Jaya Island
In the early morning, the sky was faintly bright. The rising sun hung halfway up in the sky, radiating a soft golden glow that blanketed the entire land.
Sabaody Archipelago, 71st Island.
A three-masted sailing ship lay quietly moored by the shore. More than thirty Umbrella Corporation employees dressed in black suits carried various weapons and ammunition aboard via the gangplank laid out on the coast.
Five other employees each led four goats into the cabin and locked them inside iron cages.
Stella and Gild Tesoro stood on the deck, admiring the sunrise over the sea.
A Black Bat flew out of the woods and landed on the ship's rail. Using the bat's location, Sephiroth, clad in black leather and wearing a white half-mask, opened a Spatial Gate and appeared on the deck.
He carried an iron cage in his left hand. Inside was a Vampire Bat hanging upside down.
"Boss!" x2
Sephiroth nodded lightly in response. He first swept his gaze over the thirty-plus men in black suits on the ship before asking:
"Mm. Are you ready?"
"We're ready. We can depart at any time," Gild Tesoro replied decisively.
"Good! Sail with the wind. Set off!"
"Men, move out!"
With Gild Tesoro's shout, the men in black suits immediately sprang into action, raising the anchor, hoisting the sails, and leaving the shore.
Sephiroth set the iron cage in his hand on the deck, pulled out a rough map of the Grand Line from his pocket, and studied it.
"Gild Tesoro, are you sure there are bats I gave you on Jaya Island?"
"Mm! I sent people to every location you instructed me to, and had them place bats there.
I also had those people help the company develop its intelligence operations..."
"Right! Speaking of intelligence... have you