Deep beneath Beehive Island, Wang Zhi had been hiding in the tunnel network for three full days.
It wasn't that he hadn't tried to fight back.
As the user of the Island–Island Fruit, Wang Zhi had attempted several counterattacks. But Marco had anticipated this long ago. He ordered the bulk of the Phoenix Pirates to withdraw from the island's surface and instead seal off the surrounding seas, leaving only the division commanders and a handful of elites behind.
Every time Wang Zhi emerged—transforming into a stone giant and attempting to strike—Marco's Observation Haki, capable of glimpsing the future, would lock onto him instantly. Even when Wang Zhi concealed his true body within layers of stone, Marco could still pinpoint his exact location!
After several brief and humiliating clashes, Wang Zhi finally gave up.
He understood now.
He couldn't win.
"Captain…"
Doran and several elderly cadres entered the chamber carved deep within the tunnels.
Wang Zhi lifted his head slowly. His eyes were tired, his voice hoarse.
"…Doran. What's the situation?"
Doran's expression was grave.
"Last night alone, more than a hundred men escaped under cover of darkness and surrendered to the Phoenix Pirates."
Bang!
Wang Zhi slammed his fist onto the table, rage surging through his weary body.
"Damn that Marco… to use such a vicious, heart-rotting scheme!"
An old man in his sixties standing beside Doran spoke anxiously,
"Captain, we must do something. What word have we received from Kaido and Big Mom?"
Wang Zhi let out a cold snort.
"Hmph. I know those two all too well. Neither of them will lift a finger unless they see clear profit."
His eyes darkened.
"And now we're completely surrounded. We can't even make contact with the outside world. I don't know what's happening beyond this island—but if we can hold on for half a month, Kaido and Big Mom will make their move."
He straightened slightly, forcing resolve into his voice.
"Tell the brothers to endure. The Phoenix Pirates can do little more than set fires and spread surrender notices."
"These tunnels were built by my own hands over twenty years ago. The supplies here can last us three years."
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.
"I'll wear them down—even if it costs me my life."
Hearing this, several faces brightened with renewed hope.
Then Doran spoke again—this time with a faint, unsettling smile.
"Captain… actually, I have a plan."
Wang Zhi's heart leapt.
Doran had always been one of his most trusted strategists. Without hesitation, Wang Zhi leaned forward.
"Oh? Tell me."
Doran stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"My plan is—"
Shhk.
A short blade plunged straight into Wang Zhi's abdomen.
His pupils shrank violently.
Wang Zhi tried to move—to counterattack—but a crushing weakness flooded his body.
"…Sea-stone?" he gasped, blood spilling from his mouth. "Doran… you betrayed me?"
Before the words had fully left his lips, the other elderly men behind Doran drew their swords.
Shhk! Shhk!
Blades pierced Wang Zhi's body one after another, pinning him mercilessly to his chair.
He stared at them in disbelief.
These were men who had followed him since the days of the Rocks Pirates. Brothers-in-arms. Comrades of forty years.
His trembling finger lifted weakly, pointing at them.
"Doran… all of you… you—"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Doran's eyes.
Then it vanished.
"Captain," Doran said coldly, "things have already come to this. Even if we don't act, others will."
"Every day, more men defect to the Phoenix Pirates. If this continues, we won't just lose—you'll drag all of us down with you."
His voice hardened.
"Better to sacrifice one… than to die together."
Doran turned his head slightly and added quietly,
"Don't worry. After you're gone, we'll take good care of your wife and daughters for you."
The tunnels fell silent.
And the era of Wang Zhi came to a bloody end.
Before long, Doran and the others emerged from the tunnels carrying Wang Zhi's corpse. Without resistance, they formally surrendered to the Phoenix Pirates and expressed their willingness to become a subordinate pirate crew.
The moment Marco laid eyes on Wang Zhi's lifeless body, a familiar system notification echoed in his mind:
"Mission complete: Wang Zhi eliminated. Reward granted: 2,000 attribute points."
With the addition of those points, Marco's total available attribute points rose to 7,000. This time, however, he felt no urgency to spend them. Instead, he decided to continue saving—his goal was to accumulate 30,000 attribute points to upgrade either his Armament Haki or Observation Haki to the next level.
With Doran's surrender, Beehive Island officially fell under the control of the Phoenix Pirates.
True to his word, Marco paid out 2.5 billion Berries to Doran and the other senior members of the Wang Zhi Pirates.
That said, trust was another matter entirely.
Pirates capable of betraying Wang Zhi could just as easily betray someone else. As planned, Marco immediately dismantled their structure—dispersing all three thousand former Wang Zhi pirates across forty-three affiliated pirate crews, ensuring they could never band together again or pose a future threat.
—
Two days later, the news exploded across the seas.
The Phoenix Pirates had annihilated the Wang Zhi Pirates.
This victory further cemented Marco's position as one of the Yonko and sent a clear message to the world: the Phoenix Pirates had fully emerged from the shadow of Whitebeard's death.
Under Marco's leadership, the crew wasn't merely surviving—it was reclaiming its former glory.
Almost simultaneously, the Marines released updated bounty posters for the Phoenix Pirates.
