The Holy Knights' Fatal Mistake!

Holy Land Mary Geoise CP0 Headquarters

"Waaaaah--!"

The piercing alarm blared, making the entire white tower vibrate!

The beeping of Den Den Mushi) echoed incessantly, and the agents' footsteps were rapid and hurried. Their figures, white and black, moved about in a blur, making the entire building resemble a furnace being pushed into boiling water.

"The Navy actually launched a full-scale attack on Onigashima while executing Rayleigh?! Have they gone mad?!"

"The battle footage from Wano Country has been inserted into the live stream, and the whole world is watching!!"

"Emergency mobilization! All field personnel, immediately proceed to Wano Country to gather intelligence!!"

The roar was deafening; the air felt like a string stretched to its limit, ready to snap at any moment.

At the end of the corridor--

Lucci was dressed in a pure white uniform, his expression was cold and stern, but his steps were unusually heavy.

Hattori on my shoulder flapped its wings restlessly, emitting a piercing cry, as if urging me on impatiently.

He was looking for Blueno.

During the battle in Water 7, the entire CP9 team, who were originally preparing to arrest Franky, were easily defeated by Zoro and Kuina.

Apart from Spandam's death, all the remaining members were allowed to join CP0 under Roy's instructions via Den Den Mushi.

After this crushing defeat, Lucci and Kaku became even more determined, honing their Zoan Devil Fruit abilities to the Awakening stage, resulting in a significant leap in their strength and making them highly regarded top fighters within CP0.

Inside the CP0 building, people were scrambling around, all caught up in the emergency. Lucci needed the Door-Door Fruit's power to open a door and head straight to Wano Country, but Blueno was nowhere to be found.

His brow furrowed, and his unease grew, because the live broadcast had reopened his old wounds.

Kuina, Zoro, and the defeat in Water 7 —these were shameful wounds that could never heal in his heart.

"... Where is he?" Lucci murmured, his voice low and suppressed. "I didn't receive any notification from Blueno about any field missions."

"Thump thump!!"

Just then, the rapid sound of high heels broke the noise in the corridor.

Kalifa rushed over, panting, clutching a document tightly in her hand. Her usually cold and beautiful face was now filled with panic and fear, and her eyes were brimming with tears.

" --Lucci!!"

Her shrill scream instantly drew everyone's attention.

Lucci turned his head and saw that the usually aloof and composed Kalifa was so flustered. His heart tightened, and he asked in a cold voice, "What happened?!"

Kalifa was panting heavily, but she forced herself to suppress her panic and quickly reported:

"An hour ago, Celestial Dragons personally gave the order! Blueno was forcibly taken away to carry out a so-called 'secret mission'!"

Her voice rose higher and higher, almost screaming, "I sensed something was wrong and immediately traced their route—and discovered their destination was..."

Her fingers gripped the document tightly, her knuckles turning white, and tears finally welled up in her eyes.

"--East Blue! Dawn Island!!"

"Boom!!"

Lucci froze on the spot, his face turning deathly pale, as if struck by lightning!

Dawn Island —the name cut through his cold rationality like a blade.

"Dawn Island... that's..."

Kalifa couldn't hold back her sobs, yet her voice was as clear as thunder. "That's— Vice Admiral Roy's hometown! His home!!"

The corridor fell silent instantly; all footsteps seemed to have been cut off.

Lucci felt a chill run down his spine, and a surge of fear and rage rose wildly from the depths of his bones!

Hattori, perched on my shoulder, screamed and flew about wildly, as if the whole world was mourning this intelligence.

Mary Geoise, the Secret Temple of the Holy Knights

"Smack!"

A crisp slap rang out!

Saint Shamrock's body slammed violently against the jewel-encrusted wall, scattering shattered dust in all directions. He slowly slid down the wall, his hand tightly covering his swollen cheek.

His eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief—this was the first time in thirty-seven years that his father had laid a hand on him!

Saint Garling's chest heaved violently, his suppressed rage reaching its peak, Conqueror's Haki erupted uncontrollably!

"Boom--!"

The candlelight inside the hall went out instantly, the stone walls trembled, and the guards outside the corridor collapsed, trembling and sweating profusely!

"You..." Saint Garling's voice was low and deep, like the roar of a beast suppressed to the extreme, "You really sent people to Dawn Island?!"

