Deep within a hidden financial fortress in the New World.
In an office decorated with almost nouveau-riche extravagance, the "King of Loan Sharks," Du Feld, paced irritably. Short and stout, he wore a bright purple suit whose expensive tailoring did little to disguise its vulgarity. Rings set with all manner of gemstones covered his fingers, knocking together with faint, grating clicks as he unconsciously rubbed his hands.
On the desk, six or seven differently shaped Den Den Mushi lay piled together like dead things, their eyelids drooping, completely unresponsive.
The enormous screen on the wall, which should have been displaying a live stream of worldwide financial data, maritime logistics intelligence, and activity in certain secret accounts, was now an unsettling expanse of black.
"Damn it... what the hell is going on?!" Du Feld cursed under his breath, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
The moment communications with Mary Geoise had gone down, his subordinates scattered across the world had sent him warnings.
At first, this financial king, who controlled the Underworld's enormous flow of funds and provided financing for countless shady transactions-particularly the Celestial Dragons' many "private hobbies"-had paid little attention.
Strange weather and magnetic phenomena were commonplace on the Grand Line. Occasional large-scale electromagnetic disturbances interfering with communications in a particular region were rare, but not unprecedented.
He was more inclined to believe that this one had simply "happened" to occur over Mary Geoise, temporarily disrupting the Holy Land's contact with the outside world.
Yet half an hour passed... an hour passed... two hours passed...
Unease began creeping into his heart like cold seawater. His agitation grew stronger, and an almost instinctive premonition of impending disaster gripped him tightly.
An absurd thought that sent chills down his spine rose uncontrollably: could Mary Geoise... have taken a direct