"The will of D is reviving. The Nika Fruit has awakened. Clues to the Ancient Weapons are converging. If we don't snuff out this flame now, the order we've upheld for eight hundred years will collapse in our hands."
Saint Warcury looked toward the corridor leading deeper inside.
"Go. Request an audience."
The five exchanged glances, straightened their robes, picked up their canes, and sheathed their blades.
They formed a line and walked toward the deepest depths of Pangaea Castle.
That place was the Room of Flowers.
And it was the true center of this world.
The massive iron doors slowly opened.
Inside, there was no gilded splendor—only flowers carpeting the floor… and a sword that soared into the sky.
The Sword of Oath, planted before the Empty Throne.
The throne itself was empty.
The Five Elders didn't pause. They walked straight to the steps below the throne, dropped to their knees, and bowed so deeply their foreheads pressed the ground.
"Imu-sama."
Saturn spoke.
No response.
Only the faint sound of insects' wings.
A butterfly fluttered past Saturn's head and landed above the steps.
There—
A tall, slender figure stood.
A black robe trailed across the floor. A pointed crown concealed the face, revealing only a pair of red eyes—pupils rippling in concentric rings.
Imu.
The one and only ruler of this world.
The Five Elders stayed prostrate, sweat dripping from their brows onto the floor.
Saturn continued his report.
"The light has gone out of control. Namikaze Shinju defeated Kaido of the Beasts and allied with Red-Hair Shanks. He knows of your existence and intends to lay hands on the throne."
Imu didn't move. Nusjuro spoke next.
"The Nika Fruit is also aboard his ship. Joy Boy's will is awakening. Conventional military power can no longer effectively erase him."
Imu raised a hand.
"Then erase him."
The voice carried no gender, no age—nothing human to grasp.
Even though the Five Elders had expected it, hearing that command still made cold seep into their bones.
Imu turned and walked deeper into the flowers. A massive world map hung there.
Some islands had been marked with X's—places that no longer existed.
Imu lifted a pen and hovered it over the New World.
"Where is he?"
Mars answered immediately.
"Based on the Vivre Card's guidance and the Red Hair Pirates' movements, they're on the route toward Elbaf. Currently, they're near the waters around Saken Island."
Imu drew a blood-red X over Saken Island.
"Don't bother confirming whether it's truly the Elbaf route. Anyone who blocks the way is an enemy. Clean the entire sea area with him."
"Activate Uranus."
The Five Elders answered in unison.
"Yes, Imu-sama."
Deep beneath Mary Geoise.
This was the World Government's highest-secret power chamber.
Giant gears meshed and turned. Steam vented in roaring bursts.
Countless personnel in white protective suits worked frantically at the control consoles.
One of Vegapunk's "satellite bodies" had once left crucial technology here:
The "Mother Flame."
A huge transparent container was wheeled out.
Inside it, a mass of golden fire burned violently.
It had no heat—yet it radiated a terrifying energy fluctuation.
This was the power source that drove an Ancient Weapon.
A flame that never went out.
The monitors flashed red.
"Energy filling initiated."
"Target lock: New World, Saken Island waters."
"Coordinate calibration complete."
"Ancient Weapon—Uranus. System activating."
When the operator slammed down the red button
The clouds above Mary Geoise began to churn. The once-clear sky darkened in an instant.
Something enormous blotted out the sun.
It hid above the clouds, its size exceeding even a major island.
The underside was carved with countless complex mechanical patterns glowing blue.
This, Was the World Government's true backbone for eight hundred years.
Not the Navy. Not CP0. Not the God's Knights.
But the sword hanging over every living being's head.
A Damocles blade.
If Imu wished it, any nation could be erased from the map at any time.
The massive shadow began to move.
Fast—yet completely silent.
Using an anti-gravity system, it glided through the stratosphere, racing for the New World.
The Thousand Sunny.
The banquet had just ended. Empty bottles and gnawed bones were scattered across the deck.
Luffy was asleep on Chopper's belly, snot bubble swelling and shrinking.
Zoro leaned against the mast, three swords hugged in his arms as he dozed.
Sanji was in the kitchen cleaning up.
Everything looked peaceful.
Shinju stood alone atop the lion figurehead at the bow.
A system panel unfolded before his eyes.
[WARNING: Extremely high-level energy reaction detected.]
[Source: Directly above, vertical altitude 10,000 meters.]
[Type: Ancient Weapon—Uranus.]
[Threat Level: World-Ending.]
Shinju stared at the red text without a hint of panic.
"So you finally couldn't hold back?"
He lifted his gaze to the sky.
At this distance, ordinary eyes saw only blue sky and white clouds.
But in Shinju's perception, that colossus was like a black sun—radiating destruction and locking onto the ship.
The Five Elders were desperate. Imu was desperate.
That was exactly what Shinju wanted.
If they'd stayed cautious and sent the Marines to die bit by bit, that would've been a waste of time.
Pulling out their trump card meant they were afraid.
Fear was good.
Fear made rational people do insane things.
"Hey. Everyone."
Luffy's snot bubble popped. He jolted awake.
Zoro's eyes snapped open, hand going to his hilt.
