"The Marines will end the Age of Pirates in this battle!"
From the other end of the Den Den Mushi came Sakazuki's voice, resolute and domineering.
...
Sengoku listened, then slowly nodded.
Indeed. This was the final showdown between Marines and pirates.
If they won this battle, the last two Emperors entrenched in the New World would be erased.
The Great Pirate Era would truly come to an end.
As for the remaining Supernova Alliance, that would be easy to deal with.
"Sakazuki."
"The three of us old men will also prepare to move out and head for G-5."
Click.
Sengoku ended the call.
He turned and looked at Law behind him.
"Law."
"The intelligence you brought us is priceless."
"It not only kept the Marines from being caught off guard, it also gave us a chance to wipe out Kaido and Big Mom in one sweep."
...
Law's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.
"However, your formal entry into the Marines will have to be delayed for now."
Sengoku changed his tone. "I want you to return to the Supernova Alliance first."
"When Kaido and Big Mom's main forces are tied down at G-5, lure those brats into seizing the territories of the two Emperor crews."
"Let them fight the remaining defenders to the death."
"When both sides are exhausted, the Marines will step in and clean up the mess."
...
Law's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
With Eustass Kid's arrogant, reckless personality, the temptation of becoming a new Emperor was more than enough to make him lose all reason.
This was a masterful use of one enemy to destroy another.
The Marines would pay no price at all, yet dismantle the last pirate force that had any real momentum.
"Understood, Mr. Sengoku."
Law nodded solemnly. "Bepo, Penguin, Shachi."
"Let's move."
"Yes, Captain!"
The yellow submarine broke through the surface once more, then slipped silently back into the deep sea and vanished.
Only the three old men remained on the beach.
Sengoku exchanged a glance with Garp and Zephyr. In all three pairs of eyes, a long-forgotten, blazing fighting spirit was reignited.
"Let's go witness the end of the pirate era."
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Inside the Admiral's office, Borsalino was lazily filing his nails.
Sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting mottled shadows across his body.
The office door opened. Sakazuki walked in, holding a piece of top-secret intelligence.
"Borsalino."
"There's a new support mission."
Without looking up, Borsalino casually blew away the nail dust.
"Oh my. Another business trip?"
He dragged out his words, looking utterly unmotivated.
"My old friend, you know, lately I have been…"
"It involves Hawk."
Sakazuki cut him off with just four words.
Borsalino's hand froze.
"Hawk's situation?"
The laziness vanished from his face instantly. In the next second, he turned into a blur of golden light and snatched the report from Sakazuki's hand.
...
Borsalino scanned the contents. Behind his glasses, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Oh? Two Emperor crews forming an alliance? How scary."
He said it was scary, but there was no fear in his tone. Instead, it carried a cold, lethal edge.
"Then I'll be heading out."
A flash of golden light streaked past, and Borsalino vanished from the office.
...
Sakazuki looked at the now-empty sofa and tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Hah."
...
G-3 Base.
Inside a secret Marine laboratory.
Click.
A mechanical arm slowly retracted, and the harsh surgical lights dimmed.
The man lying on the operating table slowly opened his eyes.
...
"How do you feel, Kuma?"
Vegapunk's voice came from the side. He removed his goggles, his face a mix of exhaustion and excitement.
"Better than ever."
Bartholomew Kuma slowly sat up and rolled his neck, his bones cracking crisply.
He felt the blood surging through his body again, felt his heart beating once more.
He had returned to being human.
"This is incredible!"
Vegapunk pumped his fist excitedly and paced around the operating table.
"It worked. The reverse modification was a complete success."
"From today onward, you are no longer PX-0."
"You are Bartholomew Kuma."
Vegapunk took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
He stepped in front of Kuma, his expression turning serious.
"By the way, Kuma."
"The Marines need reinforcements."
"Kaido and Big Mom have formed an alliance, and their target is Admiral Hawk."
"You need to take the new toys I have prepared and head to the New World to support him."
...
Kuma stood up and nodded.
"No problem."
Determination filled his restored eyes.
"Follow me."
Vegapunk led Kuma through layers of secret corridors forged from special alloys, finally reaching the deep underground dock beneath G-3.
Cold white light illuminated everything.
Three formations. Ninety figures, standing motionless like statues.
Vegapunk's latest masterpiece, a new generation of Pacifista that completely overturned the old era.
The first formation consisted of thirty streamlined combat units.
They were the most slender, their shells gleaming with a pale golden metallic sheen. Every joint was exquisitely engineered, as if they could erupt into extreme speed at any moment.
These were the precision elimination models based on Admiral Borsalino's Glint-Glint Fruit.
Designation: PX-Light.
The second formation was made up of thirty of the most massive, heavily built units.
Their armor was cast from deep blue alloy, etched with visible frost patterns. Thick limbs and enormous torsos radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure.
These were the control and defense models based on Admiral Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit.
Designation: PX-Ice.
The third formation exuded the most ferocious aura of all.
The armor of these thirty units resembled solidified volcanic rock, pitch black streaked with dark crimson. Molten, lava-like patterns flowed through the seams, releasing waves of scorching heat.
These were the large-scale destruction models based on Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's Magma-Magma Fruit.
Designation: PX-Magma.
As Vegapunk pressed the controller in his hand, the electronic eyes of all the Pacifista lit up simultaneously with crimson activation lights.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
They marched in perfect unison, footsteps shaking the ground, as they boarded a massive specialized transport ship.
...
Kuma turned back and took one long look.
Everything in the past was truly over.
Now, he had a mission to fulfill.
To protect the man who had given him a new life and saved his daughter.
Renn Hawk.
He turned around, followed at the rear of the formation, and stepped onto the deck of the transport ship.
The engines roared to life. Slowly, the ship left the dock, cut through the waves, and sailed toward the New World.