Nearly a month passed after the Nightfall Pirates received intelligence from the Kingdom of Tirisfal, and the brewing war between the Kingdom of Kraken and the Kingdom of Tirisfal had already stirred waves across the West Blue.
Both nations held the reputation of being among the mightiest in this sea. The Kingdom of Kraken was infamous. Its armies swept across neighboring territories year after year, plundering wealth and demanding tribute from every frightened country near Kanosfa Island. No nation dared resist. The Kraken royal family had forged their rule through blood and conquest, and their subjects lived beneath that fear.
A war between populations measuring in the millions, nearly ten million in combined strength, was a scale far beyond the battles seen elsewhere in the world. The clashes of thousands or tens of thousands that other nations waged looked like petty skirmishes by comparison.
Even so, this conflict remained overshadowed. The New World was engulfed in violence. Marines and pirates clashed in the most decisive war of the era, a battle that would determine which force would dominate the future. Compared to that storm, the West Blue conflict seemed insignificant. The stakes were smaller, the combatants weaker, and the consequences would barely ripple beyond the waters surrounding Kanosfa Island.
Even so, everyone nearby watched closely.
The date of the Kraken Kingdom's national oath ceremony had been announced long in advance. When the day arrived, only select figures were allowed to attend in person. These were the nation's leading merchants, officials, and war supporters. Their presence was for spectacle, not participation.
The kingdom's streets, however, overflowed with citizens. Every city center, every public square, every street facing a broadcast screen was packed. According to tradition, the oath ceremony would be projected across the entire kingdom. The purpose was obvious. It would raise morale at the front lines and feed a steady stream of hostile propaganda into the minds of Kraken's citizens.
Many adults knew better, of course. Yet the Kraken royal family did not aim at them. The true targets were the children. Plant hatred in young hearts and it would take root, providing soldiers for the next generation.
That morning, dark clouds gathered in thick layers above the kingdom. A storm approached, and the air was heavy. The atmosphere felt symbolic, as if the sky itself recognized the tension pooling around the nation.
Citizens came prepared with umbrellas and raincoats. Nothing would delay the ceremony. Whether under sun, wind, or storm, the ritual began exactly when scheduled.
Nine in the morning.
Reporters filled the crowd as well, hauling cameras and tools, hoping to capture the first footage. The king never accepted interviews, yet many tried to sneak in disguised as nobles or attendants. They all met the same fate. Jones did not tolerate trespassers, and every such reporter learned that lesson in blood.
Jones, the current king, had a reputation for unmatched decisiveness. Under his rule, repeated wars had built Kraken into a fearsome military power. The recent conflict against Tirisfal had drained massive resources, but that deficit was covered by the Black Palm Merchant Guild.
To outsiders, the guild provided supplies and wealth. Internally, they kept the kingdom from collapsing under shortages. Their constant flow of goods stabilized Kraken's economy and kept unrest at bay. Even so, dissenting factions existed in the shadows. The royal family suppressed them with an iron fist, and the army supported them with near fanatical loyalty.
Four million soldiers sat on the front lines. One hundred thousand city guards protected the royal capital. Countless more forces were scattered across the kingdom and nearby waters.
Inside the largest battlefield camp, Kraken soldiers sat on the ground, waiting for the broadcast to begin. A large screen loomed above them, still dark. The higher-ranking officers sat on wooden chairs. Their reputations were carved from bloodshed, and each carried the trust of the royal family. For them, war meant glory. Promotions were earned through achievements, and achievements could only be acquired through victory.
Finally, the screen flickered to life.
Heavy footsteps rang out before the camera captured the towering figure approaching the platform.
Jones.
Standing four meters tall, the king wore a complete suit of black armor. A crimson cape billowed behind him in the rising wind. His face alone was exposed. His hand rested on a massive greatsword, a weapon that radiated authority.
Two titans followed him on each side. Osk, captain of the Central Guard, and Hocheng, his deputy. Twenty thousand guards were scattered around the palace, sealing every path. The royal city had become an impenetrable fortress.
