Under Nico Robin's live broadcast translation, the Red Count, Patrick Redfield, finally found what he had been yearning for all his life — the mythical Vampire Fruit, a rare Zoan-type Devil Fruit of the Phantom Beast class — hidden deep within an ancient palace.
A fruit said to grant its user the power to restore youth.
Before the envious eyes of everyone in the Kiryuu Pirates, Redfield wasted no time. He bit into the gleaming, crimson fruit.
His face immediately twisted into disgust as he tossed away the half-eaten fruit.
But strangely, his body didn't change. His wrinkled face remained the same — no signs of youth or renewed vitality.
"What's going on?"
Redfield's expression darkened. Could it be that he had eaten the wrong fruit? That kind of mistake… was unacceptable.
"Eheheh… don't panic, old man." Souta Kiryuu's amused voice came through the Den Den Mushi. "Take a look at your fangs. You didn't eat the wrong one. That's the Vampire Fruit. Its power only awakens when you absorb blood. Drain some from a Navy officer or a powerful pirate — then you'll feel the change."
A wicked smile played on Souta's lips as he spoke.
With that Devil Fruit, Redfield was no longer someone the Navy's legends — Garp the Fist or Aokiji Kuzan — could easily capture.
After all, the Vampire Form of the Bat-Bat Fruit, Mythical Zoan Type, granted not only monstrous strength and regeneration but also the power of flight — making its user a true nightmare to pursue.
And Redfield… even in his frail old body, had already escaped the combined might of Garp and Kuzan several times.
Now that he possessed a Mythical Zoan fruit, his threat level had soared beyond imagination.
"…Fine. We'll see soon enough," Redfield muttered coldly.
He ended the Den Den Mushi broadcast, pocketed his small pet Padon, and disappeared into the night — searching for his first victims to test the fruit's bloody power.
The live feed on the Kiryuu Pirates' ship faded to black.
The crew watching could only smile helplessly at the arrogant old man's attitude.
"That geezer really doesn't know how to say thanks, huh?" someone chuckled.
Still, none of them denied it — now that the Red Count had gained a Mythical Zoan fruit, his power could return to its legendary peak.
And when that happened… Souta Kiryuu's crew would have yet another monster-level ally on their side — one capable of turning the tide in their coming war against the World Government.
"Can that old man really return to his prime?" muttered Douglas Bullet, eyes narrowing sharply.
To surpass that kind of man, he'd need to grow even stronger. Redfield wasn't just any pirate — he was once an equal of Roger and Whitebeard, a legend from the old era.
To defeat Redfield… would that be the same as defeating Roger himself?
Bullet's fighting spirit blazed in his eyes.
He silently carved new names into his mental list of opponents — the Three Admirals, the Four Emperors, the Five Elders, Souta Kiryuu, Redfield, Garp the Fist, and even the World King Imu.
Every one of them.
In this lifetime, he swore to challenge them all.
While the Kiryuu Pirates' Ark Scripture searched for Wald and Akainu, another fierce battle was raging in the Sleeping Ancient Town waters.
The Red Count had sunk his fangs into several Marine Vice Admirals, draining their blood in great quantities. With each victim, the wrinkles on his skin smoothed out, his body straightened, and the vigor of youth returned.
When Garp and Aokiji finally caught up with him, Redfield — now in his youthful vampire form — fought them fiercely, before transforming into a massive crimson bat and vanishing into the night sky once again.
This time, he fled wounded… but laughing.
Because he knew — from now on, Garp would only grow older and weaker, while he himself would become younger and stronger.
Watching the Red Count's silhouette disappear into the clouds, Garp and Kuzan stood silently.
Neither had expected that decrepit relic of a pirate to have eaten a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit — much less one capable of reversing age.
For the Navy Headquarters and the World Government… this was a disastrous turn.
Now the Kiryuu Pirates had another ancient powerhouse under their banner.
Even Garp wasn't sure he could defeat a rejuvenated Redfield the next time they met.
After all, this was the same man who had once defeated Kong, the former Commander-in-Chief of the Marines.
And Garp… could feel it.
With every passing year, his punches weren't quite as heavy as they used to be.
He sighed deeply, his white hair gleaming under the moonlight.
"It really is a terrible age we live in."
Aokiji nodded grimly beside him.
"Redfield must've come to this island specifically for that Devil Fruit. But how the hell did he even know it was here?"
He ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. Another mission failed — and worse, their enemy had grown stronger.
"This time, the one in charge of this operation was you, Admiral Aokiji. You can explain everything to Sengoku and the Five Elders yourself," Garp grunted, already walking away.
The old man had no patience left for bureaucratic reports.
Aokiji's face darkened, but he didn't argue. Someone had to take the fall.
"Retreat," he ordered the fleet. "We're done here. Return to Headquarters."
Meanwhile, far above the Grand Line — at the Western Edge of the Sky — a disguised pirate ship sailed along the Sky Route toward the far eastern horizon.
Following the route left behind by Mosard, they reached the ruins of Birka Island, a desolate Sky Island swallowed by clouds.
There, they were intercepted by the Heavenly Soldiers, guardians of the Sky Realm.
But under Marcus Mars-Saint's Conqueror's Haki, the soldiers were obliterated in an instant.
The sudden silence and loss of contact from Birka threw the Sky Army into a panic. Patrols were put on high alert, and even the gatekeepers of the Heaven's Gate activated Level One Security Protocol.
At the same time, the news reached the Ark Scripture.
"The World Government really did send elites to Sky Island!" someone shouted.
"What should we do, Captain? Return and defend the island, or continue after Akainu?"
Souta Kiryuu's expression didn't change. "We're close to Wald's position already. If we turn back now, we'll waste precious time. Wald can't beat Akainu alone — we're going to save him."
The crew nodded. A few days earlier, if they had known the World Government's forces were approaching, they might have gone back to intercept them — perhaps even to ambush a Five Elder. But now, their mission took priority.
"Send word to those remaining on Sky Island — tell them to evacuate Angel Island immediately," Souta ordered calmly.
Though few angels remained on the island after the events of the past, their airships could easily carry everyone away to safety, drifting over the cloud seas until the danger passed.
After all, back in the Enel era, even when Skypiea was destroyed, the Shandians and Skypieans had managed to escape aboard similar ships.
Under the Kiryuu Pirates' control, the number of vessels had only increased.
"Understood!" Nico Robin immediately relayed the command.
If the World Government wanted to investigate Sky Island, they could go right ahead. The Kiryuu Pirates had no time to waste on them now — their sights were set on cutting off one of the World Government's strongest arms.
Their next target: Akainu Sakazuki, the Red Dog, the Navy's most powerful admiral.
As the angels fled into the cloud seas, the surveillance Den Den Mushi hidden across the Sky Islands came to life, their lenses recording everything.
Even Vegapunk, watching from the Moon, turned his gaze toward Angel Island.
He wanted to see — just who the World Government had sent into the heavens this time.
Would one of the Five Elders appear?
The world waited.