This novel is finished, and I have posted all the advanced chapters on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
"Leaving nothing to chance" is a phrase reserved for the arrogant. In reality, on this sea or any other, there is no such thing as a perfect plan.
Rowen understood this better than anyone. He harbored no delusions of godlike foresight; he knew that even his own designs were riddled with cracks. But a scheme is merely a vehicle to reach a destination. If there are loopholes, they only matter if the enemy is clever enough to find them and fast enough to exploit them.
As long as the objective was met, the process was irrelevant. Everything else was just noise.
"It's time, isn't it, Lord Imu?"
Rowen's eyes, deep within the shadows of Pangaea Castle, bled into a brilliant, unfathomable azure. They were no longer the eyes of a man, but the windows to something celestial.
Above the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the sky bruised purple. Boundless dark clouds rolled in, heavy with the scent of ozone and the low, guttural growl of shifting lightning. The air grew thick, forcing every inhabitant of the Holy Land to choke back a breath.
"What is that...?"
Kong stared upward, his massive frame trembling with a primal rhythm he couldn't control.
Ding.
A crisp, melodic chime vibrated through the atmosphere. Streaks of lightning began to knit themselves together like living silk, weaving blue lines across the firmament. They coalesced into a singular, gargantuan shape: a giant eye, floating directly over the Holy Land.
The Eye of Heaven.
It hung there in the void, silent, chillingly detached, and utterly devoid of mercy. It peered into the deepest, most shadowed corners of the Holy Land, its gaze piercing even the terrifying pressure that shrouded the Flower Room.
Inside that room, Imu slowly raised his head. A spark of genuine interest flared in his eyes.
"So," Imu murmured, the weight of his voice rippling through the air. "You're that confident Poseidon is no longer a threat?"
Only the Godslayers and Imu truly understood what this meant. This wasn't just a display of power; it was Rowen's declaration of war. The opening move of the final battle that would rewrite the future of the world.
"Interesting. Truly interesting."
Imu stood, and as he rose, a shockwave of spiritual pressure erupted from his body, turning the air into a physical weight.
Crack… Shatter!
The Eye of Heaven in the sky fractured like a mirror struck by a stone, exploding into a shower of sapphire sparks.
But the victory was short-lived. In the very next heartbeat, the entire sky caught fire.
Ding. Ding-ding-ding-ding.
The chime became a roar. Within the churning clouds, hundreds of identical eyes flickered into existence, illuminating the world in every direction. It was as if a hundred-eyed beast from beyond the stars was peering down at the planet, judging everything it saw.
…
At Marine Branch G-11, Aokiji looked up. A faint, tired smile touched his lips.
"So, it's finally starting."
"What is that?" Bald Zero demanded, his brow furrowing as he stared at the horizon. "Is that the Soryu (Azure Dragon)'s doing?"
The Eyes of Heaven were as vast as Sea Kings, pulsing with a brilliance that could be seen from leagues away. As Zero moved toward the door to investigate, a spear of jagged ice whistled past his head and slammed into the pier.
Boom!
The sea instantly froze, turning the churning water into a jagged, white wasteland. If the spear had been an inch to the left, Zero would have been a statue.
"Aokiji!" Zero snarled, spinning around. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Aokiji didn't rise from his seat. He simply shook his head and looked toward Gion. "Go. I'll stay here with Smoker and keep an eye on our friend."
Momousagi (Gion) nodded, ushering the heavily bandaged Chaton toward the waiting battleship.
Zero's face flushed a deep, indignant red. "You think I'm a traitor, Kuzan?"
"Yes," Aokiji replied, his tone as cold as the frost on the floor. He stood up, blocking the exit. "Maybe not a 'traitor' in the traditional sense, but you were never Rowen's man. you were always playing your own game."
He stepped forward, and a killing intent so sharp it felt like a physical blade seeped from his exhausted body.
"And for that reason, you aren't part of this. Don't forget, our alliance with the Revolutionary Army is a marriage of convenience. Some secrets aren't meant for eyes like yours."
Zero froze. His eyes darted around the room. "Was it Kizaru? Did he tell you?"
Aokiji paused, looking genuinely surprised. "So Kizaru knows too? A pity for you. But no."
He watched the battleship pull away from the dock. Behind him, Smoker moved into position, signaling his men to level their cutting-edge laser cannons, tech fresh from G-5, directly at Zero.
"Relax," Aokiji said, his voice softening slightly. "I'm not going to kill you. Rowen says the world is gray, that where there is light, there must be darkness. He thinks he needs 'talents' like you to keep the balance."
Aokiji spat the word talents as if it were bitter. He could understand Rowen's logic, but he didn't have to like it.
Zero ground his teeth, his gaze lingering on the humming glow of the laser cannons. He snorted coldly and stepped back, realizing the "weather vane" had finally been pinned down.
"Fine. Have it your way."
