After the Marineford War, Sakazuki had completely lost faith in the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
In his eyes, they were nothing more than expendable tools. If one died, another could simply take their place. Loyalty? Honor? He expected neither from pirates.
At that moment, Kid leaned back in his chair and burst into loud laughter.
"Gyahahaha! Who would've thought that one day we pirates would stroll into Marineford itself—and even get a face-to-face with the great Fleet Admiral? My life's complete!"
Sakazuki's gaze turned glacial.
"The reason you've been summoned," he said coldly, "is simple. The Three Emperors Alliance in the New World poses a grave threat to global stability. The Marines have decided to mobilize and eradicate them."
Even Mihawk's sharp eyes flickered slightly at that announcement.
Buggy, however, nearly jumped out of his seat.
"W-What?! You're declaring war on the Three Emperors Alliance?! Have you people forgotten Marineford?! You saw what just one Emperor could do! How do you expect to defeat three?!"
Sakazuki's stare locked onto Buggy like a drawn blade.
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
"I am not asking for your opinion," Sakazuki said, voice like grinding stone. "I am informing you."
His right fist began to glow, slowly transforming into molten magma. Drops of searing lava dripped onto the floor, hissing violently as smoke curled upward. The heat in the conference room rose sharply, pressing down on everyone like a furnace.
"You enjoy the privileges of being 'legal pirates.' Then you will fulfill your obligations. When the operation begins, you will fight alongside the Marines."
His eyes hardened further.
"And if anyone repeats the chaos of Marineford—attacking indiscriminately, harming Marines under the excuse of battle—I will execute them personally."
The warning was clearly aimed at Boa Hancock.
She merely crossed her legs and gave a dismissive snort, as if she hadn't heard a word.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
A Marine officer rushed in, visibly shaken.
"Fleet Admiral! Emergency report! Yonko Phoenix Marco has launched a sudden attack on the Holy Land—Mary Geoise! The Gorosei have ordered immediate deployment to protect the World Nobles!"
"What?!"
Even Sakazuki's composure cracked for a moment.
Marco… attacking Mary Geoise?
The room fell silent.
The Shichibukai were visibly stunned. Mihawk's gaze sharpened. Law's eyes narrowed in calculation.
Boa Hancock's beautiful eyes widened—shock flashing across them… followed by something else.
Admiration.
Meanwhile—Holy Land Mary Geoise.
System notifications echoed repeatedly in Marco's mind.
Kill a Celestial Dragon — Reward: 500 attribute points.
Kill a Celestial Dragon — Reward: 500 attribute points.
Kill CP0 agent — Reward: 200 attribute points.
Marco wore the armor of a Holy Land guard. To get close to the Celestial Dragons, concealment had been necessary.
And it had worked.
Blood stained the immaculate streets of Mary Geoise.
The so-called "gods" screamed and fled without dignity, their faces twisted with terror.
Attribute points surged upward at an astonishing rate—10,000… 20,000… 30,000…
Marco felt a surge of exhilaration.
This was faster than he had imagined.
But he knew the clock was ticking.
The God's Knights. The Gorosei. Once they arrived, things would escalate dramatically.
Time was points.
And points meant strength.
He needed more.
"Guards! Stop him! Stop him at once!"
On the streets, Celestial Dragons scattered in panic, their once-lofty composure shattered. The "descendants of gods" ran like frightened animals, trampling over one another in their desperation to escape.
Marco adjusted his helmet slightly.
A guard suddenly stepped forward, thrusting his long spear horizontally to block Marco's path.
"Phoenix Marco! Do you understand what you're doing? You're declaring war against—"
He never finished his sentence.
Marco's figure flickered.
In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of the guard. A brutal kick exploded forward.
Crack.
The guard's skull shattered instantly.
Before the body even hit the ground, Marco vanished again—reappearing in front of a fleeing Celestial Dragon. A cold glint flashed through the air.
The next second, the man's head rolled across the immaculate white stone floor.
Kill a Celestial Dragon — Reward: 500 attribute points.
The system notification rang crisply in Marco's mind.
But Marco had no time to savor it.
Time was ticking.
He needed more.
He leapt into the air, surveying Mary Geoise from above. Below him, the Celestial Dragons fled in utter panic—no dignity, no divinity—like ants scattering after their nest had been crushed.
"None of you are getting away!" Marco's voice thundered.
A terrifying wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body.
It spread like a violent tempest, sweeping across thousands of meters in an instant.
Under the crushing pressure, guards and Celestial Dragons alike collapsed one after another, unconscious bodies dropping like leaves caught in a hurricane.
"Good."
Marco descended calmly.
He picked up a pistol from the ground.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Flames burst from the muzzle. Each bullet was wrapped in Haki, roaring forward like blazing meteors. When they struck, they detonated violently.
Even ordinary ammunition, reinforced with Haki, carried power comparable to artillery shells.
Bodies exploded.
White marble was stained red.
The so-called "gods" were reduced to shattered remains.
Kill a Celestial Dragon — Reward: 500 attribute points.
Kill a Celestial Dragon — Reward: 500 attribute points.
The steady rhythm of rewards echoed in Marco's mind like music.
Then—
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
A suffocating aura descended without warning.
