"Not bad, Redyat."
Marshall D. Teach let out a low chuckle as he watched the Den Den Mushi screen in front of him. The footage displayed Redyat commanding the battlefield with calm precision, executing a series of plans that had never once been reported to him in advance.
Even Teach found himself genuinely surprised.
The strategy was sharp, decisive, and most importantly, unexpected. Yet after a moment of thought, it felt entirely reasonable. Redyat was, after all, the foremost heir of the Kingdom of Tirisfal. From a young age, he had received the best education, the finest resources, and a top-tier Devil Fruit. He was not merely powerful, but complete in every aspect.
During the kingdom's most precarious period, when war against the Kraken Kingdom loomed, Redyat had undergone specialized training in military command. He had even participated in minor conflicts to temper that knowledge with real experience.
Now, the Golden Sea War had given him the perfect stage.
In contrast, Teach's own path was far simpler and far more brutal.
His body was drenched in sweat, muscles swelling and tightening as he repeated the same movements over and over again. The ground beneath him had sunk slightly, warped by the unnatural force pressing down upon it.
At his feet lay a buried core of gravity, created through his Devil Fruit ability. It radiated an overwhelming gravitational pull, transforming the surrounding area into a high-pressure training zone. Every motion required immense effort, and maintaining the field itself continuously drained his stamina.
At this level, growth no longer came easily.
The only way forward was to force it.
Yet Teach showed no intention of stopping. Each breath burned, each movement strained his limits, but the steady increase in strength fed an addictive satisfaction. He had long since adapted to this kind of training. Pain was no longer an obstacle, but a tool.
This was not yet his moment.
When the time came, he would step onto the stage with overwhelming force, and for that, he continued to prepare without pause.
The shift in momentum within the Golden Sea War meant one thing: the conflict would drag on.
Unless the World Government chose to yield.
Teach's lips curled slightly at the thought.
That was the one outcome he had no interest in seeing.
The stage had only just been set, and he had not even made his entrance. Ending the war now would be nothing short of disappointing. A grand opening demanded an equally dramatic conclusion, and he intended to deliver a blow that the World Government would never forget.
Shiki shared a similar mindset.
The Golden Lion's true enemy had never been Whitebeard, but the World Government itself. From searching for the Ancient Weapons to inviting Roger before the Battle of Edd War, everything he had done pointed toward that goal.
The Flying Pirates had always stood as a thorn in the World Government's side. Together with the Nightfall Pirates and other rising forces, they drew the bulk of Marine attention.
For now, that was exactly how Teach wanted it.
At least for the next few years, the Flying Pirates could carry the weight of that pressure.
Once this war concluded, their influence would surge. Teach already had several ways to ensure they became the center of the world's focus. Whether it was the secret of Pure Gold or information regarding the Ancient Weapons, he held more than enough leverage.
In his mind, Shiki had likely already obtained Pure Gold. The prophecy he heard on Fish-Man Island had not been forgotten.
Once such news spread, the consequences would be immediate.
The Flying Pirates would face not only the World Government and the Marines, but also the greed of other pirate forces. And if the existence of the Ancient Weapons were revealed, Shiki would almost certainly take direct action.
Among the four Emperors of the Grand Line, only the Flying Pirates could truly claim dominance as the strongest crew.
The Nightfall Pirates still required time to reach that level.
Cooperation, in Teach's eyes, was temporary.
Conflict was inevitable.
From the very beginning, his goal had never changed. He would surpass the Flying Pirates, surpass Whitebeard, and claim the throne at the very top.
A low growl escaped his throat as he pushed his body further. His muscles trembled under the strain, his stamina nearly depleted, yet he continued. Breaking limits once was not enough. He needed to shatter them again and again.
Only then could he rise.
At the same time, intelligence reached him regarding the World Government's finances. At most, they could sustain this war for three more months.
The World Government had never been known for frugality. That was precisely why the Heavenly Tribute held such importance. It was escorted personally by CP0, CP9, Vice Admirals, and Commodores, and any disruption would trigger immediate retaliation.
In extreme cases, even Marine Admirals would be deployed.
If the pressure intensified, the World Government would resort to harsher methods to extract funds, inevitably angering a large number of kingdoms.
That outcome suited Teach perfectly.
He wanted their authority shaken, their image tarnished, their control weakened.
Meanwhile, the war raged on.
Across the seas, discussions exploded on the global forums. Pirates boasted loudly, civilians worried about the Allied Forces' fate, and every observer waited anxiously for what would come next.
The question on everyone's mind was simple.
