Pluton Sets Sail · The Call to Assemble
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
The hidden shipyard deep underground in Wano Country, the Flower Capital.
The damp air, mixed with the cold, hard smell of engine oil and steel, filled the entire massive cavern. Hundreds of illuminating sea stones were embedded in the cavern ceiling, their pale light pouring down and illuminating the enormous vessel moored in the center of the dock.
It was the Ancient Weapon had been dormant for eight hundred years— Pluton.
Caesar placed his hands on the control panel, which was covered with precision gears and circuits, his narrow eyes fixed on the rows of indicator lights in front of him.
Sizzle--
The current flows rapidly.
He swiftly traced the three rows of signal lights with his fingertips, watching as all the malfunction warning lights went out, replaced by a calm, emerald-green glow.
"All lines have completed self-test!"
Caesar took a deep breath and pulled down the dark-colored main power lever on the far left.
Boom--!
A deafening, deep rumble suddenly erupted from deep within the keel of the ship, the vibrations spreading throughout the entire giant vessel along the steel frame. Just two seconds later, the violent roar quickly subsided, transforming into a long and steady low-frequency hum, as if an ancient behemoth that had been sleeping for over eight hundred years was slowly opening its eyes and beginning to breathe evenly.
The entire massive hull began to tremble slightly, extending from the thick main keel to every deck plate. At the bow and stern, countless rivets rubbed against the steel plates, producing a soft, creaking sound.
This ancient warship, silent for a thousand years, has finally come back to life.
"Main power is running smoothly! All energy circuits are operational, and all three broken energy pipes have been repaired!" Caesar announced the data loudly, his voice echoing throughout the empty underground dock. "Drainage system at full speed, dock gates ready to open!"
The massive, heavy sluice gate slowly rose, and icy seawater rushed wildly into the dock through the gaps.
The water level rose rapidly, quickly submerging the hull, reaching ankle height, and in a short time climbing below the gunwale. The massive Pluton hull was steadily supported by the seawater, swaying gently. The hard alloy hull of the ship rubbed against the stone dock bottom, emitting a muffled roar, like a ferocious beast breaking free of its shackles.
A ray of blinding sunlight streamed in through a gap in the Waterway at the top of the cave, falling on the matte black surface of the Pluton's hull, where the cold metal reflected off specks of icy light.
Lin Yuan stood with his hands behind his back on the bow deck, his gaze fixed on the open sea passage ahead.
The azure seawater surged in through the Waterway, its shimmering waves reflecting off the dense array of cannon barrels.
Once the activation command was issued, Pluton slowly moved forward, its massive hull passing through the dark underground Waterways, emerging from the hidden cave, and officially entering Wano Country's main port open to the outside world.
The colossal warship, over 300 meters long, stretched across the sea. Its hull was as broad and thick as a mountain, and the sharp alloy ram at its bow gleamed coldly under the blazing sun. Two and a half decks of gun emplacements were neatly arranged on both sides of the ship, their dark muzzles pointed at the sea. Just by sitting there quietly, it was enough to send chills down the spines of anyone who saw it.
The underwater propulsion system at the stern operated at high speed, spewing out two powerful jets of water. Wherever the ship passed, the sea surface was plowed open with two white waves, foam churning and refusing to subside for a long time.
The harbor shore was already crowded with onlookers.
Ashura Doji stood atop the highest point of the breakwater, clutching his twin swords, his eyes wide as he stared at Pluton emerging from the Waterway. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Good heavens... this behemoth actually managed to get moving."
The local samurai of the Flower Capital, the civilians who had rushed from Kuri, and the laborers loading and unloading cargo at the docks all stopped what they were doing and stared silently at the legendary ancient warship.
No one made a sound, no one shouted.
A massive shadow fell from the hull of the Pluton ship, covering almost half of the harbor dock, and the heavy oppressive feeling made everyone feel suffocated.
The Pluton came to a steady stop in the deep waters outside the harbor, with a uniform and stable draft and no tilting. The modification project was a complete success.
A moment later, the giant ship set sail again, cleaving through the vast waves and entering the boundless open seas of the New World.
Inside the ship's control room, Caesar continuously shifted the power gears, and the speed steadily increased from slow to fast. The entire giant ship sailed exceptionally smoothly, without the violent turbulence that large warships experience at high speeds.
Jin leaped to the top of the mast, stood facing the wind, took out the nautical speedometer to make a brief calculation, and then jumped back onto the deck.
"Captain, the measured speed far exceeds that of ordinary large naval warships," Jin reported in a deep voice. "At full speed, it reaches 1.5 times the speed of an ordinary warship. There was no hull resonance during the medium-speed cruising, and the steering and braking were very smooth. There is absolutely no need to worry about breaking down anchor halfway."