Saint Shamrock wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, forced himself to stand up straight, and said in a tone that still carried the cold arrogance unique to Celestial Dragons, "Yes."

"Boom--!"

Saint Garling unleashed his full power! His Haki stirred up a whirlwind, shattering the pillars of the entire secret hall!

For the first time Saint Shamrock showed fear, his body involuntarily retreating, yet his eyes still held a stubbornness.

"You idiot!!" Saint Garling roared, his voice cracking the dome!

"You've been tricked by Shanks!!"

Saint Shamrock was stunned upon hearing this. "W-what?!"

"That bastard has been roaming the seas for decades! He treats you like a child!!" Saint Garling suddenly stepped forward, grabbed his son by the collar, and lifted him off the ground!

"Dawn Island, that's Roy's hometown! How dare you send people there to kidnap his parents?!"

Saint Shamrock was taken aback upon hearing this.

He had spent many years cultivating in seclusion deep within the Holy Land, knowing very little about the disturbances of the outside world, and could not fully understand why his father was so furious.

In his eyes, apart from the Celestial Dragons, all other living beings are nothing more than ants that can be crushed at any time.

"He's just a Marine Vice Admiral..."

"Marine Vice Admiral?!"

Saint Garling was enraged to the point of madness, his laughter laced with bloodlust. "That's a monster even I can't beat!! He could Four Emperors- handedly overpower Kaido and Linlin!! And you actually kidnapped his parents?!"

"You're bringing utter destruction upon the Holy Knights!!"

Saint Shamrock finally turned deathly pale, his voice trembling. "But... but Shanks said—"

"Shanks said?!" Saint Garling roared, his eyes bloodshot!

"He said that if they could capture Roy's parents, they could force him to back down?!"

"Ha! Didn't you see?! He just wants to use you to ignite the hatred between the Holy Knights and Roy!!"

"You... don't even realize you're being used as a pawn!!"

"Boom--!"

Enraged, Saint Garling threw him to the ground and then drew his sword, shattering the Throne beside him in one fell swoop!

His breathing was heavy, his voice like thunder. "Immediately! Withdraw everyone! Now! Immediately!!"

Saint Shamrock's lips trembled, and he finally uttered four words: "It's too late..."

Saint Garling was shocked. "What?!"

"They... set off an hour and a half ago..."

"--boom!!"

Saint Garling nearly dropped his longsword; his knuckles turned white from the force, and his face was contorted in a grotesque grimace!

Just then--

The palace doors were suddenly pushed open, and a guard stumbled in, shouting hoarsely:

"Report!! Shanks... he's disappeared!!"

The air froze instantly.

As if struck by lightning, Saint Garling's chest heaved violently, and the most terrifying possibility flashed through his mind:

Dawn Island.

East Blue · Dawn Village

The heavy rain fell like a curtain, pounding on the stone-paved road at the village entrance and splashing up patches of cold water.

Dim Flame leaked from the cracks in the houses, but it couldn't dispel the oppressive shadows.

At the end of the street, two tall figures walked side by side, their footsteps sounding unusually heavy in the rain.

Walking in front was a burly old man with cold, sharp eyes behind his sunglasses.

His muscles were bulging, his face was etched with the lines of time, and his Bulbous Nose was particularly noticeable.

His bushy body hair and long braided hair clung to the back of his neck as the rain washed over him, and the cross-shaped beard below his mouth gave him an even more imposing and intimidating aura.

The tattoo on his left arm, reflected in the rain and Inazuma, appeared and disappeared, complex and mysterious, like some kind of ancient mark.

The light-colored t-shirt clung to her body, while the dark heart-patterned polka-dot shorts clashed with the ornate cape, yet stood out starkly.

--It is none other than Saint Shepherd Sommers of the Holy Knights.

Beside him, Blueno lagged half a step behind, his face stern, but his eyes held a hint of barely perceptible hesitation.

Raindrops pattered on their cloaks, sliding down and merging into the puddles at their feet.

Saint Shepherd Sommers slowly raised his head; though the rain obscured his face, a cold smile seemed to linger.

The streets and alleys of Dawn Village were silent, except for the sound of their footsteps, which treaded step by step toward Rock's doorstep in the rainy night.