Under the cover of night, a shadow resembling a great bird descended silently from the skies above the Sabaody Archipelago, landing in front of a human auction house in District 1. The figure was none other than Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
"Hm?"
The moment he landed, Doflamingo, his hands casually tucked into his pockets and his body slightly hunched, furrowed his brows. He quickly scanned his surroundings, sniffing the air like a predator.
"Fufufufu," such a pungent smell of blood. Has there been a battle here recently?"
Before his words could fully settle, Doflamingo abruptly turned, his demeanor shifting to one of heightened vigilance as he stared at the auction house's entrance.
"Doflamingo!"
Emerging from the shadows in front of the auction house was Bastille, a Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, standing tall with his massive blade, the Shark-Cutter, resting on his shoulder. His voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority as he said, "By the order of Fleet Admiral Xayuki, before tomorrow's public execution of Whitebeard Jr., the Marine Headquarters and the surrounding seas of the Sabaody Archipelago must be completely purged. No pirate is allowed to roam freely under the light of day!"
"So, if you're here to attend the Seven Warlords of the Sea meeting, come with me immediately."
"If not, your status as a Warlord will be revoked on the spot, and I will proceed to arrest you!"
Hearing this, Doflamingo raised his head sharply and let out his signature sinister laugh. "Under the leadership of the Marine Headquarters' new Fleet Admiral, even you Marines have become so overbearing and aggressive?"
"However, Bastille—"
"You'd better watch your tone when you speak to me. Otherwise, I might just lose control and kill you, fufufufu~"
A murderous glint flashed in Bastille's eyes as he raised his Shark-Cutter high. "So, you're not here to attend the Warlord meeting?"
District 7 Port.
As two pirate ships slowly docked, the Marines stationed at the port immediately swarmed forward, raising their rifles and aiming them at the newly arrived vessels.
Standing on the deck of one ship, which flew a pirate flag adorned with a red sun emblem, was a massive whale shark Fish-Man standing over three meters tall. His distinctive features included swirling eyebrows, sideburns shaped like fins, and two prominent teeth jutting from his lower jaw.
This was Jinbe, the second captain of the Sun Pirates, a whale shark Fish-Man, and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Known for his sense of justice and his habit of helping the weak, he had earned the nickname "Knight of the Sea."
As soon as the ship docked, Jinbe couldn't help but remark, "I didn't expect the Marines to respond so swiftly. It seems the tides within the Marines have shifted drastically in just a few days. Impressive!"
"Seven Warlord Jinbe!"
From the Marine contingent at the port, a young man wearing a Rear Admiral's coat stepped forward briskly. It was Noah, the same Rear Admiral who had once drawn his blade against Dracule Mihawk at Marine Headquarters.
Standing across from the Sun Pirates' ship, Noah raised his head, his fiery gaze locking onto Jinbe as he declared, "I am Rear Admiral Noah, acting under orders from Fleet Admiral Xayuki. Due to the lockdown of the Sabaody Archipelago and the surrounding seas of Marineford, you now have two options. First, cooperate and follow me. Second, refuse to cooperate, in which case your Warlord status will be revoked, and I will kill you on the spot!"
After a brief pause, Noah turned his head toward the other pirate ship docked nearby. His sharp eyes scanned the deck until they landed on a figure standing there. "Seven Warlord Kazha, do I make myself clear?"
"Hehehe, quite the bold attitude you have there!"
A deep, eerie voice responded from the other ship. "A mere Rear Admiral dares to speak to me in such a tone? It seems your new Fleet Admiral has given you all a great deal of confidence."
As the figure stepped forward, the light revealed a man wearing a bat-shaped hood and holding a massive scythe. His appearance, reminiscent of a Grim Reaper stalking the night, exuded a chilling, sinister aura.
This was Kazha, another member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Having clashed with Kaido of the Beasts Pirates multiple times, Kazha had forged a deep friendship with the Emperor. He often roamed the Grand Line alone, seeking ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruits to bolster Kaido's forces.
Standing at the edge of the deck, Kazha glanced up at the starless sky above the Sabaody Archipelago. His keen sense of smell picked up the lingering scent of blood in the air. Narrowing his eyes, he muttered, "What a perfect night for a massacre. If we don't cooperate, I fear we won't leave this place alive."
Turning his head, Kazha looked at Jinbe, who stood on the deck of the Sun Pirates' ship. "Wouldn't you agree, Knight of the Sea?"
Jinbe nodded solemnly before leaping off the deck and landing in front of Noah. Bowing slightly, he said politely, "Rear Admiral Noah, please lead the way."
Kazha followed suit, jumping down from his ship and carrying his massive scythe as he approached.
"Thank you both for your cooperation!"
A flicker of disappointment flashed in Noah's eyes. In the past, whenever the Seven Warlords convened, their arrogance knew no bounds. Some even dared to openly mock Sengoku, the former Fleet Admiral, during meetings.
Noah had hoped that if any of the Warlords caused trouble this time, he could seize the opportunity to make a name for himself by taking them down. But to his dismay, both Jinbe and Kazha were surprisingly cooperative.
He had heard of Jinbe's reputation as a noble and righteous individual, so his compliance wasn't entirely unexpected. But Kazha, the wild card who had once fought Kaido to a standstill and later became his close ally, was known for his defiance. Seeing him so docile now felt almost out of character.
"Could it be that the Fleet Admiral's reputation has already intimidated them?" Noah thought to himself, his frustration evident. Missing out on a chance to earn military glory was a bitter pill to swallow.
BOOM—
Suddenly, a deafening explosion shattered the night's silence.
A terrifying wave of sword energy erupted from the direction of District 1, sweeping through the area. Ancient trees in its path were effortlessly sliced in half, their massive trunks crashing to the ground.
"That's—"
Despite the distance, Noah instantly recognized the source of the sword energy. His eyes lit up with fervor as he exclaimed, "That's Vice Admiral Bastille's sword strike! Someone must be resisting! Who could it be? Crocodile? Donquixote Doflamingo? Or perhaps Gecko Moria?"
Unable to contain his excitement, Noah, who had been lamenting his missed opportunity just moments ago, instinctively started running toward the commotion.
However, he quickly stopped himself, realizing the futility of his actions. With a resigned sigh, he muttered, "Never mind. With Vice Admiral Bastille there, any credit will go to him anyway."
Standing nearby, Jinbe and Kazha exchanged bewildered glances.
"What's going on?" Jinbe asked, his confusion evident. "Why does it seem like this Rear Admiral is disappointed that we cooperated?"
"Could it be that if we resisted, he and the other Marines would gain some kind of merit?" Kazha speculated, his tone laced with incredulity.
At that moment, a flamboyant figure descended from the night sky, landing lightly in front of Jinbe and Kazha. It was Donquixote Doflamingo, his signature pointed shoes clicking against the ground as he struck a casual pose, one hand on his hip.
"Fufufu~" Bastille, are you really planning to take me down?"
Before Bastille could respond, Doflamingo turned his gaze toward Jinbe and Kazha.
"So, you're both cooperating? Kazha, that's not like you! How about teaming up with me for a little chaos, fufufufu~"
"Doflamingo, if you want to die, don't drag me into it!" Kazha shot back, his tone cold. "Tomorrow is Whitebeard Jr.'s execution. If you cause trouble now, you'll meet a very ugly end. Can't you smell the blood in the air? The Marines must have already conducted a massive purge across the Sabaody Archipelago before we arrived!"
Before Doflamingo could retort, Jinbe stepped forward. "Get a grip, Doflamingo! The Marines are no longer the same as they were before. The new Fleet Admiral won't tolerate the Seven Warlords running amok!"
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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