All units, move out.
Abandon all current missions.
Head to Windmill Village in the East Blue.
Target: Monkey D.
Luffy.
Kill him on the spot, no matter the cost.
A mechanical, rigid response came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
The Long-bearded Elder paced back and forth in front of the window, his heels pressing deep indentations into the luxurious, thick carpet.
The historical texts the World Government had spent countless resources to erase over centuries, and the thousands of people killed to cover up that forbidden name, had all become a complete joke.
The sky screen had not only blurted out Nika’s true name, but it had also displayed the fruit’s bizarre power manifestations for the whole world to see in broad daylight.
The Blonde Elder pinched the bridge of his nose, his voice heavy with immense stress.
If that voice in the sky continues, I’m afraid the secrets of the Void Century cannot be kept hidden from the public much longer.
Kill him, the elder with the handlebar mustache said, uttering only two cold words.
As long as the current host dies, this Devil Fruit will simply be reborn somewhere else in the sea.
We still have a chance to find it and secure it.
Luffy must die.
This was not only the absolute consensus of the Gorosei in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, but it was also the consensus of countless ambitious powerhouses and pirates across the seas.
…
Onigashima Hall.
Kaido kicked over the massive stone table in front of him, shattering it into pieces.
I’m going to kill him!
I’m going to the East Blue to kill him right now!
Kaido roared as he rushed out of the shattered hall, instantly transforming into a massive Azure Dragon and soaring directly into the stormy sky.
Men!
All forces, move out!
Target: East Blue!
I’m going to smash that brat in the straw hat into bloody meat paste!
Queen and King looked at each other in sheer disbelief, but they quickly followed their captain’s lead.
The entire Beasts Pirates moved out in full force, creating an unprecedented level of panic among their subordinates.
He absolutely could not swallow this ultimate insult.
A dignified member of the Four Emperors being swung around like a literal jump rope, and being labeled the New World’s Strongest Stepping Stone—if this ridiculous reputation stuck, he wouldn’t be able to show his face on the seas ever again.
Just then, a lone pirate ship appeared on the stormy sea ahead of them.
The flag features a jolly roger with a skull showing a scarred eye and two crossed swords behind it.
Red Hair had his famous saber, Gryphon, resting at his waist and held a large jug of wine carelessly in his hand.
Kaido.
Shanks looked up at the massive dragon head coiling heavily in the dark clouds.
Where are you going in such a hurry?
Kaido exhaled a scorching breath of pure fire, his dragon whiskers dancing wildly in the fierce wind.
Red Hair!
Get lost!
I don’t have time to play house with your pathetic crew today!
No one is going to stop me from killing that East Blue brat!
Shanks tossed the wine jug casually to Beckman behind him and firmly gripped his saber’s hilt with his right hand.
I can’t let you do that.
Conqueror’s Haki exploded into the sky in a massive, terrifying hemispherical shape, centered completely on the red-haired Emperor.
The surrounding sea was physically pressed into a huge, churning depression, and the dense dark clouds in the sky were forcibly torn open by this suffocating aura.
Thick red and black lightning crackled violently around Shanks, warping the very air.
I said, I bet this arm on the New Era.
Shanks looked up, his gaze incredibly sharp.
Now you’re going to strangle my bet before it even starts.
How can I possibly step aside?
Benn Beckman raised his rifle, aiming it forward, and Lucky Roux bit into a large meat rib as he drew his own flintlock blade.
The entire Red Hair Pirates were completely in position, ready for a war of attrition.
Kaido laughed in pure, unadulterated fury, his massive dragon tail slamming into the ocean and creating tidal waves.
Then I’ll slaughter you and your crew too!
Above the turbulent waters of the New World, two top-tier users of Haoshoku Haki collided head-on, triggering a massive, unnatural storm that swept across the entire sea area.
…
At the same time, in the first half of the Grand Line.
Baltigo, the White Soil Island.
Whirling sand and harsh wind filled the sky.
Dragon, the infamous leader of the Revolutionary Army, stood at the absolute edge of a jagged cliff, his long green cloak fluttering loudly in the gale.
Bartholomew Kuma stood directly behind him, holding the Bible that never left his side.
Leader, CP0’s movements have been fully confirmed by our scouts.
At least three elite agents are currently heading to the East Blue on the fastest Marine warship available, Kuma reported, then slowly closed his heavy Bible with a dull thud.
Dragon looked up at the glowing golden sky screen.
That white-haired, silly kid was still laughing joyfully up there, completely unaware that he had just become the prime target of the entire world.
Kuma, Dragon spoke, his voice deep and rumbling like thunder, I know about your complicated deal with the World Government, but right now, I need to ask you for a personal favor.
Kuma looked at Dragon, recognizing the look of a worried father; a rare look of deep anxiety appeared on his usually stoic, robotic face.
Kuma: No problem.
I’ll make an immediate trip to the East Blue myself.
Don’t let anyone touch him.
Kuma took off his dark glove, revealing the distinctive, fleshy paw pads on his palm.
The local air was instantly compressed, making a faint, high-pitched humming sound.
In the very next second, he vanished from the spot, leaving only a small shockwave behind.
…
Marineford.
The highly encrypted fax machine on Sengoku’s desk spit out a piece of paper with a harsh screech.
Black ink on white paper read clearly: Highest Level Eradication Order.
Target: Monkey D.
Luffy.
Executor: All Marine forces.
Sengoku gripped the paper tightly, the edges wrinkling and tearing slightly under his immense pressure.
