Holy Land Mary Geoise, the Hall of Authority.
White smoke curled slowly within the cavernous hall, yet it could not dilute the oppressive aura capable of making the entire Red Line tremble. Five elderly figures—the pinnacle of world power—sat around a table symbolizing absolute dominion. Scattered before them were reports detailing every move of the Eclipse Pirates.
"Plundering the Heavenly Tribute, defeating CP0 in Water 7... this is more than rebellion," an elder in a dark green suit spoke coldly. "He is purposefully destroying the 'deterrence system' we established."
"News from Sengoku says the boy's name contains a 'D'," another elder, wearing a kimono and cradling a long sword, added. "Even without conclusive evidence linking him to Roger, this talent and name are enough to warrant our vigilance."
"The most troublesome part is his ambition," a third elder noted, his eyes like frost. "He isn't a traditional pirate seeking the 'One Piece.' He is accumulating military force and subverting rules. He doesn't want to be the Pirate King, but the King of the World."
The long-bearded elder stood and gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window at the surging sea of clouds. "This feeling... it is as if that madman Rocks has been reincarnated."
The air in the hall froze at the mention of that name.
"This era does not need a second Rocks," the elder continued. "Have Marineford redefine his danger level. No longer a 'rookie,' but an 'Outlier.' Let the world know the price of provoking the Order."
Edge of the Florian Triangle, aboard the Eclipse.
The Eclipse descended steadily from the heavens. The high-tech warship, crafted from Adam Wood and Starfall Black Steel, hummed with near-perfect automation. Thruster arrays adjusted with precision, and the massive hull sliced into the dark sea as silently as a feather.
In the kitchen, Leona was focused to the point of piety. Wearing a heavy leather apron, she processed a Sky Island sea beast with a slender boning knife. Her movements were rhythmic and fast, her mutated Observation Haki allowing her to slide the blade along the "death lines" of the meat, wasting nothing. To her, the kitchen was now a second dojo.
On the lower deck, Jeno squatted at his workbench. The three-meter giant bit down on a steel nail as his infrared prosthetic eye flashed, processing data for an iterative upgrade to his exoskeleton.
"If ships can have intelligent systems, my weapons can too," he muttered, working on a floating laser cannon that would solve his mobility issues while freeing his hands for close-quarters combat.
Daily training continued unabated. Hundreds of meters from the ship, Sabo and Enel were locked in a dance of fire and lightning. Sabo used fire-jet propulsion to create afterimages in the sky, while Enel flickered through the dark clouds, his golden staff tearing through the atmosphere with the roar of thunder.
On the main deck, Urouge was bare-chested, performing a masochistic routine. He held two massive iron pillars horizontally, his muscles screaming under the strain. A twisted smile was fixed on his face; to him, the pain was merely the tempering of the vessel required to welcome the next Karma.
Nearby, Buggy sat on a pile of ropes, bragging to the newcomer. "Back in the day, when I was by Roger's side, I saw it all! Whitebeard? I challenged him to his face!"
Shark sat upright, his cold, serrated face nodding politely. "Mr. Buggy's seniority is indeed awe-inspiring. I have always looked forward to hearing of such great figures."
Buggy was elated, his red nose glowing with pride. "Yehahahaha! You Fishmen have good eyes! Stick with me, and there will be plenty of benefits!"
At the second deck railing, Carina felt the air pressure drop and the magnetic fields turn chaotic. "The environment here is a natural signal-blocking zone," she said, looking toward the bow. "Ace, we have completely entered."
Ace sat cross-legged on the Vermilion Bird figurehead. He had fully released his innate talent for the Voice of All Things.
Amidst the thick fog and the moans of rotting wood, he captured a strand of resilient soul energy—a loneliness spanning fifty years, a wail lingering in a dead sea.
"I hear it."
Ace stood up, his gaze piercing the white mist. "Carina, slow down. I'm taking you to see an interesting fellow."
The Eclipse vanished into the thick darkness of the "Devil's Stomach," a place where the sun never shines.
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