Compared to the urgency of the Allied Forces' retreat, the pirates appeared far more at ease.
Aboard warships and pirate vessels, aside from the severely wounded who were sent to the rear to recuperate, everyone who could still fight joined in the pursuit. They ate heartily, tearing into compressed rations and specially processed dried meat. These provisions were the backbone of wartime supply, valued for their long preservation. There was no time for proper meals, and no one expected any.
Viewers across the world, watching through video Den Den Mushi, could not help but feel a twinge of sympathy for the Allied Forces. The contrast in conditions was simply too stark.
At the same time, everyone understood that while one battle had ended, what followed would be even more decisive.
Would the pirates press their advantage and crush the Marines, or could the Allied Forces stabilize the situation and turn the tide?
Amid the overwhelming attention on the Glacier Battlefield, a subtle anomaly went largely unnoticed.
Several live feeds connected to Alex's location suddenly vanished.
A few sharp observers speculated that Alex had made a move, but there was no proof, and their voices were drowned out. The majority remained fixated on the main battlefield. The so-called Fourth Battlefield faded into the background, and with the disappearance of its broadcast, it became almost irrelevant in the eyes of the public.
More importantly, the soldiers on the front lines had received no warning from the rear.
There had been no call to withdraw, no request for reinforcements.
Which suggested that everything behind them was… stable.
Or at least, it should have been.
At the headquarters of the World Economic News Agency, chaos reigned.
"Is it fixed yet? Why is it still down?" Morgans shouted, eyes wide as he glared at the technician.
He was visibly agitated. He had been closely tracking Alex's movements and was certain that something major had occurred. Yet at the critical moment, the signal had been cut.
"I'm sorry, President Morgans," the technician said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "We've checked everything. The Den Den Mushi itself is functioning normally. The signal briefly returned a few times, but it was far from the pirates' location. This looks like external interference, likely disrupting the bio-electric signals."
He hesitated, then added, "If the pirates planned something secret, they would naturally prevent exposure. Someone among them is probably interfering with the Den Den Mushi signals directly."
"And the front line hasn't received any news either," another staff member said. "That suggests their communications were jammed as well."
Morgans clutched his head in frustration.
"A major event, and we can't even see it."
"Please don't worry," an editor said calmly. "If the pirates are suppressing the signal, then even if we could broadcast it, we wouldn't be allowed to. The recordings are still intact. Once the interference ends, we will have everything."
"And if their objective has already been achieved, there's no need for them to keep blocking the signal."
As if on cue, the screens flickered.
Alex's image returned.
The disconnected Den Den Mushi reestablished the feed.
The moment the broadcast resumed, those who entered were stunned.
Then they rushed back to the forum.
"Everyone, go watch the new feed. Huge development!" [West Blue Fishing King]
"How big could it be? Bigger than the Glacier Battlefield?" [White Pants]
"The Allied Forces' main base has been attacked. This is the aftermath." [West Blue Fishing King]
"What? Why didn't you say that first?" [White Pants]
"Going now +1"
"+2"
"+3" [T/N: why does it feel like one piece had turn into a vmmo novel?]
A massive wave of viewers flooded the channel.
What they saw left them speechless.
The screen showed Base Zero, the most critical headquarters of the Allied Forces.
It was in ruins.
The structures were shattered, the ground scorched, and bodies were scattered everywhere. The signs of a brutal battle were unmistakable, and the fighting was still ongoing.
Most of the fallen were from the Allied Forces.
Under Alex's command, pirates from multiple battlefields had converged here, cutting through resistance with overwhelming force. Without high-level combatants to defend it, the base had collapsed almost instantly.
After Vulture's departure, nothing could stop Alex.
With reinforcements gathered from scattered battlefields, they advanced without resistance, cutting down everything in their path. Most defenders became little more than corpses.
They had struck directly at the rear.
"Oh, so they've returned?"
Alex glanced toward the distant battlefield, already informed of the situation through Redyat.
At first, he had believed his mission was a simple rear assault.
Now the intent was clear.
This was a coordinated trap.
