The merchants weren't the only ones to notice something was off. Within days, both the CP intelligence network and the World Government itself had caught on to the strange happenings in Arabasta.
The problem wasn't just the demagnetization, it was what had preceded it. Vivi's speech about the republic, about citizens having rights...
The CP reports made it clear: this new ideology was getting out of control.
In the Room of Authority at Mary Geoise, the Five Elders gathered to discuss the situation.
"This cannot be allowed to continue," Saturn said as he reviewed the intelligence reports spread across the table. "If we let these ideas take root..."
"We need to extinguish this flame before it spreads," Mars agreed. "The precedent Arabasta has set is dangerous. Other kingdoms might start getting ideas."
The vote was unanimous. All five Elders agreed that action needed to be taken against the newly formed Republic of Arabasta.
But just as they were beginning to plan their response, a CP agent entered with an urgent report.
"We've received confirmation from multiple sources. Arabasta's magnetic field has completely disappeared."
The room fell silent.
Saturn looked up sharply. "What do you mean, disappeared?"
"Any ship attempting to navigate to Arabasta using an Eternal Pose or Log Pose will find their instruments useless. The only way to reach the kingdom now is through Vivre Cards."
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
"An island on the Grand Line losing its magnetic signature?" Mars said slowly. "There's only one explanation for that. Complete annihilation."
Nusjuro nodded grimly. "This is different from a Buster Call. When we bombardment an island, the land remains. The magnetic field persists. We can simply disguise the ruins as an uninhabited wasteland. But if the magnetic field itself has vanished..."
They all thought of the same possibility. If Imu had taken action personally, shouldn't they have been informed first?
"Tell us everything," Saturn commanded the CP agent.
The agent began a detailed report, summarizing not just the confirmed intelligence but also the rumors that had been circulating through the trading networks. He highlighted the most credible theories about what might have caused such an unprecedented phenomenon.
When he finished, Saturn dismissed him with a wave. "You may go. This information stays in this room."
Once they were alone again, Mars turned to him. "Even Vegapunk couldn't accomplish something like this."
Saturn nodded seriously. "The only natural phenomenon that could cause this would be an Island Eater. And even then..."
When an Island Eater consumed a location, it left behind barren wasteland with no resources, life, and magnetic signature. But Arabasta hadn't been destroyed, it was still there, just... invisible to navigation.
One explanation could be that something terrifying was slowly devouring the world, piece by piece, erasing islands from the Grand Line's magnetic network without leaving a trace.
"Should we consult Lord Imu about this?" Warcury asked.
He'd been the one to authorize the initial operation against Arabasta, and now he felt responsible for this bizarre outcome. The nagging thought that something far beyond their understanding was at work refused to leave his mind.
The other four Elders looked at him like he'd just suggested they walk off a cliff.
"What's with those looks?"
Nusjuro scoffed. "As strange as this situation is, an island losing its magnetic field is too trivial to bother Lord Imu with. If you're so concerned, feel free to disturb Him yourself."
The others nodded in agreement, making their position clear without words.
Warcury rolled his eyes. The five of them all possessed marks granted by Imu. It was a special connection that allowed for internal telepathic communication. But because emotions and thoughts tended to leak through such communication, they rarely used it outside of emergencies.
After all, everyone had their own secrets to maintain.
Even without using the mental link, he understood exactly what his colleagues were thinking. They all respected Imu deeply, but they were also terrified of Him. None of them wanted to risk losing their positions or, worse, their lives by disturbing Him with what might turn out to be a non-issue.
"Fine," Warcury conceded. "If it's not a major crisis, we'll handle it ourselves."
The room fell into an awkward silence. They'd gathered specifically to discuss how to suppress Arabasta's dangerous new ideology, but the magnetic field situation had thrown everything into chaos. Now nobody wanted to be the first to suggest a course of action.
The smart move would be to go together to consult Imu. But nobody suggested it again.
They didn't even use their telepathic link to discuss it privately.
Finally, Warcury broke the stalemate.
"Since there's no point dragging this out, let's treat Arabasta the same way we've handled the Revolutionary Army in the past. Suppress all information about the magnetic field disappearance, classify it as top secret, and deploy CP units to the surrounding islands to monitor the situation."
"Seconded," the other four said in unison.
"And regarding Crocodile?" Warcury continued. "What do we do about him?"
The others exchanged glances. Nusjuro spoke first, "He stopped obeying commands. Time to put him down. Revoke his Warlord status immediately and inform Sengoku that Crocodile is to be captured as soon as possible."
None of the others objected. After all, he was just one of the Seven Warlords, easily replaceable if he stopped being useful. If a tool broke, you simply got a new one.
---
Back in Arabasta, the aftermath of the demagnetization was playing out very differently than the World Government expected.
Although the magnetic field had vanished, the commotion it caused remained relatively contained. Even among those who knew what had happened, most chose to keep it secret for their own reasons.
But business? Business was booming like never before.
There wasn't even the usual adjustment period or economic disruption that typically followed major events like this. Trade was actually increasing.
When Toto and Cobra learned of these results, both were surprised.
"Looks like those merchants really do have sharp instincts," Toto said. He'd retired from active trading years ago, but his eye for business trends hadn't dulled. "They saw the opportunity immediately."
Cobra nodded. He hadn't expected the potential crisis from the magnetic disappearance to resolve itself so smoothly, or so profitably.
Still, he had a concern. "There's a risk of merchants becoming too powerful in the future. I'll need to discuss regulatory frameworks with Koza to prevent monopolies from forming."
Just then, they received word that the Straw Hat Pirates had arrived in Yuba.
The once-desolate oasis town had been completely transformed. With Marcus' help in the reconstruction, Yuba now looked brand new.
Cobra spotted the crew approaching and waved to Vivi, who was walking at the front of the group.
She came over to him, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Finally, she broke the silence.
"Father, it's time. We're leaving."
Cobra wasn't surprised. He'd known this day was coming from the moment he'd seen her laughing with her new friends at the palace. But knowing something and experiencing it were two very different things.
He opened his mouth. A dozen speeches he'd mentally rehearsed flooded his mind. Words about duty, staying safe, how much he'd miss her. But in the end, all he said was, "If you get tired, rest. Don't push yourself too hard out there."
"I won't."
Not hearing any words of persuasion to stay, Vivi quietly exhaled. Truth be told, she had originally planned to leave without saying goodbye. She hadn't been sure if she could maintain her resolve to set sail if her father had asked her to stay. The temptation to give in would have been overwhelming.
But Marcus had stopped her when she'd mentioned the plan.
"Your father might not be against you sailing," he'd said. "Just like when you joined the resistance movement, he might be waiting for you to say goodbye properly. He's probably already prepared himself to let you go."
Those words had given her the courage to face this moment.
And he had been right. Looking at her father's face now, she could see he'd already made peace with her decision.
Their parting was simple, almost casual, like saying goodbye before heading out to meet friends for dinner rather than embarking on a journey across the Grand Line.
"When I come back, I'll bring souvenirs!" Vivi called out, waving from the ship's railing as the Going Merry began to pull away from the dock.
Cobra waved back. There was a smile on his face even as moisture gathered in his eyes.
Beside him, Toto stood beside him, also watching the ship depart.
"She'll be fine. She's with good people," he said quietly.
"I know. That's the only reason I can let her go."