At this moment.
Fenric walked along the chaotic streets.
Word had already spread like wildfire: the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy, had struck a Celestial Dragon, and an admiral was on his way.
The entire island was in turmoil.
Aside from a few locals, most of the crowd were outsiders—pirates, bounty hunters, slave traders, and drifters.
And they all shared one thing in common: fear of the Navy.
So the moment the news broke, panic ensued. People scrambled for their ships, desperate to escape the island before the admiral arrived.
The only ones still holding their ground were the so-called Supernova pirates.
As Fenric walked, he passed many of them, but he paid them no mind. His thoughts were elsewhere—on the details of his plan.
If all three admirals appeared at once, even with his trident, there was no way he could fight them head-on.
The admirals represented the peak of the Navy's strength.
Even Whitebeard, hailed as the world's strongest man, would not dare take on three admirals at the same time.
Fenric knew he hadn't yet reached Whitebeard's level.
And one admiral in particular—Aokiji—was especially troublesome. His freezing powers were a natural counter to Fenric's trident. After all, the man could freeze the sea itself.
Fenric's mind was clear. He had to deal with them separately.
"I remember, in the original events, the admiral who came here was Kizaru. Then… I'll deal with Kizaru first."
He carried a wooden box in his hand.
Inside was, of course, the severed head of Saint Charlos—his "greeting gift" for the Navy.
Up ahead, on the roadside, sat a young man with an odd appearance. Long golden hair, sharp brows, and a face as expressionless as a corpse. He idly toyed with a set of divination cards.
Fenric immediately recognized him.
Captain of the Hawkins Pirates: Basil Hawkins.
A Supernova.
User of the Straw-Straw Fruit.
Fenric's eyes narrowed with interest. Hawkins' abilities were peculiar—his fortune-telling was said to reveal fate itself.
"Captain, the admiral is coming. We should get moving!" a pirate beside Hawkins urged nervously.
"Don't panic."
Hawkins flipped a card, his flat, lifeless face unchanged. "Today, none of us will die."
Fenric's lips curved into a smile. He stepped forward.
"Basil Hawkins." Fenric's tone was casual, but there was a sharp edge beneath it. "I hear your divination is impressive. Care to read my fate?"
Before Hawkins could respond, one of his men barked, "Hey! Who the hell are you? You think you can just demand our captain's time like—"
Fenric's gaze swept over him. A faint pulse of Conqueror's Haki rippled outward.
The pirate's eyes rolled back. He collapsed on the spot.
The others gasped.
"Hey, Sco! What happened to you?"
"Damn it! What did you do to him?!"
"Stand down."
Hawkins' voice was calm, but it carried an authority that silenced his men instantly.
His eyes settled on Fenric, more serious now.
"What exactly do you wish to know?"
Fenric smiled faintly. "Simple. In the next five days, will my life be in danger?"
Hawkins shuffled his cards, slow and deliberate, like a street-side charlatan. No visions, no theatrics. Only the steady motion of his hands.
Finally, he drew a card.
"The hexagram is clear," Hawkins said flatly. "Your Excellency's life is not in danger within five days. However… without external aid, your wish will not be fulfilled."
Fenric frowned.
External aid?
The thought lingered in his mind. Then his eyes lit with sudden realization.
"Basil Hawkins, thank you for your guidance."
"You're welcome." Hawkins' voice never wavered. "It is an honor to serve one such as you."
Fenric gave a nod and turned to leave.
As he disappeared into the crowd, the card in Hawkins' hand ignited into flames.
"A great calamity," Hawkins murmured. "This island will soon become a battlefield. We mustn't remain here."
"Captain, who was that guy? He knocked out Sco and just walked away?"
Hawkins' eyes flickered. "Mundo."
The pirates blinked in confusion. "Who?"
Ten years had passed. Few still remembered that name.
Hawkins spoke softly, but his words froze them to the core.
"Ten years ago, Mundo disguised himself as a Marine and entered their internal tournament. He won second place. During the award ceremony, he killed a Celestial Dragon and shouted—'Slaughter them all!'"
"!!!"
The color drained from the pirates' faces.
"After that, he escaped, earning a two-billion bounty from the Navy. He vanished without a trace… until now."
Silence. Then fear.
They all knew of the incident ten years ago. The world had trembled at the name.
Mundo—the madman who dared kill a Celestial Dragon in the Navy's own headquarters.
And just now, they had nearly provoked him.
Hawkins stood, his tone still calm. "Mundo's reappearance here will draw the Navy like moths to a flame. We leave—now."
"Y-Yes, Captain!"
Without hesitation, the crew followed Hawkins toward the harbor.
Fenric, meanwhile, was in high spirits.
He hadn't expected Hawkins' reading to give him such insight.
"This Basil Hawkins may not be a powerhouse, but his abilities are useful. External aid… yes. That's the key. If I play this right, I may actually cripple the Navy."
Excitement burned in his eyes.
Whether the Navy headquarters held their meetings or not mattered little to him. The upcoming Battle of Marineford in the third stage would unfold regardless.
He already knew the timeline: Ace had been captured by Blackbeard and delivered to Impel Down. Whitebeard would surely prepare to rescue him, and the great war would soon erupt.
"But… what if I send word to Whitebeard now? Would he come to aid me?"
Fenric grinned. "To save Ace, he won't let such an opportunity slip."
As that thought settled, something on the ground caught his attention.
A newspaper.
Fenric picked it up. The headline confirmed it: the Navy had officially announced the public execution of Fire Fist Ace.
His grin widened.
"A rare opportunity. Whitebeard… will you answer the call?"