Third Party

Time returned to one day prior, Marine Headquarters.

"What! You're saying you discovered Kaido and BIG MOM have gathered a large fleet at the same time, both are fully armed, and there's a possibility they intend to make contact!"

Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, a burly man with a stern demeanor was shouting into a Den Den Mushi. His voice was so powerful it made the Den Den Mushi tremble, and the windows in the distance creaked under its sonic waves.

"Y-yes, Fleet Admiral Kong."

The Marine intelligence officer on the other end of the Den Den Mushi was clearly startled and replied with a trembling voice.

"Hoo~"

Hearing the tense, slightly distorted voice from the other side, the burly man took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said, "When did they set sail?"

"O-one day ago."

"..."

"Bastards!"

This time, the window couldn't hold on any longer. The glass embedded in it shattered and cracked, scattering across the floor.

"What good are you intelligence officers! Why are you reporting this only now!"

"R-reporting, Fleet Admiral, we originally thought it was a routine voyage, we didn't expect..."

"Enough! Keep a close eye on them. As soon as you figure out their movements, report to me immediately!"

Without listening to the explanation from the other side, the Fleet Admiral immediately made deployment plans.

[These guys!]

After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, the now-calm Kong shouted to the outside of his office, "Immediately summon Sengoku and Zephyr, and if Garp is back, call him over as well!"

"Yes!"

The communications soldier outside the door, shaking his slightly ringing ears, immediately began contacting Sengoku and the others.

[Tch! That Rocks guy, even though he's dead, he's left so much trouble! Without his restraint, who knows how many storms these ambitious guys will stir up on the sea!]

After smoking two cigars, Admirals Sengoku and Zephyr finally arrived at the Fleet Admiral's office.

"Did something happen, Fleet Admiral Kong?" Zephyr asked immediately upon entering.

Kong looked at the two who had rushed over, then leaned forward, but didn't find the figure that gave him a headache.

[Never mind.]

Kong didn't waste any more time and directly relayed the information from the intelligence department to the two.

"Our intelligence personnel in the New World just sent word that the Beasts Pirates and the BIG MOM Pirates have set sail simultaneously, and the scale of their fleets is not small. They seem to be intending to make contact. Their current rendezvous point is unknown; I've told them to continue monitoring."

"Are they going to attack Hachinosu Island?"

Upon hearing this news, Sengoku almost immediately thought of that famous pirate island.

"The only thing that could get these two to cooperate is likely Rocks' Treasure."

Hearing Sengoku's speculation, Kong and Zephyr were stunned for a moment, then nodded in unison. According to recent information from the intelligence department, Hachinosu Island has indeed been unusually busy, with more than double the usual number of ships coming and going.

"It's highly possible. Captain John's recent movements have also been somewhat unusual, but we'll have to see their subsequent actions. By the way, hasn't Garp returned yet?"

"No, a few days ago, G5 Branch was attacked, and Garp and his team are there helping with the reconstruction," Sengoku said helplessly, recalling his old friend's exasperated voice over the Den Den Mushi.

"That guy! Rebuilding bases is the job of the engineering corps; what's he doing causing trouble there!"

Just thinking about Garp's carefree attitude made Kong, the Fleet Admiral known as "Steel Bone," furious.

"Do you need me to lead a team there? If it's really BIG MOM and the others going to war with John, this could be a good opportunity for us," Zephyr volunteered, wanting to rush to the scene. As he said, if it were confirmed to be an internal pirate conflict, the Marines might have a chance to be the mantis catching the cicada, catching them all in one fell swoop.

"Hmm, Sengoku, what do you think?"

Kong nodded, but still asked for the opinion of Sengoku, the renowned "Tactician" of the Marines.

"This matter isn't that simple."

Sengoku, as an Admiral, shook his head. He felt there must be some hidden force behind this.

"From the intelligence we received earlier, Hachinosu Island seems to have had frequent contact with the forces of Silver Axe and Wang Zhi not long ago. Combined with the recent intelligence, it's highly likely they are preparing to deal with the alliance of BIG MOM and Kaido."

