The moment Tsuru finished speaking, the black den den mushi on the table, specifically used for contacting Holy Land Mary Geoise, suddenly rang.
Buru buru... Buru buru... Without mimicking anyone's expression, the den den mushi merely opened its eyes mechanically, emitting a cold and urgent sound, like a summons from the abyss.
Sengoku's body instantly stiffened.
He stared at the black den den mushi, the color draining from his face, replaced by a look of ashen exhaustion.
Tsuru poured him another cup of hot tea and said nothing more, simply standing quietly by his side.
What was coming, ultimately could not be avoided.
Sengoku took a deep breath, calmed his turbulent emotions, and reached for the receiver.
"It's me, Sengoku."
There was no roaring or questioning from the other end of the line, only dead silence.
But this silence made Sengoku's heart pound more fiercely than any thunderous rage could.
After a long while, an aged, flat, and emotionless voice slowly sounded, every word striking Sengoku's nerves.
"Sengoku, come to Mary Geoise."
Time flowed by silently.
In the blink of an eye, it was the day of the instance named "Crazy Thursday," the day White Night had agreed upon with everyone.
Foosha Village, or rather, the former Foosha Village, had completely changed its appearance.
The original rustic village paths were replaced by smooth flagstones.
Makino's bar, which held countless childhood memories, now stood isolated, surrounded by luxurious villas that had sprung up, making it look completely out of place.
Most of the original villagers had become rich overnight.
Countless "city folk" from all over the world, wielding irresistible amounts of Berries, frantically bought up every inch of land and every house here.
The villagers, holding money they could never spend in a lifetime, happily moved into big cities and lived the life they had always dreamed of.
And the newly erected villas welcomed their true owners.
Inside the main house of one of the villas, Golden Lion Shiki floated out.
This legend, who once contended with Roger and Whitebeard for dominance over the seas, was now wearing loungewear, his hair tied up casually.
There was no trace of his former arrogance and Haki on his face, only a kind of dejection, his edges completely smoothed away by reality.
He floated into the air and glanced at the gate of the villa across the street, which was equally luxurious but much more rugged and imposing in style.
Shiki's Adam's apple bobbed, and a thick gob of phlegm gathered in his mouth.
"Ptooey!"
A stream of yellow phlegm accurately sliced through the morning air and splattered squarely onto the tightly shut mahogany gate.
Having done this, Shiki seemed to have accomplished something monumental; his mood significantly improved.
He turned and floated toward White Night's inconspicuous little shop in the distance, like an office worker heading to work on time every day.
Not long after.
"Creak—"
The villa gate across the street was violently yanked open.
"Which bastard!!"
An earth-shattering roar echoed, making the glass throughout the entire villa district hum.
Garp was shirtless, and upon seeing the sticky liquid coating his hand, his entire face darkened, his ferocious aura making the air heavy...
Meanwhile, at the port of Dawn Island.
A massive Marine warship slowly docked.
On the deck, a group of Marine officers and Vice Admiral Gion of Marineford, their expressions solemn, descended the gangplank.
Gion, codenamed "Momousagi," wore a sharp Marine uniform that couldn't entirely conceal her attractive figure.
Her hand rested on the famous sword konpira at her waist, and her sharp, phoenix-like eyes scanned the island, which felt both familiar and strange.
Who would have thought that Kizaru, who had gone ahead to prevent Dragon from contacting White Night, would completely lose contact?
Until that absurd newspaper spread throughout the world.
"Is this... Mr. Garp's hometown?"
A Marine Vice Admiral muttered to himself, looking at the diverse cluster of villas in the distance.
Villas of varying luxurious styles, smooth, clean flagstone roads, and even the air was permeated with the scent of money and power.
This was hardly a remote island in the East Blue; it was clearly the rich district outside Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Are the villagers here really that wealthy?
Gion did not answer.
Her sharp, phoenix-like eyes swept the surroundings, her own heart stirring with turmoil.
Before landing, she had already seen the newspaper and received a call from Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Events had clearly spiraled out of control.
Just then, Gion's pupils slightly contracted.
Not far away, a figure leisurely floated out of a villa and headed toward their direction.
The man was wearing loose loungewear, his head of long golden hair tied up haphazardly, his face displaying the dejection of a hangover mixed with a faint hint of smugness.
"Golden... Golden Lion Shiki!!"
A keen-eyed Navy Captain instantly recognized the face that had appeared on countless wanted posters, crying out in alarm and instinctively placing his hand on his sword hilt.
Instantly, the atmosphere at the port became tense and hostile.
The eyes of all the Marine officers were fixed tightly on that figure, radiating killing intent.
The legendary Great Pirate, the "Flying Pirate" Golden Lion Shiki, who contended with Pirate King Roger and Whitebeard for an era!
He was actually here!
"Don't move!"
Gion's clear, cold voice rang out, instantly suppressing everyone's impulse.
She pressed down on the Navy Captain's shoulder with such force that the man's body trembled slightly.
"Vice Admiral Gion?" the Navy Captain turned back, confused.
Gion's gaze was icy.
"On this island, put away your weapons and killing intent."
"But, that's Golden Lion! A legendary Great Pirate is right in front of us, are we just going to watch him..."
"That is an order!" Gion emphasized her tone, leaving no room for doubt.
The Marine officers exchanged glances, their faces filled with unwillingness and humiliation, but they eventually slowly released their grip on their weapons.
At this moment, Golden Lion Shiki also noticed them.
He floated in mid-air, looking at this group of elites in Marine uniforms, especially the valiant female swordswoman leading them.
He paused for a moment, then a highly peculiar smirk spread across his lips.
It was a smile mixed with self-mockery, frustration, and a hint of morbid pleasure.
He neither hid nor fled; instead, he openly and leisurely floated toward the Marine squad.
One step, two steps... His pace was slow, his posture arrogant, his eyes full of undisguised provocation.
He slowly floated past Gion and the assembled Marine officers.
The distance was so close that Gion could even smell the faint scent of alcohol on him.
The Marines clenched their fists until their knuckles were white, gritted their teeth, and their chests heaved violently, yet they could only watch helplessly as this legendary Great Pirate, who once caused Marineford endless headaches, swaggered past them.
This was an unprecedented humiliation.
Just as he brushed past Gion, Shiki stopped.
He slightly turned his head, sizing up Gion with a mocking gaze, and clicked his tongue twice.
"Pretty girl, you look good."
"However, your swordsmanship is a bit lacking."
"It's a shame about that good sword."