Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Under the moonlight that bathed Pangaea Castle, the sprawling mansions dotted across the area were brightly lit, with occasional bursts of laughter mingling with faint cries of anguish, as if some were enduring torment.
In the courtyard of one such mansion, Shepherd Ju Peter and Marcus Mars, forced into vacation due to Sengoku and Zephyr taking their turns as the Five Elders, sat side by side, their gazes fixed on the moon hanging high in the sky.
Suddenly, a flash of white streaked across.
A man clad in a white robe and mask appeared in mid-air, bowing respectfully before the two. "Lord Marcus Mars, another Marine Headquarters unit has just entered the Holy Land, this time led by Admiral Aokiji himself."
Upon hearing this, Marcus Mars turned his head toward Shepherd Ju Peter. "During the day, it was Akainu leading his forces; now, at night, it's Aokiji's turn. What is Xayuki planning? Is he preparing to launch a heavy assault on the New World?"
Shepherd Ju Peter narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone dark. "Don't worry. Their moment of glory won't last long."
Marcus Mars shook his head with a faint smile. "From my perspective, everything Xayuki is doing isn't necessarily bad for us. In fact, it might even work to our advantage!"
"Oh?" Shepherd Ju Peter tilted his head, puzzled. "Explain your reasoning."
Marcus Mars gestured for the white-robed man to withdraw, waiting until he had vanished beyond the mansion walls before speaking. "Xayuki now wields the Marine Headquarters as his war machine, and he's at the height of his power. Lord Imu has lowered their stance to meet all his demands, aiming to wield this sharp blade to pierce through the Grand Line!"
"If he fails, we won't even need to intervene; the lowly masses of the Grand Line will tear him apart!"
"And if he succeeds, it doesn't matter. He'll eventually grow old, just like Garp, Sengoku, and Kong."
"A hundred years from now, the Chamber of Authority will still belong to us!"
"Most importantly, even if he cleanses the seas of pirates, Nika will inevitably appear sooner or later."
"It's precisely for this reason that Lord Imu agreed to all his conditions—to bind him and the World Government together!"
"For Lord Imu, the only true threat is Nika."
Though Marcus Mars spoke with an air of casual indifference, his fists unconsciously clenched, and the humiliating memory of being forced back to his true form by Xayuki's Conqueror's Haki in the Holy Land palace flashed vividly in his mind.
Noticing Marcus Mars' reaction, Shepherd Ju Peter picked up the teacup beside him and remarked thoughtfully. "Undeniably, Xayuki is a sharp weapon, but while killing enemies, it could also harm its wielder! If Lord Imu cannot fully control him, this weapon might pierce the heart of the Holy Land itself!"
"Moreover, I fear that things may not go as we hope."
After a brief pause, Shepherd Ju Peter raised his head again to look at Marcus Mars. "Don't forget, within the Holy Land, we face another threat."
Marcus Mars abruptly turned his head. "The Figarland family?"
Shepherd Ju Peter nodded. "I can't shake the feeling that Grinco Figarland isn't particularly concerned about Xayuki's coup and subsequent rise to power within the Holy Land. In fact, I've glimpsed ambition in his eyes!"
Marcus Mars' pupils narrowed slightly, his voice tense. "Is this your intuition, or—"
Shepherd Ju Peter waved his hand dismissively. "No need for intuition! Grinco has long coveted the Chamber of Authority. If not for Lord Imu's presence keeping him in check, would he remain so restrained while commanding the Holy Knights?"
"In the past, I wasn't too worried. After all, many members of the Holy Land's families have joined the Holy Knights, making it nearly impossible for Figarland to fully control the group and pose a threat to us."
"But Xayuki's rise has disrupted the balance, costing us two seats among the Five Elders. For Grinco, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
"I dare say that if he secures one of those seats, his son Shamrock Figarland will undoubtedly become the new leader of the Holy Knights! At that point, the Figarland family will replace us as the dominant family of the Holy Land!"
"Marcus, when Lord Imu's existence in the Holy Land is no longer a secret, the ambitions of many here will begin to swell. After all, the nineteen Celestial Dragon families in the Holy Land are all descendants of the twenty kings who founded the World Government! The empty throne Lord Imu sits upon—naturally, someone else will want to try it out!"
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters.
In a training field, Rear Admiral Noah leaned heavily on his sword, using it to prop himself up as he struggled to stay upright. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared intently at the man across from him—Dracule Mihawk, who carried a Supreme Grade Sword on his back and held a small cross-shaped dagger in his hand.
Noah was so exhausted that he didn't even notice Xayuki and several others had arrived at the edge of the training field and had been watching for some time.
After a brief moment of staring at Mihawk, Noah took a deep breath, raised his sword again, and stepped forward with gritted teeth. "Hawkeye, let's go again!"
Without hesitation, Noah bent low and charged at Mihawk with all the strength he had left.
Mihawk, however, didn't wait idly for Noah to approach. As soon as Noah lunged with his sword, Mihawk calmly spoke, then swiftly moved to meet him. In the blink of an eye, the two passed each other, standing back-to-back.
When Mihawk stopped, he said without turning around, "Your perseverance is commendable, but your swordsmanship is mediocre."
"I've spent nearly two hours entertaining you; it's time to end this meaningless battle."
As Mihawk's words fell, Noah staggered forward.
Just as he was about to collapse, Xayuki flashed across the training field and caught him.
Noah hadn't expected Xayuki to appear suddenly, let alone to support him at this moment. He was momentarily stunned before weakly calling out, "Fleet Admiral..."
Before he could finish the word "Fleet Admiral," Noah's strength gave out, and his head slumped against Xayuki's chest.
Looking at the now-unconscious Noah, Xayuki shook his head with a smile. "Although Mihawk was merely using you to pass the time, lasting two hours is already quite impressive!"
"You've arrived just in time, Xayuki."
Mihawk, who had long since noticed Xayuki's presence, glanced at Noah before gripping the hilt of his Black Blade. He then raised his head sharply. "It's time for you to fulfill the promise you made to me!"
After a brief pause, Mihawk took a step forward, his Supreme Grade Sword now firmly in his grasp. The overwhelming aura of the world's greatest swordsman swept across the training field, creating visible ripples in the air.
"You have a knack for picking the perfect moments!"
Xayuki slapped Noah lightly, sending him toward the group of officers standing outside the training field. Then, picking up Noah's sword, he stood to face Mihawk directly. "Before we begin, I want to know one thing."
"Is it about Rear Admiral Noah's former superior?" Mihawk asked, gripping the hilt of his Black Blade tightly as his hawk-like eyes gleamed with a soul-piercing light. "Years ago, I did indeed kill many Marines—some were righteous officers, others corrupt officials colluding with pirates."
"I know you have a reputation for fiercely protecting your subordinates."
"If you seek justice for those Marines who fell to my blade—"
As Mihawk spoke, a terrifying wave of energy erupted from beneath his feet. "Then forget our encounter six years ago and fight me with all you've got."
"Come!"
Before his words had fully faded, Mihawk swung his Supreme Grade Sword downward. Purple flames erupted with a brilliant flash, creating a low-frequency vibration in the air that seemed to distort space itself.
"Buzz—"
Amid the dizzying vibrations, the purple flames surged forward like a thunderbolt, carrying an unstoppable force as they slashed toward Xayuki.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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