In New Marineford's plaza, once everyone's emotions had gradually settled, Raleigh spoke again.
"The pirates' ridiculous dream has already been completely destroyed. What we must do next is drive them into the abyss once and for all."
"I hereby announce that all Marine forces in the New World are to enter the final war of extermination."
"No prisoners will be taken in this battle!"
With Raleigh's final order, everyone present understood one thing clearly.
A brand-new era was about to arrive, and in that era, there would be no such thing as pirates.
In the New World, the Marines who had long since finished their preparations boarded the warships already waiting for them the moment they heard Raleigh's order.
One after another, they launched their offensive against the territories occupied by the Red Hair Pirates.
Facing such a massive number of Marine soldiers, the Red Hair Pirates had no real way to hold them back.
Even when Red-Haired Shanks sent out members of the pirate crews under him, they could only restrain the edge of the Marines' offensive in small areas.
Every pirate understood that this was not a turning point where they could reverse defeat into victory.
All they were doing was dying slowly.
...
On the Red Force, Red-Haired Shanks sat on the deck with stubble covering his face.
Empty rum bottles lay scattered around him, making it obvious that his condition was terrible.
Tap, tap, tap.
In this situation, the only person who could still approach Shanks was the Red Hair Pirates' vice-captain, Beckman.
"Shanks, should we retreat deeper into the New World?"
Beckman looked at his captain with worry.
To be honest, every member of the Red Hair Pirates was proud in their hearts.
But they were not fools.
On this sea, no powerful pirate crew could face an attack from this many Marines at the same time.
So far, just among the known Marine forces in the New World, two Admirals were leading troops: Kizaru Borsalino and Fujitora Issho.
According to the information that came out when Charlotte Linlin died, Zephyr and Garp also seemed to have appeared on that battlefield and severely wounded her.
On top of that, the whereabouts of the three Marine Admirals, Akainu Sakazuki, Aokiji Kuzan, and Green Bull Aramaki, were unknown.
If even one more Marine Admiral entered the New World, there would be no need to judge the outcome of the battle anymore.
The Red Hair Pirates and the remaining pirates could not possibly withstand the combined attack of three Admirals.
"Oh… it's you, Beckman?"
Shanks raised his drunken face.
His expression was filled with confusion toward the future.
"I don't know what we should do either. The world wasn't supposed to develop like this."
Shanks was a man full of secrets.
He had even once seen a certain prophecy.
It was because of that prophecy that he had taken his crew to the East Blue.
There, he had left behind the most mysterious fruit on the sea and his own right arm.
All because he believed his judgment was correct.
But now, reality had dealt him a devastating blow.
He still could not understand why the Marines' strength had become so terrifying.
Why could the Marines so easily defeat the pirates and free themselves from the World Government's restraints?
Back when Kong or Sengoku had held that position, Shanks had never worried that anything would change.
But now everything was different.
The change was so enormous that he almost thought it was a dream.
"We can't keep waiting, Shanks."
"We don't have much time. Whether we fight to the death or escape into the depths of the sea, we need your command."
The cigar at the corner of Beckman's mouth fell to the ground because of his agitation.
Then Yasopp, now disabled, also walked over and said, "Shanks, the Marines' offensive is too fierce. I suggest we abandon this territory and rush into the deeper New World."
"Only there can we avoid being pincered by the Marines."
"Before the Marines completely seal off the encirclement."
Shanks scratched his hair, which had already become like a bird's nest, and nodded.
"You're right. Now isn't the time to get tangled up in other reasons."
"We need a stable place to preserve our strength. But entering the depths of the New World still needs to be considered."
"I have a better place in mind."
"Give me some time. I need to contact someone."
Shanks' thinking was simple.
Judging by the current situation, avoiding the Marines' edge was the best choice.
With so many people, it was impossible for them to completely avoid the Marines' attack.
The only thing they could do was abandon the other pirate crews of the Red Hair Grand Fleet and keep only the elite members aboard the Red Hair Pirates' own ship.
They would use the lives of others to buy time for their own escape.
However, Shanks did not believe hiding deep in the New World would let them escape the Marines' offensive.
