to circle to the other side of Hachinosu Island.
Then.
"What is that now!"
On the deck, the pirates craned their necks, staring at the winding, rapidly flying Azure Dragon in the nearby sky.
"It's Kaido."
"It is Kaido."
"Judging by the direction, he's heading to Hachinosu Island, too, isn't he?"
"It has to be Hachinosu Island. They say Kaido is Roa's good brother."
"Eh! There are people on his head! That's the White Wolf Yamato, and also, BIG MOM?"
The pirates exclaimed in amazement while simultaneously turning to look at their Captain.
The Pirate Captain's expression was a little blank.
Then.
"Turn around!"
The Pirate Captain gnashed his teeth. "Get out of this sea!"
"Hooray!"
The deck instantly erupted in cheers.
The pirate ship immediately turned around, heading toward the fore-section of the New World.
Then.
"Eh!!"
The Pirate Captain, standing at the bow, stared almost blankly at the large ship sailing toward them, cutting through the waves.
It was a uniquely shaped vessel, looking like several giant logs strapped together to form a colossal raft!
Yet, this ship was famously renowned in the New World today!
"It's the Teach Pirates!!" the pirates shrieked.
"Turn around now! Turn around!!" the Pirate Captain yelled in terror.
But, just then.
"Captain! Behind us! Behind us!!!"
Another terrified scream rang out.
No way?
There's more!!
The Pirate Captain turned back almost in a daze, only to see colossal ships, like small islands, crushing through the waves behind them.
"The Giant Warrior Pirates..."
Right. The paper said Teach the Hellhound and the Cursed Giant Prince Loki were once Roa's subordinates.
All of this is actually true!
On the Giant Raft, Teach (Blackbeard) was roaring.
"Zehahaha! Loki? It's been two years! Then—"
On the Giant Battleship, Loki was sneering.
"Tsk, Teach? That guy's looking respectable these days! Then—"
"Let's say hello!" (x2)
Loki raised his heavy battle hammer.
Teach transformed into the giant three-headed hellhound.
Boom!! (x2)
A massive shockwave and a black flame lance surged forth.
"Eh—?"
The Pirate Captain blinked blankly.
Then, he smiled with resignation.
How lucky!
We just happen to be right in the middle!
Guess we really are going to be buried at the bottom of the sea.
Damn my big mouth.
Boom!
A little later.
Hachinosu Island.
Roa was lazily lying on a lounge chair placed on the edge of the fractured island, basking in the sun. Toki was nestled in his arms like a large doll, being gently caressed.
Morgans had left. The World Government might take action against the World Economic Journal, so he needed to return to coordinate everything.
Laughter and shouting came from nearby.
It was Bonney sparring with a large dog.
It was a gigantic wolf with black fur, its mouth wreathed in flames. Its strength was incredible, a single charge capable of knocking back Bonney, who inherited the double talents of Charlotte Linlin and Kuma.
Its claws and teeth were exceptionally hard and sharp; they showed no weakness even against Bonney's Greatsword wrapped in Conqueror's Haki.
Katakuri, lying on the other side of Roa, observed his sister's battle using Observation Haki and spoke with some surprise. "He can summon more than one kind of monster?"
"I told you, they are essentially just a special kind of Calamity."
Roa lightly inhaled the scent of Toki's hair while speaking casually. "I'm not limited to summoning just one disaster, so naturally, I can summon different monsters."
The one he had summoned this time was Fenrir.
The mythical giant beast that fiercely captured Odin, making him a strong candidate for the most humiliating God King in various mythologies.
Of course, the one Roa summoned was primarily to entertain Bonney, with strength only at the quasi-Admiral level.
However, the time for boredom was over.
Roa and Katakuri sat up simultaneously.
"Finally here!" Katakuri gazed toward the sky.
"Should I say, what a coincidence?" Roa looked back behind them.
In the sky Katakuri was watching, something was surging above the thick clouds.
In the distant sky Roa was looking back at, a floating island was clearly and rapidly approaching.
"They're here?"
Bonney, who was riding the giant wolf and punching the beast repeatedly, looked up joyfully.
It wasn't just her. The other idle Charlotte family officers on the shore also gathered.
After all.
"Mama is here!"
"Prepare for battle!"
"Pfft!"
Roa burst out laughing again. "Katakuri, they're saying to prepare for battle!"
Katakuri also stood up, his arm dissolving into mochi, and his newly forged trident emerged from his arm. The weapon was assimilated into mochi and carried with him at all times.
He looked calmly at the sky. "Because, it's Mama."
"Hahahaha! You're right!"
Roa's laughter didn't cease.
I understand, but it truly is hilarious.
The monster above the clouds and the floating island above the sky quickly approached, soon arriving directly over the island.
Then.
Two figures leaped down from the edge of the floating island.
From above the clouds, three figures instantly pierced through the cloud layer.
"Gyahahaha! Roa!!"
Golden hair flew in the wind, and a large cloak flapped loudly.
The Golden Lion's eyes were locked on the figure at the edge of the island below, the smile on his lips no longer containable.
He drew the two swords at his waist. "Let's exchange long-lost greetings!"
"He's finally back!"
The white-haired man also smiled. "You made us wait!"
On this side, Kaido, having recovered his human form and looking particularly sturdy, also roared with laughter. "Worororo! Roa! Now let me show you what power I've gained in the twenty-five years you've been gone!"
He raised his spiked club.
"So, he really did skip twenty-five years? He hasn't changed at all from back then!"
Charlotte Linlin raised an eyebrow, and upon spotting Katakuri beside Roa, her expression instantly cooled.
"You ungrateful son!"
"Big Brother Roa! Long time no see!!"
The white-haired woman in the red-and-white Miko outfit (Yamato) happily waved her hand downward. "Do you remember me!!"
Below, Katakuri twitched his lips. "Why are you still standing there? Roa, the Golden Lion and Kaido can't wait to greet you."
"I guess I have no choice."
Roa smiled. "I'm just too popular. It's a real headache."
However, just then.
"Huh?"
Kaido and the Golden Lion noticed each other simultaneously.
And instantly understood the other's intent.
Consequently, both their expressions turned sharp.
"Get out of the way!" (x2)
In the next moment, the two figures slammed violently into each other.
Thunder instantly exploded in the sky, and black Haki lightning scattered everywhere.
"Uh—"
This development was too unexpected; even Katakuri was momentarily stunned.
But Roa merely shook his head with a sigh. "Honestly, my unrestrained charm."
"I truly am a man burdened by sin."
Katakuri's cheek twitched.
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