Lin Yuan remained standing at the bow, the sea breeze ruffling his clothes, and asked without turning his head, "How's the ammunition preparation going? Can the main gun fire normally?"
Caesar peered out from the cabin doorway, his face beaming with the excitement of a successful research project. "The first batch of specially made cannonballs is complete! All the side gun emplacements and the main bow gun are interchangeable, and the loading method is exactly the same as conventional cannons. Sailors can operate them proficiently with a little practice! The only regret is that we haven't had a chance to conduct live-fire exercises at sea yet. When we encounter uninhabited islands or giant Sea Kings along the way, we can test the power of the Pluton Cannon!"
Lin Yuan nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the depths of the horizon.
A storm that will sweep across the entire Grand Line is about to officially begin with Pluton's departure.
Time flew by and dusk fell.
Hachinosu, Intelligence Command Center.
Ginny sat upright at the long table, with three constantly wriggling Den Den Mushi placed side by side on the table.
When the Den Den Mushi transmitted accurate intelligence about the reconnaissance fleet, confirming that Pluton had left the waters of Wano Country, she immediately picked up a quill pen, wrote a short message on an intelligence scroll, and sent the exact same gathering message to three top-tier pirate crews.
The message was brief and to the point, without a single wasted word:
Pluton has officially set sail. The Sea Kings have reached an agreement to cooperate with the fleet to cross the Calm Belt. The rendezvous point is set in the outer waters of the Calm Belt, and they will arrive within seven days.
After sending the message, Ginny put down the Den Den Mushi and waited patiently for a reply.
Within just half an hour, replies arrived one after another.
The first to ring was the Whitebeard Pirates' Den Den Mushi, its gruff voice echoing through the room. "Gurara... Understood. The fleet will immediately change course and head to the rendezvous point at full speed!"
Immediately afterwards, Roger's hearty laughter rang out. "Haha! I've been waiting for this moment for a long time! My Oro Jackson is already on its way!"
Finally, there was Big Mom's highly recognizable sly laugh, "Alright, alright, got it. Let's go right away."
After Ginny finished recording the information, she immediately dialed the dedicated Den Den Mushi to the Pluton ship.
"Lin Yuan, all three fleets have confirmed their departure." She reported the route information clearly and logically, "The Whitebeard fleet has changed course from the main route in the West Blue and will reach its destination in four days; Roger is flanking from the east and will arrive in three days; Charlotte Linlin's fleet is advancing from the north and is expected to arrive at the rendezvous point in five days."
There was a two-second silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi, followed by a calm reply, "Very good, proceed as planned."
After hanging up the call, Ginny rolled up the nautical chart, her eyes flashing with a sharp glint.
With four powerful fleets assembled, plus the Ancient Weapon Pluton, this allied force is powerful enough to shake the foundations of the World Government.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Land Mary Geoise, Room of Authority of the Five Elders.
Five Old Men, who occupy the pinnacle of global power, gathered together, creating an atmosphere of extreme solemnity.
Saint Saturn slammed a reconnaissance report onto the long wooden table, his face ashen. "The reconnaissance ship has personally confirmed that Pluton has departed Wano Country's port! The ship's parameters match the records in the Poneglyphs perfectly; its length exceeds three hundred meters, its three-tiered gun emplacements are fully configured, and its propulsion system is functioning normally. The Ancient Weapon has been completely unsealed!"
Saint Nusjuro frowned. "What are the movements of the other pirate fleets?"
"The fleets of the three emperors, Whitebeard, Roger, and Big Mom, simultaneously changed course, with all four routes converging towards the edge of the Calm Belt, clearly indicating their intention to complete the naval alliance's assembly."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter turned to look at the naval documents beside him and asked, "What is the Marine Headquarters' stance?"
Saint Saturn snorted coldly, "Fleet Admiral Kong has been slow to issue the order to encircle and annihilate them. Sengoku reported that the Marine Fleet will only follow from a distance on the outer flanks and will never take the initiative to provoke a direct conflict. Even the Garp the Hero is still stationed at Marineford headquarters and shows no sign of leading troops into battle."
Saint Mars gripped his longsword tightly, his eyes icy cold. "Since the Navy refuses to lend a hand, then we won't rely on them! Immediately mobilize the Holy Knights, plus the entire CP0 intelligence force! Pluton has already set sail; we can no longer allow these pirates to rendezvous smoothly! We must intercept them before the four fleets converge. Even if we can't sink Pluton, we must delay their journey and disrupt the entire allied forces' deployment!"
Saint Saturn remained silent for a moment, then picked up a red quill pen and drew a deep circle on the world map, firmly sealing off the confluence point outside the Calm Belt.
