Twilight.
Also known as the "Hour of Demons."
In folklore, it is the time of day when people are most likely to encounter monsters and spirits. At this moment, before the giant lifts of the Red Line, over 60,000 Marine soldiers were assembled. Despite the rows of giant coastal cannons standing grimly and the thousands of fully armed comrades surrounding them, these Marines were restless. They looked toward the distant horizon with nervous, darting eyes.
It was as if an unspeakable "Demon God" was truly about to manifest from the fading glow of the setting sun.
"The pressure is quite immense, isn't it?"
On the high platform designated for the Admirals, Kizaru sat alone, legs crossed. He gazed out at the distant sea and murmured, "We have to hold out for two hours... can we really do it?"
That was the latest order from above: at all costs, keep the battlefield restricted to the base of the Red Line and stall the enemy for two hours until nightfall!
It was meant to be a reassuring deadline. To be honest, if there were no time limit or if they had to hold out for several more hours, even an Admiral like him wouldn't be able to muster a shred of fighting spirit. The odds of victory were simply too low.
Kizaru narrowed his eyes and looked back. Surrounding the coastal batteries were Pacifistas modelled after Crocodile—fifty of them in total. In the direction of Paradise, another twenty Pacifistas were stationed to resist the allied forces led by the Revolutionary Army.
Furthermore, the Seraphim had finished assembling at Mary Geoise. These humanoid weapons, based on the Warlords, were the result of the entire Science Division working overtime at all costs. Pressure creates motivation; they had outpaced the original development schedule by several years.
Currently, they stood quietly on both sides of the lifts alongside the summoned Warlords, waiting for the impending battle. Combined with the Five Elders standing ready at the gates of Mary Geoise and the members of the Holy Knights... it could be said that the World Government had brought out every single piece of family silver. Everything!
Even if the Four Emperors of the past had joined forces, against such a luxurious lineup, they would have to weigh how many lives they had to throw away.
But... Kizaru knew well. These were not enough. Far from enough! Because the enemy was Curtain Call! And the man leading them was him.
"Hm?" Kizaru noticed something and whipped his head back, his pupils shrinking. "Are they here!"
As if in response to his words, a black shadow finally appeared on the distant horizon. Then a second, a third... countless shadows surged forward like a tide! The dense forest of warships stretched out in a continuous line, almost covering the entire sea. They were scattered like stars, too many to count, and their momentum was staggering!
On the deck of the lead flagship, a slender black-clad figure stood at the bow with hands behind his back, surrounded by his crew.
Whoosh—
The sea breeze whipped his black cloak, snapping it loudly. Standing out vividly against the sunset, he drew everyone's gaze instantly.
"Hey, they're really here." "That level of aura... there's no mistake." "The strongest monster in history..." "...The King of the Four Seas with a bounty of 7.3 billion Berries, the Leader of Curtain Call, Shane!"
Whispers spread through the crowd like a virus. From the low-level sailors to the high-ranking generals, faces grew pale and eyes filled with terror. People instinctively swallowed hard.
A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree. Today, the name "Shane" had become the most terrifying existence for Marines across the ocean! The sheer level of his deterrent power had long surpassed the likes of Roger or Whitebeard! He was like the Sword of Damocles hanging over the World Government's head; his mere existence in the world made people lose sleep.
And now... was the sword finally going to fall!
"..." Kizaru could no longer maintain his composure. He stood up from his seat, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Behind his tinted glasses, his eyes were locked onto the approaching figure. Even across the sea and at such a distance, he could clearly feel that suffocating sense of pressure.
It was even more terrifying than he remembered! Even the entire ocean seemed afraid to make a sound, trembling as it made way for that man!
"There is nothing to worry about! Do you not even have the confidence to hold out for two hours? All Marines! Prepare for battle!" Kong's roar thundered through the loudspeakers from the rear, echoing over the battlefield. "Outer coastal batteries and all warships! Aim at the enemy fleet! FIRE AT WILL!!!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
In an instant, the base of the Red Line erupted in a cacophony of gunfire. Countless pitch-black shells poured out like a rainstorm, whistling toward the distant Finalizers' fleet!