Sengoku adjusted his glasses and continued to analyze, "But there are still a few questions. With John's strength, dealing with both BIG MOM and Kaido simultaneously might be a bit strenuous, but there's no need for him to simultaneously recruit both Silver Axe and Wang Zhi. The more people involved, the more they'll want a share, and with John's greedy nature, he wouldn't do this, unless..."

"Unless?"

Sengoku changed his tone, "Unless some other force is forcing him to recruit both Silver Axe and Wang Zhi's factions simultaneously!"

"And Kaido and BIG MOM's contact this time is also very strange. We didn't receive any prior news about this from them."

Normally, actions that appear to be alliances like this wouldn't be simply decided over Den Den Mushi. The members of both pirate crews must have met face-to-face, yet we received no information."

"Could it be that the two of them met secretly? After all, both of them can fly and cross the sea without relying on ships," Zephyr said.

"Mhm, that's possible. But speaking of flying..." Sengoku's eyes widened behind his glasses as if he'd just thought of something.

"Fleet Admiral Kong, what's the Golden Lion's recent activity?!"

"We haven't received any information... You don't mean?!"

Kong also realized what was happening and immediately picked up a Den Den Mushi to call the head of the Marines' intelligence department.

"Hello! This is Fleet Admiral Kong. Immediately compile Shiki the Golden Lion's recent movements for me."

"Understood! Please wait a moment, Fleet Admiral Kong. We'll start compiling the information now."

Upon receiving the call, the other party immediately instructed his subordinates to organize the data and activated a secure Den Den Mushi.

Three minutes later, the voice of the intelligence department head came through the Den Den Mushi again.

"Reporting, Fleet Admiral. Shiki the Golden Lion's fleet did indeed disappear for a period seven days ago. However, as they reappeared shortly after and no other actions were observed, we concluded it was just a normal movement and did not report it to your office."

"Seven days ago..."

Hearing the intelligence report, Kong felt both angry and somewhat helpless.

The Golden Lion's abilities were a nightmare for the Marines' reconnaissance personnel. The Flutter-Flutter Fruit allowed the Golden Lion's fleet and his islands to remain almost perpetually floating in the clouds, beyond the reach of sight.

The Marines couldn't constantly look up at the sky, paying attention to every movement ten thousand meters above.

Therefore, for the intelligence department, the Golden Lion's fleet disappearing for a day or two was perfectly normal, and there was no need to report it to the Fleet Admiral's desk every single time.

"Disappeared a week ago... coupled with the significant troop movements on Hachinosu Island recently, and the seemingly tacit understanding between Kaido and BIG MOM.

That's it! It seems the person John was wary of is Shiki!" Sengoku reached a firm conclusion.

"That's right. If someone were to attack Hachinosu Island, that guy wouldn't possibly not be involved," Zephyr agreed with Sengoku's deduction.

"Or rather, it's most logical that he initiated this joint pirate operation."

"Mhm."

Upon hearing this, Steel Bone Kong, a Marine Admiral, did not hesitate and immediately issued orders.

"We can't delay any longer! Zephyr, you will go to G5 Branch immediately and rendezvous with Garp. The two of you will head to the waters around Hachinosu Island at maximum speed.

Sengoku, you will remain at Headquarters with Tsuru's staff, maintaining constant contact with the intelligence department and Zephyr's team to stay updated on the battlefield's progress.

I will report to the Gorosei. This opportunity, even if we can't capture all of these Rocks' remnants, we must at least eliminate some of the most troublesome ones!"

"Yes!" ×2

Time returned to the present. In a sea area on the outermost periphery of Fenrir Island, the Beasts Pirates fleet, led by the "Taurus," was sailing quietly on the sea.

"Men, prepare yourselves! We're almost there."

Burufatt, at the ship's bow, lowered his spyglass and shouted to the pirates behind him.

He could already see the outermost island of this sea area on the distant horizon.

Their current location was the closest they could get without being detected by the enemy's scouts.

"You few, get ready. Take the Bubble Coral and Den Den Mushi and dive into the sea. As soon as you spot any unusual activity from the ships on the island, notify us immediately."

Burufatt pointed out several Fish-Men and instructed them to approach from the sea to observe.