Captain — Phoenix Marco: 3,500,000,000 Berries
First Division (Acting Commander) — Zack: 492,000,000 Berries
Second Division—Fire Fist Ace: 1,380,000,000 Berries
Third Division—Diamond Jozu: 1,220,000,000 Berries
Fourth Division — Sea Knight Jinbe: 555,000,000 Berries
Fifth Division — Flower Sword Vista: 1,435,000,000 Berries
Sixth Division — Blamenco: 695,000,000 Berries
Seventh Division — Rakyō:n787,000,000 Berries
Eighth Division — Namur: 820,000,000 Berries
Ninth Division — Blenheim: 594,000,000 Berries
Tenth Division — Curiel: 795,000,000 Berries
Eleventh Division — Kingdew: 819,000,000 Berries
Twelfth Division — Harta: 650,000,000 Berries
Thirteenth Division — Atmos: 602,000,000 Berries
Fourteenth Division — Speed Jiru: 783,000,000 Berries
Fifteenth Division — Fossa: 908,000,000 Berries
Sixteenth Division — Izo: 668,000,000 Berries
Not only Marco and the division commanders but also the ordinary crew members, along with the captains and cadres of the affiliated pirate crews—saw noticeable increases in their bounties.
After all, the Wang Zhi pirates had ruled the seas for decades. They were widely regarded as the strongest pirate force beneath the Four Emperors. Yet such a formidable crew had been crushed by the Phoenix Pirates in mere days—and with minimal losses on Marco's side.
It was nothing short of a stunning achievement.
As was tradition, the Phoenix Pirates held a grand banquet to celebrate. Their sharply increased bounties were proof enough: even without their Pops, they were more than capable of defending their territory.
Not only that—they could continue to expand it.
The other Yonko, upon learning of Wang Zhi's fall, felt a brief ripple of emotion—but none of them took it particularly seriously. Marco had already defeated Big Mom; eliminating Wang Zhi was only natural.
The Marines, however, viewed the situation very differently.
At the new Marine Headquarters, Sakazuki's mood was anything but pleasant.
The original Marineford had been devastated during the Marineford War, and after taking office, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki had relocated headquarters to the former G-1 Branch, renaming the ruins of Marineford as G-1 instead.
Now newly appointed—and already burdened—Sakazuki was dealing with one headache after another.
Just days earlier, after his injuries had barely healed, Aokiji had formally submitted his resignation.
Sakazuki understood the reason well enough. Either Aokiji refused to acknowledge his authority, or he could not bear to remain in the Marines after losing their duel.
Either way, there was nothing Sakazuki could do.
Some departures could not be stopped.
"What a chaotic sea…" Sakazuki muttered darkly.
He had originally believed that after the Whitebeard Pirates' devastating losses at Marineford, their return to the New World would invite endless predation from lurking wolves.
He had never imagined the opposite would happen.
Just then, a Marine lieutenant commander rushed in, saluted sharply, and reported,
"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, the newly appointed Seven Warlords of the Sea—'Thousand-Face Buggy'—has arrived at headquarters."
"Hmph," Sakazuki snorted. "That clown, huh?"
He held nothing but contempt for the Shichibukai—especially Buggy. Yes, the man had once sailed with the Pirate King, but his actual strength was laughable.
Still, during the Marineford War, Buggy had stolen a visual Den Den Mushi and repeatedly appeared on broadcast screens. Though unimpressive in battle, his constant presence had fooled the world into believing he was some hidden powerhouse.
That illusion alone had made him valuable in the eyes of the World Government.
Sakazuki waved a hand impatiently.
"Fine. Have someone receive him."
Then he added coldly,
"And start compiling recommendations immediately. There are still two vacant positions among the Seven Warlords."
Meanwhile, on Beehive Island, Marco made a decisive move.
He declared Beehive Island the temporary main base of the Phoenix Pirates.
After decades of Wang Zhi's construction, the island possessed an extensive underground defense system—practically a Great Wall beneath the earth. If not for the internal betrayal, conquering it would have cost Marco far more time and blood.
Elsewhere on the island, Law was training with Vista, refining his swordsmanship and Haki. The rest of the Heart Pirates were likewise receiving guidance from veteran Phoenix Pirates.
More than a month had passed since Law joined them.
During that time, he hadn't only trained—he had seen true monsters of the New World in action. Witnessing battles between top-tier powerhouses had only deepened his understanding of the vast gulf separating him from them.
A Fifth Division crew member suddenly came running over.
"Commander Vista! Law! Captain Marco is calling for you!"
Vista nodded and turned to Law with a knowing smile.
"Looks like it's time. Marco's probably decided to help you deal with Doflamingo."
A sharp glint flashed in Law's eyes—but his expression remained calm.
Without a word, he followed Vista forward.
The wheels of fate had begun to turn once more.
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AN : Just before I complete the chapter, rant coming up!!
Hello guys!! I feel there is some kind of voodoo shit webnovel is doing to my fic. I know this is one of the fast paced one piece fics, that shows significant changes from canon, where most of them just write about Strawhats' adventures in east blue till marineford arc with no deviation from the canon. This fic explores that!!
To beat the webovel algorithm bullshit, I need your help!!! Pls review the fic and also dump some of the power stones here!!!
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