Sanji rushed out of the kitchen.
Nami, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook—everyone gathered.
They all heard something different in Shinju's tone.
"What is it, Shinju?"
Luffy asked.
Shinju pointed straight up.
"We've got a visitor."
They looked up.
"There's nothing there!"
Luffy scratched his head.
"Above the clouds."
Shinju smiled.
"A very big thing. About… ten islands' worth."
Their faces changed.
Ten islands?
What kind of scale was that?
"Is it an enemy?"
Zoro drew Wado Ichimonji.
"It's the World Government's delivery."
Shinju formed hand seals.
"They think we're too dangerous. They want to vaporize us—and this stretch of sea—with us."
Nami's face went pale.
"Vaporize… you mean…?"
"An Ancient Weapon. Uranus."
Robin whispered the name, trembling.
That was the taboo weapon recorded on the Poneglyphs.
Power enough to destroy the world.
"We have to run!"
Usopp screamed.
"Franky! Fire the Coup de Burst! We dive! To Fish-Man Island!"
Shinju shook his head.
"You can't outrun it."
"The lock is based on a life-field signature. No matter where you flee, that strike will fall."
"And diving won't help. The blast is strong enough to pierce the crust—triggering tsunamis and earthquakes. The seabed would be even worse."
Against that kind of absurd power, individual strength felt tiny.
Luffy pulled his straw hat lower.
"Then we punch it away!"
Simple. Direct.
Shinju laughed.
"Exactly. Punch it away."
"But not smash it."
A greedy gleam flashed through his eyes—the gaze of a hunter seeing prey.
"Something this good… breaking it would be a waste."
"I'm taking it."
Everyone froze, mouths hanging open.
Take it?
Steal an Ancient Weapon floating ten thousand meters up… that can destroy the world?
That was ten thousand times crazier than becoming Pirate King.
"Hold on tight."
Golden chakra erupted around Shinju.
The sea below exploded into a massive depression.
The Thousand Sunny didn't catch wind or sail—
It rose straight up, vertically, breaking physics.
The speed spiked—instantly punching through the sound barrier.
The hull shook violently.
Nami clung to the railing.
"He's insane! He's actually insane!"
They shot upward through storm clouds, through lightning.
The air thinned. The temperature plunged.
Yet wrapped in Kyubi chakra, the crew wasn't harmed.
Finally, they pierced the last layer of cloud.
Sunlight stabbed their eyes
And above the light, the enormous shadow revealed its true form.
A colossal flying ship—mechanical beauty fused with ancient, weathered menace.
Streamlined hull. Dense artillery ports. Underneath, a blinding energy sphere gathering.
Just as Shinju said
It was huge.
Before it, the Sunny was an ant facing an elephant.
Uranus' energy charging was complete.
Sixteen beams were converging into a single point—the "Mother Flame" strike capable of erasing an island.
"It's… it's going to fire!"
Jinbe shouted.
Even as a fish-man, the terrifying energy made his skin sting.
Shinju stood atop the lion head, facing the impending annihilation.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
In the next instant, Shinju appeared directly beneath Uranus—at the exact center point where the sixteen beams converged.
He spread one hand.
The world-ending beams launched
And their trajectory was forcibly twisted at the moment of firing.
They didn't hit the sea.
They were swallowed into another space.
Mary Geoise—control chamber.
Alarms blared.
"WARNING! Attack trajectory deviated!"
"WARNING! Energy output obstructed!"
"Target has appeared directly beneath Uranus!"
"What is he doing?!"
The Five Elders stared at the screen, eyes nearly popping out.
On-screen, that man held back the Mother Flame with one hand.
No
Not blocking.
He was devouring it.
"That's impossible!"
Saturn screamed.
"That's an Ancient Weapon! That's divine punishment! How can a mortal—"
On the screen, Shinju looked up and smiled at the surveillance lens.
His mouth shape was crystal clear:
"Thanks for the gift."
High in the sky
The massive Uranus began to lose control.
"He's taking control!"
"Cut the connection! Cut it now!"
Warcury roared.
Too late.
Shinju's chakra surged through the energy circuits, forcing its way into Uranus' core system like a virus.
The system panel spammed messages.
[Analyzing Ancient Weapon structure…]
[Analysis: 30%… 60%… 90%…]
[Analysis complete.]
[Control acquired.]
The trembling stopped.
The destructive glow beneath Uranus went dark.
In its place—a gentle golden radiance.
Shinju stood atop Uranus, looking down at the sea of clouds.
The Sunny floated beside him.
Luffy and the others stared so hard their jaws practically hit the deck.
"He… really stole it?!"
Usopp pinched himself.
Shinju turned, facing the direction of Mary Geoise.
Even across a vast distance, it felt like he could see the Five Elders' funeral faces.
"Good manners demand a return gift."
He snapped his fingers.
Uranus' cannons rotated.
Even without the Mother Flame's endless energy, the remaining charge was enough for one shot.
Target: the Red Line, Holy Land Mary Geoise.
"Since you sent me such a big present, I'll return the favor."
"No need to thank me."
Light converged again
This time aimed at the World Government's heart.
In an instant, the balance flipped.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!]
[[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]