The New World, Shizume Island.
Inside one of the bedrooms in a white villa, Sephiroth lay on a large bed, hugging a sleeping Iska. His eyes were closed, enjoying the calm after a long day.
But the calm didn't last long.
The next second, Sephiroth's eyes snapped open, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face. The bat clone he had placed on the G-5 battleship had sent an important message!
He carefully released his hug of Iska. "Iska, there's something important I need to check. Get some good rest. If you don't feel well later this afternoon, you don't have to join training."
Sephiroth got out of bed, picking up his clothes and twin swords that were lying on the floor. After getting dressed, he drew the twin blades from their scabbards. A red flash from the swords split the void, opening a Dimension-Space Door. Without hesitation, he stepped inside.
On the bed, an exhausted Iska only responded with a hum. She turned over, pulled the blanket up, and covered her white shoulders and delicate collarbones.
New World Sea Area.
The sun shone, the sea breeze roared, and the waves surged.
A Marine battleship cut through the blue ocean, with its sails fully unfurled, heading straight for an island more than twenty kilometers ahead. Above the island, a pillar of light as tall as the sky was clearly visible, with a cluster of white clouds at its peak.
On the ship's deck, Frank, a Marine officer, stood in front of the commander's office door.
Knock-knock-knock.
"Come in!"
Frank opened the door and saw Sephiroth's bat clone sitting in a chair, with two imitation swords and the Hades Flame Sword lying on the table.
"Reporting Brigadier General Sephiroth, an island has appeared in the sea, about twenty kilometers ahead."
"Oh?… What's the name of that island?"
"That island isn't on the Grand Line route. There's a pillar of light on it that pierces the sky. I've never seen any information about this island on any sea chart…"
Hearing the report, Sephiroth's bat clone nodded. "Good. Continue heading toward the island."
"Yes, sir!" Frank saluted. He turned and walked out, slamming the door, then hurried to the deck.
Swoosh!
A thin red line split the void. Sephiroth, with swords in his hands, stepped out of the portal. At that very moment, the bat clone sitting in the chair disintegrated into small insects, leaving a blood clone. Sephiroth controlled the blood clone to fly into an iron cage. He then took the two imitation swords from the table and threw them into the dimension space so as not to leave a trace. After he was done, Sephiroth left the office and went to the deck.
From the deck, he couldn't see the island that was dozens of kilometers away. He immediately spread his black wings, flapped them a few times, and flew to the crow's nest. Casually, he picked up the telescope and looked into the distance.
As the battleship got closer, he began to see the outline of the island. Besides the pillar of light, the island was surrounded by towering stone spires.
"I've finally found it… Pneuma Island!"
This island wasn't trapped in the ocean. Two hundred years ago, Pneuma Island fell from the sky, shattering on the surface of the sea, but thanks to its unique structure, it didn't sink. Instead, it floated, moving slowly with the ocean currents without a fixed location. Sephiroth had been looking for it for over a year based solely on information from his past life.
The reason Sephiroth was desperately searching for Pneuma Island was because the Ancient Weapon: God's Breath was buried there!
In this world, there were many ancient weapons, but the most famous ones with the name of a God were Pluton the Warship, Poseidon the Sea King, and Uranus the Heavenly King. Legend says that the three of them had the power to destroy the world!
Although the God's Breath that Sephiroth was looking for couldn't destroy the world, it could still easily destroy islands and countries. God's Breath was a creation of ancient technology used by the sky island residents to study meteorology. It could control the four natural powers—lightning, fire, wind, and water—to create terrifying natural disasters!
Of course, the World Government also wanted this terrifying weapon. Two hundred years ago, they launched a massive attack to seize it, but they suffered heavy losses. Unable to get it, they tried to destroy the entire Pneuma Island. However, the island only fell from a height of 10,000 meters and was shattered on the sea.
When Sephiroth was about to put down his telescope, he saw a large sailing ship appear, with the World Government's five-star flag fluttering. He observed the surrounding ocean and found two more ships sailing around the island.
"Looking at this… the World Government seems to have given up on seizing it after suffering heavy losses. But to prevent others from getting it, they are constantly monitoring Pneuma Island," Sephiroth muttered to himself.
GRRRRUMBLEEE—!
As the G-5 battleship approached Pneuma Island, dark clouds suddenly appeared in the sky. A strong wind howled, the waves surged, and a whirlpool formed in the ocean.
Sephiroth immediately shouted, "Stop! Retreat!"
As soon as the order was given, the helmsman immediately turned the rudder, and the crew on the deck quickly adjusted the sails. Sephiroth jumped from the mast and landed on the deck. He prepared to return to the cabin.
