"What a grand spectacle," Borsalino said lazily from his office, his tone light as he read the report.
As a Marine Vice Admiral standing at the very top of the Navy's hierarchy, there was no way such news could be hidden from him. Even if it had not reached his desk, someone below would have made sure he knew.
Besides, the disturbance itself was impossible to miss. Even without reports, he could feel it through Observation Haki.
Still, he was not truly indifferent.
Borsalino turned his head slightly and looked out the window, his eyes narrowing. "They'll fail, won't they?"
On the other side of the room, Kuzan lay sprawled on a sofa with an eye mask over his face, seemingly asleep.
Ever since the Ohara Incident, he had grown increasingly lazy. His justice had shifted from Burning Justice to Lazy Justice. In his view, justice changed depending on perspective. He would not judge others for their version of justice, but if someone interfered with his own, he would never let it slide.
Far out at sea, aboard a Marine warship, Sakazuki also received the intelligence from Marine Headquarters.
"Hmph." A flash of disdain crossed his sharp eyes. "Keep moving. Don't let them escape."
He continued pursuing the pirates reported nearby, showing no intention of altering his course.
Elsewhere, Marine Vice Admiral Freda sneered quietly after recalling the intelligence sent by CP0.
The Nightfall Pirates had already become a monster.
He did not believe those three Admiral candidates had the strength to deal with them. The gap between a Vice Admiral and an Admiral was not something a Devil Fruit alone could close.
Freda also had no intention of sharing CP0's intelligence with the Navy. The rift between them had existed for a long time.
If those three failed, all the better. Their defeat would eliminate competitors and clear Freda's path to becoming an Admiral.
Unlike the Navy, CP0 had some understanding of the Nightfall Pirates' current strength. That was because of Stephanie.
Stephanie was one of the few people who knew the Nightfall Pirates' whereabouts, the other being Doflamingo. While supplying Devil Fruits, she had also gathered extensive intelligence on the crew and passed it to CP0.
Of course, this was exactly what Teach wanted CP0 to see.
Some things did not need to be hidden.
Once CP0 learned of Teach's terrifying power, the fate of those three Vice Admirals was already sealed. Even through Stephanie's fragmented information, it was clear that testing Teach's true strength would require a real battle.
Those three were nothing more than test pieces.
This operation was doomed from the start.
"Dark Emperor" Teach was a monster without weaknesses. He had defeated Vice Admiral Brom, a user of the Crush-Crush Fruit, head-on. If he had wanted to, Brom would have fallen even faster.
The Navy's massive mobilization naturally did not escape the eyes of spies hidden throughout its ranks. Information spread quickly.
All three Vice Admirals were Admiral candidates who had earned considerable reputations by capturing pirates over the years. Their sudden alliance and full deployment raised immediate questions.
Who were they targeting?
Were they heading into the New World?
Fifteen heavily armed warships radiated killing intent as they sailed, but their direction was not the New World.
It was Reverse Mountain.
"Three Admiral candidates, coming after us?" Teach paused briefly after hearing Stephanie's report.
Then he grinned, his eyes sharp and ferocious. "Zehahahaha… Is this respect, or are they looking down on us?"
"As our return to the seas, let's give them a lesson they'll never forget. A grand funeral. Zehahahaha!"
Teach's laughter echoed across the deck, wild and unrestrained. His aura surged violently. Over the past year, his growth had been explosive. His physique had crossed into truly monstrous territory, and his abilities had advanced even further.
Invisible Haki spread outward. Black and red lightning flickered around him as his slightly curled long hair lifted into the air. Sitting upon his throne, Teach radiated overwhelming dominance.
On a nearby throne, Redyat listened in silence before smiling faintly. One hand rested on the hilt of his famous blade, Zetsuei.
"Oh my, such a show right after setting sail?" Nelson leaned back in his seat, sounding almost eager.
Van Augur quietly wiped down his long sniper gun.
Gar licked his lips, eyes gleaming with bloodlust. Over the past year, his presence had grown even more oppressive.
"What a bother," Baccara said with a relaxed smile, brushing her red hair. There was not a hint of tension in her expression.
"I can already smell the blood," Laffitte murmured, twirling his cane before pulling his top hat lower. His pale face and crimson lips made him look eerily pleased.
Kaguya, now thirteen, stood taller than before. He wore a kimono secured with a rope for easy movement in battle. His silver hair reached his shoulders, his expression cold and emotionless.
