World Government Panic
When Natsu and Quan set off from Origin Island, they had no intention of taking a boat.
He put one arm around Izumi's waist, and a flash of silvery-white light, reminiscent of the Flying Thunder God Formula, surrounded them. The familiar furnishings of the side hall of the Naka Shrine were replaced by the humid sea breeze of the Sabaody Archipelago.
They landed on the branches of Yarukiman Mangrove, transparent bubbles slowly rising beneath their feet, sunlight filtering through the gaps in the canopy and casting dappled patterns, the air filled with the sweet and salty aroma of coconut sugar and grilled seafood.
Quan stood on the tree trunk, took a deep breath, and a rare look of ease appeared on his face.
The last time she visited the Sabaody Archipelago was two years ago, when the entire Island One was burned to the ground. Now, the shops have reopened, tourists are thronging the island, and even new grass is sprouting from the cracks in the tree roots.
"Let's go, let's stroll around that street first." Natsu gestured with his chin toward the shopping street not far away, and Quan took his arm, their steps as light as a student just on vacation.
The two strolled leisurely through the shopping street. Quan picked out several seashell headbands in a jewelry store, Natsu stood to the side, listlessly browsing through the Seastone trinkets on the stall, occasionally pointing and saying things like, "This color doesn't suit you, that one's alright."
The passersby initially paid no attention to the young couple in casual clothes, after all, the Sabaody Archipelago receives tourists from all over the world every day.
But those watching from the shadows are far more perceptive than passersby.
In a CP safe house disguised as a hotel on Island Three, the intelligence officer in charge of monitoring the Sabaody Archipelago area was idly flipping through today's visitor registration form when he was suddenly drawn to a blurry silhouette captured by a surveillance Den Den Mushi.
He rubbed his eyes, zoomed in and zoomed in on the image, focusing on the young couple who had just come out of the jewelry store.
The boy looked no more than fifteen years old, with short black hair and gray casual clothes. He followed lazily behind his female companion, carrying several shopping bags in his hands.
The woman was smiling as she held up a seashell hair clip to the sunlight.
But he would never mistake that face—the face that had appeared countless times in urgent reports from Marine Headquarters.
Uchiha Natsu, the Godslayer with a bounty of 15 billion Beli, who cleaved Marineford in two with a single strike, is currently strolling Void Demon Tamer through the shopping streets of Island Number Three.
The intelligence officer's hands trembled so badly he could barely hold the Den Den Mushi's receiver. He scrambled to the encrypted communicator and screamed into the other end of the line in a distorted voice, "The Void Demon Tamer has appeared in Sabaody! Shopping district on Island 3! Repeat, the Void Demon Tamer is on Island 3!"
The news reached Mary Geoise in less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
At this moment, a Celestial Dragons's private ship was slowly entering the port of Sabaody. Saint Charlos was on board, was preparing to disembark and visit the slave auction house. The accompanying CP0 agents were already lined up and waiting for orders.
Then the urgent alert in the encrypted channel struck like a thunderbolt.
For the first time, a crack appeared on the CP0 leader's perpetually cold face beneath his mask— Void Demon Tamer, in Sabaody.
The madman who publicly executed the Celestial Dragons, killed Steel Bone Kong, and forced Saint Imu to retreat is located on the commercial street less than two kilometers from this port.
"Turn around." The CP0 leader's voice was cold and urgent. "Protect Saint Charlos and return to Mary Geoise immediately. Depart without delay."
The Celestial Dragons on the ship were still grumbling, "What's there to be afraid of with just one pirate?", but CP0 didn't give them a chance to continue complaining.
The ship quickly left the shore, leaving behind a group of bewildered sailors and merchants in the harbor.
At the same time, multiple CP teams urgently set up an invisible blockade around Natsu and Quan.
They didn't stop anyone, didn't question anyone, and even walked quietly.
One of the CP Agent accidentally met Natsu's gaze and froze on the spot. After a few breaths, he slowly retreated into the shadows at the alley entrance, drenched in cold sweat.
Their orders were not to "arrest" or "intercept"—such a foolish thing no one dared to do two years ago—but rather to "protectively evacuate all Celestial Dragons on the island and their related assets."
In layman's terms: Run before he notices you.
Natsu didn't glance at them once from beginning to end.
He leaned against a bench in the shopping street and helped Quan peel a roasted coconut candy he had just bought.
The candy wrapper was a little sticky, and he carefully tore it for a long time with his eyes downcast, finally handing it to Quan Zui intact.
With a candy in his mouth, Quan watched the hurried figures in black rushing to leave the street corner, then glanced at Natsu, who was intently peeling her second candy, and couldn't help but chuckle.
She asked him what he was laughing at, but without looking up, he said that as long as she was happy.
Izumi didn't ask any more questions. She just leaned on his shoulder and watched the bubbles in Sabaody slowly rise into the afternoon sun, each one reflecting her smiling eyes.
New Marineford, Sengoku was in his Fleet Admiral's Office reviewing the final batch of project acceptance reports for the expansion of the G-2 Headquarters.
The messenger didn't even dare to read the telegram aloud. He simply placed the encrypted telegram, which had just been urgently sent from the CP safe house in Sabaody, on the edge of his desk, his face pale, his fingers still trembling.
Sengoku put down his pen, picked up the telegram, and his fingers tightened suddenly as his eyes scanned the first line of text.
Uchiha Natsu appeared in the Sabaody Archipelago.
Island No. 3, Shopping Street.
One person was accompanying the group; their identity is yet to be confirmed.
CP teams have activated emergency plans to escort the Celestial Dragons evacuating from the island, and no firefights have occurred so far.
It felt as if most of the air had been sucked out of the office.
Sengoku Guo slowly placed the telegram on the table, took off his glasses, and rubbed his temples vigorously with his thumb and forefinger. He suddenly felt that he was really old.
More than half a year Summit War, the boy who had cleaved Marineford in two with a single strike, publicly killed Steel Bone Kong, and forced Saint Imu to personally intervene, yet still failed to survive, has been living in seclusion on Origin Island since the war, and has almost never appeared in any public setting.
The monthly reports from the Marine Intelligence Department regarding Uchiha Natsu's movements were invariably filled with statements like "no record of him leaving the island," "no public activities," and "presumed to still be on Origin Island."
Half a year had passed, and Sengoku was almost convinced that the madman planned to settle down on Origin Island for the rest of his life.
But now, he appeared in the Sabaody Archipelago without warning, with only one person by his side, without any prior indication or fleet following him, as casually as if he were going out for a walk.
What is he trying to do?
Sengoku's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table.
Regardless of what the other party intends to do, the sudden appearance of a Godslayer of 15 billion Beli on the Sabaody Archipelago, just inches away from Mary Geoise, is enough to push the nerves of the entire World Government to their limit.
He alone can suppress several Admiral-Emperor Level combatants; Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji are no match for him if taken individually.