However, Shane remained motionless at the very front. He didn't even show the slightest intention of making a move. Behind him, several figures instantly stepped out from the bow using Moon Walk, soaring into the sky!
"One-Sword Style: Storm Slash!" "Gravity Blade: Meteor Fall!" "Ursus Shock!" "Holy Sanctuary!" "Great Ice Wall!" "Double Scythe Dance!" "Immortal Flame Barrier!"
Seven defences unfolded simultaneously. The overwhelming rain of shells exploded in mid-air, turning into a sky full of fireworks as they were intercepted. A significant portion of the shells were even reflected back, landing on the Marine warships and battery positions, raising plumes of smoke and cries of agony.
As the smoke cleared, the seven returned to the ship. The massive Curtain Call fleet was unscathed, still advancing at an alarming speed.
"Damn it, the Executives made their move!" "They intercepted everything with just one casual move each..." "Even a barrage of this level is useless!"
The Marine soldiers broke into a clamour. The high-ranking generals, though they had expected this, grit their teeth in despair upon witnessing it. The enemy's top-tier combat power was simply too numerous and too strong!
"Hmph, merely an opening probe," Kong's cold voice rang out again. "Pay it no mind. The real battle has just begun. Order all Pacifistas to move out! Target the enemy flagship! Seraphim and Warlords, target the enemy executives! All forces, attack!"
"Yes!"
The Seraphim took their orders, stepping out of the line with cold faces. They were clones created with Lunarian blood, possessing powers more comprehensive and potent than their originals. Acting according to the "Authority Chips" in their bodies, they felt no hesitation in their stance, let alone fear of an enemy they hadn't fought.
There were seven in total, codenamed: S-Shark, S-Snake, S-Hawk, S-Flamingo, S-Bat, S-Crocodile, and S-Thor.
"Fuffuffuffuffu..." S-Flamingo, who looked exactly like Doflamingo, stood with hands in his pockets, grinning savagely at the distant fleet. "Is it finally time for us to show our skills? Mere pirates daring to challenge the authority of the World Government... truly seeking their own deaths!"
"My target is locked." S-Hawk expressionlessly raised the black blade, Yoru, pointing the tip directly at Kuina on the deck. "According to intel, the enemy Vice Captain, bounty 1.846 billion Berries, codename 'Wind Erosion,' threat level S. I will deal with her."
"That blind fat man is mine." S-Crocodile puffed out a large cloud of smoke from his cigar, staring coldly at Issho, who was resting with closed eyes. "Gravity-Gravity Fruit user, bounty 3.04 billion Berries. He seems stronger than the Vice Captain. I like challenging opponents."
"In that case," S-Thor gave a strange laugh and cracked his neck, lightning flickering around him. "The big guy in the bear-eared hat is mine. Strength doesn't matter; looking at this guy just fills me with an inexplicable rage. I can't wait to tear him apart."
"I'm flexible; I'll take whoever I run into," S-Flamingo shrugged, then noticed something. He turned his head curiously. "By the way, where are the other three? Why are only the four of us talking?"
"Hmph, that is because I disdain speaking with the likes of—"
S-Snake strode over proudly. Just as she spoke, a slender, graceful silhouette flashed in from the flank!
"Perfume Femur!"
BAM!
A high-heeled boot slammed violently into S-Snake's cheek. Caught off guard, petrification marks appeared on the right side of S-Snake's face, and her body was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing heavily into the cliffside.
What was going on? The Seraphim looked up in shock to see Empress Hancock gracefully retracting her leg. She looked down on them with a face of pure disgust.
"A bunch of fakes... you think you're worthy of boasting here?" And speaking with those arrogant pronouns, no less. It was disgusting; the thing she hated most in life was people imitating her speech!