Weighted training gear hung from his body, a result of months spent under Teach's gravity manipulation.
"Anyone who obstructs Lord Teach," He said calmly, "I will eliminate."
Pito sat on a railing nearby, swinging her legs as she chewed on dried fish, flipping through projected images at the same time.
Wallace stood not far away, arms crossed, overseeing the crew's training. His four-meter-tall body was as unmoving as steel.
In his private room, Pouf danced alone, fluorescent lights flickering as a strange excitement filled his gentle eyes.
Otto had stepped out of the shadows and into the open after consuming the Weapon-Weapon Fruit, now serving openly as the Nightfall Pirates' scientist.
His growth was staggering.
Otto had always been skilled in weapon creation, but now he could manifest weapons that previously existed only in his imagination. Mechanical arms extended behind him, not built by hand, but formed directly through his ability.
More astonishingly, Otto discovered he could control mechanical weapons he had already created and infused with life, commanding them through his Devil Fruit.
This revelation shocked both Teach and Redyat. A mechanical army was no longer a fantasy.
The Weapon-Weapon Fruit also expanded Otto's creativity, dramatically increasing his efficiency. Concepts formed within his body first. If he could manifest them, he could eventually build them.
Even so, his focus remained firmly on life-mechanical technology.
Another major change came from Liszt.
Over the past year, he had undergone a complete transformation. His body grew stronger, all his old illnesses vanished, and the imbalance between his mind and body disappeared. He felt lighter than ever before.
Though still weaker than the executives, he now matched an ordinary combat crew member. For someone once frail, this was a miracle.
Stephanie smiled as she listened to Teach's confident, arrogant words through the Den Den Mushi. "If you really do this, the Marines will go insane."
"So what?" Teach laughed. "They were going to attack me anyway. I just didn't expect it to be this soon. Since they've made the first move, I won't hold back. I'm a pirate."
"This wasn't Sengoku's decision," Stephanie warned. "It's their own gamble for promotion. But you should expect a fourth Admiral candidate to intervene. Losing any of them would be a massive blow to the Navy."
"It'll be Borsalino," Teach replied calmly. "Only he's that fast."
The Navy never fought fair. Reinforcements were inevitable.
"Good. As long as you understand," Stephanie said.
"Tell me their abilities," Teach said. "Every detail."
Knowing the enemy mattered. Even confidence needed information.
Stephanie explained the powers, techniques, and weaknesses of the three Vice Admirals in detail, including Gilman. Teach listened carefully.
"All crew members," Teach's voice rang out over the broadcast system. "Prepare yourselves. Once we enter the Grand Line, the great battle begins."
Excitement spread through the crew. Many had not faced a real battle in a long time. Their brutal training on Beast Island had sharpened them, and now they wanted blood.
They were the Nightfall Pirates.
Silence was not their destiny.
Some trained even harder, hoping to squeeze out more strength before the clash.
Teach had already guessed the Navy's ambush location.
Reverse Mountain.
Once they passed it, the battle would erupt.
Teach felt no fear.
But he did not intend to fight at sea. Open waters favored the Navy. He wanted a battlefield worthy of them.
The Navy's mobilization shook the world. Within a single day, images and newspapers carried the news everywhere.
Fifteen warships. Three Admiral candidates.
Their target was clear.
The Nightfall Pirates.
Speculation exploded. Some analyzed the internal struggle for the Admiral position, thrilling at the drama.
Could the Navy succeed?
The Nightfall Pirates had never lost. Their past encounters with the Navy were massacres. Teach had defeated Vice Admiral Brom outright.
Still, the Navy's force was massive, far larger than Brom's fleet. And the Nightfall Pirates had grown stronger.
Many were eager to see Redyat, the mysterious vice captain who had only acted once and left a lasting impression. His true strength remained unknown.
In the underground world, betting pools opened everywhere.
Nightfall Pirates or Navy?
There was no draw option. If neither side won decisively, losses would determine the outcome.
Professional teams prepared full coverage and live broadcasts, promising fairness and clarity.
Then the Nightfall Pirates responded.
A video shot to the top of viewership charts almost instantly, pushed even further by the World Economic News.
"The Nightfall Pirates Publicly Declare War."
The announcement spread across the world.
Facing the Navy's overwhelming force, the Nightfall Pirates showed no fear. They named the battlefield themselves.
Urso Island.
A medium-sized island near the Red Line in the first half of the Grand Line.
The residents would be evacuated.
The war was set.