In the corner, Ryokugyu slowly chewed on the tender leaves he had just plucked, his wide mouth opening and closing rhythmically with faint sounds.
Only after swallowing did he lazily add, "My forest has a special ability. It can quietly parasitize their merchant ships.
"As time passes, the tiny spores hidden inside the grain of the wood will gradually grow and spread, slowly seeping into every corner of the cargo hold. Like an invisible corrosive agent, they'll eat away at the quality of the goods and shorten their storage life bit by bit."
...
When the noisy crowd gradually left and the sound of footsteps disappeared at the end of the corridor, only silence remained.
Sengoku still stood quietly before the world map, his gaze deep and focused, as if trying to take in the entire vast world at once.
In his hand was a pen soaked with ink.
Without him noticing, a thick drop of black ink slipped silently from the tip and landed precisely on the position representing the Red Line.
Strangely enough, the area covered by that drop happened to fit perfectly over the mysterious and important Mary Geoise.
The black stain slowly spread across the map like a mysterious veil, adding a strange darkness to a place already filled with uncertainty.
"Kuzan."
Sengoku suddenly broke the silence, his steady, powerful voice reaching Aokiji just as he was about to leave.
Aokiji's step paused slightly, and he turned back to look at Sengoku.
There was thought and inquiry in Sengoku's eyes as he continued, "If it were Garp… what would he do?"
The question seemed to carry a heavy weight, making even the air around them feel a little more solid.
Aokiji frowned faintly. Memories and impressions of Garp flashed quickly through his mind.
After a brief pause, his footsteps sounded again.
But just before the door closed, a sentence drifted back, teasing yet painfully true.
"That old man would probably charge straight into Onigashima."
With that, the door closed softly with a creak.
Sengoku was left standing alone before the map, sinking into deep thought.
...
On the Red Line.
A faint glimmer of light had only just appeared on the horizon, and the first ray of dawn had not yet fully pierced the thick, heavy clouds above Mary Geoise.
At that moment, Mary Geoise seemed wrapped in a hazy veil, giving off an oppressive, tense atmosphere.
Inside the Five Elders' conference hall, the once-still air seemed to ignite in an instant.
The gorgeous crystal chandelier began swaying violently under the impact of overwhelming force, producing a string of crisp yet panicked chimes, as though announcing the storm that was about to arrive.
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the Warrior God of Science and Defense, walked forward slowly.
The cane in his hand came down with tremendous force, stabbing deep into the hard floor.
In an instant, spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly from the point of impact across the smooth marble tiles, like the hands of demons breaking free of their restraints.
Every crack seemed to speak of endless fury and resolve.
"Issue the highest kill order immediately!"
Saturn suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide and filled with a chilling light.
His voice was no longer the low, gloomy tone of the past. Now it carried a near-mad sharpness, as if he meant to carve the order directly into everyone's soul.
The sound echoed through the hall like a massive bell, shaking the ears of all who heard it.
The Commander-in-Chief of CP0, standing respectfully nearby, kept his gaze fixed on Saturn and did not dare relax for even a moment.
He keenly noticed that Saturn's signature curled whiskers were now moving on their own without the slightest breeze.
They twisted and writhed like venomous snakes ready to strike, prepared to launch a fatal attack on their prey at any moment.
"Yes. It will be issued immediately!"
The CP0 Commander-in-Chief did not dare hesitate at all.
He hurriedly bowed and accepted the order, his voice revealing fear and urgency he could barely conceal.
By the time the hands of the clock silently reached noon, the entire world seemed to be pulled along by that single command.
Across Marine bases all over the world, the highest-level alarms sounded almost at the same time.
The shrill sirens tore through the quiet sky like war drums, announcing that a terrifying pursuit and confrontation was about to begin.
Inside every base, Marine soldiers moved quickly. Their eyes were filled with firmness and resolve, ready to carry out this mission of tremendous importance.
The World Government's highest extermination order!
From that moment on, it declared like thunder splitting the heavens:
The Four Emperors and all forces affiliated with them would be regarded without exception as enemies of the entire world!
The parchment decree, carrying immense authority and purpose, was clearly stamped with the golden emblem of the Five Elders.
Like a messenger of fate, it was delivered in the fastest and most urgent manner to every Marine base across the Four Blues.
Along the way, hoofbeats rang out rapidly like drumbeats.
None of the messengers dared slack off for even a second, knowing that the document in their hands carried enough weight to change the entire order of the seas.
When the herald walked into the halls of each base with heavy, determined steps, his hand trembled slightly.
It was a natural reaction born from the mixture of responsibility and pressure.
The surrounding soldiers held their breath, their eyes fixed on the parchment in his hand.
As he slowly opened his mouth and began reading the words that would decide the fate of countless people, the entire space seemed to fall under a spell.
Even the air felt frozen, so quiet that only the hurried breathing of those present could be heard.
"The Whitebeard Pirates—the Eternal Divine Kingdom and the remnants of Whitebeard's old crew!
"The Beasts Pirates—a wild and violent fighting collective led by Kaido!
"The Big Mom Pirates—an Emperor force ruling over a domain where sweets and terror coexist!
"And the Red Hair Pirates—Red-Haired Shanks, Benn Beckman, and all their allied forces!
"From this moment forward, they are officially listed as the World Government's highest-priority extermination targets!"
Every word struck people's hearts like a heavy hammer, echoing through the entire hall.
And far away, at the center of power, Saint Saturn raised his head slightly, his eyes shining with cold, decisive light.
His voice was steady, yet filled with strength.
"Let those sea-going pieces of trash who act recklessly and disturb order understand clearly who truly controls everything on this vast ocean."