Immediately afterward, mechanical carriages rolled into Marineford one after another, each carrying figures of immense power and reputation.
Among them were Byrnndi World, Douglas Bullet, and the former Marine Admiral, Zephyr.
Inside the heavy cages, Bullet's furious roar echoed through the air.
"Garp! Kong! Sengoku! You filthy dogs of the World Government—just wait! You can't possibly defeat Ashveil!"
World gripped the iron bars tightly, his eyes burning with hatred as he glared at the gathered CP agents and Marines.
"You bastards actually captured me with such cowardly methods. May you all be destroyed when this war begins! And may your masters—the Celestial Dragons—be erased from this world!"
Sengoku didn't bother trying to reason with the two; both were infamous for their hatred of the government. Hearing their curses only made his fists tighten, though his voice remained steady.
"Take them to the sixth level of Impel-Down! Watch them carefully."
Behind them, Zephyr was brought forth—the once-proud Admiral of Marineford. Sengoku's expression softened with pity as he watched his former colleague.
Smoker, Aokiji, Kizaru, and several elite Marines approached Zephyr's cage.
"Teacher Zephyr, why must you go this far?" Aokiji asked, his tone pained.
"That's right, Teacher Zephyr," Kizaru added, "as long as you cooperate with the Marines, your past mistakes can be forgiven."
Zephyr suddenly laughed loudly, a wild, bitter sound that made the surrounding Marines fall silent.
"Forgiven? Hahaha! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day! My crimes?" His laughter died down, replaced by a glare that cut through the air.
What crimes indeed? The man had trained the very core of Marine power. Yet his family had been slaughtered by pirates. The one who took his arm—Whitebeard Jr.—was later made a Shichibukai by order of the higher-ups.
And now that same pirate stood free, cooperating with the Marines, while Zephyr—the man who had built their strength—was branded a criminal.
But what could they do? They were bound by the orders of the World Government.
Sengoku sighed. "Zephyr, we were comrades once. Return to the Marines. You can still be granted a full pardon."
"Hmph. I've long since grown disgusted with you… and with the World Government," Zephyr replied, his voice full of anger and sorrow. His eyes turned toward Whitebeard Jr. in the distance.
"Work with that creature? You might as well kill me now."
He turned his head away, refusing to speak further.
Even the likes of Kong, Garp, and Sengoku could only sigh helplessly. Power meant nothing before orders.
Sengoku finally signaled Smoker to escort Zephyr to Impel-Down, silently hoping that his former student might talk some sense into the old hero.
When Zephyr was gone, Garp and Kong took their seats.
Kaido glanced at the gathering of powerful individuals around him and let out a booming laugh.
"Hahaha! With so many monsters gathered, maybe we really can kill Ashveil!"
"Mum-mum-mum~! To be honest, ever since the Rocks Pirates disbanded, I haven't seen such a grand spectacle!" Big Mom bellowed, smiling with glee.
Shiryu of the Rain leaned back with a wicked grin, his eyes scanning the battlefield.
"This is truly something else. I wonder if the Gorosei will appear."
Whitebeard Jr. glanced around restlessly. "Mama, there are so many Marines here! Is that Ashveil guy really that strong?"
"Hahaha, my good son," Miss Bakkin said, patting his arm. "There are many people in this world stronger than you. Just go with the flow, and you'll profit greatly."
"Hmph! I don't believe anyone's stronger than me. If I meet him, I'll kill him myself!" Whitebeard Jr. snapped, then returned to eating greedily.
Aokiji and Kizaru exchanged uneasy glances. None of them had imagined the day would come when the Marines would ally with pirates.
But the Celestial Dragons' interests outweighed everything. Ashveil's existence threatened the very foundation of their rule—forcing this unnatural alliance between Marines and pirates.
Katakuri's eyes suddenly turned sharp, his Observation Haki flaring.
"Mama, look in that direction," he warned.
Big Mom followed his gaze. In the distance, five overwhelming auras surged toward Marineford, shaking even the strongest warriors present.
A moment later, five figures stepped forward—each stride deliberate, each presence crushing.
The Five Elders, the Gorosei, had arrived.
Kaido's grin vanished, replaced by a tense stare. "Tch… that aura. Still as terrifying as decades ago."
Big Mom nodded slowly. "Mum-mum~ I'd almost forgotten what real power feels like."
Even Shiryu of the Rain looked unsettled. "So these are the Elders… That pressure—every one of them has Conqueror's Haki!"
Whitebeard Jr. trembled, gripping his blade tightly. "Mama, you were right… there are people stronger than me!"
Kong, Sengoku, Garp, and the Admirals immediately rose to attention, their expressions respectful.
The arrival of the Five Elders marked the true beginning of the Ashveil Subjugation Army.
The Gorosei seated themselves at the center dais, their cold eyes scanning the assembly.
Kong stepped forward and bowed.
"Reporting to the Gorosei: all forces of the World Government have assembled. This includes two of the Four Emperors—Kaido of the Beasts and Big Mom of Totto Land. Both have committed nearly their entire crews."
"Additionally, the new Shichibukai have joined the effort, with Whitebeard Jr. and Shiryu of the Rain as leading combatants."
"The Marines have deployed their Admirals, their candidates, and the CP organization's elite agents."
"This time, we are determined to eliminate Ashveil."
The Gorosei exchanged brief glances before one of them spoke in a deep, ancient voice.
"What is the current status of Thorne Ashveil?"
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