"Turn off the broadcast! Mobilize all Marines! Don't let any of them leave Loguetown—especially that bastard Yemu from the Sky Pirates!"
Sengoku's face turned red with rage, blood rushing to his head.
Fortunately, after the initial panic, he quickly regained his composure and began issuing a series of orders. But the situation was deteriorating far too fast—he was already struggling to keep up.
Crowds of people surged toward the port like waves, packed so tightly they were visible even from afar.
"Fufufufu... A new era is dawning. Our time has come..."
"Kishishishi... Boys, we can't fall behind! Charge!"
"Kuhahaha... The era of the Great Pirates, huh? This is thrilling... The Pirate King..."
"Ship... Captain... I swear I'll find worthy crewmates and carry on your dream..."
"Woo... woo... Captain Roger..."
"What a dangerous man... But it's a shame... he's not a pure swordsman... I still have a long way to go on my path to becoming a great swordmaster..."
"Sky Pirates, Yemu... I'm looking forward to our next meeting even more... For now, let me lend you a hand..."
In that moment, no matter what each person had on their mind, they all shared one goal—the sea.
"Hey, Sengoku! What are you doing?! Why haven't you ordered an attack yet?!"
Beside Sengoku, Spandine, a World Government envoy, watched nervously as more and more pirates closed in on the port—some had already boarded their ships—while the Marines stood idle. He shouted in frustration.
Sengoku's eyes locked on the port, his tone firm.
"No. There are too many civilians. If we attack now, we'll definitely harm innocent people."
"Have you lost your mind?! Who cares about that now?! What if they escape to sea?!"
"Relax. They won't. I've already sent Kuzan."
"You bastard... You completely botched the Pirate King's execution... Just wait until the World Government holds you accountable... We're leaving."
Fuming, Spandine led the CP9 members as they pursued Yemu's group.
Meanwhile, the one who had sparked it all—Yemu—was racing toward his ship with his crew.
"Looks like we've attracted quite a crowd..."
Enel's Observation Haki had already picked up countless Marines closing in on them.
"Well, that was to be expected..."
Yemu smiled as he looked up. All around him were people—faces lit with excitement and madness. Some might have already been pirates, but many were just dreamers, stirred by Roger's words, now determined to set sail, driven by hope and greed alike. Whatever their reasons, they all had the same goal—to reach the sea.
Not far ahead, the port was jam-packed with ships, and Marines were blocking every route forward.
"Should we step in?"
"No need. These Marines aren't enough to stop this crowd of lunatics…"
Right now, the Marines at the port were drenched in cold sweat as they watched the mob rush toward the sea like a swarm of zombies.
"Fire warning shots... Force them back!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunfire rang out continuously, temporarily frightening off the civilians at the front. But it was only temporary.
Because a crazed voice rang out—
"Kuhahaha! Don't block a man's way to the sea, Marines... Sables...!"
As the words fell, a massive desert tornado appeared in the Marines' line of sight, sweeping toward them in a storm of yellow sand.
"Damn that Desert King... Crocodile!"
These weren't your average Marines. In an instant, they recognized the cloaked man.
Drawing twin blades from their waists, they slashed toward the sandstorm.
"Don't underestimate the Marines... Two-Sword Style: Storm Slash!"
Two visible waves of sword energy shot toward Crocodile. But he didn't even flinch—because someone else dropped from the sky, wielding a massive black blade. With a single swing, he effortlessly blocked the Marine's attack.
"Hawk Eyes Mihawk...!"
The sight of the man with eyes sharp as an eagle's made the Marines' expressions darken.
"Why... Are you planning to become a pirate too?"
But Mihawk simply shook his head.
"No. I just saw a beautiful slash... It stirred something in me. I couldn't resist stepping in."
"Damn you...!"
The Marine growled in frustration, but it was pointless now. Crocodile seized the moment and, riding the chaos, blasted straight through the crowd of Marines, carving open a path.
Still, the Marines didn't panic—this was just their first line of defense.
"You won't get through... Anyone who crosses this line will be deemed a pirate and executed on the spot!"
As the declaration fell, two colossal figures emerged from between towering buildings on either side. One held a massive axe, the other a shark-slicing blade, their towering forms casting shadows that darkened the sky.
"Giants...!"
Their overwhelming presence was enough to freeze many civilians in place. But to true Great Pirates, that kind of pressure meant nothing.
"Kishishishi... This show's too good to leave all to you!"
With that, a pirate rushed forward—a bat-like figure with a gaunt build, wielding a long blade. He charged straight at the two giants.
"Gecko Moria, Captain of the Thriller Bark Pirates...!"
"Prepare to die!"
The two giant Vice Admirals swung their weapons with thunderous force. The gusts alone sent nearby people flying.
But Moria didn't retreat. On the contrary, his face lit up with excitement as black Armament Haki wrapped around his blade. With a clash that echoed like a mountain crumbling, his sword collided with the enormous axe and shark blade—both ten times the size of his own weapon.
The impact, strong enough to shatter a mountain, only pushed Moria back half a step. His grin widened.
"Kishishishi... So this is a giant's strength...?"
"Captain, that was amazing! He blocked two Marine Vice Admirals alone!"
His crew shouted in awe behind him. And when the other pirates saw that a single pirate had stopped both giants, they were emboldened, flooding forward once again without fear.
"The Marines aren't so tough after all!"
"Quick! Once we're on board, they won't be able to stop us!"
"We're coming, Pirate King's great treasure...!"
"Damn it...!"
The two giant Marines caught a glimpse of the chaos from the corners of their eyes. Their faces changed as they channeled all their strength to push Moria back and stop the flood of pirates.
But just then—they froze.
Their bodies wouldn't move.
"Fufufufu... What a lively scene... So this is the era of the Great Pirates, huh...?"
"Who's there?!"
Everyone turned toward the voice. Up in the sky, a man wearing a red flamingo-patterned cloak floated down step by step.
"Damn it... Donquixote Pirates' captain, Doflamingo..."