Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
In a lavish hall at World Government headquarters, five tall elders sat on sofas.
"The New World has been restless lately. News of a Poneglyph on Sky Island has caused a stir," said Ju Peter, sipping tea.
"The Poneglyph isn't the worst of it. The news about surviving Lunarians on the Sky Island is even more troubling. If an Emperor gets them..." Nusjuro frowned.
"King, Kaido's right-hand man, is already a Lunarian. Kaido already has one," Warcury said, picking up a pastry.
"It's different. King was one of our test subjects; he doesn't know Lunarian history. But if there are more survivors, who knows what they might know," Mars said worriedly.
"What's there to fear? The Great Kingdom is history. Besides, the news isn't even confirmed," Saturn said.
After everyone shared their thoughts, a silence fell as they enjoyed their tea.
After a while, Ju Peter spoke again. "The people and place are too sensitive. We don't need open war with the Emperors, but we must ensure the past stays buried."
"Send an Admiral?" Saturn asked.
"No, that would be seen as provocation. Send some strong Vice-Admirals; just make sure there are no risks," Ju Peter said.
"But Vice-Admirals aren't strong enough. Kaido won't hold back, and they can't stop him if he lands," Warcury worried.
Ju Peter smiled. "According to intel, Big Mom's crew is already heading to Sky Island. The Emperors will likely clash. The Vice-Admirals don't need to face Kaido—just stall his subordinates. Once time is bought, our people will handle things on Sky Island."
"What if the Emperors team up against the Marines?" Mars asked.
"Then retreat," Ju Peter said simply. "We can't confront the Emperors head on. The Vice-Admirals are valuable assets; we can't waste them."
"Then let's proceed. I'll send orders to Marineford," Saturn said, ending the brief meeting.
Overall, the situation was under control. They wouldn't send an Admiral, so relations weren't at the breaking point. Any losses would be bearable.
As long as they bought enough time, their people could handle things on Sky Island.
And maybe the rumors of surviving Lunarians were just that—rumors.
…
On the vast New World seas, a huge ship sailed forward.
The flag was a pink-haired, lipstick-wearing skull, and the ship looked like a patchwork cake—the main ship of the Big Mom Pirates, "Queen Mama Chanter."
At the bow, a massive figure stood: Charlotte Linlin, the 56-year-old Emperor known as Big Mom.
She stuffed cake into her mouth, greedy and unrestrained, her face smeared with food.
She licked her lips, eyes fierce, staring into the dark sea toward distant firelight.
"Get ready for battle!" she shouted, pulling off her hat, which transformed into a huge blade.
Her crew was small but elite; her second son Katakuri was among them.
It was clear she hadn't brought all her top fighters—only Katakuri of the three Sweet Commanders. The others stayed behind to guard Totto Land.
After all, she couldn't be sure no one would attack her territory while she was gone.
To her, Kaido was just a junior from the Rocks Pirates days. She didn't think she'd have any trouble with him.
She wanted the Poneglyph, but even more, she was interested in the Lunarians. Her Totto Land was missing only three races, and Lunarians were one of them. She thought they were extinct, but it seemed she still had a chance to satisfy her collector's obsession.
Still, she expected to fight Kaido for it.
In the world of pirates, there was no room for sentiment. Even if she and Kaido were once close, now they were rivals for the Pirate King—competition first.
"Mama, the Navy is tailing us. Should I sink their ship?" asked Katakuri, towering over her.
"They're just pesky bugs. Ignore them. I can't wait to meet my old acquaintance," Big Mom said.
Katakuri was puzzled. He'd heard rumors of his mother and Kaido having history—would they fight to the death now?
But since his mother didn't care about the Navy ship, he was happy to ignore it. He didn't think the Marines would dare touch a Yonko.
The Queen Mama Chanter sped ahead, the firelight on the horizon growing closer—they neared the island below Sky Island.
…
Three nautical miles behind, a Navy battleship followed.
On deck, a tall, middle-aged man in a yellow-striped suit and Marine coat leaned on the railing, looking lazy.
"How scary, following Big Mom... I'm absolutely terrified," he said, but there was no fear on his face.
His subordinate, Rear Admiral Strawberry, watched him with a strange expression. Having served under Kizaru for years, he knew his strength and personality best.
In the New World, Kizaru was always saying things were scary, but easily defeated major pirates. As Admiral Zephyr's student, Kizaru was a rare genius, rising to Vice-Admiral in just over a decade and outclassing most Marines.
Rumor had it he'd soon be promoted to Admiral, which would benefit his direct subordinates, maybe even Strawberry himself.
Speaking of Vice-Admirals, he looked to the other end of the deck at a young man with long green hair—Aramaki.
Aramaki had joined the Marines only two months earlier, recruited for his overwhelming strength and immediately promoted to Vice-Admiral, causing resentment among veterans like Strawberry.
Strawberry had worked hard for years, fought in Buster Call operations, and even helped defeat Fisher Tiger. Yet, despite all this, he was still just a Rear Admiral.
Aramaki, not even 30, had instantly outranked him. Worse, Aramaki always acted cocky, constantly talking about justice, which annoyed the crew.
Still, Strawberry admitted Aramaki was indeed strong.
As a Logia user Woods-Woods man, his offense and control were impressive. He excelled at both capture and kill missions.
Some in the Marines said that with ten more years and some more merit, he could even reach Admiral rank.
Many were jealous, but knew that rank required matching strength, not just seniority.
For veterans, their strength was mostly set; Admiral was out of reach.
"Kizaru-san, are the Emperors really that impressive? If there's conflict, I could take her out myself, right?" Aramaki asked Kizaru.
"That's a scary way to think. Even Admirals struggle with Yonko. Best not get into a fight," Kizaru replied. "If you want to carry out your justice, survive first."
Aramaki shrugged. Young and brash, he'd defeated many with his Logia powers and Haki, and rarely faced a real challenge. He'd joined the Marines on a Captain's invitation, and even after meeting Admiral Zephyr, he felt unimpressed.
He'd heard the phrase "Admirals and Emperors are equals," and felt he was almost at Admiral level—why shouldn't he be able to take on a Yonko?
So, he was annoyed at their current orders: tail the Emperors' crews, delay their landing on Sky Island, and avoid open conflict.
He wasn't afraid; he wanted a Yonko's head for his own promotion—sooner than Kizaru, if possible.
And there was a special order: to kill the Beasts Pirates' Fourth Calamity, The Thunderstorm Gusion. Anyone who did would get huge merit—ordinary officers would be promoted three ranks at once.