Before Marco could react, a figure tore through the air at terrifying speed, Conqueror's Haki blazing like a black storm, locking onto him instantly.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Marco felt as if invisible lightning bolts were piercing through his body. Even his Devil Fruit power trembled under the weight of that Haki.
"This pressure…!"
He realized with shock that his Human-Beast form was destabilizing—his transformation beginning to recede under suppression.
Rage flared in his chest.
Without hesitation, Marco unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki.
The two forces collided violently.
Invisible thunder cracked across the sky as their Haki clashed, splitting the air itself. The suppression weakened, the balance slowly stabilizing.
At the same time, Marco entered his Undying state.
Deep blue flames erupted around him, swirling like celestial clouds. The Phoenix Fire surged upward, forming the massive silhouette of a phoenix dozens of meters wide, spreading its wings across the heavens.
The newcomer paused slightly.
A cold, disdainful smile curved at the corner of his mouth.
"I truly didn't expect this," he said softly. "A mere insect… possessing such strength."
His eyes narrowed.
"Though I suppose it makes sense. After all, you are an insect who managed to crawl out from among billions."
The air grew heavy.
The true guardians of the gods had arrived.
After stabilizing his Devil Fruit ability, Marco finally got a clear look at the man standing before him.
The resemblance was undeniable.
The same sharp features. The same piercing presence.
He looked almost identical to Red-Haired Shanks—
—but with long hair cascading down his back, braided neatly along both sides. Short stubble framed his mouth. He wore an ornate long-sleeved coat, a cravat fastened tightly at the collar. Eight buttons lined the front—four on each side—linked together by decorative chains. Dark gloves wrapped his hands, and heavy metal boots covered his legs.
Unlike Shanks, however, there were no three claw marks above his left eye.
Marco's mind raced.
Before transmigrating into this world, the manga had only reached the Egghead Island arc. He knew nothing beyond that. But he remembered the endless speculation threads on pirate forums in his previous life.
And now—
Those scattered theories began to align.
He narrowed his eyes.
"Judging by that face… are you Red-Haired Shanks' brother?"
Without hesitation, Marco activated his Level Detection.
Name: Figarland Shamrok
Estimated Strength: Strong Yonko Level
So strong.
Shamrok's gaze was glacial, devoid of warmth.
"I am the Vice-Captain of the God's Knights," he said coldly. "And do not mention that foolish younger brother of mine in my presence. He is a disgrace to the Figarland family."
Marco's expression hardened.
Figarland.
So it was true.
Shanks… a Celestial Dragon?
Shamrok looked up at Marco hovering in the sky, his tone dripping with disdain.
"You are insignificant—like an insect. But as one of the Four Emperors, you possess some minor value."
His lips curved faintly.
"Ordinarily, I might have granted you the honor of serving beneath us."
His eyes turned murderous.
"But attacking the Holy Land… is an unforgivable sin."
With a sharp motion, he drew the sword at his waist.
The moment it left its scabbard, the blade twisted and swelled grotesquely—
—and transformed into a massive three-headed hound.
The beast roared and lunged at Marco.
"Devil Fruit?!" Marco shot upward instantly, ascending high into the sky.
But the three-headed dog's body elongated unnaturally, twisting like a living serpent. It stretched endlessly, snapping and biting at him from impossible angles.
Marco hovered above, staring at the creature.
Black flame-like clouds coiled around its body.
Awakening.
His eyes widened slightly.
"The sword… ate a Devil Fruit?"
That alone wasn't shocking.
But this—
"The weapon awakened… WTF?"
Can a sword develop consciousness?
Can it train?
The absurdity of it made his blood boil.
Below, Shamrok's voice rang out, sharp with contempt.
"Insignificant ant. How dare you stand above us."
Marco glanced back at the relentless beast chasing him.
"Enough."
Blue flames surged violently around him.
"Phoenix Flame: Dog Leash—"
Before he finished speaking, Undying Flames exploded outward, forming blazing chains that shot forward and wrapped tightly around the three ferocious jaws of the hound, binding them shut.
The beast let out a muffled roar—and in the next instant, it shrank rapidly back into a slender sword.
Shamrok moved.
His feet burst with explosive force, and he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. The saber in his hand gleamed as it sliced toward Marco with thunderous momentum.
Marco descended instead of retreating.
His fist ignited with deep blue flames. Armament Haki coated it in obsidian black, while Conqueror's Haki crackled violently around it like lightning.
He looked like a war god descending from the heavens.
"Phoenix Flame: Fire Fist!"
Shamrok's voice echoed coldly:
"Divine Punishment."
Fist and blade collided midair.
The impact split the sky.
Crimson lightning erupted between them, tearing through the heavens like raging serpents. Shockwaves blasted outward, smashing into Mary Geoise's streets and mansions. Explosions roared across the Holy Land.
Marco's roar shook the air.
"Get Lost!"
His Haki surged higher. Stronger.
The air screamed under the pressure.
Then—
BOOM.
An overwhelming wave of Conqueror's Haki detonated between them.
Shamrok's body was blasted downward like a falling star.
He crashed into the ground with catastrophic force.
The impact carved a massive crater into Mary Geoise. Streets fractured. Buildings splintered. Stone shattered into the air as dust billowed like a rising storm cloud.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then the ruins trembled.
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