Who is it!?
That question echoed in everyone's mind simultaneously.
They couldn't sense any presence using Observation Haki, yet the voice had clearly come from nearby. Worse, it was a voice none of them recognized. Young, unfamiliar, and filled with a playful, mocking tone. Every member of the Buggy Pirates could swear they had never heard it before.
Given their memories, there was no way they would have forgotten someone this powerful.
There weren't many people in the world capable of hiding their presence to this degree. Mastering such an advanced level of Observation Haki suppression was rare.
Could it be... Shanks?
But the voice didn't match. Someone from Shanks' crew, maybe?
No. It was different.
While the crew scrambled to make sense of the mystery, a sudden surge of black mist erupted behind Buggy. From within that dark fog, a brutal punch shot forth, aiming straight at Buggy's unguarded back.
Though they stood atop the towering Adam Tree, even from this distance, everyone could feel it—the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, fused with monstrous Armament Haki.
A suffocating wave of killing intent rolled out from the attacker. For a moment, the world froze.
That level of Haki was suffocating. Terrifying. Who the hell was this guy? Could it be... someone from the World Government?
It seemed like the only explanation.
All over the world, those watching the live broadcast held their breath. They truly believed Buggy was about to be struck down by this surprise assault.
Boom!
But in the next instant, Buggy moved. It was as if he had eyes in the back of his head. Without even turning, his foot whipped backward, cloaked in purple-black lightning, his Conqueror's Haki wrapped around it like a god of war's mantle. His roundhouse kick collided head-on with the incoming fist.
Bang!!!
A deafening explosion rocked the sky. The violent clash of Buggy's purple-black Haki against the attacker's black-red Haki sent shockwaves screaming through the air. The sky churned, the clouds ripped apart. It felt as though the very heavens might collapse.
The sheer force of the Haki collision made everyone's scalp tingle.
"L-Look! The sky... It's shattering!!!"
Someone screamed, and all eyes turned upward.
Dark fractures spiderwebbed across the sky above the point of impact. It looked like shattered glass, each crack radiating an ominous aura.
After a few seconds of stalemate, Buggy's kick overpowered the mysterious attacker, sending him flying nearly a thousand meters into the distant sky.
Hurrah...
The black mist surged once more, and from within came a burst of hearty laughter.
"Hahahaha! Buggy, you really are a monster! In just a short time, your Haki and your skills have far surpassed mine. I'm truly convinced now!"
Crash!
The black mist finally cleared, revealing a face no one expected.
But recognition struck almost immediately.
Akainu, Tsuru, Aokiji, Gabban, Bullet, Doringo, Sunbell—Those watching the broadcast and those aboard the Buggy Pirates' ship all cried out in unison:
"Patrick Redfield!!!"
"Hahahaha!"
Redfield laughed loudly, locking eyes with Buggy. In a flash, he crossed the thousand-meter distance in an instant, appearing before Buggy. "Surprised? You didn't expect this old man to show up in person, did you?"
Buggy also broke into loud laughter, spreading his arms wide. "Congratulations. You've finally achieved eternal life."
Snap!
Redfield grinned and hugged Buggy tightly.
He was genuinely grateful to Buggy. Not only had Buggy freed him from Impel Down, but he had also helped him obtain the Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire, the mythical Zoan he had chased his entire life.
For Redfield, there were no regrets left. Originally, he had intended to find a way to repay Buggy for his kindness.
But in the past two years, Buggy's rise had been nothing short of meteoric. He had not only built an empire but created a new world for pirates.
Buggy had achieved the dream Redfield had long since given up on.
At least, Buggy had taken that first, brave step toward a new age of piracy—and that step had been undeniably successful.
In truth, Redfield had already been living in the Crimson Empire for over a year, hidden among the people.
He had grown fond of this peaceful, stable nation.
If not for his desire to further refine his Devil Fruit abilities and push his strength to even greater heights, Redfield might have revealed himself much earlier to support Buggy.
But now, he was grateful he had waited.
In just over a year, he had awakened the powers of his Bat-Bat Fruit, Model: Vampire, achieving what he could only describe as the foundation of true immortality.
Just as Buggy had said, he had stepped into a realm few could ever dream of. Still, there was a lingering regret.
He had originally planned to find Buggy quietly and give him a little surprise. Yet, who could have predicted that Buggy would return from Raftel and stir the world to its very core?
Redfield knew this was a moment where Buggy would need every ally at his side.
If he hesitated now, he would lose his last chance to fully integrate into this unstoppable force.
As for marching on the Red Line and laying siege to Mariejois? Was Red the Aloof was type of man to fear such a thing?
"Aren't you declaring war on the World Government?" Redfield said with a sly grin. "Aren't you aiming to wipe out the Holy Land? Well then... mind if I throw my lot in and help play godslayer?"
