Chapter 476: The Spark
The morning light scattered across the fortress of Marineford.
White seagulls circled above, and the sea breeze whipped the Justice flags, making them snap fiercely in the air.
A new day had begun, yet no one dared to forget the world-shaking "Holy Land Rebellion."
When the figures of Roy and the three Admirals reappeared at the headquarters' pier, a solemn silence fell over the entire area.
In that moment, everyone felt an oppressive majesty—
Not just because of their military ranks, but because they had returned from the Holy Land "alive."
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating.
Sengoku sat at the head seat. His gaze swept over the four of them, and he squeezed the detailed report on the Holy Land incident so tightly that the corners of the paper were almost wrinkled.
"Black Reversal... Domination?"
The old Fleet Admiral's voice was hoarse and low, carrying a trace of lingering shock.
"Sakazuki... was almost controlled by that kind of thing?!!"
Kizaru pushed his glasses up, his usual smile long gone.
"Kowai ne~ (How scary~) This time was truly terrifying..."
Kuzan leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, his tone lazy but hiding lingering fear:
"Arara~ If Roy hadn't acted in time, we would have had to face a rampaging volcano."
Sengoku looked up at Roy, his eyes complex.
Roy just smiled faintly, his gaze calm.
He didn't say much, but that composure made Sengoku understand everything—
Roy had known about the existence of "that power" all along.
After a moment of silence, Sengoku slowly exhaled. "That power does not belong to humans... or even this world."
He closed the file, looking deeply at Roy. "Now, I finally understand—what you meant by 'taboo' earlier."
"However, the Marines' 'Justice' cannot be controlled by anyone."
"Whether it be Gods or Demons."
Sengoku remained silent for a long time before revealing a relieved smile.
"I'm old... It's time to pass the baton."
He turned his head and looked at Sakazuki, who was sitting to the side.
"This flame of 'Justice', it shall be yours to inherit."
The next day, the appointment was officially issued.
Admiral Akainu, Sakazuki, officially took over as Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters.
The moment the news was announced, the entire world was shaken.
Countless people speculated that an unprecedented "Iron-Blooded Purge" was about to sweep the globe.
However—
They were wrong.
The new Fleet Admiral's first order was not a purge, nor was it war.
Instead, it was—institutional integration and the reconstruction of military discipline.
All orders were precise and rational, making the Marine system unprecedentedly efficient.
Training was well-measured, supplies flowed smoothly, and discipline was strict.
The internal system of the Marines became even more stable, coordinated—and even mild.
The entire headquarters seemed to have found a bizarre balance between iron and reason.
This left everyone absolutely dumbfounded.
...
"Eh? This guy has to be an imposter, right??"
Enel slumped on a bench in the corridor, chewing an apple, and suspiciously peeked into the Fleet Admiral's office.
Through the half-open door, he saw that man whose fury used to be like flames, whose words alone could make the air scorch—
Was currently sitting in the sunlight, quietly arranging flowers.
A white porcelain vase, red camellias.
Sakazuki's brow was slightly furrowed, his expression focused, even carefully adjusting the angles.
Sunlight spilled onto his shoulders through the curtains. The scene was so peaceful it was... bizarre.
"F-Flower arrangement?!! Akainu—?!!"
Enel nearly choked on his apple.
Looking as if he'd been struck by lightning, he bolted from the doorway straight to Roy's office.
"Hey, hey, hey! Roy—!!!"
"Did that guy get brainwashed by the Gods of the Holy Land!? I watched him all afternoon and he hasn't yelled at anyone once!!!"
Roy was processing documents and was so startled he almost burst out laughing.
He helplessly stood up and patted Enel's shoulder.
"Don't worry, he hasn't been brainwashed."
"He's just—tempering his heart."
Enel was completely baffled: "His heart???"
Roy walked to the window, looking out at the distant azure sea.
His gaze softened, his tone deep. "Perhaps that incident at the Holy Land made him truly understand."
"If 'fury' cannot be restrained, it won't just swallow the enemy, but comrades... as well."
The sea breeze blew past, lifting the edges of his cape.
Roy smiled faintly, his eyes as calm as an abyss. "Knowing how to conceal the volcano about to erupt within yourself—"
"Is what's truly terrifying."
Punk Hazard · Night
That island forever shrouded in mist and extreme climates was dead silent under the veil of night.
The wind was suppressed, the clouds stagnated, and only the deep scientific research area emitted a low, rhythmic hum.
It was a "heartbeat" like a giant beast's, coming from the center of the fusion reactor in the energy control core area.
Behind the heavy explosion-proof glass, a cluster of flames burned quietly.
The flames churned within the transparent liquid, yet gave off no heat.
It was neither hot nor cold, but rather a bizarre existence.
Every pulsation was accompanied by a slight distortion in the air, as if even light bent under its gravity.
That was precisely the miracle Vegapunk had exhausted his life's wisdom to develop for the world's progress and the benefit of humanity—the "Mother Flame."
Capable of generating energy in a constant, non-decaying manner, in theory, it could allow dozens of nations, or even the entire world, to forever break free from the curse of resource wars.
Vegapunk called it—"The Second Dawn of Human Civilization."
At this moment, the laboratory was empty.
The only light source was that cluster of the "Mother Flame" burning quietly within the liquid.
Suddenly, a current flashed across the main control console.
Bzz—
All surveillance feeds froze simultaneously.
Data readings remained stable, but the security system was tampered with in an instant.
Immediately after, the air at the doorway rippled slightly, and a massive figure slipped in without a sound.
The DOM shoes let out faint tap tap sounds on the metal floor, but their built-in soundproofing system swallowed the noise.
She wore a lab coat, her figure tall, her blonde hair falling down.
—It was none other than one of Vegapunk's satellites, York the "Greed."
Her footsteps were light, yet carried obvious hesitation.
Slowly walking up to the fusion reactor, the firelight reflected in her eyes, highlighting a flickering sense of conflict.
She gazed at the flame, murmuring aloud, "...Can this thing truly change the world?"
In her mind, Saint Garling's cold, scarlet eyes surfaced.
Along with that whispered phrase from the Holy Land's covert line—
"Our cooperation remains valid."
"The world needs 'energy'... not that old geezer's ideals."
York's fingertips trembled slightly.
Saint Garling's orders, Saint Saturn's deal, the World Government's threats...
All of these were tearing at her rationality.
But at the same time—
Another image barged into her mind.
That day, Vegapunk had looked at her. Even though he clearly knew she had leaked the experimental data, he only sighed.
"Human greed is the engine of evolution."
"But York, don't let it turn around and devour you."
Those words were like cold water splashed into her heart; her gaze wavered slightly.
Her fingertips swept across the console, stopping on the "safety valve" switch.
"But... I've already gone too far."
York raised her head, staring at the "Mother Flame" burning within the liquid.
The flames danced in her pupils, like a demon whispering.
Her hand slowly reached for the control console.
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you