Bang.
The heavy door closed.
The figures of Abel and Kuzan vanished at the end of the corridor.
A deathly silence fell over the office.
Garp crunched down, snapping a rice cracker in his hand.
"Sengoku, do you believe that guy's words?"
"Half truth, half lie."
Sengoku took off his glasses and rubbed his weary brow.
"But the threat of that virus is real."
"You saw the footage from Iron Fang Island as well; that kind of transmission speed and mutation capability is simply unheard of."
"If it were a Devil Fruit ability, the effect would usually vanish if the user fell unconscious or died."
"But this virus... it seems to be alive."
Vice Admiral Tsuru picked up a photograph from the desk, looking at the red-clad figure standing atop the ruins.
"SCP Foundation..."
"If such a massive organization monitoring countless civilizations truly exists, why have we never heard of it in these eight hundred years?"
"Perhaps it is because we are too weak."
Sengoku put his glasses back on, a cold light flashing behind the lenses.
"Just like that Abel said."
"In their eyes, we are merely natives."
"Contact Vegapunk immediately."
"Send all samples collected from Iron Fang Island, including those zombie fragments, to the Special Science Group."
"I want to know exactly what that 'Blacklight' thing is."
"And..."
Sengoku glanced out the window at the azure sky.
"Notify the Five Elders."
"An incident of this magnitude is no longer something Marineford can decide on alone."
...
The North Blue, covered in dark clouds.
The wild wind whipped up waves several meters high, slamming them violently against the black reefs with a thunderous roar.
This was the mandatory shipping lane leading to the "Gold-Sucking Hole," Iron Fang Island.
In the past, this lane was always crowded with pirate ships flying skull flags, smuggling vessels, and even noble cruise ships disguised as merchant convoys.
Everyone carried a thirst for money, fine wine, and women, racing toward that city that never sleeps.
But today, there was only a deathly silence upon the sea.
And those rows of white warships, like a Great Wall of steel, spanned the horizon where the sea met the sky.
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?"
Aboard a medium-sized pirate ship named the 'Cyclops,' Captain One-Eyed Jack held up his binoculars, the bottle of rum in his hand nearly falling to the deck.
Through the lens, a dense formation of Marine warships formed a solid line.
The dark muzzles of the cannons were all uncovered, pointing coldly toward the outer sea.
"Boss, did we take the wrong path?"
The first mate leaned in, swallowing hard, his face turning pale.
"This lineup... are the Marines going to slaughter Iron Fang Island? Even capturing one of the Four Emperors wouldn't take more than this, right?"
One-Eyed Jack wiped the cold sweat from his face.
Normally, if he saw one or two warships, he would rely on his ship's speed and dare to maneuver around them.
But this scene before him there were at least twenty heavy warships from Marineford.
He could even see those commissioned officers wearing Justice coats, standing on the decks in full battle readiness.
"Turn the helm! Turn the helm now!"
One-Eyed Jack roared with all his might, his voice cracking.
"Forget about Iron Fang Island! I don't want to die here!"
Just then.
Boom!
From a distant warship, a warning shot came whistling through the air.
A water column exploded less than fifty meters from the 'Cyclops,' the resulting wave drenching a large portion of the deck.
Immediately after, a cold and emotionless voice came through the loudspeakers:
"The waters ahead have been taken over by Marineford and designated as an S-Rank Forbidden Zone."
"No vessel may approach. Those who violate this..."
"Will be executed on sight!"
The voice echoed across the churning sea through a special loudspeaker Den Den Mushi, carrying an unquestionable authority.
One-Eyed Jack's legs went weak with fear, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.
"Quick! Full sail! Turn around!"
The reason the Marines could be called the overlords of this sea was not just because of those few top-tier combatants, but more so because of their chilling execution and scale of mobilization. When this massive war machine ran at full speed to blockade a sea area, it became a true wall of iron.
Thirty nautical miles outside Iron Fang Island.
The originally turbulent sea was now covered in steel. Dozens of heavy Marine warships were linked stem to stern, their dark cannon muzzles weaving an airtight net of firepower. Any vessel attempting to enter or flee would be blown to pieces the moment it entered range.
The temporary Marine flagship.
Smoker had two cigars clenched in his mouth, his hands gripping the railing so tightly his knuckles turned white.
The sea breeze whipped his short white hair into a frenzy, but his sharp eyes were fixed intently on the mist-shrouded island several nautical miles away.
Iron Fang Island.
Its former prosperity was long gone.
Even from this distance, one could seemingly smell the rot and stench carried on the wind.
It was the scent of death.
"Colonel, this is the twelfth wave of pirates we've driven off today."
Tashigi walked over carrying a stack of documents, her expression looking somewhat haggard.
Over the past week, they had barely closed their eyes.
The blockade line was established quickly, but a heavy stone weighed on everyone's heart.
Because they knew what kind of hell was hidden behind that layer of mist.
For those greedy pirates, the Marines' methods were simple and brutal if warnings were ignored, they were sunk immediately.
The wrecks of over a dozen pirate ships submerged on the seabed served as the best road signs.
However, in this distorted world, the most difficult to deal with were never the desperate criminals, but the privileged class who thought themselves above the rules.
"Move! You low-ranking soldiers!"
A giant cruise ship, decorated with such gold and splendor that the word "extravagance" was practically carved into its planks, was arrogantly pushing aside the outer patrol boats, heading straight for the core of the blockade.
On the cruise ship's deck, a pot-bellied man with a greasy face was waving a diamond-encrusted cane, roaring at the Marines below with spit flying everywhere.
"I am the Minister of Finance of the Goa Kingdom! There are goods belonging to me on this ship! And I am going to Iron Fang Island to inspect my real estate!"
"Damn Marines, who gave you the nerve to stop my ship? Believe it or not, I can make one call to the World Government and have those uniforms stripped right off you!"
Smoker stood on the flagship's bridge, his two cigars bitten into a mangled mess.
Smoke swirled around him, yet it could not suppress the rising fire in his heart.
"Colonel..." Tashigi held Shigure, looking at the still-shouting fat man with a troubled face. "That is the 'Golden Rose.' On board is not only the Minister from the Goa Kingdom but also several noble children from allied nations..."
"Ignore those fools. If they dare break the blockade line, fire the cannons immediately."
Smoker acted tough because he knew what kind of terrifying consequences would occur if the things here were leaked.
Boom—!
A cannonball exploded on the sea surface less than twenty meters from the 'Golden Rose.'
A towering water column splashed onto the deck, soaking those expensive Persian carpets and causing the nobles holding red wine glasses to let out piercing screams.
"Crazy! These Marines have gone crazy!"
That pot-bellied Minister of Finance of the Goa Kingdom was now slumped pathetically against the railing, his diamond-encrusted cane pointing at the opposing warship, his bloated cheeks flushed a dark liver-red with rage.
"I am Count Orlando! This ship has a special transit permit from the Goa Kingdom!"