Grand Line, Tatar Island.
One of the World Government's member nations, home to the Kingdom of Torport.
Because of the island's extremely unique climate, trees grow at an incredible speed, making it a major lumber exporter.
On the surface, the Kingdom of Torport appears prosperous, but nearly half its population lives as slaves...
...
Outer city, logging grounds.
Countless people wearing slave collars had quickly gathered together.
The outer guard squads rotated shifts every five minutes, and the slaves had practiced countless times for this very moment.
The collars around their necks were being removed as fast as possible; otherwise, they would never have dared to revolt.
And the man making all this possible was the one directing the Revolutionary Army soldiers to distribute weapons and unlock the collars with keys.
He was the commander of the Revolutionary Army's 77th District — Norisk.
"Quick, quick, quick! Move! We only have five minutes!"
"Don't hesitate later — just run!!!"
"We'll hold off the guards! Run as many as we can!!!"
His face showed anxiety. News had come in that Sakazuki was closing in fast.
During the time Dragon stirred up world revolution, the Revolutionary Army in the Four Seas advanced rapidly, even toppling several member nations. But this touched the World Government's bottom line.
The price was that in the first half of the Grand Line, more than a dozen districts — every single stronghold — suffered devastating attacks.
Any place suspected to be the Revolutionary Army headquarters was ordered by the government to be completely annihilated by sending in Admirals.
No one knew how information had leaked, forcing the Revolutionary Army to start withdrawing from the Grand Line in an orderly fashion while halting attacks in the Four Seas.
But every island suspected — from the Kamabaka Kingdom to the Revolutionary Army headquarters at Baltigo — was destroyed.
The Navy was sweeping forward from Marine Headquarters toward Reverse Mountain like a giant sieve.
And here, in the Kingdom of Torport, lay the final stronghold.
This base had been developing for years. If not for accidents, it would surely have fallen into Revolutionary hands. No one expected the government's retaliation to be so fierce.
Or so utterly insane...
Even though the Revolutionaries received word early, their network was simply too vast...
Evacuating meant removing people base by base.
Meanwhile, the Navy was moving many times faster.
Nearby G-branch bases sent warships to encircle targets by proximity.
For any suspected headquarters, a single warship and one Admiral was enough to wipe it out.
If someone managed to survive under Borsalino's attacks... if someone could be revived after Kuzan's ice melted... then under Sakazuki's assault... there would be no survivors.
The Kamabaka Kingdom had been annihilated under Sakazuki's magma.
Even now, molten lava flowed across the entire island, billowing thick black smoke, no longer fit for any living thing to approach...
...
The Kingdom of Torport was the final suspected stronghold.
But because of its unique situation — all slaves, no wealth or ships — plus the military force needed to suppress nearly half the population, evacuation was delayed to the very end.
After other districts had been evacuated, ships were finally sent here. But no one expected Sakazuki to move this fast.
Every base along his path — not a single one spared, all obliterated, no pause at all...
The man unlocking slave collars checked his pocket watch, gritted his teeth.
He shoved the key into someone's hands and ran straight toward Commander Norisk, while the slaves scrambled madly to snatch the keys...
The soldier rushed to Norisk's side.
"No good, Commander. We have to retreat."
"There's no time — the government's dogs are almost here."
"That guy's men... leave no survivors!"
"Even one second's delay... who knows what'll happen!!!"
Norisk clenched his fists tight, watching the endless stream of slaves...
He wanted to free them all. But the soldier was right... if they delayed any longer, who knew what would happen...
Taking a deep breath, he made his decision, about to speak—
When suddenly a stranger's voice cut in:
"No need to hesitate."
Norisk froze in shock, spinning around.
"Wh—"
His pupils shrank violently. He stood stiff, body cold, unable to react...
Sakazuki said flatly:
"Great Eruption."
Scarlet light exploded from his body, illuminating the night, drawing all eyes.
BOOM——!!!!!!
It was like a sun rose over the island...
Everyone gathered was swallowed by magma. Even the ships at the shore weren't spared, consumed and burned to ash by the molten tide.
...
At the shoreline, the magma shifted and writhed.
Sakazuki's figure solidified.
Karol appeared suddenly, feet coated with Haki, standing on a huge boulder slowly melting in the lava.
"Admiral Sakazuki, Fleet Admiral Sengoku has sent word. Return to headquarters for a strategy meeting."
"It concerns the newly risen Emperor of the New World — Red-Haired Shanks."
Sakazuki narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Well... he sure picked a fine moment."
The Revolutionary bases in the Grand Line had been nearly purged.
The Revolutionary Army had halted attacks in the Four Seas, avoiding member nations entirely.
Using the birth of a new Emperor in the New World as an excuse, Sengoku recalled all forces assigned to suppress the Revolutionaries. The government had no grounds to object.
On the surface, Sengoku's decision made sense.
The purge was nearly done. A new enemy appeared. All forces on alert.
But Sakazuki realized the moment the Revolutionaries started retreating — that old man Sengoku had been in contact with Dragon all along.
Probably for years now. The Revolutionary Army withdrawing before the World Meeting? That was likely Sengoku and Garp's doing too.
The government was still investigating leaks among its top ranks, never realizing the Navy's highest commander... was the mole.
...
Later, Sakazuki reflected on it. In the end, because he trusted his knowledge of Sengoku, he overlooked many uncontrollable factors.
When younger, Sengoku was an absolute government loyalist, unquestioning of any order.
Even knowing the truth behind Ohara, he launched the Buster Call without hesitation, scolding Saul when he refused to obey.
In the original story, Sengoku only grew disillusioned after becoming Fleet Admiral, carrying out too many dark deeds for the government.
The final straw was after the Summit War, when the government tried to cover up the mass escape from Impel Down to avoid public panic.
Sengoku, disgusted, resigned in fury.
Sakazuki had expected a buffer period, which was why he let Sengoku take the heat.
But in this timeline, because of Sakazuki's own actions, the Revolutionary Army had grown too powerful.
The government ordering Sengoku to hunt down and annihilate the Revolutionaries — who weren't even pirates — pushed the Fleet Admiral, barely two years in office, straight into disillusionment.
But with decades of loyalty and struggle behind him, Sengoku now stood in a conflicted position.
Obeying government orders on one side... secretly tipping off the Revolutionaries on the other.
Unless one side completely disappointed him, he would stay undecided.
But that already amounted to indirect treason...
For now, Sengoku showed no signs of disloyalty.
But Sakazuki had already begun planning... an indirect traitor was far too unpredictable.
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg. 414 chapters in total