Chapter 134: Forced Recruitment
Grand Line, Kuraigana Island.
This desolate island is the residence of Dracule Mihawk, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea (Shichibukai), known as the "Strongest Swordsman in the World."
On this day, a Marine warship anchored offshore. Vice Admiral Stainless of the Marine Headquarters stood on deck, watching a solitary figure approach the coast.
"Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters, why have you not come ashore?" Mihawk asked coolly from the shore.
"By order of the World Government, Dracule Mihawk, you are summoned to Marineford to discuss urgent matters," Stainless declared loudly.
"World Government business, hm?" Mihawk's eyes narrowed before turning away. "I'm not interested."
"Dracule Mihawk, this is a compulsory summons!" Stainless immediately produced an official order. "Should you refuse, your title as a Warlord will be revoked, and you will be marked as an enemy of the World Government."
"Compulsory summons?" Mihawk glanced over his shoulder, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Is this about the war with Whitebeard? Very well. Inform the Government—I will attend."
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Grand Line, Florian Triangle.
Aboard the eerie Thriller Bark, Gecko Moria, another of the Seven Warlords, glared at his visitor.
"Kuma, what do you want?" he asked coldly.
"I am here on behalf of the World Government to deliver an official order," Bartholomew Kuma said flatly.
"Hmph. I'm not one of those lapdogs. I don't take orders lightly."
"This is not optional," Kuma replied. "It is a compulsory summons. Refusal will result in revocation of your Warlord title and immediate action by the Government."
"Compulsory...?" Moria muttered, genuinely surprised. "Why now? What happened while I was focused on my experiments?"
"Because of a certain man," Kuma replied. "The Government is preparing to go to war with the Whitebeard Pirates."
"War with Whitebeard?!" Moria's eyes widened. "Explain everything. Now."
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Calm Belt, Amazon Lily.
On the island of women, the Kuja Pirates were in a frenzy. Their captain, Boa Hancock—the "Pirate Empress" and Warlord of the Sea—had just received an official summons via Vice Admiral Momonga.
When she first heard it, Hancock was predictably defiant, threatening to rob the Marine ship for supplies. The idea of losing her Warlord title didn't faze her in the slightest. After all, she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and in her mind, beauty forgives all.
But the moment she heard his name—the man who stood up to the Celestial Dragons at Sabaody Archipelago—her demeanor changed completely.
Without hesitation, Hancock agreed to attend the war at Marineford—not out of loyalty to the Government, but to see that man again: Monkey D. Luffy.
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10,000 Meters Below the Sea, Fish-Man Island.
Within Ryugu Palace, Jinbe sat opposite King Neptune.
"I'm sorry, Neptune. My actions may bring trouble to our people," Jinbe said solemnly.
He had received the same compulsory order but chose to defy it, even going so far as to assault the Vice Admiral who brought it. He resigned from his position as a Warlord immediately.
"Don't apologize," Neptune replied, helping Jinbe up. "You've done more than enough for Fish-Man Island. And I, too, oppose the Government's war against the Whitebeard Pirates. Do what you must."
"Thank you, my friend," Jinbe said, bowing deeply before departing Ryugu Palace.
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Grand Line, Alabasta Kingdom.
Vice Admiral Onigumo arrived in Alabasta with a compulsory summons for Crocodile.
But the situation had already changed.
Crocodile had been defeated by a rookie pirate with a bounty of only 30 million beli—Monkey D. Luffy—and his crimes during his time in Alabasta had been fully exposed.
To save face, the World Government claimed Crocodile was arrested by Marines, concealing the truth. But regardless, he was stripped of his Warlord title.
Now, with Donquixote Doflamingo's status also in question, the original group of seven Warlords had dwindled to five.
When Fleet Admiral Sengoku received the news, he was furious. The loss of yet another Warlord at such a critical moment pushed the already strained Marine force further toward the edge.
There was no choice but to redirect Onigumo's mission from recruitment to prisoner escort.
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The World Government's grip was weakening, and the tides of war loomed ever larger.
To be continued...
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