"Lady Imu…"
Saturn tried to speak, but Imu's glare silenced him.
Ruling the World Government for eight hundred years, her authority was absolute.
"Recover the Devil Fruits and their users." She ordered.
"We should inform the Navy."
A member of the God's Knights spoke up.
Though they held themselves in high regard, they weren't fools.
The Navy, with its Admirals, Vice Admirals, and Fleet Admiral, was a formidable force not to be ignored.
"We'll handle it." another Knight said.
"The God's Knights and CP0 can operate covertly."
"This needs to be handled discreetly."
"Too much noise, and the World Government will collapse."
The Five Elders frowned, recognizing the challenge.
Though it was Imu's command, they needed a careful approach.
"Arrange it as you see fit." Imu said, standing.
"His Majesty and I want results."
"If this fails, we all die—including me."
Her words darkened the room's mood.
"I'll have the God's Knights personally oversee this." Shamrock declared, scanning the group.
"No mistakes or negligence."
With the two highest-ranking Celestial Dragons speaking, no one dared object.
Imu chose a new residence near the Domain of the Gods.
Shamrock and the God's Knights began organizing CP0.
The Five Elders sent a letter to Navy Headquarters, announcing their full visit to discuss a critical matter.
"What kind of joke is this?"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku hung up the Den Den Mushi, his expression uncertain.
If not for the call coming from Supreme Commander Kong, he'd have thought it a prank.
Since the Navy Headquarters' establishment, all Five Elders had never visited together.
"Did something happen in the Holy Land?"
"Aokiji's been out of contact for two days…"
Sengoku's intellect, sharper than his combat prowess, quickly pieced together possibilities.
For the Five Elders to visit en masse, something major had occurred.
"Tsuru, summon every Vice Admiral—all of them!"
"All personnel, report to Navy Headquarters." Sengoku ordered, his head throbbing.
"One week from now, the Five Elders will visit in full."
"A high-level meeting for Vice Admirals and above will be held."
Tsuru, knowing Sengoku well, found it almost fantastical.
"You're not joking?"
"I just received confirmation from Supreme Commander Kong. It's no joke." Sengoku replied.
"Something's happened in Holy Land Mary Geoise."
"Aokiji's been out of contact for two days, and he's on patrol duty there."
"With the recent disturbances in Mary Geoise, something's going on we don't know about."
Sengoku's frown deepened, the situation weighing heavily.
With the New World's Four Emperors reigning and pirates swarming the Grand Line, the Navy was already stretched thin.
Recalling all Vice Admirals would likely stir chaos at sea.
The Navy's massive mobilization couldn't escape the notice of the pirates, especially the major powers.
"What's going on?"
"All Vice Admirals summoned to Headquarters?"
Reading the news delivered by News Coo, pirate factions frowned.
There'd been no reports of clashes between the Navy and the Four Emperors.
Why such a drastic move?
It screamed of preparations for a major war.
"Interesting." Doflamingo mused, a glint flashing behind his sunglasses.
"All Vice Admirals and above, huh? Looks like I'll uncover some secrets."
His undercover agent had just been promoted to Vice Admiral, perfectly timed for the summons.
The Four Emperors of the New World were equally puzzled, the Navy's actions unnervingly abnormal.
A week later, Navy Headquarters' port was crowded with warships, their crews reporting as ordered.
In the Fleet Admiral's office, the Five Elders, the three Admirals, Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, and other Navy brass were gathered.
"What's important enough for this spectacle?" Sengoku asked, eyeing the Five Elders.
They'd arrived secretly the previous day, a fact known to few.
"Let Aokiji explain." Saint Jaygarcia Saturn said.
"He's seen His Majesty up close and has more authority to speak."
"Though it came at a cost."
The Five Elders had delayed their arrival because Aokiji had been unconscious for a full week.
Despite no visible injuries, he couldn't wake.
Had Mary Geoise not assigned specialized care, he might have starved.
Aokiji, still dazed, had spoken with the Five Elders the previous day, learning some truths.
"What's wrong, Kuzan?" Garp asked, noting his poor condition.
"I don't know how to put it." Aokiji said.
"In short, I saw a god…"
The fewer the words, the bigger the issue—a truth perfectly embodied.
His statement stunned the Navy brass.
"A god?" Garp frowned.
"Have you lost it, kid?"
He knew Aokiji well, his disciple, and this didn't sound like him.
"Not a Celestial Dragon." Aokiji clarified, his tone deadly serious.
"A true god, sovereign over all creation."
"I faced His Majesty."
"He didn't even glance at me, yet his presence knocked me out for a week."
Recalling it, Aokiji still found it unbelievable.
Merely passing by, he'd been felled by a force akin to Conqueror's Haki.
"You're not joking?"
Admiral Akainu's gaze grew heavy.
He and Aokiji clashed often, but he knew Aokiji wasn't one to fabricate.
The Five Elders' full presence at Headquarters spoke volumes.
"Enough chatter." Saint Peter said slowly.
"Per the divine oracle, Devil Fruits are godly powers."
"Their proliferation has caused the world's laws to collide."
"A god has descended to reclaim all Devil Fruits."
"Failure to comply will herald the apocalypse."
"So we're recalling all Vice Admirals to recover the Devil Fruits at sea?" Sengoku pressed, grasping the gravity.
Among those present, only Garp wasn't a Devil Fruit user.
The rest, including the Five Elders, were all users.