Buggy stared at him for a few seconds before laughing heartily.
"Fine by me! With Red the Count joining us, I'm even more certain we can erase the Celestial Dragons from this world today!"
Even Redfield couldn't help but draw a sharp breath at Buggy's brazen words.
Erase the Celestial Dragons from the world? Wasn't that... a bit too extreme?
He had thought they were just going to raise some hell in Mariejois, not erase it.
"What's wrong, Redfield? The infamous Red Count, afraid of a few pampered pigs?" Buggy teased with a grin.
"Who the hell do you think I am?!" Redfield shot back, puffing up his chest. "Quit the small talk. Open the gate already!"
Redfield turned his cold gaze toward Blueno, clearly annoyed at being underestimated.
Blueno glanced at Buggy, who was just about to nod, when suddenly his transponder snail buzzed to life.
Blu-blu-blu... Click!
Buggy answered instinctively.
"Tell Blueno to open a door for me. You have my Vivre Card. I need to see my adopted son... and keep him safe."
The cold, calm voice on the other end left even Buggy momentarily stunned.
Good grief... was Hawkeye Mihawk always this decisive?
"You sure about this?" Buggy replied seriously. "If I'm guessing right, you're watching the live broadcast, yeah? My goal this time isn't a raid... It's to erase the Celestial Dragons entirely. You still want in?"
A rare smirk tugged at Mihawk's lips.
"I heard one of the Five Elders, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, is a master swordsman. I was thinking... might as well test his blade."
"Hahahaha!"
Buggy threw back his head, laughing loudly.
"First Red Count, now the World's Strongest Swordsman. With you joining us, this party just got a whole lot livelier!"
He turned to Blueno.
"Open the door."
"Yes, Captain."
With no hesitation, Blueno extended his hands, opening a swirling Door-Door portal with a heavy Bang!
Whoosh!
In the next instant, Mihawk's figure stepped through, appearing on the Adam's Sacred Tree venue.
The moment Dracule Mihawk appeared, every person watching the broadcast across the world felt their scalps go numb.
The Buggy Pirates were already a nightmare. Now Red Count had joined them.
And now Mihawk, the World's Strongest Swordsman, had appeared too?
Could the World Government really survive this? But the nightmare was far from over.
At that moment, Dragon rose to his feet, giving Blueno a calm nod.
"Let's begin, Blueno. All Revolutionary Army cadres are already in position."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Blueno opened several more portals in rapid succession. One after another, famous and feared figures stepped through.
Emporio Ivankov, Grand Line Commander of the Revolutionary Army.
Inazuma, Deputy Commander of the Grand Line.
Belo Betty, Commander of the Eastern Army.
Ahiru, Deputy Commander of the Eastern Army.
Lindbergh, Commander of the Southern Army.
Gambo, Deputy Commander of the Southern Army.
Morley, Commander of the Western Army.
Ushiano, Deputy Commander of the Western Army.
Karasu, Commander of the Northern Army.
Jiron, Deputy Commander of the Northern Army.
Bartholomew Kuma, Revolutionary Army cadre and former Shichibukai.
And finally, stepping through with calm precision, the Revolutionary Army's Chief of Staff, Sabo, the wielder of Uo Uo no Mi, Model: Seiryu.
As the flood of figures emerged, the faces of the Marine Admirals, Vice Admirals, and even the Five Elders turned pale as ash.
Meanwhile, Buggy's Den Den Mushi buzzed to life again.
"Oi, Buggy, open the gate for us too." The calm, steady voice of Marco the Phoenix crackled over the line.
"We're coming from Dad's hometown. The place you came to pay your respects last time."
Buggy grinned. "Good. I was waiting for you guys anyway."
He knew the resolve of Marco and Ace. Without hesitation, he gave Blueno a nod.
Moments later, two figures stepped through the spatial gate.
Marco the Phoenix, former First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and Fire Fist Ace, former Second Division Commander, now stand together once more. Their arrival sent yet another tidal wave of shock throughout the world.
The viewers watching the live broadcast were beyond numb. Their brains could barely keep up with the escalating madness.
And just when they thought the insanity might finally pause, Buggy's Den Den Mushi rang again.
Blu-blu-blu... Click!
Hearing the voice that came next, the Five Elders and Akainu, still glued to the live broadcast from the Holy Land of Mariejois, erupted in curses.
"You've got to be kidding me! Again?!"
"How many reinforcements does this clown have left?!"
"Damn it! Mobilize the God's Punishment Army immediately!"
"The God's Punishment Army is useless at this point! Get Lord Imu! Only Lord Imu can—"
"Imu-sama is... Wait, you fool, Sakazuki, stop standing there and get back to Marineford! Call for reinforcements, now!"
The Five Elders, once the picture of calm authority, were now sweating bullets. Their carefully maintained façade was crumbling under the pressure.
