Aboard the Moby Dick.
Shanks slowly slid Gryphon back into its scabbard.
Across from him, Whitebeard's massive hand tightened around the hilt of Murakumogiri.
The negotiations had completely collapsed.
Shanks lifted his gaze and held it on the old titan of the previous era. He said nothing more.
He turned, vaulted off the deck, and landed back on the Red Force.
Beckman walked over.
"Talks failed?"
"Yes. They failed."
Shanks drew in a long breath, staring at the tear in the sky left by their earlier clash.
His expression sharpened.
"Keep your eyes on every disturbance across the sea."
"Playtime is over."
Far away, aboard a tiny Marine surveillance vessel barely visible on the horizon...
Sakazuki stood with his arms crossed, silently watching the two great ships drift apart.
If only they had started fighting in earnest. That would have been ideal.
But it didn't matter.
The relics of the old era had very little time left.
His thoughts drifted to far more important matters.
On Egghead Island, the first batch of Deep-Sea Salvage Vessels had already been deployed.
Borsalino was personally escorting them toward the waters near the G–3 Branch to begin recovery operations.
From here onward, every major Marine resource would be rebuilt around G–3, the new pillar of Naval independence.
Marineford was simply too close to Mary Geoise.
Too close to those repulsive, prying eyes.
The expansion of G–3 had already begun, designed at twice the scale of Marineford.
After all, the Marines were not lacking money anymore.
And their core partner, the man who provided the technology behind the Deep-Sea Salvage Vessels,
Dr. Vegapunk, had quietly arrived at G–3 with the first batch of craft.
There, a brand-new fortress of science, belonging solely to the Marines, was rising rapidly.
Thanks to one tireless yellow-coated individual, most of Egghead's cutting-edge equipment had been relocated in just a few days.
The deal the Fleet Admiral offered his "old friend" was simply too tempting.
Permanent Admiral rank and benefits.
No more tedious paperwork.
Only act as a top-tier fighter when needed.
Sakazuki's lip twitched.
With his hands suddenly free, Borsalino had stolen a Vice Admiral's assignment yesterday and enthusiastically went to Sabaody to "pick someone up."
For a man who loved to slack off, such eagerness was unprecedented.
Kuzan's mission was progressing smoothly as well.
The gold from Skypiea, funneled through Alabasta, was being converted into Marine resources and funding without pause.
G–3's storerooms were already overflowing with supplies.
And in its underground vault lay trillions of Berries worth of military funds, with even more en route.
Under Vice Admiral Tsuru's guidance, the Marines' new compensation and benefits system was completed and set for full implementation.
A few days earlier, Zephyr and five Vice Admirals under Sakazuki's faction had completely wiped out the second CP investigative unit sent by the World Government.
Not a single survivor.
The Five Elders had flown into a rage and personally contacted the Fleet Admiral.
Sakazuki recalled the description Tsuru gave him of what happened in Sengoku's office that day.
"CP0? What CP0? The Marines never saw anyone like that."
Sengoku had been sipping tea and munching senbei at the time.
"Maybe they were eliminated by those wicked pirates. Truly a tragedy."
"An anomaly at G–3? It's just a small branch in Paradise. What could possibly be unusual there?"
"If you think something's wrong, send people to check."
"You sent people? They didn't come back?"
"Then why ask the Marines? We aren't responsible for finding your missing agents."
"And Crocodile? You dare question me about Crocodile?"
"Do you have any idea what he did in Alabasta?"
"Alabasta. One of the founding twenty kingdoms. Nearly taken over by a pirate!"
"If Renn Hawk hadn't intervened, Alabasta would be a pirate nation right now. Does that bring glory to you?"
"You proud of choosing that warlord? Feel good about it?"
"What? Don't get angry? Fine. Next time something like this happens, the Marines will stay out of it."
"We'll applaud from the sidelines."
"Compensation? Ah, now you're speaking sense."
"Five hundred billion Berries. I want the cash on my desk tomorrow."
Sakazuki could not help smirking again.
Tsuru had said even she couldn't hold back her laughter that day.
The Marines had already begun severing ties with the World Government.
The Fleet Admiral had issued the highest directive:
When dealing with agents of the World Government, you no longer need to show courtesy.
If conditions are right and total elimination is possible, permission is granted.
The Marines were preparing for their next operation.
Before tearing their relationship with the World Government completely apart, they needed a decisive spark.
A spark that would let them strike a Four Emperor crew hard.
On one hand, it would allow them to extort one final, massive "war budget" from the World Government.
Without concrete proof, the Government did not dare start a direct conflict. Their secret operations meant nothing to the Marines anymore.
If they pushed too hard, the Marines would activate their contingency plan:
Abandon Marineford.
Fall back to G–3.
Leave the New World in their hands.
On the other hand, this spark would show the entire world the true power of the new Marines, and declare absolute justice.
"We still need a catalyst," Sakazuki murmured, watching the two pirate ships vanish into the distance.
"Return to G–5."
…
"Fire Fist, since you've come all this way, you shouldn't leave."
Kuzan's voice echoed from atop the massive ice coffin holding Teach.
The cold killing intent embedded in his words made Ace's entire body tense.
Before him lay the traitor he had chased day and night.
Before him also stood an Admiral, one of the Navy's greatest powers.
Ace froze on his small boat, unable to advance or retreat.
Kuzan looked at the young man and recalled the Fleet Admiral's earlier plan.
The Marines needed a spark.
A spark powerful enough to ignite a war with a Yonko crew.
And now...
The Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, Fire Fist Ace, had wandered out of the New World.
No guards.
No reinforcements.
No protection from Whitebeard.
And he appeared here, before Kuzan.
This was the spark Sengoku had been waiting for.
"Sorry about this, Fire Fist."
Kuzan's eyes sharpened.
"Ice Block. Pheasant Beak."
He swung his arm.
A massive ice bird formed out of thin air, diving toward Ace.
Ace roared, flames bursting from his fist.
The blazing inferno smashed into the ice bird.
The explosion shook the ruins.
Fire and ice scattered into the wind.
Before Ace could breathe, Kuzan's emotionless voice filled the air.
"Ice Age."
Cold radiated outward from Kuzan, swallowing everything.
The entire sea around Magic Valley froze solid in moments, stretching all the way to the horizon and cutting off every route Ace could escape through.
Ace gritted his teeth, forcing the Flame-Flame Fruit to its absolute limits.
"Great Flame Commandment. Flame Emperor!"
A miniature sun erupted in his hands, melting the top layer of ice.
But inside the Admiral's domain of absolute cold, the Flame Emperor flickered weakly…
and slowly died.
"Ice Gauntlet."
A thick layer of ice coated Kuzan's fist.
His figure vanished into the steam.
An instant later, his fist slammed into Ace's abdomen.
Ace's eyes flew wide.
Blood and fragments of shattered organs burst from his mouth as he crashed into the frozen sea.
Kuzan descended, looking down on him calmly.
"It's over, Fire Fist Ace."