Scorching heat surged up from the "heavenly pit." The pit blasted open by the Ancient Weapon seemed to lead straight to the earth's core, and as time passed, a heavy sulfurous stench wafted out from within.
The temperature at the earth's core differed enormously from that on the surface, and the immense temperature gap caused hot winds to howl out of the pit from time to time.
Zephyr and Kuzan stood at the edge of the pit. Neither seemed to notice the changes in their surroundings. Facing each other, both wore sorrowful expressions.
"Yoriichi was on the island?!"
Zephyr muttered, his unfocused eyes staring at the boundless, bottomless heavenly pit before him. His face twitched slightly as a chill ran through his entire body.
Something had happened.
The moment Zephyr thought of the consequences if Tsugikuni Yoriichi had died, of tens of millions of ordinary people reduced to ash, his vision went dark and his head spun.
Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Kuzan caught Zephyr before he could fall and asked gloomily,
"Teacher Zephyr, what do we do?!"
Something this major had happened to the Alabasta Kingdom. Concealing it was simply unrealistic. More importantly, they had to determine what kind of weapon could produce such devastating effects, destroying a nation like the Alabasta Kingdom with a single strike.
According to Cobra's account, this might have been the effect of an Ancient Weapon's attack. The Marines had to find out who possessed this Ancient Weapon.
At the same time, Tsugikuni Yoriichi's death would once again throw the relatively peaceful seas into chaos.
The World Government would never sit still and wait for death. Without Tsugikuni Yoriichi suppressing the Gorosei, the New Marines would surely face a purge. The New Marines and Marine Headquarters, two different Marine factions, would once again reignite the flames