"Send the users to Holy Land Mary Geoise." Saint Saturn sighed.
"The god will personally extract their powers."
Silence gripped the room.
"Even our powers will be stripped in the final stage." Saint Marcus Mars added, noting the Navy's grim expressions.
"Is this god really that powerful?" Akainu asked, skeptical.
He trusted only himself.
"Immensely." Aokiji replied.
"His aura alone knocked out half of Mary Geoise—Navy personnel, CP0 protecting the Celestial Dragons, and… me."
"This is tricky." Sengoku said helplessly.
"If mishandled, every Devil Fruit user could turn against the World Government."
"Even our own Navy and Government members might defect."
"No one will willingly surrender their power."
The issue was massive—potentially catastrophic enough to topple the World Government.
"No matter." Saint Warcury said, tapping his cane.
"With the god's presence, we'll be granted new powers."
"That's his promise—powers stronger, perhaps even transcending this planet."
"The task is set." He continued.
"The Navy must execute it strictly."
"You can start by collecting unclaimed Devil Fruits." Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro added.
"The God's Knights and CP0 will handle the weaker Devil Fruit users at sea."
With the orders issued, the Five Elders departed quietly.
No one knew that a command capable of shaking the world had been issued from this office.
"What do we do now?" Garp asked, his usual joviality replaced by a grave tone.
"If the Five Elders are right, we have no choice but to comply." Sengoku replied.
"Keep this quiet for now."
"It'll cause an uproar."
"Even with Aokiji's testimony, we don't fully believe in this 'god,' do we?"
"And you know how the world views the Celestial Dragons."
"If this gets out, global order will collapse instantly."
"Completing this so-called god's task would become nearly impossible."
"And if we fail to collect the Devil Fruits in time, are we really going to watch this god destroy the world?"
Sengoku's voice was heavy with frustration.
His rationality screamed that gods couldn't exist.
This figure might just be a powerful Devil Fruit user.
Yet, his analysis concluded that a god did exist—and had indeed ordered the recovery of Devil Fruits.
"I advise you to follow through." Aokiji said, fear flickering in his eyes.
"The god's power is beyond our comprehension."
His soul bore the indelible mark of terror from being overwhelmed by Kaiser's divine might.
He doubted he could ever face Kaiser directly again.
Seeing Aokiji's state, Garp's eyes flashed with pity.
Admirals Kizaru and Akainu, silent until now, exchanged heavy glances.
They could see Aokiji's fear of this so-called god.
As Admirals, they were battle-hardened, their hands stained with countless lives.
Being broken by fear was unthinkable—yet it had happened to Aokiji.
Orders were issued.
Every Vice Admiral at Headquarters received a directive signed by the Fleet Admiral and the three Admirals.
"Collect all Devil Fruits, no matter the type?"
The Navy personnel were bewildered.
"Is Vegapunk up to some new experiment?"
It was the only explanation they could muster.
The World Government had previously attempted to replicate Devil Fruits, with no apparent success.
Was this massive operation a sign of a breakthrough?
Meanwhile, CP0 sprang into action, dispersing across the Four Seas to hunt down newly acquired, inexperienced Devil Fruit users.
In Holy Land Mary Geoise, Kaiser was manifesting the world's law source.
"As expected, it takes the form of a tree." He mused.
All unconsumed Devil Fruits in Mary Geoise had been delivered to him.
By tracing their origins, Kaiser successfully recreated the Devil Fruit Tree in the Domain of the Gods.
The tree had many branches, but bore few fruits.
"This… is the world's law source, the Devil Fruit Tree?" Imu asked, her voice trembling.
"I never thought it truly existed."
Even she had only read of this legendary tree in ancient texts.
"Indeed, this is the source of the world's laws." Kaiser confirmed.
"Each branch produces a fruit—a Devil Fruit."
"But due to an ancient accident, the fruits scattered across the seas."
"The Devil Fruit Tree is nearly withered."
"If it dies completely, the world's foundational laws will collapse."
"When that happens, the clashing laws will tear the world apart like a brilliant firework."
Imu's eyes widened at Kaiser's explanation, finally grasping why the Devil Fruits had to be recovered.
As the tree absorbed Mary Geoise's Devil Fruits, it regained some luster.
Drip…
A tear slid from Imu's eye.
"I'm… happy?"
She found it astonishing.
It had been ages since she'd felt joy.
Yet, watching the Devil Fruit Tree revive, she was elated.
Now, she fully understood Kaiser's words.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty." Imu said firmly.
"The World Government will do everything to recover the Devil Fruits."
Her tone was resolute.
"Go." Kaiser said, waving her away.
He studied the Devil Fruit Tree with keen interest.
One condition of this rescue mission allowed him to copy the tree's origin power.
If he could apply it to the World Tree, it would be a boon.
At the very least, Kaiser would gain the ability to create gods.
The World Tree's law power far surpassed that of the Devil Fruit Tree.
If Kaiser nurtured it to bear worlds, its law power could forge second-tier gods—or even mass-produce first-tier ones.
Though, the process would take considerable time.
After Imu left the Domain of the Gods, the God's Knights and CP0 intensified their search for Devil Fruits.
The world began to notice.
Besides the Navy, another force was collecting Devil Fruits—and capturing their users.
Devil Fruit users grew paranoid.
Once priceless, Devil Fruits were now a liability.
"Damn it!"
"Who's behind this?"
Some Devil Fruit users panicked, sensing imminent danger.
***
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