While Koa, Ginny, Ivankov, and Kuma were collecting the treasures hidden in the cabin Koa had secured before Big Mom's arrival, a sudden, distant shout pierced the air—one that made Koa freeze the moment he recognized the voices.
"GALAXY IMPACT!!"
"DIVINE DEPARTURE!!!"
The moment those names were called out, Koa's instincts flared. Without hesitation, he generated a compact vibration barrier around the four of them. Just seconds later, an overwhelming shockwave tore through the forest—trees were violently uprooted, and the entire canopy vanished, as if erased by divine fury.
Koa, sensing the battle from afar, was stunned by the sheer power radiating from fighters he had only seen in the anime. Garp, whose strength at Hachinosu had already seemed legendary, was now displaying a force that made that version of him feel like a shadow. Meanwhile, Roger's overwhelming presence was equally undeniable—each of their blows reverberated through the land, shaking the very bones of the island.
But what shocked Koa the most was Rocks D. Xebec. Not only was he keeping pace with Garp and Roger—his every strike hit like a detonated bomb, raw and chaotic.
'No wonder the World Government erased him from history…' Koa thought, realizing now just how vast the gap was between Big Mom, whom he had just fought, and this monstrous force of nature.
He could sense other powerful Haki signatures scattered across the island as well. Big Mom was now fighting someone else, but Koa no longer cared. Too many giants were clashing at once, and survival took precedence.
"Kuma, Ginny, Ivankov—look for the Roger Pirates' ship. You'll recognize it by the skull with the long, curly mustache," Koa instructed, his eyes still locked in the direction of the distant battlefield. "I want to grab a few treasures from the God Valley Kingdom's vault. We'll use them as part of our payment."
Ivankov nodded, then extended his hand and produced a small slug, no larger than a flintlock pistol, and let it crawl onto Koa's shoulder.
"What's this for?" Koa asked, slightly confused.
"It'll help recover your stamina," Ivankov explained. "And it's a communication device. Just talk to it—whatever you say, I'll hear it immediately."
Ivankov nodded in agreement, adding, "We'll handle the rendezvous. Just don't die."
Koa gave a nod of gratitude before turning away, making both himself and the slug invisible. He began floating the cabin once again—his secret stash of treasures rising silently with him like a ghostly fortress.
Meanwhile, Ginny, Kuma, and Ivankov moved swiftly toward the shore, scanning the docks for the unmistakable figurehead of the Pirate King's ship.
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As Koa was walking through the ruined outskirts of the battlefield, his eyes caught a glint on the ground—a rifle adorned with gold and studded with gems. He immediately recognized its origin: it had to belong to the Celestial Dragons, likely abandoned during their panicked escape.
Just as Koa was about to pick it up, a shot rang out, grazing the air beside him.
The shooter was a woman with her tongue playfully sticking out. She wore a wide, shadowy hat that obscured her eyes, and her light-blue hair fluttered slightly in the breeze. She held a rifle nearly identical to the one Koa had spotted—a matching pair, perhaps.
'Whoa… she's beautiful. If she's not a Celestial Dragon… I'd definitely hit that,' Koa thought, staring at her with amused interest.
The woman appeared to be using the gem-encrusted rifle as bait, knowing full well that such an extravagant weapon would lure greedy pirates. A Celestial Dragon's weapon could fetch well over a billion berries in the underworld. It was the perfect trap.
"Heheheheh… people in the underworld are really stupid," the woman giggled, her voice mocking and cruel.
Koa, still invisible, observed her. He couldn't sense any strange Haki from her—no signs of immortality, no Divine Aura like that of the God's Knights. She was just a high-skill sniper, not someone beyond his level.
Without hesitation, Koa made his move.
He flew silently toward her, coating his twin axes with Armament Haki, preparing to end her in a single strike while remaining invisible. She stood unaware, adjusting her rifle with a cocky smirk.
But just as he was about to strike, a deep, commanding shout erupted nearby.
