"D... Devil..."
A Marine soldier murmured, the word slipping out—the name of something that existed only in fantasy.
"Roar!"
The roar echoed all around them, so loud it made their eardrums ache!
But the Marines stationed here on Sabaody Archipelago were elite, every last one of them. They quickly regained their composure.
"Don't panic! It's huge, so keep aiming!"
At their captain's command, the Marines shook off their brief astonishment and got back into formation. They loaded their guns and resumed firing at the "monster."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...
One lead bullet after another rained down on Lindsey.
The bullets scraped against his skin, even throwing off showers of sparks as they engulfed him!
But it didn't take long for the Marines to realize that everything they'd just done had been pointless.
"N-no good!"
A Marine soldier got a clear look at Lindsey and saw that his skin hadn't even been grazed. He couldn't help crying out:
"He's a Devil Fruit User! Bullets won't work on him!"
The Marine captain stared in his direction as well.
As the highest-ranking officer here, it was his duty to assess the situation. But the more he analyzed it, the bleaker it seemed.
A Zoan User?
Given his unusual appearance, there was a good chance he had a Zoan Mythical Beast Type Devil Fruit, even rarer than a Logia Type!
Those slave traders sure knew how to make trouble. How had they let someone like him into the Colosseum?!
"Keep firing! Aim for his head and suppress him!"
The Marine captain gave the order. "Headquarters will send someone. We just have to hold out until then!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang...
Another volley rang out.
But this time, the bullets didn't hit Lindsey's skin. They struck the two earthen walls he'd raised.
"Give me a break. The smell of gunpowder is awful."
Lindsey reached out with both hands, tore two huge chunks of earth and stone from the ground, and used them as shields as he advanced at a steady pace.
Thud! Thud! Thud...
Every step landed with such weight that the Marines nearby could barely catch their breath.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, Lindsey picked up speed. Carrying the two massive slabs of earth and stone, he charged forward and slammed into the Marines' defensive line.
"Stop him! Hurry, stop him—"
"Waaah!"
"..."
Amid a chorus of screams, Lindsey smashed straight through the Marines' formation.
The slaves and gladiators hiding inside the Arena, along with the noble lords, saw that the Marines had finally stopped shooting and rushed out as well.
In an instant, the crowds became a jumbled mass, fleeing in all directions. In the chaos, slaves even found themselves running alongside noble lords.
The scene descended into utter disorder!
The Marines tried to restore order, but the nobles wouldn't listen to them, and the slaves and gladiators would never side with the Marines.
So the Marines could only focus on the most conspicuous person there—the one who'd started it all—
Aiven Lindsey!
"Pursue him! Stay right on his heels and hold him off until our reinforcements arrive!"
Marineford.
Navy Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
The previous Fleet Admiral, "Sengoku the Buddha," had been reassigned as World Commander. "War Strategist" Sengoku had taken his place, assuming the role of Fleet Admiral several years ago.
At that moment, Sengoku sat at his desk, deep in thought over an Urgent Battle Report that had just arrived.
The report's contents were simple:
An attack on a Celestial Dragon had broken out on Sabaody Archipelago in the Grand Line, and one of the Celestial Dragons was now missing and possibly dead!
By the rules, an incident of this magnitude called for a Marine Admiral to be dispatched. Unfortunately, the current situation was rather unfavorable for the Marines.
The year was 1506 on the Marineford Calendar.
The Great Pirate Era had begun just a few years ago, and many events that would shape the future were still in their infancy.
Sengoku carried the title "War Strategist" for good reason. He had foreseen many major events and had his own considerations for dealing with them.
What was the situation now?
In the New World, the Four Emperors' balance of power had yet to take shape, and the various factions were locked in constant conflict.
The Shichibukai system, created to counterbalance the Four Emperors, was still in its early stages. Only a few pirates had taken up the title, and the remaining positions were still vacant.
Even those who had joined, such as the "Sand Crocodile" Crocodile, were already making moves of their own and had to be watched carefully.
In other words, though the seas seemed much more peaceful now than during the early days of the Great Pirate Era, with less chaos on the surface, undercurrents still ran deep!
In this climate, the strength of a Marine Admiral was especially crucial. The actions of any one of them could set off a chain reaction on a massive scale!
Sengoku couldn't afford to take that risk.
He sat with a grave expression, thinking hard for a long time, but still couldn't find anyone suitable to handle the matter.
The three candidates for Marine Admiral—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—were all occupied with their own assignments and couldn't easily be pulled away.
"But if the Marines don't send someone, then the World Government's CP0 will have to step in..."
Sengoku murmured to himself.
He knew exactly what those CP0 agents were like.
As the Celestial Dragons' "Strongest Shield," CP0 carried out its missions with ruthless indifference, never sparing a thought for the innocent civilians nearby.
If this had happened out at sea, away from anyone, that would have been one thing. No one else would be caught in the crossfire.
But this incident had taken place on Sabaody Archipelago!
It wasn't just a famous tourist destination; it was also the vital route connecting the first and second halves of the Grand Line!
If CP0 went on a rampage in a place like that, who knew how many civilians would die?
The consequences would be impossible to predict. The lawless areas of Sabaody Archipelago could expand, further weakening the Marines' influence there!
"I need to find a way to satisfy both sides."
Sengoku pondered.
But at the same time, the Celestial Dragons kept bombarding him with calls on their Den Den Mushi.
Brrring, brrring, brrring...
Brrring, brrring, brrring...
"Tch..."
Sengoku was getting a headache. He really didn't want those heartless CP0 agents interfering on Sabaody Archipelago.
Just as he was at a loss, the Fleet Admiral's Office door suddenly swung open.
The visitor hadn't knocked.
Few people in the Marines dared to do that, and those who did were undoubtedly capable of helping Sengoku shoulder his burdens.
He looked up, and sure enough.
A petite, elderly woman with gray hair stood before Sengoku's desk. She picked up the battle report without a word and read it, then sighed.
"Honestly, young people just can't seem to behave."
Who was she?
She was the only Chief Officer at Navy Headquarters, and a veteran Marine who had served alongside Sengoku and Garp, two powerful officers of the same generation—Tsuru!
Granny Tsuru gently set down the report and looked up at Sengoku, summing up the problem with a rueful expression.
"There's no one you can send, but you don't want CP0 involved?"
"Right."
Old comrades didn't need many words. Sengoku nodded.
Granny Tsuru thought for a moment, took a Den Den Mushi from her pocket, and set it gently on the desk.
"Can't be helped. There's a lazy fellow near Sabaody Archipelago right now. He may be only a mere 'Vice Admiral'..."
Granny Tsuru smiled, perfectly composed.
"If we send him to handle it, the Celestial Dragons shouldn't have anything to say, right?"
Sengoku's eyes lit up.
If it was him, he really would be the most suitable person to handle a problem between the Celestial Dragons and the common people!
Brrring, brrring, brrring...
Click!
The call connected.
An incredibly loud voice came from the other end, laughing:
"Ahahahahaha! My vacation isn't over yet, you know! What kind of trouble have you got over there, Tsuru?"
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