Zero's bravado broke, replaced by a cold, calculating calm. He pulled a chair across the floor with a screech of wood on tile and sat down, crossing his legs.
"I'll sit right here and watch," he said, staring Aokiji down. "I want to see with my own eyes who's left standing when the smoke clears."
It was all falling into place. Zero could see the strings now; Rowen had accounted for everything. Even if the Mountain Ancestor hadn't woken up, Rowen would have found another way to pin him here at G-11. The timing might have changed, but the trap was always there. From the moment Rowen had sent him on his mission, Zero had been walking into a cage.
And Akainu? The hot-headed Admiral currently hunting Poseidon was likely another piece on the board. A Sea King who had already burned through her trump cards was no longer a catastrophe, she was prey. Despite the raw power she still possessed, Zero found himself certain of one thing: Akainu wouldn't lose. Not with the Soryu (Azure Dragon) holding the leash.
Zero let out a long, heavy sigh. Rowen had moved in total silence, strangling every potential variable in its cradle before anyone even realized a game was being played. By removing Zero and Poseidon from the board, he had stripped Im of his pawns. The God-King was, for the first time in centuries, truly alone.
If things were different, Zero thought, he might have been proud to serve a man like Rowen. But he knew the truth of this world.
"Strength is the only thing that matters," Zero said, his voice solemn as he looked at Aokiji leaning against the doorframe. "I've lived through three generations of Fleet Admirals, Kuzan. I only believe in the victor. And the power of Lord Imu... it's beyond your wildest nightmares."
Aokiji didn't flinch. He adjusted his stance, his gaze drifting toward the horizon. "Maybe," he murmured. "But at least we're brave enough to stand up and try to change things."
BOOM.
The iron gates of the Room of Flowers, thick, ancient, and choked with vines, were torn from their hinges as if they were made of paper. The heavy metal slammed into the opposite wall, embedding itself deep into the masonry.
Im didn't flinch. He slowly raised his head, looking at the tall silhouette blocking the sunlight in the doorway.
"So eager to find trouble with me?" Imu's voice was a calm, chilling ripple. "That doesn't sound like your style, Soryu (Azure Dragon)."
Rowen paused, his expression unreadable for a heartbeat before it split into a sharp, irreverent grin.
"Trouble? My Lord, what a thing to say. I simply heard that your advanced age was finally catching up to you. I brought some tonics to help you... keep your strength up."
Imu's eyes narrowed into slits. The face that had grown weary from subduing the Mountain Ancestor was now etched with a lethal focus. The "tonics" Rowen spoke of weren't medicine, they were the final rites.
"I appreciate the concern," Imu said softly. "But tell me... where is your God-Slaying Legion? Why didn't you wait for them to return before coming for my head?"
"An elite strike team has its perks," Rowen said, meeting the ancient gaze without a hint of tremor. He stepped to the side, extending a hand toward the exit in a mock gesture of subservience. "But they aren't strictly necessary for a stroll. I've already prepared a ship. After you."
The air in the room became so heavy with killing intent that it felt like breathing water. Im stared into Rowen's eyes, searching for a flicker of doubt. Finding none, he stood up.
"Very well. It has been many years since I've had a reason to leave these walls. I suppose I'll accompany you."
The moment Imu moved, the Eyes of Heaven in the sky flared with a blinding blue radiance. The clouds above Mary Geoise began to spiral in a violent vortex, and thunder shook the very foundations of the Red Line.
As they walked out of the Room of Flowers, Im glanced at Kong, who stood at the head of the Holy Land's guard in full battle readiness. The soldiers looked on in a mix of terror and awe.
"Tell me, Soryu (Azure Dragon)," Imu said, his tone conversational. "Don't you think it's time I established a new system? One to replace this crumbling World Government?"
"It's definitely seen better days," Rowen replied, shrugging as he walked half a step behind the God-King. "But it can still be fixed. Patch it up, and it'll last another three years at least." He paused, his voice dropping. "Besides, no need to trouble yourself with politics. Poseidon is being handled. Our priority is to go collect our reward... right?"
"Indeed," Imu whispered. "But we won't be needing anything as slow as a ship."
Imu waved a hand. A pillar of white light, brilliant and searing, erupted from the ground, enveloping both men.
"Wait!" Kong roared, lunging forward with a fist reinforced by every ounce of his Haki.
BANG!
The shockwave shattered the stone floor into dust, sending shards flying like shrapnel, but the light was gone. The space where Rowen and Im had stood was empty.
"Where did they go?!" Kong shouted, his head whipping around.
A soldier nearby stumbled back, staring down at a Vivre Card trembling in his palm. The paper was pulling violently toward the horizon.
"Sir! The Soryu (Azure Dragon)'s card... it's pointing away! They're moving fast!"
"Which way?" Kong demanded.
The soldier looked up, his face pale with confusion. "That direction... that's the East Blue!"
(End of Chapter)