Ever since Kaido declared war on the Celestial Dragons, the Holy Land of Mary Geoise—once the untouchable center of global power—had begun to spiral into chaos. The Celestial Dragons, who viewed themselves as the owners of the world, had never understood the necessity of storing food. They simply expected it to appear.
In just three days under the blockade of the Beasts Pirates, a severe food crisis struck the Holy Land. This forced the World Government and the Marines to scramble, using any means necessary to strip food from surrounding islands to satisfy the nobles' demands. Because of this, the once-sacred city felt frantic and disorganized.
At the bubble car station in Red Port, workers were frantically loading carts of supplies to be transported to the plateau above. Inside one of these bubble cars, three figures disguised as escorts watched the activity with sharp eyes: Sabo, Yamato, and Jewelry Bonney.
When the car finally reached the top, the three of them stepped out and were momentarily stunned by the sheer scale of the city.
"Is this really Mary Geoise?" Yamato whispered, her eyes wide.
The crown of the Sunlight Tree Eve soared so high it disappeared into the clouds, casting a massive shadow over the sprawling white city beneath it. It was a sight of overwhelming wealth and history.
"Hey! What are you three spacing out for?" an impatient voice barked. A World Government agent stood nearby, glaring at them. "Hurry up and get those supplies onto the carts!"
The agent didn't suspect them; he assumed they were just commoners overwhelmed by the holiness of the place. Still, he couldn't help but grumble. "That damned Kaido! If it weren't for the mess he started, you low-lifes wouldn't even be qualified to breathe the air up here. Stop gawking and move!"
The trio exchanged a quick, silent glance and immediately began hauling the goods. Soon, the convoy of carriages was moving through the streets of the Holy Land toward the residential district of the Celestial Dragons. As they walked, they memorized every gate, guard post, and alleyway for the mission ahead.
After ten minutes of travel, they reached a massive set of inner gates. Several CP0 agents wearing white masks stood guard, their presence cold and intimidating.
"Stop," one agent commanded. "The goods stay here. You lot aren't qualified to go any further. Leave at once."
"Yes... of course, sir," the lead escort said with a fawning smile, gesturing for the workers to turn back.
But before they could retreat, the heavy clanking of metal chains echoed through the plaza. Heavy, sluggish footsteps approached, followed by a voice that dripped with arrogance.
"Are you seriously suggesting I eat this filthy trash from the lower world?"
The group turned to see an elderly Celestial Dragon, Saint Rosward, riding atop a giant. The moment Bonney saw the giant, her entire body began to tremble. Her fists clenched so hard her knuckles turned white, but she forced herself to stay still.
The CP0 agent bowed his head respectfully. "Saint Rosward, please return to your estate. Most of the other elite guards are currently away from the Holy Land. If trouble starts—"
"Are you trying to tell me what to do?" Rosward roared, his face turning a nasty shade of red.
"No, my lord. I am only concerned for your safety."
The agent's tone was professional, but Rosward wasn't satisfied. He reached down and pulled a long sword that was embedded in the shoulder of his mount—the former Warlord, Bartholomew Kuma. He plunged the blade back into a different spot, laughing as the giant didn't even flinch.
"My safety? What's so scary about a few measly pirates?" Rosward complained, kicking Kuma's side with his sharp heels. "It's you guards who are useless. Because of this 'crisis,' I can't even go down to the Sabaody Archipelago to play. How annoying!"
The CP0 agent remained silent, knowing that arguing would only make the noble more furious. However, his training kicked in. He felt a sudden spike in emotion from one of the nearby escorts. As an elite agent, his Observation Haki was incredibly sharp. He locked onto the source of the hostility and realized the power radiating from the "worker" was far beyond that of a normal civilian.
"Who are you!" the agent screamed, drawing his weapon and stepping in front of Saint Rosward.
Sabo realized the game was up. "Looks like we've been spotted. No choice then—let's do it!"
With a roar, Sabo, Yamato, and Bonney tore off their disguises.
"It's the Revolutionary Army!" the CP0 agent shouted. As the alarm bells began to ring, the Holy Land descended into total madness.
Marineford
"Fleet Admiral Akainu! It's bad news! The Revolutionary Army has launched a direct attack on Mary Geoise!"
A Marine Rear Admiral burst into the office, but he stopped short when he saw how calm the room was. Fleet Admiral Akainu sat behind his desk, a cigar clenched between his teeth, while Grand Inspector Sengoku stood by the window.
"Those revolutionaries certainly have good timing," Sengoku said, his voice steady. "They must have realized the Gorosei are currently away. Admiral Ryokugyu is the only one left up there, and he probably can't handle all of them alone."
Currently, the Marines' strength was spread thin. Kizaru was at Egghead Island, and Garp had returned to the East Blue. A large portion of the Vice Admirals and elite fleets had also been diverted to the Buster Call at Egghead. Marineford was at half-strength.
Akainu took a long drag of his cigar and let out a cloud of thick smoke. "Do we know exactly who we're dealing with?"
"Our reports confirm the Chief of Staff, Sabo, is there," the Rear Admiral replied quickly. "He's accompanied by Yamato and 'Big Eater' Bonney. Additionally, the four deputy commanders of the Revolutionary Army have appeared in different sectors. The Holy Land is in a complete state of disarray."
The office went silent for a moment. Akainu stood up, his coat draped over his shoulders. "It seems I have no choice. I'll handle this myself."
Sengoku watched him leave without a word. Just as the door closed, the Den Den Mushi on the desk began to ring. Sengoku picked it up, expecting more news about Vegapunk's broadcast. Instead, the voice on the other end was frantic.
"Marineford! This is Vice Admiral Onigumo!"
"Onigumo, report. What's the situation?" Sengoku asked.
"Grand Inspector... our warship was hit by a massive tsunami on the way to Egghead! We've suffered heavy losses. I don't think we can complete the mission!"
Sengoku's brow furrowed. "A tsunami? What caused it?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Onigumo's voice crackled through the receiver. "But the vibrations... I suspect it might be the power of Whitebeard's fruit!"
"Could it be Blackbeard?" Sengoku wondered aloud. But before he could think further, a terrifying aura washed over his senses. He instinctively looked out the window toward the distant horizon where Mary Geoise sat atop the Red Line.
The sky in that direction had turned pitch black. A massive bolt of crimson Conqueror's Haki, looking like jagged lightning, tore across the heavens, stretching all the way from the Holy Land toward the New World.
The New World
The Thousand Sunny sailed peacefully across a sparkling blue sea. On deck, the Straw Hat crew was filled with laughter. Their natural optimism had allowed them to push aside the grim warnings they had received from Law and Aokiji. They were in the middle of a grand banquet to celebrate their arrival in the New World.
But in the middle of a laugh, Luffy suddenly froze. He set his meat down and stood up, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. His expression was more serious than his crew had seen in a long time.
"Luffy? What's the matter?" Nami asked, her smile fading as she saw his face.
Zoro stood up as well, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. His gaze was just as solemn. "There's a terrifying aura coming from that direction," he said quietly. "It's so far away... but the pressure is insane. What kind of monster could produce something like that?"
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