"Leave it to us, Brother Burufatt!" Those with various appearances confidently assured him.

"Alright! I'll wait for your news here then."

Burufatt nodded in affirmation, then said to the others on the ship, "Everyone, sharpen your weapons, check your cannonballs and cannons, and be ready for combat at any moment!"

"Yes!" ×n

The pirates on the ship immediately scattered back to their posts, beginning their final preparations.

"Obe, Obe~ Listen, we're about to start the main operation!"

Amidst the crowd, Oshi excitedly shook Obe's arm. She was clearly filled with anticipation for the upcoming battle.

"I'm already prepared. As for you, you should focus on getting your mindset right so you don't get too excited and stumble again."

Obe helplessly pulled her hand away. In truth, she wanted to tell Oshi to be mentally prepared to take lives, so it wouldn't be troublesome if she froze on the battlefield.

"Don't worry, I'm so strong, it'll be fine. Besides, aren't you here too?"

"You remember me now? You didn't hesitate at all to sell me out to Big Sis two days ago."

Obe squinted at Oshi, clearly not forgetting how she had betrayed her in front of Ra.

"Hah... haha~ It was all a misunderstanding, I was just flustered at the time~" Oshi awkwardly ran a hand through her hair.

"Besides, it's been so long since then. You're my most trusted sister, and our bond shouldn't be tarnished by such a small misunderstanding~"

"Hmph↑ Whatever you say." Obe turned her head and looked out at the sea.

[Looks like it's fine now, what a tsundere kid~]

Oshi watched Obe avert her gaze and silently labeled her as such in her heart.

Although Oshi appeared carefree, she could still sense Obe's concern for her, including the worry hidden in her words that Oshi might encounter danger due to her unfamiliarity with the battlefield.

[Hoo~ Is this day finally coming... The day I personally take another's life.]

She quietly took a few deep breaths, suppressing the subtle ripple within her heart. Oshi, possessing the Underworld God Authority, had become extremely sensitive to the passing of life at some point.

[I originally didn't care at all about the lives of humans in this world... How strange.]

Oshi recalled an action that could be described as 'nation-destroying' shortly after her first encounter with Kaido.

Almost everyone in an entire palace had died before her eyes. Some of them deserved their fate, while others were completely innocent victims.

At that time, she had heard their wails and cries for help but paid them no mind, as if watching unfamiliar NPCs die in a game.

Even when Ra had specifically asked about it, she had simply brushed it off indifferently.

But at some point, for some reason, she had begun to feel the weight of these lives.

Perhaps she was influenced by her own Authority, perhaps her interactions with Burufatt and the others had given her a slight sense of belonging to this world, or perhaps it was the scene she witnessed a few mornings ago of the town's blacksmith escorting his deceased father to his funeral.

Wagner, usually stoic with a resolute expression, had cried like a child at that moment... and she had watched silently from a distance.

For ordinary pirates, taking another's life was as simple as swinging a sword or firing a bullet, as commonplace as eating or drinking.

After all, people die when they are killed.

Some of them even took pleasure in slaughtering civilians, viewing human lives as worthless as weeds by the roadside.

But for Oshi now, for this young god who had awakened her Authority, she could truly feel the weight of life, or rather, of souls.

The Authority originating from the Underworld allowed her to touch the unknown world beyond death.

Afterward, Oshi had spent a long time contemplating this matter.

During this period, she tried standing in many different positions and perspectives—as an ordinary person, as an otherworldly being, with divinity, with humanity, as [You Ling], as [Osiris]...

She had truly thought a lot about taking a life.

And after prolonged contemplation, Oshi reached a conclusion—perhaps "thinking" wasn't suited for her.

When it truly came time to make a choice, her instincts would guide her body to act correctly, rather than relying on answers derived from abstract thought. Just as she had always done.

Her gilded eyes looked towards the beach on the outer edge of the distant island, where a resting crab was snatched by a passing seabird and swallowed whole in mid-air.

The island, whose outline Burufatt could barely make out with binoculars, was so clear to Oshi that she could see every tree and blade of grass on it.

Including even a feather that had fallen from the seabird's wings as it took flight just now.