The warships of the Navy sailed in silence.
The White Wolf Pirates had attacked the Sabaody Archipelago.
Mary Geoise was under assault.
Slaves had been freed.
If it had been any other pirate crew, they might have struggled to understand it. But for the White Wolf Pirates, somehow—it all made sense.
They were the strongest pirates of the era.
If they didn't stir chaos, how could the Navy prove its worth?
Even Kong's defeat was within their expectations.
It wasn't the first time Kong had lost to Magnus. Even three top-class powerhouses at Elbaf hadn't managed to capture him.
So Kong losing again? That was almost normal.
And this time, two long-vanished legends, captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates, had resurfaced.
The Navy was getting used to it. As long as they could drive off the White Wolf Pirates and keep the Reverie going, that would count as success.
What they never imagined—was that the one to assault Mary Geoise would not be the White Wolf Pirates.
But Admiral Crimson Serpent herself.
When word first spread, many Marines outright refused to believe it, convinced the White Wolf Pirates had tricked intelligence.
How could Crimson Serpent betray Mary Geoise?
The fleet's commander, Portman Nissen, stood silent.
He thought of Elephant Mountain.
The moment Elephant Mountain heard Rona had struck at Mary Geoise, he seemed to age years. His aura faltered.
By rights, it should have been him leading this response.
Instead, Portman had taken command.
He could guess why. Elephant Mountain regretted it—regretted ever sending Rona to Mary Geoise, knowing her hatred for the Celestial Dragons, yet forcing her to serve them.
But both he and Elephant Mountain understood—
Rona's attack wasn't some whim.
Magnus.
The Giant King Harald.
Even East and West, missing for forty years, had been found. This wasn't a sudden impulse.
It was long-prepared.
Magnus alone was equal to three top-class fighters. With Rona added in… Portman dared not imagine. If Magnus had chosen to march on Marineford instead of Mary Geoise a few days ago, what could they have done?
Could they really have stopped him?
Even now, Portman felt the tide turning against them.
Kong was defeated and gravely wounded.
Ortega wasn't badly injured, but drained from his fight with Magnus. Far from peak.
And on the enemy's side…
"Only Rona and the two giant captains?"
Portman's gaze sharpened.
Magnus and Harald must have gone to face the Government's hidden titans.
The Navy was the World Government's strongest arm, yes. But Portman—once an Admiral himself—knew the truth. The Government's roots ran deeper than the Navy could ever touch.
Even if distracted protecting the kings of the Reverie, their power would exact a cost.
Maybe this was their chance?
Their fleet was nearing Red Port. Age had dulled Portman's Armament, but his Observation had only grown keener.
Here, they had him and Ortega.
There, only Rona and the two giant captains.
And their auras were ragged, drained.
Two versus three. Advantage—ours.
Portman even spotted Tsuru on the White Wolf ship. Surprised at first, but then he realized. Of course. The White Wolf Pirates happened to be freeing slaves at Sabaody.
She had simply stumbled into place.
Even if they couldn't destroy the White Wolf Pirates today—
Tsuru could remain their planted nail.
But maybe they wouldn't need her at all.
Had the White Wolf Pirates not struck the Celestial Dragons, not roused the Holy Knights—then even the Navy might never have been able to bring them down.
But they had gone too far.
They had killed Celestial Dragons.
Even the Holy Knights had been forced into action.
Perhaps, this time, the White Wolf Pirates would be erased without Tsuru's help.
And yet—
Just as they were readying their strike, the sky thundered.
A massive body plummeted.
Boom!
The Giant King Harald slammed into the ground, smoke billowing, half his form charred black.
"Cough!"
He vomited blood.
The fall from ten thousand meters had not harmed him.
But the strike before he fell—had nearly ended his life.
Not Grindlewin. He wasn't the one.
"Everyone retreat!" Harald roared.
"Forget Magnus—he'll find his own way out!"
His mind flashed back to that moment. Battling Grindlewin, when suddenly a bolt of black lightning lanced from Pangaea Castle.
Dread filled his gaze. Worry too.
They had overreached.
…
Moments earlier.
Magnus had been dancing with Stephens and Lucas Saint, never fully clashing, pulling them in circles.
He didn't need to win.
He just needed to be faster.
They could never abandon the Celestial Dragons. That was their weakness.
He had found it.
And then—
A voice rang out. Heavy with contempt.
"Lucas Saint… is that all you are?"
Not just Lucas.
Magnus heard it too.
The instant it reached him, alarms screamed in his heart.
Above Pangaea Castle, a wave of Conqueror's Haki surged. A presence long hidden had lost patience.
It had no need to reveal itself.
Just the pressure was enough.
The sky split with black-red lightning.
One bolt fell toward Harald.
One bolt toward Magnus.
Harald was far enough that the strike weakened over tens of kilometers—just enough to smash him down.
But Magnus—
Too close.
Barely ten kilometers. A heartbeat away.
He twisted to dodge.
But the black lightning bent—like it had eyes.
It struck him clean.
Stephens and Lucas closing from behind—he had no room to guard.
Boom!
Blood burst from Magnus's lips.
In an instant, his awakened wolf form shattered, collapsing into his human state.
"What!?"
Stephens and Lucas did not hesitate.
They unleashed their attacks.
Together.
Boom!!!
…
(End of Chapter)
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