Because Shanks was certain the Marines would pursue them relentlessly no matter what.
The best option now was for everyone on the Red Force to follow the sea chart in their hands, climb the Red Line, and hide in the Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons—Mary Geoise.
Only Mary Geoise was a place the Marines would not think of.
Only in Mary Geoise could they make it impossible for the Marines to find them.
However, if they did that, the Red Hair Pirates would be branded with the mark of the World Government.
That was completely different from their previous cooperation with the World Government.
"You organize the crew first. I'm going to contact a few people."
After saying this, Shanks swayed as he stood from the deck.
With one call sent out, the Five Elders in Mary Geoise soon received Shanks' Den Den Mushi call.
Saturn stroked his beard while looking at the Den Den Mushi on the table.
Shanks' voice came from inside.
"I hope you can allow us entry to Mary Geoise…"
After Shanks finished speaking, the other Elders exchanged glances.
At first, they all found it somewhat unbelievable, but after thinking carefully, it also made sense.
With the combat strength the Marines had displayed so far, the Red Hair Pirates truly could no longer delay their advance.
Moreover, in the World Government's plan, the Red Hair Pirates were still an extremely important chess piece.
If they ignored them, the entire Red Hair Pirates might be wiped out in the New World.
After a long silence Saturn slowly speak.
"Guys, the Red Hair Pirates can no longer stop the Marines' offensive."
"This chess piece is very important to us. If they are completely destroyed by the Marines, then the will of the world will stand on the Marines' side."
"Therefore, I agree to allow the Red Hair Pirates to enter Mary Geoise."
Nusjuro frowned.
Deep down, he felt the Red Hair Pirates were nothing more than lowly pirates.
Now they were actually going to receive the World Government's order and enter Mary Geoise openly.
In a certain sense, this was another failure for the World Government.
However, the Five Elders still had confidence.
That confidence came from Lord Imu and the ancient weapon Uranus in Imu's hands.
"I agree to let the Red Hair Pirates hide in Mary Geoise, but they must accept our conditions."
"From now on, there will be no Red Hair Pirates, only the Red Hair Guard."
Nusjuro idea was simple.
If they wanted to seek the World Government's protection, they had to pay a price.
Once they became a guard force under the Celestial Dragons, would how they were used not be decided with a single word from the Celestial Dragons?
Warcury nodded and said, "I also agree with turning the Red Hair Pirates into the 'Red Hair Guard'."
"There is no free lunch in this world. Since they want our protection, they should pay a price. Even Shanks is no exception."
After the group discussed it, the matter was quickly settled.
...
At the same time, after Shanks received the conditions given by the Five Elders, although he still felt great resistance inside, he did not directly refuse.
After notifying the officers on his ship, Shanks began assigning missions to the remaining pirates in the New World.
Their goal was not to defeat the Marines, but to deal the Marines important blows on those islands.
In doing so, they would buy time for the Red Hair Pirates to retreat.
On this point, the Red Hair Pirates made very careful arrangements.
They did not hesitate to take out a large amount of wealth and distribute it among the captains, while also giving them Den Den Mushi for communication.
Shanks thumped his chest and guaranteed them that the moment he received a request for support, he would rush to the battlefield immediately.
Then, after every pirate captain returned to the island they were defending, the Red Hair Pirates took advantage of the night, boarded the Red Force, and silently left the island for Mary Geoise.
...
The Red Hair Pirates were not the only ones setting out under cover of night.
The Revolutionary Army had also rushed out of the Calm Belt.
Following the sea chart in their hands, they pushed their ships to full speed in the darkness, racing toward Mary Geoise with all their strength.
In such an atmosphere, not a single Revolutionary Army soldier felt calm.
Because Dragon had already told them in advance that once they left the Calm Belt, they would face one battle after another.
Dragon did not rest aboard the central flagship. From the moment they left the Calm Belt, his mind had not stopped working.
Plans were always beautiful, but reality often brought many unexpected scenes.
Just like now.
Although they had not been discovered since beginning their voyage, there would always come a day when they were exposed.
Dragon could only pray silently in his heart that this moment would come a little later.
