Inside the sprawling Alabasta Royal Palace, only King Nefertari Cobra and Princess Vivi remained of the royal bloodline. Standing with them were the fiercely loyal Guard Captain Igaram and his wife, along with guard members Pell and Chaka. All told, the remaining palace guards numbered no more than two hundred.
Within the grand hall, a tense standoff had formed between two opposing sides. The Alabasta faction, led by King Cobra and protected by Pell, belonged to neither.
On one side stood the forces of the Immortal Pirates, led by Aranea and Bartholomew Kuma, commanding Dr. Vegapunk's Pacifista unit, with the newly arrived Kuzan standing nearby.
Opposite them stood the World Government forces, their identity made clear by the prominent cross-and-stars insignia on their uniforms.
Leading them was an elder who looked to be over sixty. However, in stark contrast to the wrinkles on his face, his body was a mass of explosive, burgeoning muscle. Bare-chested and rippling with strength, he wore wide hakama trousers and wooden geta sandals. Most striking of all was the exceptionally long katana strapped to his lower back.
At a glance, the blade was at least two meters long. It was entirely golden with bronze engravings; even those present who weren't master swordsmen could sense the extraordinary aura radiating from the weapon.
He was the head of one of the three top Celestial Dragon families: Saint Oseinofica!
"As I said, come quietly with me to the Holy Land, members of the Nefertari Family."
Oseinofica fixed his gaze on Cobra and Vivi near the throne, his voice low and heavy. "That man Alucard's goal is the destruction of the Ryumyaku. Once it is destroyed, Alabasta will vanish from the map."
Having said this, Oseinofica extended a massive, calloused hand toward the father and daughter. "I am Oseinofica of the three great families. After eight hundred years, I am inviting you to return to the Holy Land. Come now!"
Aranea and the others did not move or speak. From the muscular old man's words, they could infer he was a Celestial Dragon.
Yet, he was entirely different from the hideous, bubble-helmeted weaklings they usually imagined when thinking of the Celestial Dragons. Facing this old man, Kuzan even felt a trace of the same pressure he experienced when facing Sengoku or Garp.
Neither side attacked; they simply held the line, observing each other's movements.
King Cobra's eyes were filled with apprehension. Although he had not yet officially told his daughter, he knew that the blood of the "Creators" flowed through their veins.
However, in eight hundred years, the family managing Alabasta had never received an invitation from the Celestial Dragons in Mariejois. Why come now, at such a critical moment, to speak of "returning"?
Cobra did not believe for a second that there wasn't a deeper, darker reason behind this.
Vivi stood in shock. She had no idea her family harbored such a secret. Me... a Celestial Dragon?
Seeing that Cobra remained silent, Oseinofica grew impatient. "Hey, what are you hesitating for? Not only can you escape certain death, but you'll instantly become world-class nobles. It's far better than staying in this rural backwater."
Cobra feared a Government conspiracy, after all, he was well aware of their true nature. Vivi, meanwhile, was still reeling, unable to process the revelation.
"The World Government is on the verge of collapse. What use is a World Noble title then?"
Suddenly, Alucard's body emerged from the wall, drawing the attention of all three parties.
Only then did Nico Robin step out from the shadows to report, "Master, that old man is a Celestial Dragon."
Alucard's lips curled into a smirk as he noticed the great katana behind Oseinofica. "You seem to be carrying something quite nice."
Oseinofica's stern face relaxed slightly, pulling into a smug grin. "Oh, you have a bit of an eye, I see. Indeed, this is one of the twelve Supreme Grade blades, Oodenta Mitsuyo. A masterpiece beyond anything people like you have ever seen, wouldn't you say?"
"Whoa... a Supreme Grade sword," Kuzan chimed in from the back. "As expected of a top-tier Celestial Dragon, filthy rich. One sword is probably worth more than my entire career's salary as a Marine."
"The traitor of the Navy, the fallen Admiral Aokiji," Oseinofica glanced at Kuzan. "You certainly have a big mouth."
"And you certainly have some nerve."
Alucard stepped into the center of the hall, facing Oseinofica directly. "Do you truly think you can deal with me?"
"Hmph!"
Oseinofica's lip curled. "I might not be your match in a duel, but don't think your level is truly that much higher than mine. If I want to leave, you absolutely cannot stop me."
"Oooooh~"
Alucard let out a long, exaggeratedly mock-impressed sound. Silence fell over the scene for about five seconds. Then, without warning, Alucard drew his white pistol, Casull, and pressed it against Oseinofica's abdomen.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The gunshots shattered the silence, and the standoff instantly turned into a chaotic battle. Aranea used her Steam-Steam Fruit abilities to fly to the ceiling; hanging upside down, she opened the mechanisms on her rifle, exposing the barrels as she unleashed a barrage of Seastone bullets.
Bartholomew Kuma and the Pacifistas opened their mouths and began firing laser beams. In an instant, the Government soldiers were left screaming in agony.
"They suppressed the Government's army in a single moment?" Ikaram, the Guard Captain, muttered in disbelief.
BOOM!!
A massive explosion shook the ceiling. Oseinofica had smashed through the roof, leaping toward the top of the palace. With a few exaggerated leaps, each covering dozens of meters, he reached the long, sprawling staircase at the palace entrance.
But the moment Oseinofica landed, a pool of blood overflowed from the steps. As the crimson light of the Immortal Pirates' emblem flashed within the gore, Alucard's body slowly rose from the depths.