A bright full moon hung high, surrounded by a sea of stars, casting a silver river across the night sky.
On the warships, most of the crew were fast asleep, leaving only the night watch on duty.
A vice admiral-class warship, accompanied by two standard navy vessels, cut steadily across the ocean, heading toward Marineford.
Shrouded in dense sea fog, several ghostlike ships silently followed in pursuit.
"Brother Owen, that's the Navy fleet up ahead. Should we sink them?" a voice asked eagerly.
"Of course. Judging by the scale, the highest rank aboard is likely just a vice admiral," replied Owen coolly. "I'll handle him. Maybe it'll turn out to be an old friend. You lot take the chance to loot everything on board."
He paused before continuing, "And remember Mom just woke up not long ago. Don't mention that traitor, Prometheus, and keep all newspapers away from her. If she sees any of those reports, we'll be in serious trouble again."
After issuing his orders, Owen gave the command, "Full speed ahead!"
Using the cover of fog, the pirate ships closed in silently. By the time the Navy sentries noticed, it was already too late.
"Thermal Induction!"
Owen's eyes gleamed as he activated his Heat-Heat Fruit powers, locking onto a sentry aboard the naval vessel.
The soldier clutched his chest, suddenly burning with heat. Before he could scream, his torso was seared to the bone. He collapsed, lifeless.
"Leave a small crew to handle the ships. The rest of you, get aboard. Stay quiet. The longer it takes for them to notice, the more we can plunder."
Though Owen wielded a heat-based Devil Fruit, his battlefield tactics were cold and calculating. That was why he would later be dubbed a "monster" by Vet.
Under Owen's command, the pirates silently boarded the ships, their movements quick and coordinated.
Meanwhile, Rowen's eyes snapped open in his cabin. His piercing gaze cut through the darkness, undisturbed by the absence of light.
As a Supreme Swordmaster, his instincts woke him immediately.
He listened carefully, then shrugged with a smirk. "Just a bunch of clowns."
With that, he closed his eyes again but this time, he held the Blazing Warblade in his hand.
This wasn't the romanticized pirate world of comics or anime. This was the true Pirate World, filled with shadows and cruelty, as real and oppressive as the night itself.
On Owen's orders, the pirates used grappling hooks to board the ships swiftly and silently. Crouching low and moving lightly, they quickly located the storage rooms where valuables were kept.
They began hauling loot, but even the most careful steps made noise.
In one of the shared sleeping quarters, filled with newly conscripted recruits, someone stirred.
"Did you hear something just now?"
"I didn't. What could there be to hear in the middle of the night? Besides, this is a Navy warship!" some grumbled groggily, too tired to care and content to sleep on the hard floors.
But many others frowned. Exactly because this was a Navy ship, the noise felt even more ominous.
"Should we go check it out?"
"Yeah, let's take a look."
As soon as someone suggested it, a group began shuffling toward the exit.
One of them opened the door, and froze.
Right in front of him stood a man in full pirate garb, clutching a barrel.
"W-What the hell is going on!?"
The pirate's eyes narrowed. Without a word, he drew a blade from his waist and drove it straight through the recruit's heart. A brutal twist, and the body collapsed.
Blood sprayed in an arc across the air, the boy convulsing on the floor before going still.
The brutal scene stunned every young recruit who witnessed it.
Wasn't this a Navy warship? Why were pirates here?
"Pirates! PIRATES ONBOARD!"
Someone finally screamed, shattering the silence. Chaos erupted across the fleet.
Back on his own ship, Owen heard the shout and scowled. His skin glowed faintly red, his figure like a blazing lantern in the night.
"Now that we've been spotted, don't hold back. Kill them all!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The pirate crew roared in response, drawing weapons and launching a merciless slaughter.
"What's happening!?"
As soon as the alarm was raised, Vice Admiral Mole rushed out of his cabin. His brow furrowed deep with tension.
The carnage that met his eyes was like something out of hell itself bodies, blood, chaos. All drowsiness vanished in an instant.
"What's going on?!"
"Report, Vice Admiral! Pirates! Pirates have boarded the ships!"
"WHAT?! Pirates?!" His eyes burned with fury. "How dare they?! Attacking a Navy fleet? Their audacity knows no bounds!"
Scanning the battlefield, he noticed that the main ship had fared better. Most of the pirates had targeted the two smaller vessels flanking the flagship.
"Filthy sea rats! Order every Marine to counterattack! Wipe them out! If we allow pirates to rampage aboard Navy ships, we disgrace the very name of justice!"
With a snarl, Vice Admiral Mole leapt toward the left ship using Moonwalk.
"You'll be fighting me!"
Waiting like a shadow, Owen intercepted the vice admiral midair, striking with overwhelming heat.
He launched a burning punch from a distance, his Heat-Heat Fruit condensing both air and body temperature into a wave of blistering force.
"Heat Blast Fist!"
Mole's eyes widened. He knew this man.
Of course he did. Owen one of Big Mama's infamous children.
But this wasn't her territory anymore.
"OWEN!" Mole roared, drawing his own blade, Bloodfang, one of the 50 Great Grade Blades. Armament Haki cloaked the weapon in black steel.
With a single slash, a blade of air met the incoming heat wave and dispersed it.
"Owen. We meet again."
"Yes, we do, Vice Admiral. Surprised to see us?"
"Why are you here?!"
"Why not? Soon, this entire sea will belong to Mama."
"You're not afraid of the Navy's wrath?"
"Afraid? Since when have we ever feared the Navy?"
"Enough talk. If this is how it must be then let us fight!"