The Grand Line, in the waters at the edge of the Calm Belt near Marineford.
A pitch-black fast ship hovered silently above the sea, its hull enveloped in a pale golden halo that blended into the surrounding water. Even the Marines' surveillance Den Den Mushi could not detect the slightest trace of it.
At the bow, Huang Zhong stood in golden armor, the Sunset Bow in hand, his sharp gaze fixed on Marineford dozens of nautical miles away. The steel fortress rising from the middle of the sea resembled a lurking behemoth. The warships in its harbor, the gun emplacements in its plaza, and its layer upon layer of fortifications were all laid bare before his eyes.
Dialga's power of time flowed silently around him. His gaze seemed to pierce the barriers of time, clearly capturing every defensive deployment and every troop movement within Marineford in his perception.
"Godfather, is that Marineford?"
Jewelry Bonney crouched at Huang Zhong's feet, her little face full of nervousness. Her small hands gripped his cape tightly as she followed his gaze toward the distant fortress. Even from dozens of nautical miles away, she could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from it. The killing intent of a hundred thousand Marines and the presence of the Three Admirals weighed upon the sea like something tangible, making her cautious even as she breathed.
"That's right." Huang Zhong slowly withdrew his gaze and ruffled her pink hair, his voice steady. "That is Marine Headquarters, and the main battlefield of the coming war. We'll be lying low here in the days ahead, until the war begins."
"Then my father... he's in there right now, isn't he?" Jewelry Bonney's voice grew quieter, her little face filled with worry.
"Yes." Huang Zhong nodded. "The Wind-Listening Guard just sent word that Kuma