"I seriously doubt Dragon left any loose ends behind… but this is all we can do for now."
Zephyr stood up and continued, "Send word to headquarters at once — we need to rapidly construct military fortifications across all three Doom Islands."
"Understood. I'll leave the New World side of things to you."
After a brief discussion, Sengoku boarded the warship back to Marineford alongside Kuzan and the troops they had brought from headquarters.
---
Several hours into the voyage, Sengoku found Kuzan hunched over, carefully going through stacks of wanted posters. He couldn't help but tease him. "Not napping for a change?"
Ever since he was young, Kuzan had been heavily influenced by Garp — developing the same ability to fall asleep anywhere, even while standing upright.
Usually, he spent the entire journey fast asleep. Seeing him studying bounty notices with such focus was practically unheard of.
"Hmm… I just can't shake the feeling I've seen that young lady somewhere before… especially that mark on her back… that cross…"
Kuzan murmured as if lost in thought. Then, as he turned to Grimm's wanted poster, his eyes fixed on the cross hanging around Grimm's neck.
He stopped turning the pages entirely. After a long pause, he said suspiciously, "…Is she… Grimm's woman? Ara‑ara… I really envy him…"
"Huh? What on earth are you talking about?"
Grimm had been missing for over three months. Hearing his name suddenly come from Kuzan's mouth startled Sengoku, who immediately turned to look at him.
"Hey — look at this, Mr. Sengoku!"
Kuzan pulled Grimm's poster from the pile and handed it over, pointing directly at the cross printed on Grimm's chest.
"That cross… isn't it exactly the same as the tattoo that woman had on her back?"
Sengoku studied both images carefully, comparing them in his mind. After a long moment, he opened his eyes and nodded. "It really does look identical."
"So… I suspect that woman is connected to Grimm somehow. Most likely his lover or something along those lines." Kuzan stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Either way… I'm so jealous. Even within the Marines, aside from Vice Admiral Precept, there's no one who could even compare to her…"
Suddenly, something clicked in his mind. And isn't Vice Admiral Precept also… close to Grimm?
Thinking about that, Kuzan suddenly felt… maybe he was getting to the age where he really should find a girlfriend too.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Sengoku snapped.
"According to intelligence, that woman has never once appeared inside Grimm's Sanctuary. Aside from Jianna, there isn't a single woman in the Sanctuary with combat strength above the rank of Commander!"
Kuzan nodded as if he understood — though he really didn't. "So that means… she must be one of his women kept outside the Sanctuary… Ara‑ara… he really is living the dream…"
"Shut up!"
Sengoku wanted nothing more than to drop the subject. I'm already fifty years old and still don't have a wife… and this punk is doing this on purpose, isn't he?!
He decided to focus on work instead. Turning to a nearby Captain, he ordered: "Get me a line to the World Government. I need to submit my report regarding today's events."
"Aye‑aye, Sir!"
---
Several minutes passed. The Den Den Mushi had its eyes closed and was making continuous ringing sounds — meaning the call was waiting to be connected.
They waited a long time. No one at Government HQ picked up. Sengoku tried several more times — still no answer.
"I heard lately there's a trend spreading through the Sanctuary — some 'computer game' called League of Kings, where ten people fight in two teams of five…" Kuzan cut in casually.
"There are exactly five of the Five Elder Stars… maybe they formed a team and went off to play together?"
"SHUT UP!!"
Sengoku roared in frustration and immediately tried to call Marine Headquarters — Fleet Admiral Kong's direct line instead.
Bri‑bri‑bri‑bri…
Even after so long that the Den Den Mushi seemed tired of ringing itself… still no connection.
"What in the world is going on…?"
Sengoku frowned deeply. If only one side hadn't answered, he might have joked about them playing games… but both sides ignoring him?
That was far too abnormal. Did Fleet Admiral Kong join them as their sixth player?!
---
While Sengoku's warship would take several days to travel from Karakuri Island to Mary Geoise…
Grimm simply activated his wings and flew at maximum speed. In less than half a day, the holy city came into view.
"Whoa… looks like total chaos up there."
It was already the middle of the night. From a distance, huge flames and bursts of light could be seen across the entire area of Mary Geoise.
Grimm spread his wings and shot straight toward the summit of the Red Line.
His arrival had advanced this massive Slave Liberation Uprising by a full three years.
By now, Mary Geoise had turned completely into a sea of fire. What was effectively a massive bonfire party was raging across the city.
Under orders from high‑ranking Government officials and World Nobles, Fleet Admiral Kong and the Marine forces stationed there had no choice but to give up chasing the escaped slaves or the pirates who had infiltrated the holy land.
Their sole mission now was simply saving lives.
"Sengoku and Kuzan were sent out just two days ago… and now this happens… Dammit… is this really just a coincidence?!"
Kong gritted his teeth in frustration as he repeatedly rushed into the burning palace — now a literal inferno — to rescue those detestable World Nobles from danger.
If only Kuzan and his Ice powers were here… I could have contained the fires easily! Instead, they left me with Akainu — that human fireball! What good is he right now?! Just adding more flames to the fire?!
Kuzan and Sengoku had only been gone a few days… yet such a massive disaster struck immediately after.
The timing was so suspicious that Kong seriously wondered if this was actually planned all along.
"Fleet Admiral Kong! The pirates who started the fires are retreating, and the slaves are escaping too! Do we really just… let them go?!"
A Marine Captain ran up to Kong, shouting urgently.
"Let them go?! Hell NO!!" Kong cursed openly in his fury.
"Our priority right now is getting every single person inside out alive! If anything happens to even one of those Celestial Dragons or the Five Elder Stars… do you have any idea what kind of mess they'll make?! Are you all brain dead?!"
---
About two kilometers before the gates of the burning royal palace… a streak of golden light descended from the sky and swiftly took human form.
"Wait… I know him…"
Grimm suddenly spotted a green‑haired man with a center‑parted haircut running straight toward him.
It was the same man who had seriously wounded Hancock in the arena some time ago… if he recalled correctly… the most favored personal slave of Lady Hediya.
The man clearly noticed Grimm too — though in the chaos and poor lighting, he couldn't make out his face clearly.
Besides, having been a slave for so many years, he knew absolutely nothing about current events or changes in the world.
"How bad is the situation inside?"
Before the green‑haired man could collect his thoughts, Grimm stepped directly in front of him, blocking his path.
"Dammit — get off my back and stop bothering me!" the green‑haired man snapped angrily.
Years of slavery… forced to serve that woman day after day. Once a day would have been bad enough… but several times a day, sometimes more than ten… his kidneys weren't made of iron! How much could anyone endure?!
Now that he finally saw hope and freedom within reach… he didn't have time to answer stupid questions.
BANG!!
Suddenly a gunshot rang out from a distance. The green‑haired man felt a sharp, burning pain in his shoulder. He looked down to see a fresh, bloody hole punched right through his flesh.
"AAAAHHHH!!!"
He clutched his shoulder and screamed in agony, drawing the attention of countless slaves nearby. But they only glanced briefly before rushing past him.
Now was definitely not the time to watch a spectacle. After years of suffering, their chance for freedom had finally arrived — they couldn't afford to fail now.
"Lord Grimm! Lord Grimm!!"
Just then, a familiar voice called out. Grimm looked up and saw three young girls — none older than fifteen — sprinting straight toward him.
__________________
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