This war had escalated too fast, too brutally.
They hadn't even fully calculated the damage from the failure of Uranus fail spectacularly. The black dragon they had pinned their hopes on had been obliterated in a single blow by Buggy.
This wasn't just embarrassing. It was terrifying.
Akainu, for once, ignored their frantic bickering. He understood more than anyone that if they delayed even a moment longer, the Holy Land would be overrun.
As he strode forward, a CP0 agent sprinted toward him.
"Marshal Sakazuki! You don't need to return to Marineford. Vice Admiral Tsuru has already arrived at the Holy Land with Marine forces."
Akainu paused, visibly surprised.
That old woman... always reliable.
Unlike Garp, Sengoku, and Kizaru, who had barely left the Crimson Empire a day ago and would never make it back in time.
Could this entire timing... have been part of Buggy's calculation?
Akainu clenched his fists.
"Good. Vice Admiral Tsuru never lets me down."
"This gives us some breathing room."
"Bring out the Second and Third Squads of the Knights of God immediately!"
"But, Marshal... those units are still incomplete. They haven't finished their advanced drills yet—"
"Does it look like we have the luxury of training right now!? Buggy has assembled an army of monsters! If we don't throw everything we have at them now, we'll be crushed!"
"Understood! I'll have the God's Punishment Army on full alert as well."
The CP0 agent turned on his heels and sprinted away, leaving Akainu standing there, glaring at the conference room.
He didn't want to remain in the same room as these old men any longer.
For some time now, Akainu had sensed something off about the Four Elders.
It was a sensation he couldn't quite explain, but his instincts screamed that there was something... inhuman about them.
Click.
The moment Akainu walked out, the Five Elders silently shut the doors of the Pangaea Castle's conference hall behind him.
They placed the Den Den Mushi carefully on the coffee table between Nasjuro Saint and Shepherd Ju Peter Saint, the grim tension thickening the air inside the Dragon Room.
Then, the stern voice of Topman Warcury, the senior of the Five Elders, broke the silence.
"Lord Imu... you heard it, didn't you?"
His voice was low and heavy, his usual arrogance nowhere to be found.
"The Celestial Dragons... we are facing the greatest rebellion in over 800 years. This is no ordinary pirate raid. Buggy the Clown and his rebels are threatening to uproot the foundation of our world."
He gritted his teeth.
"We... no, the world needs your intervention now. If you don't act... they might actually succeed in killing us."
The Den Den Mushi remained silent for a few suffocating seconds.
Then, a cold, detached female voice echoed from the snail's mouth.
"I do not concern myself with your petty politics. I, Imu, will act."
Her voice, void of emotion, cut through the air like a scalpel, sending a chill crawling down even the spines of the Five Elders.
"Those who dare challenge the authority of God... will die."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The Four Elders bowed their heads in perfect unison, their tones hushed in reverence and fear.
At the same time.
Within the silent heart of Pangaea Castle, deep inside a chamber overflowing with lilies, a lone figure stood motionless. Her towering crown gleamed under the cold glow of artificial lights.
She was Imu.
Nerona Imu—the hidden sovereign who had ruled from the shadows, seated upon the Empty Throne for eight hundred long years.
The undisputed monarch of the world.
Without a word, Imu turned, gliding through the silent chamber into an adjacent, restricted sanctum.
This room bore no resemblance to the ornate halls of the castle. No gold. No velvet. Only the sterile, clinical precision of cold steel and humming machinery.
Rows of towering metal consoles stretched along the walls, each flickering with cryptic lights and data streams, their surfaces littered with complex buttons and translucent panels. At the center, like a slumbering titan, rested a colossal terminal—its sleek, angular frame radiating an eerie luminescence.
If Buggy the Clown had stumbled upon this place, even he would have recognized its grotesque similarity to the Galactic Supercomputer—but this was something far beyond it.
This... was ancient science.
Beep...
With delicate precision, Imu pressed a single crimson switch.
In an instant, a searing burst of radio waves erupted from the depths of the castle, piercing the atmosphere, tearing through the planet's magnetic field, and vanishing into the void of space—an unspeakable frequency carrying her will into the universe.
The chamber filled with an unnatural hum, data streams cascading into the endless cosmos like rivers of light.
Imu tilted her head upward, her eyes fixed upon the sterile ceiling—though in her mind, she saw only the black sea of stars beyond.
For the first time in centuries, the faintest flicker crossed her perpetually calm features.
Her voice echoed through the chamber, cold, distant, laced with contempt.
"Buggy the Clown... the only statistical aberration this decaying world has produced in eight hundred years."
"You cannot halt the descent of the Lord."
"To think... these lower-dimensional insects... lacking even planetary might... would dare defy the designs of God?"
She narrowed her eyes, as if gazing into the void itself.
"Pathetic."
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