Everyone on the island watched as Kara sent one of the CP0 agents flying with a single punch before vanishing into the air in pursuit.
The image of her silhouette dissolving like a shadow made everyone's pulse quicken.
Instinctively, the remaining fighters went on high alert—muscles tensed, weapons drawn, spells prepared.
They knew the battle could erupt again at any second... and when it did, it would be furious.
Rob Lucci and Kaku said nothing. Their faces bore a cold, unshakable seriousness.
Kara's appearance changed everything.
They had to finish their mission quickly to assist Guernica, though the enemies before them weren't to be underestimated.
Zoro grinned with his usual cocky confidence, slowly unsheathing two of his swords.
His eyes gleamed with the hunger of a warrior craving a real fight.
"Feeling nervous, maybe?" he asked with a crooked smile.
"Not in the slightest," Lucci replied flatly.
In the blink of an eye, his body began to shift—muscles bulging, claws emerging, and his face transforming into his deadly hybrid form.
The real fight was about to begin.
…
Meanwhile, Guernica soared through the air after Kara's brutal strike.
But not everything was as it seemed. He had allowed himself to be launched.
Using the opening, he pulled a special Den Den Mushi from a hidden pocket in his clothes and activated it without delay.
"Sirs, the Marines have betrayed us," he said, voice tight and fast.
"It seems they were just waiting for the right moment to move."
"Are you certain?" came an aged voice from the other end.
"Admiral Kara has appeared on the island. I'm clearly being targeted. I confirm it," Guernica answered.
Technically, it wasn't a lie—though he had twisted the truth to suit his purposes.
"Understood. Try to survive... but if you can, assassinate Monkey D. Kara," ordered the voice before cutting the transmission.
But Kara was no fool.
She was already walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps, her aura pressing down like a gathering storm.
In her hand, she held a similar Den Den Mushi—one reserved for elite use.
"Kuzan. It's time," she said, her voice dangerously calm.
"What have you done this time...?" Kuzan replied from the other end, sounding tired and slightly irritated.
"Quiet. CP0 is trying to erase their tracks. Accelerate the plan," Kara ordered, hanging up without waiting for a response.
Both Den Den Mushi were special models—resistant to interference and functional even in areas where normal signals were blocked.
…
Marine Headquarters.
Kuzan let out a long sigh before his expression hardened like ice.
With a steady hand, he pressed a button on a golden, modified Den Den Mushi—not one for ordinary reinforcements.
This signal was routed through a far more exclusive network.
A few paces away, Sengoku and Garp watched in silence.
They saw the solemnity with which Kuzan held the specialized snail.
"She couldn't wait, huh?" Sengoku muttered, adjusting his glasses.
"She is my granddaughter, after all," Garp replied with a fierce grin, rising to his feet beside his old comrade.
Together, they walked out of the office with steady steps—like men heading to a war they already knew too well.
…
Baltigo.
At the heart of the Revolutionary base, Dragon stared intently at a Den Den Mushi whose red eye flashed with intensity.
The moment he saw it, he knew—time was up.
"We're moving the base," he declared firmly.
"I want everything loaded onto the ships within the hour. In two hours, we leave Baltigo to the World Government... and in three, they will attack. Have Sabo and the generals begin the maneuvers."
"Yes, sir!" shouted the soldiers, springing into action with almost military precision.
…
Sabaody Archipelago – Fairy Tail Branch Base.
"Master, the snail's activated," said Mirajane, handing the alert Den Den Mushi to Makarov, who was drinking sake with the bounty hunter guild members.
"Already? Tsk... Guess I have to sober up now," Makarov grumbled before suddenly becoming serious.
With surprising agility, he leapt from the bar counter and bolted outside in a mix of urgency and childlike recklessness.
Mirajane brought a hand to her forehead in resignation.
"Let's just hope he doesn't mess things up… or Kara will be pissed," she murmured with an amused smile.
At the same time, across various islands around the world, dozens of people stared as identical snails lit up with the same red eye.
As if following a script rehearsed thousands of times, they moved—fast, precise, and coordinated—revealing years of silent preparation.
…
On a distant island, where a legendary battle had raged for five days...
"Phew… You're a monster," said Shanks between gasps. His clothes were in tatters, and deep marks of bruises and blood covered his entire body.
"I could say the same about you," replied Gildarts, his prosthetic arm hanging loose once more, though he reattached it with indifference. He had dozens of Haki-inflicted cuts across his body but remained standing, unfazed.
The two had been fighting non-stop for five days. The Red-Haired Pirates had been evacuated by Shanks' own orders. In a battle like this, they would only be in the way.
Yasopp had lost an arm. Another crew member had lost a leg.
Shanks and Gildarts looked at each other with a mixture of respect and tension. They were just about to clash again when a barely perceptible tremor in the ground stopped them. Both turned their heads slowly toward the forest.
