The Great Radiant Day had passed.
The calendar officially rolled over into the year 1499 of the Sea Circle Calendar.
In early January, warships from across the world began departing Marine Headquarters one after another, setting sail through the Marines' exclusive "secret sea routes" into the New World.
To keep their intentions concealed, these ships didn't follow a single course but instead scattered, each heading toward Sabaody Archipelago via different routes. Meanwhile, the World Government's direct intelligence agency, Cipher Pol, also sprang into action, infiltrating the New World in secret.
Though the Marines tried to hide their objective, the sudden appearance of so many ships in the New World couldn't escape the notice of those paying close attention. The pirates already entrenched in the region were quick to catch wind of the Navy's major mobilization, and unwilling to sit idle, they began launching attacks on the incoming warships.
At this point, it's worth explaining the Navy's territorial presence in the New World.
Strictly speaking, the Marines only had one branch in the New World—G-5. While other branches like G-2 and G-3 were technically located within the New World, they were garrisoned in member nations' territories and rarely conducted independent pirate suppression missions. Only G-5 actively went out to hunt pirates.
In truth, the Navy had virtually no control over the New World. This region was a pirates' paradise, a so-called heaven for the free.
So, when a flood of Marine warships surged into the New World, the pirates saw it as nothing less than a declaration of war. They believed the Navy was trying to bring their lawless "paradise" under control.
And there was no way those who thrived in absolute freedom would allow that to happen.
Thus, pirate attacks on warships became commonplace.
The Marines hadn't even reached their target Water 7 nor encountered the Roger Pirates yet, but they were already suffering serious losses.
Even elite units from the Four Blues found themselves outmatched against the sea emperors of the New World.
Faced with this dire situation, Garp departed earlier than scheduled. Originally set to launch in mid-January, the dog-headed warship left port on January 5th.
Then, on January 7th, Yoriichi Tsugikuni also departed, bidding farewell to Zephyr at the dock and boarding Kuzan's ship to begin his journey into the New World.
West Blue, an unnamed estate.
This was the residence of the Donquixote Family. At the center of the grand estate stood a lavish mansion.
In the drawing room on the second floor, the fireplace crackled warmly. The chill of winter was completely shut out by the thick windows, leaving the room cozy and untouched by the cold.
On a large sofa, a young Donquixote Doflamingo lounged comfortably. One arm propped his head up while the other held a newspaper. He looked every bit the picture of ease, enjoying the lazy warmth of a winter afternoon.
Suddenly, something in the newspaper caught Doflamingo's eye. His relaxed expression hardened. Sitting upright, he raised the paper, eyes narrowing.
"Fufufufufu…"
"The Marines… making such a massive move out of nowhere."
"Are they... going to war?"
"Fufufufu!"
"Looks like my opportunity has come too!"
His delighted laughter echoed through the drawing room.
New World.
On the storm-tossed sea, a small green-painted warship rose and fell violently with the waves.
At the bow stood a red-haired youth, hands resting on the railing, calmly watching the sea.
He had bright eyes, fine features, and a composed demeanor that radiated warmth—like the gentle sunlight of a winter afternoon. No matter how the ship tilted beneath him, his expression remained serene, as if he were one with the sea itself.
Meanwhile, chaos erupted on the deck behind him.
The Marines were running frantically, tossing ropes back and forth to tie themselves to the ship to avoid being thrown overboard. From the lookout tower, Marines shouted orders while others rushed to furl the sails.
At the center of the deck, a young Marine officer wearing a Justice cloak barked commands, frustration showing on his face as he glanced at the calm red-haired figure at the bow.
This battered warship, caught in the raging waves, was none other than the personal vessel of Vice Admiral Kuzan.
The unpredictable weather and chaotic currents of the New World were proving to be a serious headache for Kuzan's unit.
Suddenly, a monstrous wave smashed into the ship's side. The entire vessel tilted sharply, like a leaf in a storm, teetering dangerously toward capsizing.
"Ice Time!"
Kuzan finally had enough. He launched himself into the air from the deck, arms outstretched. Two massive ice pillars erupted from his hands and plunged into the sea. In an instant, the surging water turned to solid ice, freezing the ship mid-tilt at a 45-degree angle.
"Crackkk-"
The ice spread rapidly, and within seconds, a several-hundred-meter radius of ocean surrounding the ship had transformed into a frozen expanse.
"Ohhh!!! That was amazing, Vice Admiral Kuzan!"
"Yahhh~~ We're saved! We're saved!"
"Thank goodness he acted when he did. We just entered the New World and were already about to sink!"
Cheers erupted across the deck. The Marines, relieved to see their lives spared, couldn't contain their excitement.
Only now did Yoriichi, who had been standing quietly at the bow, show a hint of emotion. He smiled and strolled over to Kuzan's side, offering praise with a grin.
"Nice job, Kuzan."
Kuzan twitched. A vein popped on his forehead as he roared, "Hey! Yoriichi! In that kind of situation, couldn't you have at least helped out a little?!"
"Did you not see the ship was about to tip over?!"
But Yoriichi just casually dug a finger in his ear and replied lazily, "Wouldn't have helped. It's not like I can stop the waves."
"And besides, you were here. As long as you're around, the ship's not going to capsize."
Kuzan froze.
That sentence pattern, why did it sound so familiar?!
He looked at Yoriichi and sighed deeply, regretting his earlier enthusiasm.
In the days since setting sail, Kuzan had come to understand what it meant to have a "useless adjutant."
Yoriichi didn't relay orders, didn't help with command, he simply stood at the bow and gazed at the sea.
While Kuzan worked himself to exhaustion organizing the Marines against the elements, Yoriichi would stand there calmly… only to casually toss out a compliment like he just did.
Sometimes, Kuzan really didn't know who was the Vice Admiral and who was the adjutant.
Resigned, Kuzan released his ice. The warship settled back into its upright position, and the sails dropped again.
But the respite was short-lived.
Barely had they resumed sailing when, off in the distance, three massive black pirate ships appeared on the horizon, charging straight at them.
"Pirates!!!"
"Pirates spotted!!"
"All hands, battle stations!!"
From the lookout, urgent cries rang out. The exhausted Marines scrambled to their feet and dashed to the rails. Upon spotting the enemy ships, they bolted below deck to bring up the cannons.
Yes, that's right, on Kuzan's ship, the cannons had to be pulled up onto the deck manually.
"Hey hey hey, are you serious right now?!"
"My men just finally got a moment to rest!"
Kuzan muttered in exasperation as he walked to the bow and glared at the approaching pirate ships.
Just then, Yoriichi stepped up beside him with a cheerful smile.
"Kuzan, don't ever say I don't help out, alright?"
"If I can do something, I'll do my part~"
As he spoke, Yoriichi drew the long blade at his waist. With a single sweeping motion, he unleashed three flying slashes, each one slicing cleanly through the air, crossing the ocean in an instant.
Three pirate ships. Three broken main masts.
The slashes struck with surgical precision, severing each main mast as cleanly as if polished by a machine.
With their sails gone, the pirate ships lost speed and drifted to a crawl—sitting ducks in the open sea.
"…Alright, Yoriichi, I take it back. You're not entirely useless."
Kuzan nodded approvingly, then turned to shout at the Marines on deck.
"Target, three pirate ships to the east! Open fire!"
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 350 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!
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