That is Vegapunk. Even though the Beasts Pirates possess the ancient Pluton designs and once counted the MADS trio—Queen, Judge, and Caesar—among their ranks, they still pale in comparison to Vegapunk. One need only look at the technological advancements that have occurred since he joined the World Government to see the disparity. It is fair to say that the current achievements of the Beasts Pirates are merely experiments that Vegapunk played with and discarded long ago. The Dragon Legion, artificial Devil Fruits, sea beast weapons, modified ships, and Devil Fruit-infused weapons were all developed by him years ago.
The only difference is that Kaido of the Beasts turned these inventions into the backbone of his crew's strength. As for the Marines, they have spent the last two years desperately trying to acquire technology from Vegapunk to bolster their power, yet every application has been rejected. Even with the Seraphim, the highest control priority belongs to the Gorosei, followed by Vegapunk, and then Sentomaru, who represents the Marines; the remaining authority chips are held by CP0 agents. While that might seem sufficient, everyone present understands Sentomaru's standing. He is merely a Vice Admiral, a figure far too easy to eliminate. This implies that if Sentomaru were removed, the Marines would lose all authority over the Seraphim.
This loss of control extends beyond the Seraphim to the Pacifista models created from Tyrant Kuma. Now, with even an Admiral position being seized by the God's Knights, it is clear that the World Government's distrust of the Marines has reached its breaking point. A sudden, deep sense of powerlessness washed over every Marine officer present, leaving them utterly lost regarding the future of the world. However, the ocean did not grant them the luxury of despair. A messenger rushed in, though Akainu and his men had grown somewhat numb to the day's constant stream of crises.
"Speak," Akainu commanded. "What is happening now?"
His indifferent demeanor startled the flustered messenger, who quickly stammered, "Reporting to Admiral Akainu, intelligence has just reached us from Fish-Man Island. One of the Beasts Pirates' All-Stars, Jack the Drought, and one of the Tobi Roppo, Sasaki, have appeared on the island."
"What!"
Ten thousand meters below the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, Fish-Man Island lay bathed in the light of the Sun Tree Eve. At this moment, every fishman, mermaid, and even the pirates stationed there looked on in terror. As far as the eye could see, a massive fleet flying the flag of the Beasts Pirates densely surrounded the island, appearing as if they were prepared to launch an all-out assault.
King Neptune grew tense. Two days earlier, Jinbe, the island's strongest combatant, had departed. If the Beasts Pirates chose to attack now, the kingdom would have no power to resist. Fortunately, the appearance of a familiar woman allowed Neptune to relax his guard slightly, and he chose to leave the safety of the palace to confront the arrivals. He did not expect, however, that before he could even speak to the pirates, Madame Shyarly—formerly the owner of the Mermaid Cafe, a gifted seer, and now the wife of the All-Star Jack—would rush out from the coated bubble to meet him.
"Your Majesty King Neptune, you do not need to worry," she said, her voice frantic. "Jack and his men are not here to harm Fish-Man Island; they are here to save all of our people."
"Save us?" Neptune asked, stunned.
Shyarly prepared to explain, but Jack, standing on the deck of his distant flagship, had little patience. Still, out of respect for his wife, he addressed the King. "King Neptune, you do not have much time left—only three hours. From this moment on, you must mobilize every mermaid and fishman on this island to board our ships. If you refuse to leave, do not blame us when Fish-Man Island sinks."
"What? Fish-Man Island sinks? What exactly are you planning?" Neptune's temper flared. This was the homeland where his people had lived for nearly a millennium; he would protect it with his life if necessary.
"You!" Jack's volatile temper ignited instantly, but before he could escalate, Shyarly intervened.
"Wait, Jack, be quiet! I will handle the persuasion!"
The entire crew was startled. Everyone knew Jack's vicious nature, yet they watched in disbelief as their boss—Lord Jack—merely grunted in frustration and fell silent. Sasaki, standing beside him, found the sight somewhat amusing. There was truly always someone who could keep a monster in check. He marveled at how obedient Jack was to Shyarly. Within the entire Beasts Pirates, only Lord Kaido, King, and Queen were usually able to command such compliance. Sasaki's thoughts drifted to his own wife, and he felt a sharp headache forming. He was, quite frankly, under his own woman's thumb. Thankfully, he had his children to console him, so he decided he would simply endure it.
With Jack silenced, Shyarly turned back to King Neptune. The King stopped his guards from intervening, seeing the genuine terror in her eyes. He subconsciously suspected the worst. "Shyarly, have you had a new prophecy?"
She shook her head violently. Neptune felt a brief moment of relief, but it vanished instantly when she spoke her next words. Her body trembled as she confessed, "Your Majesty, this is not a prophecy; it is an inevitable reality. I have seen the Red Line destroyed, Fish-Man Island buried deep under the crushing pressure of the sea, and the light of the Sun Tree Eve illuminating the darkest depths of the ocean."
In the New World, Totto Land was gripped by a similar, chilling change. The peaceful, harmonious atmosphere that had defined the territory had vanished, replaced by the suffocating tension of war. Throughout the waters surrounding the islands, the children of the Big Mom Pirates were preparing for combat. Even Charlotte Linlin, the King of Totto Land and Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, had abandoned her life of luxury to train with her six most powerful children.
They represented the peak of the crew's strength: the Sweet Four Generals—Katakuri, Smoothie, Cracker, and Snack—along with the brothers Oven and Daifuku. The others were simply not qualified to receive Linlin's personal training. Among them, Katakuri showed the fastest growth. Unlike the others, who were often defeated by their mother within moments, Katakuri had reached a level where he could fight back and forth with his "MOM," though this was only when Charlotte Linlin was not utilizing her true, devastating power.
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