The king's armor symbolized a long-standing tradition. He stood with his soldiers not merely as a ruler but as a warrior in the same struggle.
Far away, in the Palace of Serenity of the Kingdom of Tirisfal, the atmosphere was tense. Many important officials were absent due to their roles in the upcoming operation. Grand General Hindenburg was already on the front lines. Minister Black of Defense was overseeing the intelligence network. The Minister of News had departed earlier to manage the media channel for the plan. Even Redyat and Mainz were not in the room.
The ones present watched the Kraken broadcast through special equipment. Every face was taut.
"It should begin soon. I hope everything proceeds smoothly," one minister murmured, exhaling shakily.
"Everything has been arranged. At this point, all we can do is trust our people. Prepare to take over the Kraken Kingdom once their downfall begins," another official whispered, trying to calm his colleague.
At the head of the table, King Wilhelm sat with clenched fists hidden beneath the surface. His expression was composed, but tension rippled beneath it.
Meanwhile, in a coastal city within the Kraken Kingdom, the headquarters of the Black Palm Merchant Guild bustled with activity. Dozens of supply ships came in and out of the port each day. Beneath that noise lurked a different secret.
Redyat and Mainz had infiltrated the city.
According to intelligence, Zero of CP0 was hiding here.
Their first task was to eliminate him. If left alive, he could ruin everything. Only Redyat and Mainz possessed the power to dispatch such a threat instantly and cleanly. Once they took him down, they would move immediately to the royal capital for the next phase.
"It is starting. Have you found Zero?" Mainz whispered, keeping his gaze on a distant broadcast screen. He sensed someone arrive beside him without any detectable sound.
Redyat stepped from a patch of shadow, his presence appearing as if carved from darkness itself. His Observation Haki left no trace.
"I found him. He has noticed nothing. Still at the guild headquarters," Redyat replied. A slight smile formed on his face. "We caught a CP agent nearby and extracted memories. There are several more CP operatives assisting Zero. They are competent, but none are close to his strength."
"Then we deal with all of them together," Mainz said. He nodded, eyes sharpening.
He paused, then asked, "Are the Nightfall Pirates ready?"
"Yes. They entered the royal city several days ago. All of them are already in position," Redyat answered confidently.
"You trust them that much?" Mainz wondered aloud. He had never met Teach's crew in person.
"I fought every one of them," Redyat replied. "Their strength is more than enough."
Throughout the royal city, the Nightfall Pirates were already in place. Every member wore a raincoat large enough to hide their weapons. Rain poured from the sky, masking their movements. Each one faced a nearby broadcast screen, their faces calm and predatory.
Jones continued his speech on the stage.
Many of the Kraken guards had been relocated for security. Originally stationed throughout the city, all one hundred thousand soldiers now surrounded the royal palace. Their concentration in such a small area ensured maximum control.
It also ensured something else.
Teach had worried whether his full power could reach them all. With the guards gathered so tightly, that concern disappeared entirely. His Conqueror's Haki could flood the entire palace grounds without difficulty.
Teach stood beneath the rain outside the East Gate, alongside Pito, Kaguya, and Gar. Each had been assigned specific targets. Pito and Kaguya would eliminate the captains of the Eastern Guard. Gar would remove the captains of the Central Guard. Teach would proceed to Jones directly once the field was cleared.
Thunder cracked across the sky.
A silver arc tore through the clouds, followed by an explosive roar.
Rain crashed down like a signal. A storm was beginning.
Far away, in the same coastal city, Zero suddenly lifted his head.
"Who is it?"
His voice cut through the silence.
As a top member of CP0, his instincts were razor sharp, and something felt terribly wrong. The room was quiet. Too quiet. His Observation Haki stretched out and touched a strange sensation in the air. The surrounding atmosphere felt thick and dense, as if filled with an invisible pressure.
Someone was hiding nearby, a presence dissolved into the air itself.
At the same moment, Zero sensed that seven people within the headquarters had vanished. These seven were his direct subordinates, all trained CP operatives. Their disappearance meant one thing.
He had been discovered.
He rose from his seat without hesitation.
Remaining here was no longer an option.