The Storm of Disappearances

Marine Headquarters · Marineford · Fleet Admiral's Office

The atmosphere in the office was so grim it seemed water could drip from it.

Fleet Admiral Sakazuki was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, his expression terrifyingly grim.

Several urgent reports lay spread across the desk before him.

"Bang!"

Akainu's massive fist, Wrapped in wisps of scorching magma heat, slammed viciously onto the expensive solid-wood desk!

"Sizzle—!"

A charred black hole was instantly melted through the sturdy tabletop. Blue smoke and sparks still rose from its edges, while one corner of the documents had been burned away.

"Bastards!!" Akainu's roar nearly blew the roof off. "Sengoku! Garp! Tsuru! What the hell are those three old geezers doing?! Pulling a collective disappearing act?! At a time like this?! Do they not know what kind of situation we're in?! All they ever do is make trouble for me! Cause me headaches!!"

In the corner of the office, Marine Admiral Borsalino sat with his legs crossed, leisurely holding a cup of hot tea.

The instant Akainu slammed the desk, his body flashed into a streak of Golden Light and Appeared by the window at the other end of the office, perfectly avoiding the splattering magma and sparks.

He patted his chest exaggeratedly and drawled, "Ooh~ how scary~ Sakazuki~ Your temper's a little too hot, isn't it~ That desk was expensive, you know. The repair bill's going to blow past the budget again, and the girls in Finance will cry~ Maybe Mr. Sengoku and the others just... hmm... found somewhere to hold a retirement tea party?" he guessed without the slightest sincerity.

Just as Akainu's rage was about to break past its limit, the office door was violently thrown open.

A communications soldier, drenched in sweat and pale as a sheet, stumbled and crawled inside, his voice on the verge of tears. "R-Report, Fleet Admiral! S-Something terrible has happened!"

Akainu's vicious gaze Scanned him. "Speak!"

The communications soldier Trembled, then stammered, "A-Admiral Issho! Marine Admiral Fujitora! H-He suddenly lost contact while patrolling the waters around G-14 Branch! Along with his warship! His Vivre Card... his Vivre Card is pointing in an unknown direction and can't be tracked!!"

"What—?!!" Akainu's pupils instantly contracted. His violent Conqueror's Haki erupted out of control, and every glass window in the office shattered with a crash! The communications soldier and the guards outside the door were knocked unconscious on the spot.

His body Trembled slightly with extreme fury. His Magma-ified right arm bubbled violently, and the temperature inside the office soared. "Fujitora?! Him too?! Good! Very good!"

Akainu laughed in rage, his expression twisted. "Fine! Keep putting on an act for me! Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, Fujitora! You four old ghosts planned this together, didn't you?! Pulling a collective disappearance at a moment like this?! Are you trying to make a joke out of me?! Or force me out of office?!"

He had completely fallen into his own logic, convinced that this was a conspiracy against his authority as Fleet Admiral.

"Investigate! Dig three feet into the ground if you have to, but find them! I want to see them alive or their corpses dead! No, I want them alive! I'd like to see where the hell they can hide!"

Akainu's roar echoed over Marineford.

Watching the furious Akainu and the wrecked office, Kizaru slowly sipped his tea. An eerie gleam flashed across his lenses as he lazily said to the air in his signature, infuriatingly laid-back tone, "Maybe... they really did all skip work to soak in hot springs? Sengoku likes sulfur springs, Garp might have gone to steal senbei, Granny Tsuru probably went shopping, and Issho... maybe he found somewhere quiet to take a nap? How nice~ So enviable~ I really want to skip work and go on vacation too~"

Those words were like pouring oil on a fire. Akainu abruptly turned his head, his magma-like gaze locking onto Kizaru. The remaining intact documents in the office instantly caught fire from the heat.

Kizaru wore an innocent expression, as though he had merely stated an obvious fact.

Unlike the vacation villa imprisoning the Marines, a far more magnificent and bizarrely styled palace stood in the Core Area of Kamui Space.

On the palace's highest floor, within a bedroom spacious enough to make even the Giant Tribe feel comfortable, an extravagant round bed more than ten meters in diameter occupied the center.

At that moment, the bed was bearing the sweetest—and heaviest—burden of its existence.

Boa Hancock occupied the spot closest to Allen's right side. Like a proud Persian cat, she crossed her long legs, draping one hand lazily over Allen's shoulder while lightly curling her jet-black hair around the fingers of the other.

She tilted her head slightly, casting sidelong glances at the others with her Beautiful Eyes, as if silently declaring her claim.

"My Husband Lord will surely shine like the sun tomorrow and cleanse all filth away!"

Her tone was filled with unquestionable certainty, yet her slightly tightened jaw still revealed a trace of worry.

Yamato sat cross-legged at Allen's Left hand, brimming with energy and showing none of the tension one might expect before a great battle.

She wore combat gear, and the Glazed Sword rested beside the bed, ready to be grabbed at any moment.

She waved her fist, her white hair drifting with the movement. "Oooh! Allen! Tomorrow, we'll definitely smash that Imu guy to pieces! Let the world see our strength!"

Her eyes shone brilliantly, filled with the Fighting Spirit of one who had inherited a will.

Nico Robin sat elegantly on the edge of the bed, a heavy ancient book spread open on her knees as her finger lightly tapped the pages.

She pushed up a pair of nonexistent glasses, a faint smile lingering on her lips. "Based on fragmented historical records and an analysis of spatial-structure fluctuations, Imu's abilities have several theoretical weak points... though in practice, we may need a little unexpected surprise."

Her gaze Scanned Allen, carrying the wisdom of someone who saw through everything—and a hint of teasing.

Nana did not press close to Allen as the others did, but sat obediently nearby.

Hiyori knelt on a cushion beside the bed, her manner gentle and graceful, like tranquil moonlight.

Holding a cup of clear tea, she softly blew away the steam and said in a gentle voice, "Lord Allen, please take good care of yourself. This Empress... will remain here and pray for you and all the brave warriors."

Her voice flowed like a quiet stream, carrying a soothing power. At her side lay an exquisitely decorated dagger, hinting that she was not entirely defenseless.

Perona was not sitting on the bed. Instead, she floated in midair, hugging her enormous Kumashi doll.

Several Negi-Negi Ghosts drifted lazily around her.

She pouted. "Oh my~ this feels so scary~ That Imu sounds so gloomy, even gloomier than Lord Moria! Perona really wants to hide... Allen, if you lose, will we all become ghosts? Then what will happen to Kumashi?"

The Negi-Negi Ghosts let out timely, mournful "horohoro" wails, adding a touch of... eerie cuteness to the bedroom?

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