A man was walking toward them, each step leaving a scorched mark on the ground, as if the earth itself couldn't bear his rage.
"This is getting more complicated than I thought," muttered Shanks gravely, recognizing the silhouette emerging from the trees.
His eyes met a gaze burning with relentless hatred.
Sakazuki.
The former Admiral Akainu had entered the battlefield.
…
Meanwhile, in Mariejois…
"Lords, we've finally located the main base of the Revolutionary Army," reported a CP0 agent, kneeling before the Five Elders.
An ominous silence preceded an immediate reaction—the faces of the Elders lit up with a mix of satisfaction and bloodlust. It was a long-awaited tactical victory.
"At last…" murmured Saturn, stroking his cane. "Now we can move our pieces freely. With that shadow gone, there'll be no surprises in the next move."
"It's time to launch an assault on the Bounty Hunter Guild," said Saint Marcus coldly. "We must weaken the Marines and seize direct control. We cannot fail Imu-sama. Saturn, Shepherd, and I will go personally after Kuzan. If he resists, we'll strip him of the command of the Marines. Until we find a replacement, one of us will assume command."
"Then I'll deal with Tesoro," said Nusjuro grimly. "That golden rat has too much financial influence. He's been secretly funding both the Marines and the Guild. His power must be extinguished."
"Fairy Tail and the Guild don't need more than one," Warcury growled with disdain. "That bunch of insubordinates will be erased by my own hand."
"Shall we call the Holy Knights?" asked Saturn.
"No need," Marcus replied. "They're already busy with more delicate matters. Let Figarland guard Mariejois in our absence. This won't take more than a few minutes."
...
New Marineford – New World
The entire marine base was surrounded by a frozen ocean, prepared as a natural defense. At its center, a massive magical circle burned with purple and black light, etched with runes that seemed to whisper blasphemies. From it, three figures emerged.
Saint Saturn, Saint Marcus, and Saint Shepherd stepped through the circle's threshold with the deadly elegance of incarnate gods. Their eyes glowed with ancient power.
But before they could get their bearings or speak a word, a gigantic hand slammed into them, hurling them across the ice like rag dolls.
"PUAHAHAHA! Looks like they weren't expecting such a warm welcome," roared Garp, standing atop the wall, laughing like it was all a joke.
"That's what happens to idiots who think the enemy will politely wait for the first move," added Makarov, his arm slowly returning to normal size after striking with giant magic.
Sengoku sighed seriously as he adjusted his coat. "You're both insane… but I need you that way."
The three veterans descended to the battlefield, ready to fight on the eternal ice. The clash between legends and deities was about to begin.
…
Sabaody Archipelago – Fairy Tail Branch
A new magic circle lit up in front of the Fairy Tail base, etched with the same dark energy as that from Mariejois.
Mirajane calmly stepped out of the building, her expression serene but focused. At her side stood two figures: Admiral Fujitora and a man wearing a cape of justice with the rank of Vice Admiral on his shoulders—Gajeel.
"They sent you…" Gajeel muttered with disdain, watching the silhouette emerge from the circle.
"You know him?" asked Fujitora, eyes still closed.
"Not at all. But I don't like his face," Gajeel replied flatly.
Mirajane observed the circle with interest. The magical pattern was disturbingly similar to her Satan Soul magic… but darker—more ancient.
…
Grand Tesoro – The Golden Ship
A floating island of luxury, gambling, and decadence sailed through the New World. Gold, lights, and music decorated the deck as if it were an eternal party.
In the middle of the grand palace, a magical circle suddenly formed.
"Finally, something interesting!" exclaimed Laxus, lightning dancing across his shoulders as he watched the circle with fierce eyes.
Beside him, Gild Tesoro, covered in jewels, smirked with disdain. "Bored? You could've placed a bet…"
"And get scammed? I'll pass," said Laxus, arms crossed.
"There are no scams here! Only luck!" Tesoro replied with a shrill laugh.
Behind them, the Raijinshuu squad watched the portal with fear. The power emerging from the circle wasn't natural… it was a threat that even overshadowed Tesoro's greed.
…
Hidden Dungeon – Mariejois
In an underground chamber, hidden from the world's eyes, a man lay in chains.
His body was covered in scars, dried blood, and open wounds. He was missing an arm. He had been tortured for years.
And yet, his eyes showed no pain—only a spark of hope.
The Five Elders were not in Mariejois.
They were away.
And for the first time in decades… that meant an opportunity.
The prisoner lifted his head, gasping. A trembling laugh escaped his lips, broken by pain but filled with conviction.
Then, the ground began to shake.
From deep within the world, a fireball sped toward the surface. Inside it, a colossal figure, like an infernal miner, tore through rock effortlessly.
The rescue had begun.
And the world, once again, was preparing to burn.