Knock, knock.
Two dull knocks at the door pulled Dragon back from his drifting thoughts.
"Come in."
After Dragon spoke, Sabo, who also had not rested, pushed open the door and walked in with a set of documents.
"Leader, this is the latest intelligence we received. The Marines have made another big move."
After leaving the Calm Belt, the Revolutionary Army had traveled by night and hidden by day, barely making contact with outside intelligence.
Only tonight, under cover of darkness, had Sabo used Geppo to fly to a nearby island and search for information.
"Leader, the Marines really did something huge this time."
"They exiled two Poneglyphs into outer space. From now on, no one will ever be able to find Laugh Tale."
Sabo repeated what he had just seen with a shocked expression.
Dragon took the intelligence from Sabo's hands and began reading it carefully.
Sabo was not wrong.
The Marines had indeed caused a massive commotion.
Even at the end, Fleet Admiral Raleigh had issued a military order demanding that the last pirates be eliminated.
All of this made Dragon's mind begin turning rapidly.
Only after half an hour did Dragon's furrowed brow finally relax.
A faint, easy smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Sabo, when you look at a problem, you cannot only look at the problem itself. You have to extract useful information from what you see and judge the other aspects as well."
"The Marines mobilized large numbers of Marine soldiers and officers to the New World. That tells us one thing."
"Mary Geoise's guard force is very empty. The Marines do not have many people stationed there."
Originally, Dragon had been somewhat worried.
After all, he did not know what trump cards the Celestial Dragons possessed.
He only knew that right now, the Marines had not even left a general-level officer in Mary Geoise.
"In two more days, we can begin the operation."
In the original plan, Dragon had not been fully confident that the Revolutionary Army would succeed.
But now, he had keenly sensed the discord between the Marines and the World Government.
How to make use of the relationship between the Marines and the World Government to achieve his own goal had become the thing Dragon needed to consider most.
At the same time, a frightening thought appeared in his mind.
The reason the Revolutionary Army had reached this point might have been because an invisible hand had been pushing them from behind all along.
Dragon's original plan had been to rely on the Revolutionary Army's strength and move step by step.
From the Four Blues to the Grand Line, then gather all their power and attack Mary Geoise.
But now, he was leading several thousand elite Revolutionary Army soldiers and was about to arrive at the place where the World Government stood.
'If you are the one playing this game, then have you already calculated how to seize the final victory?'
Dragon was not a fool.
He had finally understood.
Everything had begun from the moment he met Raleigh in the Eryoku Kingdom of the North Blue.
From then on, Dragon had entered Raleigh's chessboard.
Of course, Dragon did not feel extreme anger or fear.
What he felt was the powerless feeling of having been played.
Who could have imagined that, from their very first meeting more than ten years ago, he had already been treated as a chess piece?
Especially now, the Revolutionary Army elites under Dragon were like pawns that had crossed the river and lost the option to retreat.
Their only path to survival was to attack Mary Geoise.
Either they would take Mary Geoise and negotiate with the Marines.
Or they would fail to take Mary Geoise, but before dying, force the World Government and Celestial Dragons to reveal the trump cards they did not want to use.
No matter what, neither outcome was bad for the Marines.
Dragon's gaze became firm once more.
"Raleigh, if you want the Revolutionary Army to become your scapegoat, it won't be that easy!"
Dragon did not believe fate was something that could not be changed.
He believed even more that after taking Mary Geoise, the Revolutionary Army could also defeat the Marines and successfully liberate the world.
...
While both the Revolutionary Army and the Red Hair Pirates were rushing toward Mary Geoise, inside the Eryoku Kingdom of the North Blue, a massive device had been assembled by Marine soldiers.
From the outside, it looked no different from the rocket Raleigh had personally launched.
The only difference was that this rocket was more than ten times larger than those two rockets.
Miles, who had not appeared for a long time, was directing Marine soldiers as they positioned it.
Hidden inside the rocket was a secret weapon Raleigh and Vegapunk had spent many years researching.
Although it could not oppose Uranus, in a certain sense, its destructive power was no less than Uranus itself.