Amazon Lily, the island of the Kuja.
Inside the palace, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea the "Empress" Boa Hancock reclined lazily on her throne.
In her delicate hands, she held a compulsory summons from Marine Headquarters, her eyes cold and disdainful as they gazed down upon the world.
Heh.
A light laugh escaped her lips, clear and musical like jade beads falling on a plate, yet it carried an icy sharpness.
"The Navy, the World Government…"
Hancock raised the summons in front of her eyes. "A bunch of lowly men… daring to summon me?"
She sat upright, fury rising.
"I am the Empress of the Kuja! The noblest woman on this sea!"
"The title of a mere Warlord of the Sea was something I reluctantly accepted only to protect my country!"
Rip.
The summons tore into pieces in her slender hands, fluttering down like snow.
Hancock slowly stood and approached the window. "War? I have no interest in it."
Karikaka Island, inside a dark and foreboding fortress.
"Hawkeye" Dracule Mihawk carefully polished the blade of his supreme sword, Yoru, with a pristine white cloth.
On the table before him lay a freshly delivered Marine Daily.
The bold headline barely stirred the sharp eagle eyes of the world's greatest swordsman.
"A public execution…"
He put down the cloth, picked up the newspaper, and scanned it again.
"Whitebeard… Ace…"
With a soft sigh, he tossed the paper aside.
How dull.
Not long ago, on a whim, he had traveled to the East Blue the sea rumored to be the weakest.
He thought he might find some amusement there, perhaps encounter a few naive rookie pirates or swordsmen worthy of notice.
But the result…
The entire East Blue was as still as a stagnant pond.
Pirates were nearly extinct, leaving only whispers about the Navy's rising star, "Blood Hawk" Renn Hawk.
Sigh.
Mihawk sighed again. Were there no interesting opponents left in this world, aside from that Red-Haired fellow?
"Sleep."
He turned and walked to his bed.
In his eyes, this war held far less interest than a good rest.
New World, Dressrosa.
Sunlight streamed into the royal palace.
Heh… heh… heh… heh…
Doflamingo's twisted laughter echoed through the halls.
He held the Warlord summons in one hand, his grin grotesque and jagged.
That old Sengoku had dragged one of the highest officers of the Donquixote Family Vergo into Impel Down.
And now, he had the audacity to send Doflamingo a summons?
Did the Navy truly see him as a pawn to be moved at will?
Heh… heh… heh…
"You want me to help you fight Whitebeard?"
Doflamingo grabbed the Marine Daily from the table. "Dream on!"
He crumpled the summons and newspaper together, tossing them into the fireplace.
The flames roared, instantly consuming the paper.
Watching the dancing fire, his grin grew even more deranged.
"Better tear Marineford to pieces!"
Heh… heh… heh… heh…
Fish-Man Island, Ryugu Castle.
Ten thousand meters below the sea, the underwater kingdom felt no serenity.
King Neptune sat on his throne, the weight of worry etched across his face.
Before him stood a broad-shouldered fish-man, skin blue, features stern one of the Seven Warlords, "Knight of the Sea" Jinbei.
On the coral table between them lay a fresh Marine Daily and a summons from Marine Headquarters.
"Newgate has already sent word…"
Neptune's voice echoed through the empty hall. "He wishes to pass through Fish-Man Island en route to Marineford."
…
Jinbei said nothing, his tightly clenched fists betraying the storm raging inside him.
Neptune sighed. "Newgate owes Fish-Man Island a debt…"
"I agreed."
Jinbei remained silent.
The Navy's summons came too late or perhaps their actions were too swift.
By the time he received the order, the news of Ace's public execution had already spread across the world via the Marine Daily.
On one side stood Whitebeard, protector of the entire Fish-Man Island.
On the other side, Jinbei's Warlord title, granted to him for the island's protection.
Loyalty, justice, duty, and gratitude like two mountains pressed heavily on his heart.
"Neptune, I want to help him."
Finally, Jinbei spoke. "Ace is my family, a brother I respect."
"But…"
He left the sentence unfinished, and Neptune understood completely.
If Jinbei chose to act, he would lose his Warlord title.
If the Whitebeard Pirates were defeated…
Then Fish-Man Island, stripped of both Whitebeard's protection and the Warlord title, would again be exposed to the world's greed.
That would be… the end of Fish-Man Island.
…
"Go, Jinbei."
Neptune's voice rang out. "If not for Newgate placing his flag over Fish-Man Island back then…"
"We would have been torn to pieces by countless pirates and slavers."
"As for what happens after… we'll deal with that later."
At that moment, a guard burst in.
"Report! Your Majesty! Jinbei!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates have arrived…"
Neptune and Jinbei exchanged a glance and immediately rushed out of the palace.
A whale-shaped ship, encased in massive coating bubbles, slowly approached the outskirts of Fish-Man Island.
The Moby Dick!
The flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates!
Behind it one, two, ten, dozens of ships!
All varied in style, yet flying Whitebeard's flag, the allied pirate ships converged like stars forming a protective constellation.
On the bow of each ship stood a figure.
They were the most notorious pirates of the New World.
But now, their faces held no arrogance or recklessness, only solemn determination.
They silently watched the Moby Dick, awaiting the command of that one man.
The Whitebeard Pirates were fully assembled!