The Domain of the Gods and Pangea Castle were situated in close proximity. Consequently, the span of time between the launch of that attack and its impact was a mere heartbeat. Diarmuid, who was occupied with suppressing the Gorosei, stood no chance of reacting in that split second.
A violent explosion engulfed the area surrounding the grand conference room, causing nearly half of Pangea Castle to collapse. If the previous struggle within the room had been relatively contained, this blast shook the very foundations of Mariejois.
"What happened?"
"Why did Pangea Castle explode?"
"That's the location of the Grand Conference Hall!"
"This is disastrous! The Reverie is in session—the hundred kings, the Gorosei, and a multitude of officials are all there... If they've been killed, the World Government system will be paralyzed!"
Alarms blared across the skies of the Holy Land. Within the Marine ranks, the response was instantaneous. Since Diarmuid, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Sengoku were all attending the meeting, the Marine forces currently stationed in Mariejois were under the command of Kuzan and Gion.
The two had been calmly drinking tea, expecting a routine day according to the original plan. They were unaware that Dragon's intrusion had spurred Fleet Admiral Sengoku to move up the timetable for the strike against the Gorosei.
As the castle erupted in smoke, Gion set down her cup and stood up, her face pale with shock. "What's going on? This wasn't the plan, was it?"
"An attack from the direction of the Domain of the Gods?" Kuzan's expression was equally grim. "Could it be the Ancient Weapon, Uranus?"
But he quickly reconsidered; if it were Uranus, the destructive power seemed almost underwhelming. One shot had only leveled half of the castle? Shouldn't it have wiped Mariejois off the map?
Despite their shock, the two were battle-hardened elites. Their decisiveness was unwavering.
Electricity crackled around Gion as she grabbed a Den Den Mushi, barking orders into the receiver: "All Marines in Mariejois, listen up! Effective immediately, Mariejois is under military law! All Vice Admirals are to lead their units to seize and seal the Holy Land. Blockade the ports—no entry, no exit! Clear the streets and place all non-essential personnel under house arrest. Anyone who resists is to be executed on the spot!"
Kuzan was simultaneously issuing his own directives: "Notify G-1 and G-5 units. Move from the New World side and deploy to Mariejois for military support immediately. Request the mobilization of HQ reserves to reinforce the Holy Land!"
With the orders from Kuzan and Gion, the Marine forces, which had been stationed there under various pretexts of "escorting royalty", began to mobilize. The Vice Admirals moved with precision, carving Mariejois into zones and initiating a systemic suppression. Under military law, even high-ranking officials were ordered home. In this state of emergency, a Marine uniform outweighed any political title.
However, the takeover was not seamless. Mariejois possessed its own private military force, a massive Guard Unit. They immediately met the Marines with resistance, and within minutes, fierce urban combat erupted in the streets.
Ever since Dragon and Fisher Tiger had burned Mariejois years ago, the Gorosei realized how fragile their defenses were. The Mariejois Army, essentially a vanity project for noble sons, was useless in a real fight. Since rebuilding a formal, public army was a bureaucratic nightmare that would fall under the jurisdiction of the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government, the Gorosei had taken a different route.
They bolstered their private security: the Mariejois Guard. These troops were directly loyal to the Celestial Dragon families, placing them beyond the reach of Kong. Over the years, this force had grown to nearly 100,000 men. These private soldiers lived in luxury, equipped with the finest armor and cutting-edge weaponry.
The moment Pangea Castle exploded, the Guard received a transmission from the Domain of the Gods: The Navy has conspired with the Revolutionary Army to overthrow the authority of Mariejois. Suppress all rebel forces immediately!
With both sides receiving orders to seize control, the situation devolved into a bloodbath. Gunshots and the clash of steel rang out across the Holy Land. The "Sacred Land," so recently rebuilt, was once again swallowed by the flames of war.
The Marines didn't hold back. Artillery was unloaded from warships and rolled into the streets. The conflict escalated from small-arms fire to the thunderous roar of cannons as the Celestial Dragons' private guards pulled heavy weapons from the Domain of the Gods to return fire.
…
At the World Government Headquarters building, a separate, violent conflict was unfolding. The building had been locked down from within. Security personnel had established a defensive line at the main entrance, holding off attackers for ten minutes.
Leading the charge against the headquarters was none other than Stussy's subordinate, Spandine. Now a high-ranking field commander for CP-0, Spandine had been granted significant authority due to Stussy's trust.
A bullet punched through a nearby wall, grazing Spandine's cheek and leaving a bloody trail. For once, the normally cowardly and self-preserving Spandine ignored the wound. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with a frantic desperation. He emptied his ornate revolver into the enemy line.
"Faster! Kill them all!" Spandine roared. "The headquarters is filled with officials who need to be purged! The Director-General's order is to take this building at all costs! If we don't take it today, our heads will be on the chopping block tomorrow! Life or death, wealth or ruin, it all comes down to this! Keep firing!"
Despite his bluster, the headquarters' security was no joke. Spandine's ace combatants, Who's-Who and the elite agents of CP-9, were being held at bay by high-level security experts in a brutal stalemate.
Spandine knew he had no choice but to be brave. He had tied his fortunes to Stussy and Diarmuid years ago. If they lost this coup, he would be the first to be executed.
"Spandine-sama! Forces are approaching from our rear! Requesting defensive positioning!" a CP-0 agent shouted.
Spandine, not knowing if these were friend or foe, replied instantly, "Set up a perimeter and identify them!"
Minutes later, the agent returned. "My Lord, it's the Marines!"
Spandine's eyes lit up. "The Marines! They're our people! Let them through!"
A unit of Marines marched into view, looking far more savage than the standard soldiers Spandine was used to. If not for the white uniforms, they could have passed for a band of marauders. Leading them was a Vice Admiral he knew well.
"Doberman! Hey, Doberman!" Spandine waved excitedly.
This was the G-5 unit, led by Diarmuid's loyalist, Vice Admiral Doberman. The two were well-acquainted; years ago, when Doberman commanded G-7, Spandine had frequently visited to facilitate trade on behalf of Stussy. Since both were devoted followers of Diarmuid, one a loyal soldier, the other a sycophantic "lapdog", they shared a mutual understanding.
"Hahaha! Spandine, I knew it was you!" Doberman laughed heartily.
"Hurry, help us out! This place is a hard nut to crack," Spandine shouted. "I just needed a vanguard to break their line, and you arrived right on time!"
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