"Lady Hancock?!" The surrounding Marine soldiers fell into a panicked commotion. No one had expected the Empress to suddenly attack a Seraphim from the same camp without a word of warning.
"Boa Hancock." Vice Admiral Momonga, who was close by, felt his anger surge. He shouted in a deep voice, "Contain your temper! Everyone usually tolerates you, but in such a critical situation, if you continue to act out, are you planning to betray the World Government?"
"Betrayal? Hehe, thank you for the reminder. That was my intention all along." Hancock brushed her long hair, turned to face the Marines, and said proudly: "Now, I officially announce my resignation from the Warlords. I stand with Curtain Call!"
Almost the moment her words fell, she crossed her arms over her chest, and a giant pink heart-shaped aura appeared behind her—
"Slave Arrow!"
Vroom!
The pink light expanded instantly. Everywhere it passed, countless Marine soldiers were petrified into rigid statues.
"Empress! Have you lost your mind?!" Momonga was also immobilized, struggling with all his might to resist being petrified. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Seraphim! Her ability is troublesome! Restrain her first!"
"Women are so foolish," S-Hawk had already drawn his blade and sneered. "If you're going to announce such a thing, you should pick a better time. Since you dare to betray us to our faces, we'll deal with you first!"
Just as S-Hawk raised Yoru to charge at Hancock—a green sword light suddenly descended from the heavens!
CLANG!!!
Amidst flying sparks, S-Hawk stumbled back several steps and looked up in shock. A tall figure wearing a top hat and holding a cross-shaped greatsword stood before Hancock, the tip of his blade pointing diagonally at the ground.
"A clone is, after all, just a clone." The newcomer's ripple-like eyes stared coldly at S-Hawk. "If you truly inherited everything of mine, how could you possibly forget Lord Shane's kindness and stand against him?"
"Hawk-Eye Mihawk!" Momonga's eyes nearly burst from their sockets. He was shocked and enraged to the extreme. "What is the meaning of this?! Are you betraying us as well!"
"Correct." Mihawk glanced at Momonga and said flatly, "As a reward for your guess, I can tell you: this is only the beginning."
Only the beginning??? A large circle of Marines, including Momonga, turned pale. What did that mean? The answer was given almost in the next second.
"Fish-Man Karate: Vagabond Drill!" "Horn-Point Shadow!"
Accompanied by two low shouts, everyone watched in shock as two miniature figures flew through the sky screaming, crashing heavily into the ground and spitting blood.
"It's S-Shark and S-Bat!" S-Flamingo and S-Thor stared wide-eyed.
"It seems your supposedly 'perfect' battle plan has run into a few significant problems." A low, raspy voice came from below. Everyone looked toward the source to see Knight of the Sea Jinbe leaping out of the ocean, walking forward with a grim face.
"Kee-hee-hee-hee-hee..." A strange laugh echoed from behind as Moria emerged from the shadows with a sinister grin. "Don't blame me for flipping sides. After visiting Wano, I decided siding with Curtain Call was safer. But I really didn't expect that besides me, three other Warlords were also undercover agents."
For a moment, the entire rear of the battlefield fell into a deathly silence. The Marine soldiers looked left and right, practically in tears. They were on the verge of a breakdown. They thought being stationed at the rear would be safer.
Instead, what was this situation!
Hawk-Eye Mihawk—betrayal! Empress Hancock—betrayal! First Son of the Sea Jinbe—betrayal! Gecko Moria—betrayal!
Out of the seven Warlords, more than half had betrayed them in one breath! With the rear in flames, how were they supposed to fight this war?
"Fleet Admiral." Kizaru, situated on the central high platform, also noticed the anomaly at the rear and looked at the transponder snail with a dark expression.
"I saw it!" Kong's voice came from the snail, clearly suppressed with fury. "These damn pirates... every single one of them has hidden motives! They can't be trusted at all!"