Moon Base

A few minutes later, a hoarse, familiar voice came through the receiver. "I knew you'd contact me, Edward Newgate."

"Long time no see, Steel Bone," Whitebeard replied calmly. "Or should I call you Fleet Admiral?"

Fleet Admiral Kong's voice came through the special device without the slightest delay. "Titles don't matter much to people our age. I take it you're calling about the changes on the moon?"

"You've been watching," Whitebeard said with certainty.

"Without a break," Kong replied. "Ever since we found those ancient ruins on Nameless Island forty years ago and learned part of the truth, I've been watching for the signs."

Whitebeard recalled those days. He and Kong had been young then, rising stars who had stumbled upon the Ancient Kingdom's secrets together. Afterward, they had chosen different paths: Kong joined the Marines, hoping to change the World Government from within, while Edward Newgate chose to become a pirate.

"The Five Elders have begun their final preparations," Kong said, his voice growing heavier. "They call it the 'Heavenly Dragon Descent Plan.' From what I know, it involves a technology that can stabilize the Dimensional Barrier, but at the cost of ninety percent of the world's population."

"They'd sacrifice the whole world to save themselves." Whitebeard clenched his fist. "Typical Celestial Dragon thinking."

"I've done my best to stop them, but I have little influence over the Five Elders." Kong sounded unusually weary. "They've already begun secretly mobilizing elite Marine and Cipher Pol Aigis Zero forces to seize control of every key ruin."

Whitebeard thought for a moment. "We're running out of time. Gol D. Roger once said that the moment the pattern on the moon was complete, the final choice would begin. I've sent people to find every key holder. I hope we can activate the ancient