A gentle sea breeze blew, carrying scents that mingled with the aroma of fresh toast wafting from the residential area. Under the clear afternoon sky, G-5 Naval Base no longer looked like a military fortress. The place had come alive.
Quentin Seven strolled leisurely along the base's cobblestone path. He wore a simple white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows; his judge's robe had been left behind in his office.
On the main field, the sound of flesh and bone colliding rang out loudly. Seven soldiers were hurled into the air, followed by Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Fisher Tiger, who were pushed back until their heels scraped the ground. In the center of the field, the Vice Admiral and base commander stood with a wide grin, shedding his coat.
"Just because you have Logia Devil Fruits and fish-man bodies, don't think your muscles can't be shattered!" the veteran's laughter boomed. "Again! Pure physical training! No Devil Fruit powers!"
Seven smiled faintly as he watched his younger charges and Tiger get beaten to a pulp by the base commander. He didn't interfere and continued walking toward the residential area surrounding the base.
His presence didn't cause tension, but rather a warm welcome.
"Lieutenant Commander! My cat!" an old woman pointed to the highest branch of a tree near the square.
Seven didn't even slow down. With a single, almost silent push-off, his body shot up the tree, caught the kitten, and landed back on the ground in one fluid motion. He handed the furball to the old woman, who kept bowing in thanks.
At the next turn, he leaped onto the roof of a resident's house, helping to realign the wooden roof tiles that had shifted due to the previous night's storm. As he walked through the market, the atmosphere turned bustling. Merchants sheltering under the red-and-white Fan banner scrambled to greet him.
A fruit vendor tossed two red apples, which Seven caught effortlessly. The owner of a tea stall offered a bag of premium green tea leaves, while a tailor insisted on draping a dark-colored woven scarf around his neck.
"For next month's winter, Mr. Seven!" the tailor exclaimed.
Seven accepted everything with a sincere smile, bowing slightly to acknowledge their gifts. In this place, he was their protector.
However, behind the warmth of that afternoon, a dark shadow was creeping in.
In one of the quiet officers' quarters, the window curtains were drawn tight, blocking out the sunlight.
Gunko sat cross-legged on her mattress. Her breathing was so slow, it was barely detectable. Her eyes were closed. Physically, she was in G-5, but her consciousness was being pulled across thousands of miles of ocean, piercing the Red Line, straight toward the highest point in the world.
---
The Flower Room inside Pangaea Castle.
A carpet of green grass and a variety of flowers covered the floor, growing wild and creeping up some of the walls. Several butterflies fluttered freely beneath the shade of a large tree that thrived within the room.
In the centre of the room, a slender black figure with a pair of ring-patterned red eyes stood, caressing a flower petal. A secret telepathic link—a ability possessed only by those who had entered into a Contract with the Ruler of the Throne of Void—connected the two of them.
'Her Majesty Imu,' Gunko's inner voice echoed within the world ruler's head. 'I have infiltrated the compound as planned. I am now very close to the target, Rear Admiral Quentin Seven.'
'Proceed, Gunko,' replied Imu's voice.
'I've mapped out his routine,' reported Gunko, keeping her thoughts free of her own feelings. 'He doesn't like alcohol or coffee at all. He only drinks tea. In his spare time, he prefers to tend the garden behind the base or go fishing alone. I've also discovered his emotional weakness; he has a secret lover in the Western Sea, but he keeps her exact location tightly under wraps. Even I don't know where she is.'
Gunko swallowed hard in the real world before continuing with the most heart-wrenching part of his report.
'But there is one change, Her Majesty. As for his origins… no one knows. Every night, when most people are asleep, he always sits alone on the roof, staring straight up at the stars in the sky. I watched him in silence, and on several occasions... I saw him crying.'
In the Flower Room, Imu's hand movements came to a halt. Was he crying? Did the man who had just pinned Charlotte Linlin down feel a longing for something? Could it be a longing for his homeland?
'Put that aside,' Imu's voice echoed once more. 'What have you discovered about his power?'
Gunko steeled her resolve. She began to reveal information that would shake the very foundations of the world.
'In addition to his form as a defensive Energy Giant—often referred to as the God of Destruction or the God of Storms by the Five Old Stars—he controls a Black Flame named Amaterasu that reduces its targets to ashes, although he has only used it a few times. He manipulates fire much like a Logia. His blue flame is transformed into a sword.'
'He also possesses illusions capable of defeating enemies with a mere glance, short-range teleportation abilities, and... a body that can withstand physical attacks much like a Ghost-type Devil Fruit user. As for that last point, I still need to investigate it further.'
'But the most dangerous aspect is his mastery of Haki. His Armament Haki coats the giant's body and is capable of destroying an enemy's internal organs. He possesses Observation Haki, which allows him to see the future, and Conqueror's Haki. His battle with Charlotte Linlin ended in a draw because he coated his giant energy sword with Conqueror's Haki, overcoming Charlotte Linlin's Ikoku Sovereignty technique.'
Imu fell silent. Her ring-patterned red eyes narrowed.
'Then… his final secret, Her Majesty,' Gunko's voice trembled slightly as she spoke. 'Quentin Seven's Devil Fruit ability allows him to see significant events in the very distant future. Although it is Fragmented and can only be used twice more, it is extremely accurate.'
'Seeing... the future?' For the first time, a hint of emotion flickered in Imu's voice. Surprise.
"That's correct, Her Majesty. This has been confirmed directly by Sakazuki and Borsalino. Quentin Seven's journey from the West Blue to the New World was no coincidence. Based on my analysis, those two Logia users were supposed to be recruited to Marineford several years from now. But due to Quentin Seven's interference—his ability to read the future—that timeline was accelerated. He altered destiny. And finally… he has absolutely no respect for the Sky Dragon. He was planning a major move, but the transmission was cut off before I could hear it."
The telepathic connection fell silent for several minutes. In his room, cold sweat began to soak Gunko's back. This information was too massive. Seven was a threat capable of striking the World Government.
Then, Imu's overlapping voice was heard again, this time carrying the resonance of a command.
'You're doing very well, Gunko. I'm placing great hope on your shoulders.'
"What are your next instructions, Her Majesty?"
"As much as possible, you must draw that man to our side. Do not use force. Use yourself. Lure him into your web; make him dependent on you, both emotionally and physically. If that man can see the future, then you must become the blind spot in his future."
In the Flower Room, Imu turned away from the lush trees, letting a butterfly fly from her fingertip.
'And when the time comes... bring him to Mary Geoise. To where I am.'