Garp sat on the office sofa, holding a freshly opened bag of rice crackers.
He stuffed them into his mouth one by one, the loud, crisp crunching sound particularly jarring in the dead quiet of the office.
Sengoku placed the paper face down on the wooden desk.
You saw the order.
Garp finished the very last rice cracker and clapped his hands to clear the crumbs.
Sengoku didn’t respond, his face dark.
Garp stood up and walked slowly to the large window, watching the future footage on the sky screen of Luffy swinging Kaido around like a jump rope.
He chuckled softly, This kid really knows how to cause a massive stir wherever he goes.
The higher-ups have given the absolute order, Sengoku spoke, his voice incredibly dry and strained.
Oh.
Garp didn’t look back at his old friend.
Are you actually going to send men to kill him?
Sengoku was completely choked by the sudden counter-question.
In the past, for the sake of the so-called big picture and absolute justice, he would have issued the deployment order without a single second of hesitation, sending an Admiral to the East Blue to execute the target.
But after seeing the grim future exposed by the sky screen?
The staggering Marine losses after Ace’s tragic death in the Marineford War and the sheer loss of lives made the word justice feel much less stable in his heart.
Moreover, standing right before him was the legendary Marine Hero who had served the World Government for over half his life.
Sengoku crumpled the Highest Level Eradication Order into a tight ball and tossed it carelessly into the wastebasket by his feet.
Send out the word to our communications department.
Sengoku pressed the main call button on his desk.
All East Blue branches are to cancel the current plan to cull abnormal sea kings in the Windmill Village waters.
No Marine is to approach Windmill Village without explicit permission from headquarters.
The messenger outside responded quickly through the door and ran off down the corridor.
Garp turned his head slightly, looking down at the crumpled paper sitting in the wastebasket.
I owe you one for this, Sengoku, Garp said.
Sengoku snorted coldly, adjusting his glasses.
I just don’t want you, you old lunatic, tearing down the Marineford headquarters tomorrow in a blind rage.
But CP0 has likely already set sail from Mariejois.
A peaceful place like the East Blue won’t be able to stop those assassins.
I’ll go there personally.
Garp pulled open the heavy office door and walked out without looking back once.
Sengoku looked at the empty doorway and sighed deeply after a long while, feeling the weight of the changing era.
…
In the past timeline.
In a small tavern on an unnamed island.
Gol D.
Roger was no longer laughing.
He stared intently at Luffy’s pure white figure on the sky screen for a long, quiet time.
That brave brat, Garp’s own grandson, was the only person in eight hundred long years to successfully awaken the Nika fruit.
Roger stroked the dark stubble on his chin, a deep look of determination appearing in his eyes.
Rayleigh, I’ve completely changed my mind.
Rayleigh stopped wiping his glasses, sensing the sudden shift in his captain’s intense aura.
Roger slammed his glass wine bottle onto the wooden table with a deafening thud, cracking the wood.
My terminal illness cannot be cured by any doctor; I’ll die sooner or later.
I originally thought using my public death to start the Great Pirate Era would be enough, but now it seems that’s far from enough protection for this kid!
He pointed directly at the white-haired youth with the brilliant, carefree smile on the sky screen.
The sky screen has revealed all of our hidden cards early.
Although that kid Luffy is very much to my liking, his future path has become far too difficult.
If those old fogies in the World Government know right now that he is the true reincarnation of Joy Boy, they will stop at nothing to eliminate him.
He might not even get the chance to set sail from his village!
Rayleigh put his glasses back on, his gaze becoming razor-sharp as he looked at his captain.
Then what exactly do you want to do?
Stir things up to the absolute limit!
Roger stood up abruptly, his towering frame casting a long shadow.
The Conqueror’s Haki belonging to the Pirate King surged faintly within the small tavern, making the oil lamps on the walls shake violently and shatter.
I’m going to turn the waters of this entire sea completely upside down!
Roger grinned widely, laughing like a wild madman ready to uproot the World Government itself.
Since I still have one last breath left in my body, instead of washing my neck and stretching it out for the Marines’ executioner blade, I might as well take this golden chance to personally draw some blood from those high-and-mighty Celestial Dragons!
He grabbed his iconic Captain’s hat and pulled it firmly onto his head.
Go notify everyone on the crew immediately.
The Roger Pirates are reforming right now!
I’m going to personally scatter rubbings of our poneglyphs across the four seas for anyone to find!
We’re going to wreak absolute havoc in Mary Geoise, and we’re going to tie down all of Marineford’s forces in the second half of the Grand Line!
As long as I’m still making massive waves on the open sea, the World Government won’t be able to shift their eyes from me for even half an inch!
Roger clapped Rayleigh heavily on the shoulder, a wild, untamed fire burning brightly in his eyes.
Brother, accompany me in using this last bit of my life to carve out a safe future for that kid!
As long as the water is muddy enough, he’ll be able to grow up safely in the East Blue!
Rayleigh was stunned for a brief moment, then sighed helplessly with a shake of his head.
He stood up, grabbed his longsword from the table, and a sharp curve involuntarily formed at the corner of his mouth.
Fine.
I’ve accompanied you in your absolute madness more than once or twice anyway over the years.
Compared to watching you sit quietly and be executed on the execution platform in Loguetown…
Rayleigh drew half of his sharp blade, the cold light reflecting their defiant, grinning faces.
I still much prefer watching you stir up storms on this sea.