Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 17.
The Straw Hat Pirates' ship, the Thousand Sunny, was moored here. The crew, scattered two years ago, had finally reunited.
Out at sea, three Marine warships were closing in, forming a blockade around the Sunny.
"Fire! Sink them!" a middle-aged Rear Admiral commanded loudly from the deck.
Whish! Boom! Boom!
The triple-mounted turrets on the warships roared. Shells streaked through the air, crashing into the water near the Thousand Sunny and kicking up twenty-meter-high plumes of spray.
Suddenly, two figures leaped from the deck of the Sunny.
Shing!
One man held a blade. With a casual swing, a flash of sword-light sliced several incoming shells clean in half.
Thud! Thud!
The other man stepped through the air as if it were solid ground, delivering rapid-fire kicks that sent the remaining shells flying back into the ocean.
"Honestly, the Navy is such a pain," Zoro grumbled, resting Wado Ichimonji on his shoulder. One of his eyes remained closed, seemingly scarred shut.
"You said it. They're annoying as hell," Sanji remarked, dapper in his black suit, coolly taking a puff of his cigarette.
Suddenly, Sanji shuddered. He clutched his chest, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow.
"What's wrong, Sanji?" Usopp asked, noticing Sanji's distress.
"I don't know... I suddenly felt a sensation like my heart was being crushed!" Sanji wiped his brow, his face pale.
"Hey, shitty cook. Did you get weak over the last two years?" Zoro teased, tilting his head. "Where did you actually go?"
"What did you say, marimo?!" Sanji roared, lunging at Zoro.
"Ah? You want to die, nosebleed cook?!" Zoro glared back, equally enraged.
At that moment, Luffy walked to the mast. "Are we ready to set sail, Nami?"
"Yes, Captain. Lead the way!" Nami, dressed in a sexy outfit, nodded with a smile.
At this, Zoro and Sanji stopped bickering. Everyone turned to look at Luffy.
"Alright, everyone!"
"There's so much I want to say, but I can't put it all into words. In short, thanks for putting up with my selfishness and sticking with me through these two years!"
Luffy stood on the mast's platform, looking down at his comrades.
"Your selfishness isn't exactly news," Sanji smiled, cigarette in his mouth.
"Exactly. You've always been like this!" Usopp laughed.
"Shishishi..." Luffy grinned widely, baring his teeth.
On the Marine warships, a sailor shouted, "Rear Admiral! They're escaping!"
"Damn it! After them! Keep firing!" the middle-aged officer roared.
WHOOSH—
Suddenly, a violent gale erupted out of nowhere. It was a roar of the heavens and earth, a force so powerful it physically altered the ocean currents within hundreds of meters, forcing the three warships backward.
"What's happening?"
"This wind is too strong!"
"Damn it, we're being pushed away from Sabaody!"
Everyone on the deck was pinned down by the gale. Even the personnel inside the ships were thrown to the floor by the sudden opposing force, leaving them unable to control the vessels.
"Set sail!"
"We're off!"
"Next stop: Fish-Man Island!"
On the Thousand Sunny, Luffy shouted with excitement, issuing his first command as they departed. The coated Thousand Sunny caught the wind and dove deep into the ocean, heading toward the undersea paradise.
Atop a Yarukiman Mangrove at Grove 17, a man in a deep green coat with red square tattoos on the left side of his face stood silently, watching the Sunny submerge.
"Dark King Rayleigh, the Newkamas of Kamabakka, the weather scientists of Weatheria, Heracles of the Boin Archipelago, the girl who controls ghosts, the giant birds of the Torino Kingdom... Heh, quite a formidable supporting cast," Dragon muttered.
He turned to look at the chaos on Sabaody, watching the Marines being held back across the various islands, and couldn't help but smile.
…
New World, mid-air over a certain sea.
The Golden Ring Jolly Roger fluttered in the wind, the black wolf figurehead looking particularly menacing.
A massive coated ship floated 500 meters above the sea. For some reason, despite its high speed, the fierce winds could not puncture the thin coating.
In the captain's cabin, Aeridar sat on a sofa with his eyes closed, resting. Zhurong flew around the room, seemingly debating which piece of furniture would be most fun to set on fire.
"Zhurong, if you dare burn a single thing in this room, I'm locking you in the gourd for a month," Aeridar said calmly, without opening his eyes.
Zhurong's eyes widened, and he immediately stopped, flashing a fawning smile at Aeridar.
Suddenly, Gin pushed the door open. "Captain, there's a situation below!"
"Hmm?" Aeridar opened his eyes, raising an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"A pirate ship is being attacked. The attackers' ship is a massive submarine, and they have a large number of smaller sub-vessels!" Gin said gravely.
"A large submarine? And many smaller ones?" Aeridar was surprised.
In the New World, few pirates used submarines as their primary vessels. Constructing a submarine required advanced technology, usually only possessed by major shipbuilding corporations. A standard submarine was expensive enough; a massive one equipped with a fleet of sub-craft was beyond the reach of ordinary pirates.
"Interesting. I'll take a look."
Aeridar stood up and walked out. Zhurong, sensing the fun, followed closely behind.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment he stepped onto the deck, Aeridar heard the thunderous roar of cannons and the faint sound of battle cries. He walked to the edge and looked down at the sea.
Sure enough, 500 meters below, a massive submarine sat on the surface. Around it, dozens of three-meter-long mini-subs swarmed a pirate ship caught in the middle. More subs were constantly surfacing.
Each mini-sub carried a soldier armed with a rifle or a small cannon, pouring fire onto the pirate ship. On the target ship, over a hundred pirates were frantically fighting back. Bullets flew, and shells exploded in a chaotic, fierce exchange.
Aeridar concluded the attackers were soldiers because he recognized their identity.
"Heh... how interesting. A submarine from the Pirate Assault Squad? To think I'd find you here... Neo Marines!"
Aeridar's lips curled into a cold, cruel smirk as a low, menacing laugh escaped his throat.