Four days had passed since Kaido reached Sabaody.
The battle the storm had interrupted had resumed above the western channels and then been forced steadily away from the Yarukiman Mangroves.
Zaraki and Kaido had exchanged blows across the open sea hard enough to break two uninhabited reefs, while Garp and Borsalino prevented the Beasts Pirates from turning the archipelago into a battlefield.
Dorry and Brogy had used Hakoku Sovereignty to split the fleet's first coordinated bombardment, and the Oni Slayer had helped drive the remaining ships away from the evacuation routes.
There had been no clean victory.
Kaido withdrew with cracked scales, a deep wound across his torso, and enough laughter to promise that the next encounter would last until one of them stopped breathing.
Zaraki returned to Sabaody with Law's repairs torn open yet again, while most of the Beasts Pirates escaped west beneath King's command.
The civilians survived because the evacuation had been completed before the fighting reached the inner groves.
Afterward, the remaining disputes had taken three days to untangle.
Monkey, Dog, and Bear remained under investigation. Spandam's recorded confession had forced the judicial administration to release Oimo and Kashii from Enies Lobby, and the two giants were reunited with Dorry and Brogy at Marineford.
Law declined to submit a formal Warlord application while CP0's conduct remained unresolved, then departed aboard the Polar Tang after treating the last of the wounded.
The Giant Warrior Pirates received provisional approval under the single vacant Warlord charter.
Dorry had been named the official representative after losing a coin toss he loudly accused Brogy of rigging, while Brogy remained equal co-captain and commander under the same agreement.
The final papers still required both captains' signatures.
Then Marine Headquarters issued Zaraki his next assignment.
The final candidate on Zephyr's sealed list was believed to be operating from Kalles Island, near the edge of the New World.
Gion had been assigned as the official Marine observer, and the Oni Slayer departed Marineford once Law declared Zaraki sufficiently repaired to travel.
Inside the warship's first-class cabin, Zaraki reclined against a leather sofa with both boots resting on the edge of a mahogany table.
At the center of the table sat a pitch-black surveillance Den Den Mushi.
Its shell carried no Marine serial number, only a strip of blank metal where identification should have been.
The receiver had come from Tsuru.
Marine Intelligence recovered a compromised relay module from Monkey's Pacifista control console after the assessment.
The same Cipher Pol network had carried sealed instructions between Mary Geoise and Director Dapus's Aegis Execution Unit. Tsuru had warned Zaraki that the connection might close at any moment.
Zaraki bit into the green apple in his hand.
The crisp crunch echoed through the quiet cabin while the surveillance snail copied the low murmur of voices from a distant secured room.
"The Oni Slayer entered the Calm Belt six hours ago," Saint Jaygarcia Saturn said. "Its course is consistent with an arrival at Kalles tomorrow afternoon."
Another voice answered with open contempt.
"Kaido failed at Sabaody because too many Marines gathered around the brat."
Zaraki recognized Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro from the command recordings preserved after the assessment. The Elder's fury had not faded.
"We gave the Emperor a cleared route and the location of his target. Instead of isolating Zaraki, the operation drew Garp, Borsalino, the giant captains, and Trafalgar Law into the same battlefield."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter spoke next.
"Director Dapus and the Aegis Execution Unit are already in position. The Kalles candidate believes Zaraki is coming to arrest him rather than evaluate him."
"The seastone launchers?" Saint Topman Warcury asked.
"Installed along the inner harbor," Saturn replied. "Three senior operatives entered under separate identities. One controls the harbor defenses, one has joined the candidate's men, and the third is waiting inside the old fortress."
Zaraki stopped chewing.
So the warning hidden beneath Tsuru's calm expression had been justified.
Kalles was not simply another Warlord evaluation. The Government had prepared the entire island as a killing ground.
Nusjuro's voice sharpened.
"I will go."
A brief silence followed.
Saint Marcus Mars broke it.
"You will remain concealed. If Dapus succeeds, no Elder should be connected to the operation."
"And if he fails?"
"Then you may decide whether revealing yourself is worth the consequences."
Nusjuro released a violent breath.
"I want to see Zaraki's body before I accept another report claiming he escaped."
Zaraki swallowed the apple and rubbed his chin.
The idea of an Elder personally appearing interested him far more than the seastone launchers or three hidden agents.
Nozarashi had become easier to control since Kuraigana, and the second battle with Kaido had forced him to compress his power beneath even greater pressure.
Kalles might provide a useful test of how much that control had improved.
"The candidate is not to be killed unless necessary," Saturn continued. "His hatred is useful, and the Warlord charter still requires a replacement if Zaraki dies."
Warcury's reply came like a growl.
"If Zaraki survives the candidate, the harbor weapons, and Aegis, Nusjuro may intervene. Until then, no one acts outside the sequence."
"Agreed," Mars said.
The transmission crackled.
A second later, the surveillance Den Den Mushi's face relaxed as the compromised relay went dead.
Zaraki switched it off and tossed the apple core into the wastebasket.
A knock came from the cabin door.
Gion's voice followed from the corridor.
"Zaraki, come outside. Morgans has decided yesterday's disaster was not dramatic enough."
Zaraki rose, pulled on the black trench coat hanging beside the sofa, and opened the door.
Sea air rushed through the corridor.
The Oni Slayer had already left the ordinary shipping currents behind.
Seastone plating lined the vessel's keel, disguising it from many of the creatures beneath the Calm Belt, while internal paddle wheels drove the warship forward without relying on wind.
Gion stood near the rail and slapped a newspaper against Zaraki's chest.
"See for yourself."
The front page carried an image leaked from one of the official visual Den Den Mushi at the eastern evacuation berth.
It showed the instant Zaraki's palm shattered Saint Charlos's bubble helmet and sent the World Noble into the ceremonial cushions behind him.
**WAR DEMON STRIKES A WORLD NOBLE DURING SABAODY EVACUATION! MADMAN—or MARINE JUSTICE WITHOUT A LEASH?**
The smaller text beneath the image mentioned Charlos firing inside a civilian route, Camie's rescue, and the freed enslaved bearer.
Morgans had included those facts, though only after surrounding them with enough speculation to fill three pages.
Zaraki clicked his tongue.
"The picture is blurry."
Gion stared at him.
"That is what concerns you?"
"He could have chosen a better angle."
She pressed one finger against the underworld column.
"Other Celestial Dragon families have placed private rewards through black-market brokers. The total is already higher than most pirate bounties."
"There certainly are a lot of people who want me dead."
"You also heard the assignment was compromised."
Zaraki looked toward her.
Gion's expression made it clear Tsuru had told her about the intercepted Cipher Pol relay, though probably not every word.
"Kalles is a trap," she said.
"It was going to be boring otherwise."
"We are still going?"
"Of course."
Gion folded her arms.
"You fought Kaido four days ago. Law repaired you twice in one month, and the World Government has prepared an island specifically to kill you."
Zaraki leaned against the railing.
"You say that as though I should turn around."
"I say it because someone aboard this ship needs to remember that arriving alive is part of completing the mission."
The paddle wheels continued turning beneath them.
Then the air changed.
There had been no natural wind since they entered the Calm Belt, but the sea became even quieter. The deep-blue surface ahead smoothed until it resembled polished glass.
Zaraki noticed a heavy, fishy odor spreading through the air.
Something enormous was rising from below.