Luring the tiger from its mountain

Early the next morning.

The sea breeze over Marineford still carried the damp chill of the night's rain. Morning light tore a gap through the clouds, spilling sunshine over Headquarters' towering walls and harbor.

Just as everything seemed to be business as usual—

An abrupt order passed down through the World Government's ranks, bypassing lengthy deliberations and delays to land directly on Marine Headquarters' highest dispatch desk.

—Emergency extermination order.

—Multiple pirate crews on the outskirts of the New World were to be wiped out simultaneously.

—A World Government "special directive," requiring immediate execution.

The thick documents were swiftly unsealed, stamped, and distributed.

And at the very bottom of that string of orders—

One name had been deliberately highlighted in conspicuous red.

Admiral Zephyr was to lead a force out immediately to eliminate the targets.

The port sprang to life almost at once. Military boots clanged against steel gangways, the overlapping footsteps echoing across the harbor;

Supply crates were swiftly loaded, cannon barrels checked, and ammunition readied;

Communications officers loudly repeated orders, and roll calls rang out one after another through the morning mist.

The orders came down too fast—so fast they left almost no time to react.

Zephyr stood on his warship's deck, his admiral's coat snapping in the sea breeze.

His expression remained cold and hard, like iron tempered by the years.

"Set sail."

The command was low and brief.

Mooring lines were hauled in, propellers churned the water, and the massive warship slowly left port, trailing a broad white wake across the sea.

On shore.

Rock and Garp stood side by side, watching the warship recede into the distance.

"We should get going too."

Rock yawned, his tone casual. "I hear Roger and Whitebeard have been pretty active lately~"

Garp grinned and tossed his coat over his