"Enel, I've got a mission for you," Rosinante said calmly, his tone carrying the weight of command. "Aside from this location, one hour from now, I want to see every human auction house and slave trading den wiped off the face of the Sabaody Archipelago. No exceptions. Is that a problem?"
A wide grin spread across Enel's face, his eyes flashing with arrogance as arcs of lightning began to dance across his body. "No problem at all. Just give me a moment—one instant—and I'll erase them all. Not a single building, not a single slaver will remain."
Bolts of lightning snapped and hissed around him, his excitement practically crackling in the air.
"This bastard's serious!" Tsuru's face turned pale. "Evacuate all civilians immediately! Prioritize the Celestial Dragons first!" she barked.
Her sharp command broke the tense silence.
Rosinante's words had sent shockwaves through the Navy officers present. One hour—if the Navy operated at full capacity, they might be able to evacuate the civilians from the lawless zone. But the real problem… was the Celestial Dragons.
Those self-proclaimed gods—so high and mighty—would never obey a simple request from the Navy to flee.
To make them move, the Five Elders themselves would have to intervene. They'd need to send an urgent order, and even then, with bureaucracy and arrogance in the way, an hour might not be enough.
"Yes, ma'am!" a vice admiral responded instantly and sprinted off to mobilize the evacuation.
"I'll handle it myself," said Borsalino (Kizaru), his tone unusually serious. "Those Celestial Dragons aren't exactly known for listening to reason."
"Go. Quickly. Let's hope they actually listen. If not…" Tsuru's eyes narrowed. "We may not be able to avoid war with the Gray Country."
Her words were clear—a line drawn in the sand. If the Celestial Dragons were harmed, the Navy would fight, no matter the cost.
Kizaru nodded and left without another word, his golden light vanishing into the distance.
"Logia, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, huh?" Garp muttered, turning to look at Enel. "With lightning on that scale, maybe he can erase all those auction houses in an instant. But…" He cracked his knuckles, eyes glinting. "I wonder if that lightning could withstand my iron fist."
As Garp's gaze fell on him, Enel felt an overwhelming pressure—a presence so immense it seemed to crush the air itself.
The so-called "God" of Skypiea, who feared neither heaven nor sea, found his pulse quicken under that raw, monstrous aura.
"Hahaha… terrifying! Terrifying indeed! You're all monsters, every last one of you!" Enel said, trembling—but not from fear. His grin widened. The pressure only made him more excited.
"Garp the Hero of the Navy…" Rosinante's voice cut through the tension. "Surely it's beneath such a title to pick a fight with a child, isn't it?"
The air itself seemed to crackle as Rosinante's overwhelming will surged outward, colliding head-on with Garp's. The two auras clashed in an invisible storm that shook the room, canceling out Garp's oppressive intent aimed at Enel.
"Gahaha! The 'Hero' title—never cared much for it anyway," Garp said, grinning. "But you're right. Going all out on a kid's not my style. Unless…" His grin faded slightly. "Unless that kid harms innocent people or—worse—the Celestial Dragons. Then I'll have no choice but to stop him."
He turned and gave Rosinante one last hard look. "Come on. We've got civilians to evacuate. Things just got a whole lot trickier."
Tsuru nodded, and the two veterans strode out.
Once the Navy had left, Rosinante extended his hand. Shaxia stepped forward immediately, handing him a Den Den Mushi.
"The Navy should be busy evacuating by now. You can begin," Rosinante said as he dialed.
"Yes, sir." The voice on the other end—Bins—was sharp and steady.
"This time," Rosinante said, his tone turning icy, "the mission is Dimensional Strike Maximum Operation. I want them dead before they even see us. Not a shadow left behind."
"Yes, sir! However, I request permission to deploy the Core in this operation."
"Granted," Rosinante replied without hesitation.
"Understood. I'll begin preparations immediately," Bins said before the line went silent.
Rosinante closed the Den Den Mushi and turned toward his gathered officers. "You heard him. Get ready. Bins will arrive to retrieve you shortly."
"Yes!" Shaxia, Laki, and Enel answered in unison, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Rayleigh, who had been quietly watching, chuckled softly. "Looks like everything's going according to your plan, huh?"
He'd originally thought Rosinante's outrageous offer of one trillion Berries was just bait—to draw out the underworld's major players and crush them as a warning.
But seeing how things were unfolding now, it was clear—this wasn't reckless at all. Every move had been calculated, precise, deliberate.
Rosinante smiled faintly. "Just going with the flow."
Ever since the attack on Marineford, and the Gray Country's four divisions spreading across the Four Seas, tension had been building everywhere. The World Government, the Marines, countless nations—and especially the underworld—had all been watching the Gray Country, waiting for a chance to strike.
The sky island itself was a massive source of profit. New materials, new technologies, new markets—and most valuable of all, the Sky Shells. Every major force had their eyes on it.
The shadows had begun to stir. The World Government sent spies to infiltrate the divisions, and the underworld's elite deployed their own agents, hoping to undermine the Gray Country from within.
But Rosinante and Bins's sharp eyes, combined with their country's tight structure, made infiltration nearly impossible.
So, to counter these hidden threats, Bins proposed something bold—show overwhelming power in the open.
And Rosinante agreed.
But to make an example, their opponent couldn't be too weak—or too strong. Fighting the Marines or the World Government outright was unrealistic. But small fry wouldn't inspire fear either.
Then, fate handed Rosinante the perfect opportunity—the human traffickers and auction houses of Sabaody.
Criminals, yes—but protected by the underworld's most powerful brokers.
Eliminating them alone wouldn't make the world tremble. But destroying the forces behind them? That would.
And so, Rosinante set the trap—baited with one trillion Berries. Enough to lure in every vulture, every spy, every hidden dagger. Even the World Government wouldn't be able to resist sending agents.
And once they were all gathered… he would crush them utterly.
That was the true goal—to remind the entire world, from the World Government down to the lowest pirate, that the Gray Country was not prey.
"Ah, so that's your play, huh?" Rayleigh said with a knowing smile. "You've had quite the burden to bear, kid."
Rosinante returned the smile, his eyes calm and steady.
"Rayleigh-san," he said suddenly, "while we wait… how about a quick spar? I'd love to learn a bit from your swordsmanship."
Rayleigh blinked, then burst out laughing. "You've got some confidence, asking that before a full-scale war. You really think you've got the time to train?"
Rosinante's grin widened. "That's exactly why I want to. No ordinary warrior can threaten the Bloodsworn Guard anymore. The only ones who can are true masters—and when they show up, I'll be the one who has to face them. If I can grow even a little before then, it'll make all the difference."
Rayleigh nodded slowly, his grin returning. "Fair enough. The best way to teach swordsmanship is through battle anyway. What do you say? Let's cross blades a little."
Rosinante's hand went to the hilt of his sword, his eyes gleaming with fierce intent. "Heh… I couldn't ask for anything better."
Lightning crackled in the distance. The storm of war was about to begin.
...