Frank immediately came up to him. "Brigadier General Sephiroth, aren't we going to the island?" he asked hesitantly.
Sephiroth stopped. He knew he needed a strong reason if the World Government investigated. If he didn't have a reason, he would be labeled as someone who wanted to seize the God's Breath, which could bring a lot of trouble.
"I'm suddenly not interested in that island anymore! There's something else more interesting." He smiled, looking at Frank. "Give me the navigation map!"
"Yes, sir!" Frank immediately took the sea chart from his pocket and spread it out.
Sephiroth observed the map, then placed his index finger on an island. "Our destination changes to this!"
"T-that's…" Frank was shocked to see the horned skull logo on the island. "Commodore Sephiroth, that's the Beast Pirates' territory! Are you serious? You can't! Without an order from Marine Headquarters, we can't launch a random attack on Kaido the Beast's territory!"
"What are you afraid of? If the higher-ups blame me, I'll take responsibility for it! Move at full speed toward the target!"
"But… but!" Frank's face turned pale, he hesitated.
"Mayor Frank, obey the order!" Sephiroth shouted.
"Yes, sir!" In despair, Frank could only salute and turn to convey Sephiroth's order.
The island that Sephiroth pointed to was called Kigan Island. This island was rich in iron ore and was a major supply point for the weapon factories in Wano. The distance was not far from the battleship's position. If interrogated in the future, Sephiroth had a plausible reason.
After returning to the cabin, Sephiroth felt the presence of Pneuma Island with a hot Busoshoku Haki. He locked its position twelve kilometers away. He opened the iron cage, released a blood clone, drew his butcher knife, and opened a Dimension-Space Door. He ordered the blood clone to fly to Pneuma Island.
Chirp! Chirp! The blood clone chirped, flapped its wings, and flew into the portal.
Sephiroth had no intention of taking the God's Breath now. If he appeared and the ancient weapon disappeared, people would immediately be suspicious of him.
Above the ocean, the blood clone flapped its wings, flying toward Pneuma Island which was ten kilometers away.
GRRRRUMBLEE—!
A one-meter-diameter white-blue lightning ball fell and hit the blood clone. The clone exploded, "puff!", and fell into the sea, instantly dead.
After closing the Dimension-Space Door, Sephiroth in the battleship cabin suddenly lost contact with his clone. A moment later, the sound of thunder followed to his ears. Quickly, he pieced the information together.
'No wonder the World Government couldn't seize the God's Breath for two hundred years! Its defense and early warning mechanisms are absolutely outrageous. Even a single clone can't get in. Was it because my sudden use of spatial teleportation aroused the suspicion of the God's Breath defense system?'
Sephiroth, who didn't believe it so easily, immediately created a black bat clone with his ability. He opened the cabin window, released the clone, and closed his eyes, controlling the clone himself, letting it fly toward Pneuma Island which was twenty kilometers away.
A moment later.
GRRRRUMBLEE—!
In the distance, thunder rumbled. The black bat clone again lost contact.
'Damn it!' Sephiroth cursed inwardly. He opened his eyes and leaned back in his chair.
As he controlled his clone to fly, a thunderstorm cloud began to form in the sky, ready to strike the clone. Sephiroth immediately controlled his clone to dodge at a speed of more than 200 kilometers per hour. However, he didn't expect that besides the storm, there would be a strong current in the sea. After successfully avoiding more than ten lightning strikes, his clone was finally swept away by the current and perished.
'It turns out this isn't as simple as I thought! If flying could get in, why didn't the World Government succeed all this time? After all, for them, getting a flying-type Devil Fruit is not difficult. Now I know, if you try to force your way in, the God's Breath will create storms, whirlpools, and lightning. If I go, I will be disturbed by the sea water. Once I get hit, with the intensity of the God's Breath attacks, I will be finished! Even if I ask Enel, the user of the Goro Goro no Mi, to break through with his elemental mode, the God's Breath can control wind, fire, lightning, and water. It can condense water in the air and turn it into ice. That means Enel will also be finished if he goes!'
Sephiroth leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyebrows, his face looking serious. 'Hmm… Actually, there is another way. If the range of my Kenbunshoku Haki and hearing is farther than the God's Breath's warning range, I can directly teleport there. As long as I don't have the weakness of 'sea water,' even the mines and guards on the island won't be able to stop me! It looks like I have to train the range of my Kenbunshoku Haki and Busoshoku Haki harder, so I can enter Pneuma Island and get the God's Breath as soon as possible…' Sephiroth secretly made up his mind.