It was true instantaneous movement.
An old man in a black suit appeared without warning. He had white curly hair, a thick white beard, a flat hat resting low over his brow, and a long scar carved across his left cheek. In the same instant that Mihawk severed the black thorns binding him, the old man grabbed him by the shoulder.
They vanished.
There was no flash, no distortion, no delay. In less than a blink, they reappeared before the Marine forces.
The speed was so absolute that no one had time to react.
Even though Lucien had foreseen the next second with his Kenbunshoku Haki, he still failed to stop it. The old man's movement exceeded even the window of prediction.
As the two figures reappeared, a thunderous roar erupted behind the Marines. The ground trembled as tens of thousands of soldiers descended from the sky like a storm. They wore strange uniforms and grotesque masks, each one radiating a powerful presence.
Dust billowed outward, and when it settled, five elderly figures stood at the very front, stern and immovable. Behind them stood Fleet Admiral Kong. To their side were three men and one woman, all emanating formidable power.
"Gorosei-sama!"
Sengoku, Tsuru, and the high ranking Marines immediately saluted. The tension that had gripped them eased.
Not only had the Five Elders arrived, but Commander Kong had come personally. Alongside him stood four Army Admirals.
Nikola, user of the Crush Crush Fruit.
Gotters, wielder of the Mythical Zoan Fire Kirin Fruit.
Abel, possessor of the Repulsion Repulsion Fruit.
Angel, bearer of the Human Human Fruit, Model Angel.
Beyond the Marines, the World Government also commanded the Army, another colossal force. The outside world rarely grasped its true strength, but the Revolutionary Army knew all too well.
Behind them stood more than a hundred CP0 agents. They varied in height, build, gender, and even age. Some appeared to be women, others barely older than children. Yet each one radiated an aura comparable to a Marine Vice Admiral such as Onigumo or Momonga.
Every one of them was proficient in Rokushiki. Most were Devil Fruit users.
In addition, numerous Army Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals filled the ranks.
The true power of the World Government was finally revealing a fragment of its iceberg.
After ruling the world for eight hundred years, how could its foundation be compared to a single Yonko crew or even the Revolutionary Army?
Lucien hovered in the air, amethyst eyes gleaming as he studied them all. The aura within his body burned brightly, as if eager for slaughter.
What a magnificent gathering of prey.
He quickly calculated.
If they fought the World Government here and now, it would likely end in mutual destruction. His side would have at best a thirty to forty percent chance of victory. And that assumed this was the Government's full strength. If this was only half of it, then it would be utter disaster.
Without the Marines, the fight was possible.
With the Marines included, the odds grew bleak.
The greatest uncertainty remained the figure who had yet to appear, the true sovereign hidden in the shadows.
Across the world, those watching the live broadcast swallowed nervously. Even through a screen, the suffocating pressure was palpable.
"Savior," one of the Five Elders said calmly, the one with a birthmark on his forehead, "no one like you has ever emerged on the seas. To silently control three Yonko, this has not happened since Rocks D. Xebec. In all of history, you are the first."
Lucien smiled faintly and waved dismissively.
"Do not be so tense. I have no intention of becoming an enemy of the World Government."
He lit a cigarette and exhaled a slow ring of smoke.
"The New World is mine. You stay on your throne, I rule my sea. If you insist on making a move here, I can accompany you."
He had already decided.
Dragon, Kaido, Kizaru, Garp, and the others had only recently been transformed into Demons. They required time to adapt and fully master their new bodies. Once they stabilized, their power would soar. The immortality granted by Demon blood alone would push them into terrifying territory.
He would first hunt down Ethan and Emma. If possible, he would extract abilities such as damage transfer from them. Only then would he confront the hidden king.
Lucien did not survive by recklessness.
He survived by being steady, ruthless, and absolutely certain. If caution made him appear cowardly, so be it. The one who lived to the end was the true victor.
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
"Do we have certainty?" one murmured.
"Difficult."
"The New World has never been fully ours. We should wait."
"Until Imu-sama awakens."
"Agreed."
Their thoughts flowed between them seamlessly, clearly the result of a Devil Fruit ability.
Finally, they nodded.
"Very well."
They chose to step back.
Lucien exhaled another stream of smoke and snapped his fingers lightly.
"Then we part here."
Prometheus and Zeus expanded rapidly. Koala manipulated clouds beneath their feet, while Dragon stirred violent winds. The combined forces rose into the sky.
Before departing, Lucien glanced back at Silver Dragon.
"If the Marines ever fail you, come find me. I will even sweep the floor to welcome you."
Instantly, the Five Elders, Sengoku, and countless others turned their eyes toward Silver Dragon.
Silver Dragon's face remained indifferent, though inwardly he felt a storm raging.
"I do not know him," he replied lazily.
The Elder with golden short hair gave Sengoku a final order.
"In ten days, all Vice Admirals and above are to report to Mary Geoise."
"Yes."
Marineford had long since sunk beneath the sea. The battlefield they stood upon was merely the frozen ocean created by Aokiji. The original headquarters was gone.
A new headquarters would have to be established. After discussion, they chose the G1 Branch in the New World, backed against the Red Line. It would become the new Marineford.
As the wounded were treated and the aftermath handled, Lucien's forces crossed the Red Line.
A vast white cloud and blazing flame cast enormous shadows over the sea. Lucien stood at the front, cigarette between his fingers, amethyst eyes cold and calculating.
Next, he would hunt Ethan and Emma.
Then he would seize control of every named powerhouse in the pirate world.
Only then could he truly contend with the World Government.
And beyond that, the Ancient Weapons remained.
Uranus and Pluton were uncertain.
But Poseidon still existed.
Hours earlier, roughly one hundred thousand meters southeast of Marineford, two figures appeared out of thin air.
Emma.
Ethan.
They had not arrived together.
After confirming each other's safety through their communication devices, they quickly regrouped, unaware that the world had already changed.