To prevent another sudden attack from the Five Elders—like the one that struck Amazon Lily—the Souta Kiryuu Pirates decided to take no chances.
Following Souta Kiryuu's command, the golden city of God Island—Apayado began to move. The massive floating landmass slowly drifted away from its original position in the Sky Island region and merged with two other islands—Melvi Island and the Main Floating Isle—forming a new, three-island cluster.
Although it still couldn't compare to Shiki the Golden Lion's legendary floating island empire, this new formation marked a major milestone.
The Tontatta Tribe, the Shandians, and most of the Skyfolk followed the island group as it drifted away from the upper atmosphere. Only a handful of Skyfolk, unwilling to abandon their ancestral home, remained behind on Angel Island.
Still, with Bartholomew Kuma, Sentomaru, and the Pacifistas, along with the newly developed Teleportation Seraphim units, the connection between God Island, the Moon Base, Angel Island, and Amazon Lily remained intact and seamless.
Meanwhile, Shiki the Golden Lion was still in recovery. Because of that, the large-scale "Island Armada Project" hadn't yet begun. Souta Kiryuu had set a clear standard—if Shiki's combat power didn't meet expectations, the Float-Float Fruit's ability would be transferred to Marshall D. Teach (Blackbeard), and only then would the massive floating island project officially commence.
The goal? To control over a dozen sky islands and create a drifting empire of war.
But for now, Souta Kiryuu stood on the newly repositioned God Island, his expression dark and irritated.
"This relocation mess—you're all responsible! I'll make damn sure they pay for this!"
He clenched his fist, glaring toward the distant horizon where the Red Line and the Holy Land lay hidden beyond the clouds.
Turning sharply, he barked another order.
"Caesar! Besides the toxic gas shells, I want a batch of disgusting bombs made—mix them with paint that's impossible to wash off, and throw in the stench of piss and filth! We're going to bombard Mary Geoise with these every single day!"
Souta's grin turned wicked, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"If the World Government wants to keep us from developing peacefully in the Sky Islands, then fine. Let's see how they like it when their Holy Land turns into a toxic dump!"
He sneered.
"Mary Geoise will become a place that stinks of excrement and poison gas—a daily hell! Let's see them call it the 'safest place in the world' after that!"
"Shururururu~! Leave it to me!"
Caesar Clown cackled, his face twisting into a manic grin. As despicable as he was, the mad scientist never shied away from such vile orders.
If Vegapunk, the so-called "saintly scientist," had been given the task, he'd probably have refused outright—but Caesar? He was born for this kind of job.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, the discussions between the Five Elders and the Admirals were still ongoing as the Kiryuu Pirates completed their island relocation.
In the end, the Five Elders decided to follow protocol—first, dispatch Saint Marcus Mars to the Sky Island to assess the situation.
If the Kiryuu Pirates hadn't yet moved and there was a chance for a surprise assault, then the Five Elders and the Navy's top brass would teleport there together to wipe out Souta Kiryuu's main base.
For now, though, they weren't too worried about the island's relocation plan.
After the last battle, Imu, protected by an impenetrable barrier, had enough time to recall all Five Elders from their distant missions.
If the Kiryuu Pirates dared to invade the Holy Land again, they would never return alive.
On God Island, tension buzzed through the air.
"Souta-nii! That little bit of revenge isn't enough!" Bonney shouted, clenching her tiny fists in frustration. "They forced us to move out of our home! We need to strike back—hard! Maybe the Five Elders have already sent someone out. Why don't we hunt them down first? If not, we can target one of the Admirals!"
Her voice rose, full of anger and fire. "I heard Aokiji and Garp are chasing Redfield, and Akainu's after Bullet! Let's go after Akainu first!"
Bonney's frustration was understandable—she hated leaving the soft, white clouds of Angel Island, and her resentment toward the World Government burned fiercely.
Now that the Sky Island's location had been exposed, there was no doubt that either the Five Elders or high-ranking Marines would come to investigate.
It was the perfect chance for an ambush.
If they could prevent the Five Elders from using their summoning sigil to call reinforcements, they might even take down one or two of them. And if that failed—then killing a Marine Admiral would be the next best thing.
Right now, they had leads on Aokiji and Akainu.
Aokiji (Kuzan) and Garp were in the New World pursuing Redfield, while Akainu (Sakazuki) was in the Grand Line chasing Douglas Bullet.
Hearing Bonney's fiery proposal, Barrett and Enel's eyes lit up with excitement.
Both were born warriors—and the idea of hunting down the Five Elders or Marine Admirals thrilled them to the core.
"That's actually a damn good idea," Souta said with a cold grin, lifting Bonney—who had reverted to her child form—into his arms. "Poison bombs and stink bombs alone won't cut it. We need something… bloodier."
His tone was calm, but the edge in his voice was unmistakable.
"Violet," he ordered sharply, "keep surveillance on all Marine warships—especially those heading toward the Sky Route or near Jaya Island. Any suspicious movement, I want to know instantly."
"Robin, Lafitte—contact Morgans. Tell him to track Akainu's and Bullet's exact locations! If possible, get me direct contact with Bullet—I want precise coordinates!"
His subordinates nodded. Souta's orders were always absolute.
If they had the chance to assassinate a Five Elder, they would take it.
If not—then Akainu would be the next target.
That rabid dog was destined to become the next Fleet Admiral of the Marines.
Killing him would remove one of the World Government's fiercest hounds.
Not to mention, the Magma-Magma Fruit, said to have the strongest offensive power among all Logias, was an ability Souta had long coveted.
If he could take down Akainu, the rewards would be immense—whether they turned him into a Pacifista, used his genes for cloning, or harvested his Devil Fruit.
Besides, Akainu's physical endurance was monstrous, nearly on par with awakened Zoan users. His physique was a rare mutation, much like Big Mom's terrifying body—a human anomaly that defied logic.
"Understood!" the three—Robin, Violet, and Lafitte—answered in unison, immediately setting off to carry out their tasks.
"Yahahahaha! Let's hope we find the Five Elders first," Enel roared with a grin that split his face. "But going after Akainu sounds fun too!"
Barrett chuckled darkly. "You think Souta's gonna let you take prisoners this time? Forget that. This'll be a kill-or-be-killed kind of fight."
He spat to the side and flexed his muscles. "Those guys won't go down easy. If we hold back for even a second, we'll be the ones dying."
He wasn't exaggerating. The Magma-Magma Fruit's destructive power was no joke. Combined with Akainu's mastery of Haki and hand-to-hand combat, even the strongest defenses could crumble under his assault.
"Don't underestimate him, Enel," Barrett added coldly. "If you get careless and take one hit, your lightning form won't save you. You'll be vaporized on the spot."
The Magma-Magma Fruit's brutal power and sheer dominance couldn't be underestimated.
Souta stroked Bonney's pink hair with a faint, savage smile.
"If we're going after them, no one's fighting alone," he said coldly. "The whole crew will strike together—and when we do, it'll be a massacre."
If they couldn't find the Five Elders, then Akainu would be next.
That mad dog was roaming the Grand Line alone—and as far as Souta Kiryuu was concerned, that made him prey.
"Closest target principle," Souta muttered, his eyes glinting with deadly intent.
"If I can't kill the Five Elders, I'll take Akainu's damn head instead."
...
Hey everyone! Want to read ahead and unlock up to 100 early-access chapters? 📖Plus, enjoy even more exclusive novels! Join my Patreon now and dive into the adventure!
patreon.com/Rawink00