An interception operation is imperative.
Marineford, the Fleet Admiral's Office.
Fleet Admiral Kong looked down at the giant nautical chart that had been spread out. The sea surface was densely marked with Pluton's route and the marching routes of the four fleets.
Sengoku stood at the table, his expression tense, while his chief of staff, Lieutenant Vice Admiral Tsuru, leaned against the doorframe, his expression calm.
Sora finally raised his head and looked at Sengoku: "Where is your main fleet located now?"
"We have arrived in the waters flanking the Allied forces and are strictly adhering to the standby order: monitor only, do not engage in combat," Sengoku replied calmly.
"The Five Elders have just sent an order, commanding you to take the initiative to send troops to intercept them."
Sengoku shook his head, his tone utterly calm. "Fleet Admiral, launching a rash attack is the worst possible strategy. The firepower of Pluton is unknown, and the other major pirate groups are incredibly powerful. Relying solely on a single Marine Fleet to directly confront them will only result in wasted manpower. If we engage the Pirate Alliance prematurely, even if we manage to buy them some time, our fleet will suffer losses of a third or even half. By the time they have regrouped and are heading towards Mary Geoise, our entire defensive line will be crippled and unable to withstand a second wave of attacks."
Kong remained silent for a long time.
"So how do you plan to appease the Five Elders?"
"Reply to them that we are looking for the best opportunity and will launch an attack when the time is right."
Kong waved his hand, no longer pressing the matter. "Be careful not to let those old guys from the Holy Land push too hard."
Central Seas of the New World.
Six jet-black Holy Knights formed a sharp wedge-shaped battle formation, cutting through the waves and heading at full speed toward the interception area.
The knight commander, clad in white robes and wearing a golden mask, stood at the bow of the Flagship, scrutinizing the four red lines on the nautical chart, a chilling aura of killing intent enveloping the entire ship.
A silver-masked knight rushed forward and anxiously reported, "Captain, the Pirate Alliance is rushing to the rendezvous point! Once the four forces successfully meet, and with Pluton in command of the central army, there's no need for us to intercept them anymore!"
"Therefore, the decisive battle will take place before they reunite."
The masked man's pen fell heavily on Whitebeard's flight path, his tone icy. "Whitebeard is closest to the rendezvous point and arrives fastest. Concentrate our forces to entangle him first. The remaining three groups will split up to contain him. We don't need to annihilate him completely; just holding back any one of his fleets will completely collapse the alliance's assembly plan!"
The sea was filled with murderous intent; a deadly ambush had been laid.
The Pluton warship sailed at the forefront of the fleet, cutting through the waves, with the rest of the Hachinosu warships following closely behind.
As the sun sank below the horizon, crimson rays blanketed the vast ocean, casting endless shadows of massive ships that rose and fell with the waves.
Ember flew up to the mast again to look around, and then swooped down to land a moment later.
"Captain, Roger's red Oro Jackson has appeared forty nautical miles to the northeast and is closing in at full speed. Whitebeard's fleet has not yet entered the observation range."
Lin Yuan gazed at the distant horizon. "How much longer until we reach the rendezvous point?"
"If the voyage goes smoothly, we will arrive on time in three days."
Caesar emerged from the hold carrying a crate of cannonballs, brimming with enthusiasm. "Fifty-four cannonballs on both sides are fully loaded and in place. All cannons are ready to fire at any time! If we encounter enemy interception tomorrow, we can use the Holy Knights ground to test the power and accuracy of the Pluton main cannon!"
Lin Yuan did not respond, but turned and walked back to the ship's communications room.
A short while later, Ginny's slightly surprised voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"We just received a secret report from Slow Heartbeat, Rocks has given his reply."
Lin Yuan's eyes flickered. "He's planning to ambush the allied forces halfway?"
"Quite the opposite," Ginny said slowly. "Rocks has made it clear that he is also D Clan."
"That's all?"
"Not a single word is different."
Lin Yuan hung up the call, his tense nerves relaxing slightly.
As long as Rocks doesn't interfere, the situation remains under control.
He returned to the bow deck and looked down at the deep blue sea.
Beneath the surface of the sea, a series of enormous, continuous black shadows are moving in sync with Pluton, their speeds perfectly synchronized.
Sea Kings, each as large as a giant warship, lurk in the deep sea, not surfacing to create huge waves, but silently escorting the ship, forming an underwater steel defense line.
A fleet of ships flies in the sky, giant beasts roam the sea, and Ancient Weapons clear the way in front of you.
The sunset glow illuminated the muzzles of the giant warships, foreshadowing a major naval battle that could reshape the world order.