Marineford, Marineford's port.
A colossal warship, large enough to be called a sea fortress, was quietly docked at Pier 1.
This was the highest-spec flagship, only authorized for use when an Admiral set out on a mission.
On the deck, thousands of Marine elites stood in solemn silence, the atmosphere grave and oppressive.
A hint of barely concealed tension and confusion was etched on every soldier's face.
They had received a top-secret S-rank mission.
Yet, the destination was the 'weakest sea' in their minds, a place even Sea Kings couldn't be bothered with.
This stark contrast filled the air with an unsettling strangeness.
And the source of this peculiar atmosphere stood languidly at the bow of the ship.
The highest combat power of Marineford.
Admiral, "Kizaru" Borsalino.
Dressed in his characteristic yellow and white striped suit, hands in his pockets, he let out a huge yawn towards Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who had come to see him off.
"Ah~~choo..."
That long, irritating yawn instantly diluted the solemn atmosphere of the port.
A vein on Sengoku's forehead twitched uncontrollably.
He suppressed the urge to punch this scoundrel into the sea, and in the most serious and grave tone of his life, he admonished:
"Borsalino!"
"I'll say it one last time!"
"Remember your mission!"
"Investigate! Evaluate! Do not, under any circumstances, engage in conflict with that man named White Night without my permission, and without absolute certainty!"
Sengoku's every word was heavily emphasized.
Kizaru picked his ear, tilted his head, and with an extremely lewd expression, replied in his characteristic, drawn-out tone:
"Oh yo yo~~"
"Kowai ne~~"
"Mr. Sengoku, that expression of yours really scared this old man."
He pushed up the sunglasses on his nose and spread his hands lazily.
"It's just a trip to the weakest East Blue, is there really a need to be so nervous?"
"Besides, I didn't plan on fighting that young man White Night."
Kizaru's lips curved, his smile becoming more playful.
"According to Kuzan's description, a monster that can create worlds with a single move surely requires someone of your caliber, Fleet Admiral, to handle, right?"
"You're sending me, isn't that putting me in a difficult position?"
"..."
Sengoku felt his blood pressure soaring at an extremely dangerous rate.
He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails almost digging into his flesh.
This scoundrel!
Every word he said precisely hit Sengoku's most exasperating points!
Yes!
He wanted to go himself!
But could he?
How much commotion would it cause if the Fleet Admiral personally went to the weakest sea? How would he explain it to the World Government?
And what would the Four Emperors of the New World think?
"Stop spouting nonsense here, old man!"
Sengoku finally couldn't hold back and roared at Kizaru.
"If this mission gets messed up!"
"All your holidays for the second half of the year—no! All your holidays for next year are canceled!"
"?!"
The smile on Kizaru's face froze for a moment.
His hand, which was adjusting his sunglasses, also stopped mid-air.
He looked at Sengoku's face, red with anger, and confirmed that the other party was not joking.
The next second.
Kizaru's lips stretched into an even wider grin.
He spread his hands, making a helpless expression.
"Well now..."
"Why say such scary things."
"Really, this old man is now..."
A sharp glint flashed across the lenses of his sunglasses.
"A little curious, you know."
Sengoku looked at his impervious demeanor and felt utterly exhausted.
He waved his hand wearily.
"Get out!"
"Oh yo yo, as you wish."
Kizaru lazily gave an extremely non-standard Marine salute, turned, and slowly walked into the ship's cabin.
"Set sail!"
At Sengoku's command, the colossal warship sounded a long horn.
The fleet slowly departed the port, heading towards the endless sea.
Sengoku stood on the pier, watching the flagship grow smaller and smaller in the distance, unmoving for a long time.
Behind him, Great Staff Officer Tsuru approached and said softly:
"Don't worry, Sengoku."
"Borsalino may seem unreliable, but he values his life more than anyone."
"He knows what to do."
Sengoku let out a long sigh.
"It's precisely because I know he values his life more than anyone that I'm even more worried!"
"That slippery fellow, at the slightest danger, will definitely be the first to run!"
...At the bow of the warship.
Kizaru emerged again.
He stood there, watching Marineford recede into the distance, the lewd smile on his face slowly, gradually fading away.
The sea breeze stirred the hem of his suit.
The sunlight reflected a cold gleam on his sunglasses.
At this moment, there was no trace of his previous laziness or lewdness.
Instead, there was a stillness like a deep abyss.
"Admiral."
A clear, cold female voice came from behind him.
Gion, dressed in a sharp Marine uniform, kept her hand on the hilt of her famous sword, "konpira," at her waist.
In her beautiful eyes, there was no confusion, only the sharpness of a drawn blade and a heightened fighting spirit.
She was already eager to witness the monster that had caused Admiral Aokiji to suffer a crushing defeat in three minutes.
Kizaru didn't turn around, merely glanced at her, and his lazy tone returned.
"Gion-chan, don't be so excited."
"We're going to the peaceful East Blue this time, just treat it as a paid vacation, a chance to relax."
"And," he paused, slowly adding, "according to the information Kuzan brought back, that 'Beginner Dungeon' shouldn't be too difficult."
"Hmph."
Gion snorted, offering no reply.
She disliked Kizaru's ambiguous attitude.
In her opinion, any threat to "Justice" should be completely severed with the sharpest blade.
Not "probed" cautiously like this.
Kizaru didn't mind her attitude either.
His gaze, through his sunglasses, looked out at the endless blue sea.
A cold light was reflected on the lenses.
His voice was so soft only he could hear it.
"An ability that even Kuzan finds troublesome..."
"Truth-Seeking Orb... Limbo: Border Jail..."
"It's really a headache."
"Please... don't let it be a speed type."
"If it is, then..."
"It'll be too troublesome."
...Meanwhile.
On an inconspicuous watchtower in Marineford.
A tall figure wearing sunglasses was observing the departing fleet with a telescope.
His face was devoid of any expression.
It was Vergo.
He watched the flagship completely disappear over the horizon before slowly lowering his telescope.
"Kizaru, Gion..."
He pushed up his sunglasses, turned, and merged into the shadows.