The Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
It is the residence of the Celestial Dragons and arguably the most sacred place in the world. Naturally, it is guarded by elite agents of the World Government, with a constant vigil kept by the Marines stationed at the nearby Navy Headquarters.
While Mary Geoise has never once been successfully invaded in all of history—rendering much of the security a mere formality—today was different. The air was thick with a tension that felt entirely unprecedented.
"Sengoku the Buddha, Garp the Hero... and a full lineup of famous Vice Admirals to boot. Quite the reception."
"The bigwigs of the World Government must be terrified of us. Don't you think so, Croc-boy?"
"…Hmph. I couldn't care less."
The men gathered there were the pirates who would come to be known as the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Six of the seven chosen by the World Government were already seated at the round table. They were individuals selected not just for their high bounties, but for their extraordinary individual strength. Because they were being brought into the heart of the Holy Land, the Navy had fortified the room to the extreme.
Garp, Sengoku, Tsuru... the presence of such titans was a clear message: any attempt to rampage would be suppressed instantly.
(I understand placing Marines here because the government gathered pirates in Mary Geoise, but isn't this a bit overkill?)
Crocodile, one of the newly appointed Warlords, narrowed his eyes, keeping his guard up. The government intended for the Warlords to be a deterrent against the surging tide of piracy and a counter-force to the Great Pirates of the New World. But for the Navy—already spread thin and suffering from a manpower shortage—to gather this many high-ranking officers in one room felt suspicious. Garp and Sengoku alone could likely dismantle the six of them.
If this was a trap to lure in rising pirates and execute them all at once, Crocodile intended to be ready to respond in kind.
"Hey, Sengoku! Are we all here yet?" Garp asked, yawning loudly as his patience wore thin.
"Wait a little longer. I've heard she's arrived," Sengoku replied calmly, sipping his tea without a hint of agitation.
It took time to move from Navy Headquarters to the upper reaches of Mary Geoise. A herald soon arrived to announce the final guest's entrance. The sound of steady, rhythmic footsteps echoed through the hall, hiding nothing, projecting a supreme sense of confidence.
"Is that—"
"Why is she here...?"
"You're late. You've kept us waiting," Sengoku noted.
"My apologies. I spent every moment until the deadline debating whether or not to tear up the contract. It's a bit nauseating to think I'm actually becoming a dog of the government," the woman replied.
She was the pirate known as the Dragon-Killer Witch.
Her hair was as black as obsidian, and her crimson eyes held a captivating, dangerous light. Though she was somewhat small in stature, her presence dominated the room. Dressed in a black gown that contrasted sharply with her porcelain skin, she drew the gaze of everyone in the room—save for veterans like Garp and Sengoku. She was one of the five most powerful pirates on the sea.
"To be honest, I didn't think you'd actually accept the position," Sengoku said.
"I didn't intend to. However, I am a merchant by trade. I decided it was bad for business to habitually ignore a contract once it was signed."
"You're a stickler for the rules, aren't you?"
Kanata exchanged light barbs with Sengoku before taking her seat. While the other Warlords were speechless, Crocodile was the first to regain his composure.
(I see. If she's the one coming, this excessive security makes perfect sense.)
The rumors about her were endless. She was the leader of the Twilight Pirates, a woman who shared a bond of friendship with the Pirate King and was credited with dismantling the remnants of the Golden Lion's fleet. In a sea filled with pirates, only a handful were truly considered "Great." As a member of that elite tier, it was only natural that the Navy brought Garp and Sengoku to greet her. No other Marine could hope to stand against her.
"Now that we are all present, let us begin," Sengoku declared.
The meeting wasn't for deep strategic planning. It was a formal confirmation of the Warlord conditions. Some were there for the legal immunity; others were looking for a stable base of operations to avoid the constant pursuit of the Navy. Their reasons varied, but their task was the same: hunt down the rabble.
With bounties ranging from respectable to legendary, the World Government had chosen well. The pro-Warlord faction within the Navy felt a sense of relief, hoping this would finally give them the breathing room they so desperately needed.
"How are the forces being divided? Are we all heading into the New World together?" one of the Warlords asked.
Every pirate at the table possessed significant strength, but that didn't mean they were ready to stand solo against the likes of Whitebeard or Big Mom. Since the goal was deterrence, there was no point in concentrating them in one location.
"I'm going to do as I please. I haven't decided on a base yet," Crocodile stated.
The other pirates began reporting their respective home islands. Ultimately, the distribution landed with two in the New World and five in "Paradise." While the strength leaned heavily toward the first half of the Grand Line, no one complained. Establishing a base in the New World—the territory of the Emperors—was a massive risk. The Navy didn't press the issue, allowing the Warlords to choose their own haunts.
"From our perspective, as long as you hunt pirates, we don't care where you sit," Sengoku said. "As long as you maintain the balance of power against the big names like Whitebeard."
The Navy's work wouldn't vanish, but their burden would lighten. It all came down to how seriously the pirates took their new jobs... but at the end of the day, a pirate was a pirate. They couldn't be trusted. To Sengoku, the current government's reliance on them felt perilously fragile.
"This is remarkably simple work," Kanata noted. "If you really wanted me as an ally, you'd be asking for Big Mom's head. I see you have no intention of doing that yet."
"The time is not right," Sengoku replied.
"I see."
Kanata gave a small, knowing smile and fell silent. She had confirmed what she wanted to know. While the government and Navy viewed the other Warlords as mere fillers for the ranks, Kanata was the only one they truly feared—and truly wanted.
The formal introductions ended smoothly, and the other six pirates left the room.