What would happen to the Allied Forces, now trapped in a pincer attack?
Ahead of them loomed Redyat's forces.
Behind them, Alex and his fleet had already arrived.
Thousands of pirates spread across the sea, their ships forming a loose but tightening encirclement. Captured Marine warships joined their ranks, cannons already loaded and aimed.
The sky filled with black arcs as volleys of cannon fire rained down.
The accuracy of Marine artillery was already formidable, and among the pirates were more than enough skilled gunners. Combined with sheer volume, the bombardment became overwhelming.
Even through a screen, the sense of despair was palpable.
For the defeated soldiers, there seemed to be no path left but death.
Yet deep within their hearts lingered a fragile hope, a desperate belief that something, anything, might still turn the tide.
On the forums, many had already declared their end, speaking freely behind anonymity.
"Storm Break!"
Vulture's voice cut through the chaos as he spread his wings and spun in midair. A powerful hurricane erupted outward, sweeping through the incoming barrage. Cannonballs lost their momentum, hanging briefly before plunging harmlessly into the sea.
The few that slipped through were swiftly intercepted by other officers.
A pirate watching from afar sneered.
"How many rounds can they block?"
Another volley was already underway.
Before it could fully descend, a shadow loomed overhead.
"Dragon Breath!"
Redyat's massive form hovered above the battlefield, and a beam of black light tore downward like a descending catastrophe.
"I'll handle it."
Vulture could not cover everything at once. Kuzan moved.
Leaping from the warship, he landed on the sea, freezing it instantly beneath his feet. The cold spread outward, forming a stable platform.
"Ice Pillar!"
A towering column of ice surged upward, growing rapidly as it pierced through the sky. Layer upon layer formed, reinforcing its structure.
Then the Dragon Breath struck.
The top of the pillar shattered instantly under the overwhelming force. The destruction spread downward, crushing the structure piece by piece.
Yet Kuzan did not stop.
More ice formed, reinforcing what remained, reshaping the structure into a massive, mushroom-like shield that spread over the fleet. It intercepted both the Dragon Breath and the incoming cannon fire, buying them precious seconds.
The cost, however, was everything he had left.
Kuzan's body collapsed onto the ice, steam rising from his skin as sweat poured down. His breathing turned ragged, his strength completely exhausted. Even standing became impossible, and he had to be carried back to the ship.
The loss of a Marine Admiral's combat power struck the Allied Forces like a hammer.
Now, only Vulture remained.
The ice shield began to falter under continuous bombardment. Adjusted cannon fire found its mark, crashing into the warships below. Despite desperate efforts to intercept them, explosions tore through the fleet.
Within minutes, four warships were lost.
Redyat did not immediately attack again.
He could have pressed further, perhaps even killed Kuzan, but he chose not to.
Killing a Marine Admiral carried consequences far beyond the battlefield. It would ignite the fury of figures like Garp and Sengoku, and even within the Marines, such an act would not be easily forgotten or forgiven.
The balance of power in the Grand Line was not determined by strength alone. It was shaped by relationships, influence, and unspoken boundaries.
Kuzan could not die here.
At least, not by Redyat's hand.
Vulture, however, was a different matter.
As the World Government struggled on the battlefield, the wider world began to shift.
News spread rapidly, and its impact was immediate.
In the West Blue, the Dark Council expanded at an astonishing pace. Taking advantage of the chaos, they offered protection to kingdoms at a cost far lower than the Heavenly Tribute, securing cooperation while quietly undermining the World Government's authority.
With Marine forces stretched thin, their inability to maintain order became painfully obvious.
Many kingdoms began to reconsider their allegiance.
If the World Government could not protect them, why continue to pay such a heavy price?
Some even proposed forming a "West Blue Alliance," seeking economic cooperation and mutual defense outside of the World Government's control.
Elsewhere, in the South Blue, "Quetzalcoatl" Kukulcan Coatl moved in the shadows, expanding his influence and tightening his grip over the underworld. His ambition was clear. He intended to dominate the entire region.
To the kingdoms under his influence, this arrangement was not entirely unwelcome. Freed from the burden of tribute and shielded from chaos, they accepted his rule with pragmatic ease.
Across the seas, forces large and small began to stir.
The World Government's authority was weakening, its image tarnished by corruption and failure.
In the shadows, the Revolutionary Army expanded rapidly, spreading its ideology and recruiting new members among disillusioned nations.
Step by step, the world was changing.
By the time the World Government fully realized it, they might find themselves standing in a world they no longer recognized.