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"Oh? Is that so?"
Blackbeard didn't appear disappointed in the slightest. Instead, he let out a low chuckle.
"Zehahaha… I expected something like this. Doflamingo is dead. Without him, it's only natural that Monet would choose to leave the Donquixote Family."
Trebol continued his report nervously, "There's more. The Three Emperors Alliance—Beasts Pirates, the Phoenix Pirates, and Big Mom—has started placing bounties on you. When we were shopping earlier, we saw your wanted notices spreading through the New World's underworld. It's most likely the Phoenix Pirates pulling the strings."
"Oh?"
This time, Blackbeard's expression turned slightly serious.
Being hunted by the Phoenix Pirates alone hadn't worried him much. The New World was vast and chaotic; countless lawless zones made it easy to disappear. As long as he kept his head down, Marco wouldn't find him easily.
But the Three Emperors acting together? That was different.
Even so, Blackbeard's tension lasted only a moment before he burst into booming laughter.
"Zehahaha! How unpredictable! I was planning to recreate the grand spectacle of Marineford… but it seems the world is moving faster than I anticipated."
At that moment, Shiryu pushed open the door and stepped inside. "Teach, what's our next move?"
Blackbeard's grin turned vicious.
"Simple. We head back to the Grand Line and continue strengthening ourselves. Once I obtain a third powerful Devil Fruit…" His eyes gleamed with ambition. "No one in this world will be able to stop me."
He turned to Trebol. "Make the preparations."
"Yes," Trebol responded immediately.
With the formation of the Three Emperors Alliance, the New World had entered a new era. The alliance's three factions began expanding their territories aggressively. With the Red-Haired Pirates withdrawing strategically from much of the New World, no power remained capable of resisting their advance.
The smaller factions that once survived by playing the emperors against each other now faced overwhelming pressure. Confront the alliance—or submit.
Most chose submission.
After attending Zack and Ulti's wedding, Marco sought out Kaido once more.
All internal matters of the Phoenix Pirates had been settled. Marco's visit to Wano had served two purposes: to witness the wedding and to make one final attempt at persuading Kaido to launch a surprise assault on the Holy Land.
If he could secure Kaido's participation, it would greatly reduce the risks.
After all, facing the God's Knights—or even the Gorosei themselves—was no trivial matter. Having Kaido at his side would ease the pressure considerably.
After hearing Marco's proposal, Kaido looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Strange… Marco. Why do you seem more eager than I am to start a world war?"
Marco answered calmly, "Didn't we form the Three Emperors Alliance to challenge the World Government? A surprise strike on Mary Geoise would be the clearest declaration of war possible."
He paused, his tone sharpening slightly.
"Besides, I intend to use the opportunity to capture a few Celestial Dragons… and exchange them for Whitey Bay."
It had already been nearly ten days since Whitey Bay's capture. Yet the Marines had made no public announcement of an execution.
Based on that silence, Marco judged that she was most likely being held in Impel Down.
Marco had never once considered storming Impel Down to rescue Whitey Bay by force. In his eyes, such a move would be reckless and inefficient.
All he needed was leverage.
If he could capture a Celestial Dragon, he could negotiate directly with the Marines. At the same time, a raid on the Holy Land would allow him to eliminate a few Celestial Dragons—earning valuable attribute points and further strengthening himself.
"Worororo! I see now… so that's your little scheme!" Kaido burst into laughter after hearing Marco's plan. But despite his amusement, his tone quickly turned firm. "Even so, this isn't the time. Our priority is to completely seize control of the New World and lock it down."
After a brief pause, Kaido added—perhaps worried about appearing dismissive—"My intention is simple. Once the New World is fully under our control, then we declare war on the World Government and the Marines. Declaring war now would be premature."
Marco sighed inwardly.
"So unless we declare war first, they'll simply leave us alone?" he muttered dryly.
But seeing Kaido's resolve, Marco understood there would be no persuading him. When the time came, he would act alone.
A solo raid on the Holy Land was certainly dangerous—but recalling how even Fisher Tiger once burned Mary Geoise to the ground, Marco felt little fear. Most Celestial Dragons were nothing more than arrogant, pampered weaklings.
And right now, his strength had stalled at the Strong Yonko level. He urgently needed attribute points to break through.
After parting ways with Kaido, Marco contacted Ace and ordered the others to guard their territory. As for himself—
He would head to Mary Geoise alone.
It was time to begin the hunt.
—
Meanwhile, at the newly rebuilt Marineford—
The headquarters was a hive of activity.
