Chapter 20: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada! The "Purge" from the World Government!
Outside the Ryugu Palace Kitchen.
The frantic footsteps of the fleeing agents had long since faded.
Garp leaned back on the long bench, eyes tightly shut, letting out a soft, rhythmic snoring.
He appeared to be fast asleep.
"Maybe once I get to the New World, I ought to pay a visit to that idiot son of mine."
A whisper, faint as a feather, mixed into the snoring and drifted away with the wind.
Gyoncorde Plaza.
The roar of battle was so intense it threatened to shatter the massive bubble encasing Fish-Man Island.
"Gum-Gum... Grizzly Magnum!"
Luffy's arms were coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, his muscles expanded to their absolute limit!
Like two massive cannons, they slammed ruthlessly into Hody Jones's body.
BOOM!
Hody's massive frame, though enhanced by the Energy Steroids, was lifted clean off the ground by this terrifying force. He smashed into the ruins of a distant building like a cannonball.
"Captain!"
The officers of the New Fish-Man Pirates screamed in horror.
But they could hardly worry about him; they were struggling to save themselves.
"One Sword Style: Bird Dance!"
Zoro's figure moved like a phantom.
A green flying slash, shaped like a bird of prey, instantly cut through Hyouzou's body.
Hyouzou's eight swords, which he took such pride in—along with his body—were severed in a single flash.
"Diable Jambe: Final Touch Kick!"
Sanji's body spun at high speed in the air.
His entire right leg ignited with crimson flames as he kicked Dosun, who was wielding a giant hammer, sending him flying into the distance.
The Straw Hat crew.
After two years of hellish training, they were displaying overwhelming power.
The officer corps that Hody Jones was so proud of crumbled before them like clay chickens and pottery dogs.
"Too... Too strong!"
"Is this the current strength of the Straw Hat crew?"
"Hody's officers aren't even putting up a fight!"
"Are we... are we actually saved?"
"That prophecy... could it be wrong?"
The citizens of Fish-Man Island, hiding in the distance, watched the unstoppable Straw Hats with faces full of survivor's relief and shock.
Outside the Ryugu Palace Kitchen.
The CP0 leader, nailed firmly to the coral wall by a single toothpick, twitched violently.
One of his eyes stared dead ahead toward the direction of the plaza.
The other eye was rolling back, filled with hideous, bloody veins.
With great difficulty, he lifted his remaining functional hand, fumbling inside his jacket.
Finally.
His fingertips brushed against a cold, hard object.
A miniature signal transmitter.
He watched the plaza, where Hody Jones, having been blasted away by Luffy's punch, was struggling to crawl out of the ruins.
He looked at the rebel army, easily crushed by the Straw Hats.
Beneath his mask, the corner of his mouth tore open in a grin that was cruel to the extreme.
"Trash... is always trash."
His voice was hoarse, filled with utter contempt.
"However, as bait, your value has been fully realized."
Using the last of his strength, his fingers suddenly clenched tight.
Snap.
The signal transmitter was crushed into powder.
"Plan... Phase Two."
"Initiate!"
Gyoncorde Plaza.
Just as everyone thought victory was within reach.
A shadow descended without warning.
It wasn't a rain cloud.
It was a pure darkness that stripped away all light—a darkness so massive it defied description.
In an instant, the entirety of Fish-Man Island lost all its light.
"Wh... What is happening?"
Usopp's voice cracked with fear.
"The... the sky went dark?"
Chopper looked up, trembling.
The massive shadow felt like the heavens themselves were collapsing, pressing down so hard he couldn't breathe.
"What is that?!"
The Clima-Tact dropped from Nami's hand as she pointed upward, letting out a terrified scream.
"It's... It's the Ark, Noah!"
An elderly Fish-Man recognized the colossal ship that existed only in legends and let out a roar of despair.
"Why?! Why is Noah here?! It's... It's falling!"
RUMBLE—!!!
Accompanied by a teeth-grinding, massive friction sound, the ship, which rivaled the size of an island, breached the outer bubble of Fish-Man Island.
Carrying an unstoppable momentum of destruction, it accelerated straight down toward Gyoncorde Plaza!
Doomsday had arrived.
"No! No!"
Hody Jones, who had just climbed out of the rubble, looked up at the falling colossus. The arrogance and madness on his face were replaced, for the first time, by pure terror.
"Stop! I order you to stop!"
He screamed hysterically at the sky.
"I didn't give this order!"
"Who?! Who is controlling Noah?!"
"Stop it! You'll destroy all of Fish-Man Island!"
His screams reached everyone's ears clearly.
In that moment, everyone realized the truth.
The one controlling this ark of the apocalypse was not Hody Jones.
On the Coral Wall.
The CP0 leader listened to Hody's desperate roaring and let out a low, delighted laugh.
"Fool."
"Did you really think the World Government would hand control of an Ancient Weapon over to trash like you?"
He looked up, gazing at the falling giant ship with eyes full of sickly fanaticism.
"A perfect 'tragic accident'."
"Straw Hat Luffy, grandson of Monkey D. Garp, dies in the rebellion on Fish-Man Island."
"The Royal Family of Ryugu, unable to quell the uprising, perishes alongside the rebels."
"And we, the World Government, will descend as saviors to take over this ravaged island and restore order."
His voice was transmitted via a hidden Den Den Mushi all the way to the Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
"What a perfect script."
"Garp... your grandson will pay the price for your foolish betrayal."
"And you will be forced to watch it all happen helplessly."
"Haha... Hahahahahaha!"
Amidst the maniacal laughter, the massive Ark had already filled the entire field of vision.
Destruction was only a heartbeat away.
Outside the Ryugu Palace Kitchen.
Garp's snoring... stopped.
(To be Continued)