The defeated forces from the Glacier Battlefield were being driven straight into his jaws. There would be no chance to regroup, no time to recover. Only deeper destruction awaited them.
Enel's role had been critical.
By combining his Plasma-Plasma Fruit with his Observation Haki, refined into a wide-range "Mantra," he interfered with all Den Den Mushi and communication signals belonging to the Allied Forces.
Front line and rear had been completely isolated.
Even Morgans' equipment had been affected.
Like the abilities of "Mist Killer" Rubert, Enel's interference turned every Allied stronghold into a disconnected island.
Now, with resistance crushed and Base Zero occupied, there was no need to hide any longer.
Enel lifted the interference.
The truth was revealed to the world.
Shock rippled across every battlefield.
The Allied Forces' rear had fallen, and they had not even noticed.
Now the implications were unavoidable.
Where could they go?
The Golden Sea was limited in size. Their original destination had been Base Zero, which was now under enemy control. Changing course would not help, as their movements could be tracked through live broadcasts.
Every path led into danger.
Reinforcements were spread thin. Other bases lacked the strength to support them. Attempting to regroup would only lead to further losses under a pincer attack.
The pirates, watching the unfolding chaos, laughed with excitement.
Around the world, factions hostile to the World Government celebrated openly.
Civilians and nobles aligned with the Marines grew increasingly uneasy.
The balance had shifted.
At Marine Headquarters, the atmosphere was heavy.
"This was expected," someone muttered.
Schemes layered upon schemes had dismantled their position piece by piece.
Redyat's name alone now carried weight.
Compared to "Ares the Ferocious God," who had long been active and feared, Redyat's rise was quieter yet far more unsettling.
Powerful.
Calculating.
Relentless.
He had reversed the entire war through strategy.
"Move out. Surround them. If we can take down an Admiral, even better."
Alex laughed, his voice filled with excitement.
The pirates roared in response, morale surging. They abandoned the ruined base, boarded their ships, and charged back into the sea.
Victory seemed within reach.
Above the fleeing Allied fleet, Redyat moved.
He separated from the main force and transformed into a colossal shadow dragon, circling overhead like a harbinger of doom.
He did not descend.
He did not rush.
He simply hovered, releasing Dragon Breath at intervals, striking with calculated precision.
Vulture's condition worsened with every passing moment. His Life Card would have already begun to burn.
Kuzan fared no better. Each attempt to block the attacks drained what little stamina he had regained. Two warships had already been destroyed under Redyat's assault.
Their retreat slowed.
Behind them, the pirate fleet closed in.
Despair began to spread.
"What do we do now?"
Even Sengoku found no immediate answer.
The collapse of the rear, Redyat's overwhelming strength, Alex's sudden strike, none of it had been anticipated.
"The intelligence gap is too large," Tsuru said quietly. "We are completely blind, while they see everything."
She paused before continuing.
"There is a traitor among us. As for Jaya Island, all our spies have been eliminated. Even CP9 has gone silent."
She exhaled slowly.
"This is the price of losing control of information."
After a moment, she added, "Redyat likely inherited Redfield's ability."
Sengoku frowned.
Mind-reading Observation Haki.
Not foresight, but direct insight into thoughts.
Against such a power, infiltration was meaningless.
"We can discuss that later," Sengoku said. "Kuzan cannot fall."
Kuzan's Life Card had already burned significantly. If an Admiral died in full view of the world, the impact would be catastrophic.
"Don't worry," Tsuru replied. "The World Government will not remain idle."
At that moment, Army Admiral Byakki had already begun moving toward the Golden Sea.
Still, the situation elsewhere was just as dire.
"We cannot spare anyone," Sengoku said, frustration evident.
"The New World must remain the priority."
Even with Garp, Zephyr, Sakazuki, and Borsalino, the Marines were struggling to maintain their foothold.
Big Mom.
Kaido.
Shiki.
Each name alone was enough to tip the balance.
If the Marines were driven out of the New World again, reclaiming it would be far more difficult.
Tsuru nodded.
"I will head there as well."
Remaining at headquarters would not change the outcome.
The war had reached a turning point.
And the storm was only growing stronger.