Since the Gorosei had issued a direct order to Fleet Admiral Sakazuki to eliminate the Three Emperors Alliance, the entire Marine force had entered a state of high alert. Troop mobilizations, supply adjustments, and strategic discussions were happening around the clock.
Sakazuki, newly appointed as Fleet Admiral, understood the gravity of the situation. The Three Emperors Alliance posed a direct threat to the World Government's authority—and to global stability itself.
He could not stand idle.
Moreover, the newly appointed Admirals—Fujitora and Ryokugyu—had risen through extraordinary means, bypassing the Marine's traditional promotion structure. Their sudden elevation had sparked quiet dissatisfaction within the ranks.
Both men knew this.
And both were eager to prove their worth in a decisive battle.
At that moment, a short-haired man with sharp, golden, hawk-like eyes approached the conference room doors. His presence alone was imposing.
The Marine guards instantly bowed.
"Welcome to Marine Headquarters, New Marineford, Sir Dracule Mihawk, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. We apologize for the inconvenience of your journey."
Mihawk did not spare them a glance. Maintaining his usual cold, detached demeanor, he walked straight into the conference room.
Inside, six figures were already seated—many unfamiliar faces.
Mihawk's gaze swept across them calmly.
"It seems," he said coolly, "that I am the last to arrive."
A man wearing a spotted beret leaned back slightly in his chair, observing him with interest.
"The World's Strongest Swordsman… Dracule Mihawk," he murmured.
This was Trafalgar Law—newly appointed as one of the Seven Warlords after defeating Doflamingo and presenting the Marines with one hundred pirate hearts.
"Hmph…"
Seated nearby, Eustass Kid stared at Mihawk with a mixture of hostility and excitement, a savage glint flashing in his eyes.
After handing Whitey Bay over to the Marines as a bargaining chip, Blackbeard kept his promise and released Kid's captured crew.
But what returned to Kid were not the comrades he once knew.
Every single one of them had lost their shadows.
Under the sunlight, their bodies flickered and thinned like smoke. The moment the sun touched them, they began to fade—unable to exist beneath its light.
The sight filled Kid with uncontrollable rage.
"Blackbeard… I'll kill you."
He swore it without hesitation.
Yet fate seemed determined to mock him. No sooner had he been named one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea than a mandatory summons from the Marines arrived.
Given Kid's personality, the very word "mandatory" grated on him.
He had always despised the Shichibukai system. Pirates becoming "legal pirates"? In his eyes, that was nothing more than becoming a lapdog for the Marines.
Once his crew was rescued, he had intended to abandon the title immediately.
But Killer persuaded him otherwise.
The Kid Pirates have offended a lot of powerful people—the Red Hair Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, the Phoenix Pirates… and Blackbeard, whom Kid had sworn to destroy.
If he cast aside his Shichibukai status now, the Marines would add themselves to that list of enemies.
Reluctantly, Kid suppressed his fury and attended the so-called "mandatory meeting."
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, a Marine Rear Admiral entered briskly and saluted.
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, the Seven Warlords of the Sea have assembled."
Sakazuki let out a cold snort.
"Hmph. Those sea-scum finally showed up?"
Without another word, he stood and strode toward the conference chamber.
The moment he entered, his sharp eyes swept across the room.
Seven seats circled the table.
Dracule Mihawk.
Boa Hancock.
Bartholomew Kuma.
And the four newly appointed Warlords:
Buggy the Clown.
"Surgeon of Death" Trafalgar Law.
Eustass Kid.
Pirate Prince Cavendish.
All had arrived on time.
Even Hancock—who typically ignored Marine authority—had not delayed.
That pleased Sakazuki.
If even one of them had dared to defy the summons, he would have personally blown their heads off.
The figure resembling Bartholomew Kuma, however, was not truly him.
It was PX-1—a Pacifista.
The real Kuma had long since been transformed into a weapon of the Marines, his consciousness erased. Before the final stage of modification, he had struck some sort of deal with Vegapunk, embedding a final directive within his program.
Now, the original Kuma stood guard at the Sabaody Archipelago, protecting the Straw Hat Pirates' ship.
That fact deeply irritated Sakazuki.
But angering a machine was pointless.
Thus, PX-1 attended in Kuma's place.
Sakazuki took his seat at the head of the table, his presence suffocating.
"Hmph. Welcome to Marineford… you filth of the sea."
His cold gaze swept across the Seven Warlords.
With the Three Emperors Alliance threatening the balance of power, the Marines had been forced to lower their standards for the Shichibukai system.
And now, these were the monsters gathered before him.
A temporary alliance.
Built on distrust.
Held together only by necessity.
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