"Regarding the condition you set," Sengoku began, "permission has been granted, albeit with several stipulations."
"I expected as much. You want to iron out the details?"
"Yes."
The World Government had set three primary conditions for her passage through Mary Geoise:
A minimum of one month's notice before any passage.
A mandatory Marine escort/surveillance team during the crossing.
Passage was restricted to the outer perimeter of Mary Geoise only.
Kanata found the notification process tedious. "I'm not calling you every time I want to move. Establish a fixed date once a month for passage instead."
The sea was vast, and travel between islands took time. Passing through once a month was more than enough for her needs.
"Is that all?" Kanata asked.
"For now. Do you have a problem with that?"
"No... it's just..."
It was simpler than she had anticipated. She had expected the government to demand a full inspection of her cargo for contraband or to insist that Marines handle the transport to prevent any "accidental" infiltration. The lack of strictness made her suspicious. Perhaps they were more desperate than they let on. Regardless, it was a favorable deal for her.
"How many guards will be assigned to the surveillance?"
"A few officers. We might increase the number depending on how well you perform your duties," Sengoku said.
"Then I'll be sure to stay on your good side. If you have enough hands to watch me, it means I'm doing my job too well."
Both of them knew the subtext: if the Navy had the spare resources to watch her, it meant the pirate threat had subsided. If she stopped hunting pirates, she would be stripped of her title.
A government official in the room glared at them, clearly annoyed by the casual rapport between the Marine Admiral and the Great Pirate.
"In all seriousness, do you actually plan to take down Linlin or Newgate?" Sengoku asked.
"I have no immediate plans. However, if you Warlords do your jobs and the Navy finds itself with surplus military strength, we might consider it."
"Maintaining the balance of power is your priority, then. You have your work cut out for you," Kanata remarked.
It was the Navy's job to balance the scales as they began to tip. Whitebeard had little interest in expansion, Big Mom was constantly pinned down by Kanata, and the rising Kaido was still a step behind the other three. For now, the world was stable, but the future was an unknown.
"I know it's useless to say this to you, but remember: if you openly defy the Navy or the Government, your title will be revoked. Keep that in mind," Sengoku warned.
"Don't worry. As long as the contract benefits me, I won't do anything unnecessary."
With the implicit threat that she would abandon the title the moment it no longer suited her, the meeting concluded.
+++
A few days later, the World Government worked with every major news agency to announce the formation of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. The world was stunned.
Bounties ranging from 70 million to 2.8 billion were frozen, and the pirates were officially rebranded as government-sanctioned hunters. While other pirates screamed that they had become "dogs of the government," the Warlords were not the type to care about public opinion. They were simply too strong; anyone who challenged them was slaughtered.
Kanata, too, faced a wave of challengers, but as of yet, not a single one had even managed to catch a glimpse of her face before being defeated by her crew.
"Boring," Kanata muttered.
She had hoped the title would attract more significant enemies, but all she got was trash. Her daily training sessions were far more meaningful than these skirmishes.
"First Bullet gets caught in a Buster Call, and now we can't find a decent sparring partner... we're going to get soft at this rate," Scotch grumbled.
He and George were currently lying flat on their backs on the training ground, having been thoroughly dismantled by Kanata.
"I wish you'd stop taking your frustrations out on us," George added, gasping for air.
"It's not 'taking my frustrations out.' It's 'displaced aggression,'" Kanata corrected.
"That's worse!!" Scotch yelled.
"You really are a piece of work," George sighed. It was the usual routine. Having been with Kanata for years, they understood the stress she was under from the constant strategic planning.
"So, what's the plan going forward?"
For now, they would maintain the status quo. However, they had won the right to pass through Mary Geoise. Kanata wanted to expand her trade routes, even if training the necessary personnel would take time.
"We need ships. I've heard Water Seven is currently in a state of crisis. We'll head there to offer 'support'—and recruit a shipbuilding company while we're at it."
"I heard that Tom guy was sentenced to death for building Roger's ship," George noted.
"He was given a stay of execution. I don't know the specifics beyond that."
There were shipwrights in the New World, but none she could truly call her own. She wanted a dedicated shipyard that prioritized her fleet. She didn't want to destroy Water Seven; she simply wanted to pluck the best talent for herself. Given the island's current decline, she expected many would jump at the offer.
"Priority one: Recruit shipbuilders in Water Seven. Priority two: Personnel development. George, Scotch—merchants and craftsmen are your responsibility. I'll handle the combatants. Priority three: Pirate hunting."
Pirate hunting was the lowest priority. The passage through Mary Geoise was a tool she didn't fully need yet; it was mostly a convenience for moving high-value goods. If the Navy pestered her, she'd just send them the head of whatever rookie tried to raid her that week.
As the sun began to set, the plan was locked in.
+++
A year had passed.
In Water Seven, Kanata had reunited with Tom and Iceburg. After a good laugh upon hearing they were building a train that could run on water, she had provided the necessary supplies to aid their project. While many shipbuilding companies were failing, several had started new lives under Kanata's banner.
Katerina was leading the charge on new ship designs, including research into paddle-ships. Kanata was busier than ever.
Amidst the hum of progress, a newspaper headline stopped her in her tracks.
A ship from the West Blue had been identified, its crew accused of traveling the world to decipher the forbidden Poneglyphs. The vessel was confirmed to be from Ohara.
Tucked inside the paper was a wanted poster for Nico Olvia, who had been captured and subsequently escaped.
Kanata didn't hesitate. She stood up and issued the order immediately.
"Prepare the ship. We're heading to Ohara."
***
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