It came from a tall male figure with a bull-like skull for a head. Koa couldn't tell if it was a mask or a Zoan hybrid form, but it didn't matter. The voice was enough to delay his action.
The woman turned toward the sound, distracted. Koa decided not to go through with the kill. There was something more important to do.
Floating higher into the sky, still invisible, Koa used his advanced Observation Haki to scan the battlefield. He searched specifically for Celestial Dragons who were attempting to flee—those without powerful guards or overwhelming Haki.
He found them.
A ship, already pulling away from the docks, carried several of the fleeing Celestials. Koa detected strange Haki aboard, there's also great displeasure in the feeling of those Celestials.
He raised his hand, summoning a bow and arrow made of molten, vibrating energy—magma-like in form, akin to one of Sukuna's cursed techniques.
The bow burned with quiet fury. The arrow, invisible to the naked eye, was pure destruction condensed into a single shot.
Koa aimed.
Then—release.
The invisible arrow rocketed forward, tearing through the air with such speed that it produced a thunderous sonic boom. The explosion of air caused heads to turn on the battlefield below, warriors pausing mid-fight to look up in confusion.
But by the time they noticed the sound, the arrow was already en route—unseen, undetectable, and merciless.
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Meanwhile, just a few minutes before the Celestial Dragon ship was struck by Koa's invisible arrow, the atmosphere inside the departing vessels was tense—but not with fear. Instead, it was filled with entitled rage.
Several Celestial Dragons were loudly voicing their displeasure, irritated that the sacred "hunt" had been interrupted. This event, which occurred only once every three years, was seen as a grand tradition. Having it cut short by invading pirates was, in their eyes, an unforgivable inconvenience.
"Damn useless Marines! Why aren't you doing your jobs and wiping out those filthy pirates so we can finish our hunt?! You're all completely useless!" one Celestial Dragon screamed, berating the Marine guards who were simply trying to ensure their safe boarding.
"How utterly pathetic. It seems we're wasting our taxes funding weaklings like you!" another sneered, as several others nodded in agreement.
Their complaints continued, growing louder and more obnoxious with each passing second. Over thirty Celestial Dragons had now boarded the ship—the maximum occupancy allowed on their luxurious vessel. The ship could hold more passengers, but the Celestials didn't care about efficiency or safety. They simply didn't want anyone else, especially slaves, sharing their space.
They had even abandoned the slaves they had brought with them to the island, leaving them to die amidst the chaos. Their lives meant nothing.
Soon, a total of three ships departed from the docks, each loaded to capacity with Celestial Dragons. These were exclusive vessels, crafted for the elite of Mary Geoise. Meanwhile, the God's Knights remained on the island, continuing their battle against the pirates. To flee from battle would be a disgrace—a stain on their pride. Only a few chose to remain behind and guard the ships.
Among them was Shepherd Sommers, one of the lazier members of the God's Knights, who lounged on the deck with a relieved sigh.
"Ahhh... finally," Sommers muttered aloud, reclining in a padded seat. "I hate fighting those monsters. Especially that freak Scopper Gaban. Damn near carved me up like a fish on a cutting board…"
He winced slightly at the memory, his hand brushing over a still-healing wound beneath his armor. "No matter. Once this nonsense is over, I'll be back in my chambers with wine and silence."
Just as Sommers closed his eyes to relax—
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the ocean.
The lead ship—one of the three carrying the Celestial Dragons—suddenly erupted into flames, the blast so powerful it sent shockwaves across the sea. Sailors and Marines on nearby ships scrambled to make sense of what had just happened.
From the shore, stunned Marines and onlookers watched in disbelief as a plume of fire and smoke rose high into the sky.
Panic set in instantly.
"A ship... exploded?! The Celestial Dragon vessel—!"
"No... no way... was it an accident?!"
Sommers opened his eyes as he was falling towards the sea, asking a question that he did not know the answer is.
"What the hell was that...?!"