After dismissing Kizaru, Sengoku convened a full assembly of the Seven Warlords of the Sea the following day.
Of the seven, all but "Knight of the Sea" Jinbe answered the Marines' mandatory summons. That alone brought Sengoku a small measure of relief.
Present were:
Bartholomew Kuma, the "Tyrant"
Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman
Marshall D. Teach, "Blackbeard"
Edward Weevil, the self-proclaimed Whitebeard Jr.
Gecko Moria, user of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit
And the world's most beautiful woman, Pirate Empress Boa Hancock
Sengoku's imposing gaze swept across them.
"Tomorrow is the execution of Fire Fist Ace—the day we clash with the Whitebeard Pirates. I expect each of you to contribute. Do not disgrace the title of Warlord you carry."
"Zehahaha!"
The first to respond was Blackbeard.
Grinning with his broken teeth, he said, "Don't worry, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. We'll make Whitebeard understand just how dangerous we are!"
Yet a strange glint flickered in his eyes.
He had no intention of fighting for the Marines.
This Summit War wasn't about Whitebeard or the Navy.
It was Blackbeard's grand stage.
His plan was already set.
Once this meeting concluded, he would quietly leave Marineford and head for Impel Down—recruit the monstrous criminals of Level 6—then return.
By then, the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines would have torn each other apart.
Zehahaha!
That would be the moment he reaped the spoils.
His scheme was flawless.
Unfortunately for him—
He wasn't the only one eyeing Impel Down.
"So, Fleet Admiral," Blackbeard continued casually, "I hear the Fifth Emperor Luo Xing appeared at Sabaody. The Marines and World Government deployed major forces to capture him… and returned empty-handed. True?"
Sengoku's expression darkened instantly.
"That's none of your concern, Blackbeard."
At the mention of Luo Xing's name, three individuals reacted subtly.
First was Hancock.
She cast a cold glance at Blackbeard, thinking:
"How dare that vile creature utter the name of the man I love? Insolence!"
The second was Gecko Moria.
Secretly pledged to Luo Xing, Moria had attended this meeting under direct instruction.
His tasks during the Summit War were simple—
Observe Marine strength.
And keep an eye on Blackbeard.
Prevent his schemes if possible.
Thus, the way Moria looked at Blackbeard now was anything but friendly.
The third was Mihawk.
He had been the first outsider to see Luo Xing's true face.
Back in the East Blue, they had crossed paths.
Even then, Mihawk sensed that the Fifth Emperor was a man of unfathomable depth and far-reaching vision.
Which puzzled him.
That man was not one for flashy theatrics.
Why appear so brazenly at Sabaody?
It was almost as if he were deliberately drawing attention.
What was his true objective?
Was it tied to the coming world-shaking war?
Even Mihawk's supreme Observation Haki could not glimpse the future Luo Xing sought to forge.
…
Meanwhile—
At the Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders received CP0's report.
Just as expected, they unleashed a furious tirade upon the CP0 chief.
Trembling, he relayed Luo Xing's final words before departing.
The Five Elders flew into a rage, overturning the table.
"What?! That brat dares to warn the Celestial Dragons not to leave Mary Geoise—or he'll kill them on sight?!"
"Outrageous! Even Rocks wasn't this arrogant!"
Rocks D. Xebec had ruled the seas before Roger.
Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom had once served under him.
So had legendary pirates like Shiki the Golden Lion, Wang Zhi, and Captain John.
His might had been terrifying.
Yet even Rocks had not declared open extermination against the Celestial Dragons before God Valley.
The Five Elders fumed—and then rushed to the palace of Imu.
Moments ago they stood at the pinnacle of power.
Now they knelt on the cold floor, sweating as they reported everything.
Imu's spiral-patterned pupils radiated boundless fury.
"An ignorant whelp. Kill all Celestial Dragons? Even Joy Boy of eight hundred years ago failed to accomplish such a thing."
The Celestial Dragons' greatest enemy had never been Rocks—
Nor the Pirate King Roger—
But Joy Boy.
And even Joy Boy had failed to overturn eight centuries of rule.
That Fifth Emperor—
He may have invented miraculous tools.
But without the Sun God Nika Fruit, he could never be Joy Boy.
What gave him the right to speak of annihilating the Celestial Dragons?
Suppressing his anger, Imu asked coldly:
"You said the two unknown subordinates beside Luo Xing rival Admirals?"
"Yes, Lord Imu," the Five Elders replied, trembling.
"Kaido. Luo Xing. The Three Calamities. And now two more…"
Imu's voice turned murderous.
"If this continues, the Beasts Pirates will surpass the World Government in top-tier combat power."
"After eliminating the Whitebeard Pirates tomorrow, your primary objective will be the complete eradication of the Beasts Pirates."
"To achieve this, I authorize a World Military Draft. Expand our forces."
The Five Elders bowed deeply.
"As you command, Lord Imu!"
Thus, the World Draft was set into motion.
…
Elsewhere—
Luffy's body, sent flying by Kuma, traveled for a full day and night before crashing down upon Baltigo—the White Soil Island, headquarters of the Revolutionary Army.
A patrolling Revolutionary soldier had been nodding off.
Luffy fell directly onto his head.
"Who's there?! Who attacked me?!"
The soldier scrambled up in panic, weapon raised.
Then he froze.
It was a corpse.
Yes—seeing the horrifying X-shaped wound across Luffy's chest, bone exposed, he assumed the man was long dead.
"What rotten luck," he muttered. "Dead already, and still thrown from the sky."
Sighing, he added, "Well, at least you landed on someone kind. I'll bury you somewhere decent."
He dragged Luffy's body along—
And happened to encounter Chief of Staff Sabo.
"What are you carrying?" Sabo asked.
"A corpse that fell from the sky. I was going to bury it."
"A corpse… from the sky?"
Curious, Sabo stepped closer.
The moment he saw Luffy's face—
His entire body trembled.
An overwhelming sense of familiarity surged through him.
His head throbbed violently.
Years ago, a catastrophe had stolen his memories—his bond with Luffy and Ace erased.
But now—
Seeing Luffy—
The sealed memories burst forth like a flood.
"I remember… I'm Sabo. I'm Luffy and Ace's brother!"
Agony wracked him as everything returned.
And when his gaze fell again upon Luffy's lifeless form—
Sabo broke.
"Luffy! Wake up! It's me—it's Sabo! Your sworn brother! You can't die… you can't die!"
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