Chapter 20: Prelude to Chaos
"D… Devil…"
A Marine whispered, uttering a word that belonged to fantasy.
"ROAR—!"
The answering roar shook the air, rattling eardrums!
But these were Marines stationed on Sabaody—elites. They quickly steadied themselves.
"Don't panic! Target is large! Maintain aim!"
Under their captain's command, the Marines shook off their brief shock, reloaded, and resumed firing at the "monster."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang…!
Lead balls fell upon Vergil like raindrops.
Bullets scraped his hide, sparking showers of sparks, engulfing him in flashes of light.
But soon, the Marines saw their efforts were futile.
"No use! No effect!"
A Marine, seeing Vergil's condition clearly, exclaimed, "He's a Devil Fruit user! Bullets are useless!"
The captain studied the scene intently. As the ranking officer, he had to analyze the situation. The more he did, the grimmer it looked.
Zoan-type? That bizarre form… likely a Mythical Zoan, rarer even than a Logia.
Damn slavers. They really know how to cause trouble. How did they let someone like this into the arena?
"Keep firing! Aim for the head! Suppress him!"
The captain ordered, "Reinforcements will come from headquarters! We just have to hold until then!"
Bang! Bang! Bang…!
Another volley.
This time, the shots didn't strike skin. They hit two earthen walls Vergil had raised.
"Spare me. Gunpowder smoke is choking."
Vergil extended his hands, tore two massive slabs of earth and stone from the ground, using them as shields as he advanced slowly.
Thump… Thump… THUMP…
Each step was heavy, oppressive, stealing the breath of the Marines ahead.
THUMP!
Suddenly, Vergil accelerated. He charged forward, slamming the earthen slabs into the Marine line.
"Stop him! Stop him now—!"
"Woah!"
"…"
Amid shouts, Vergil overwhelmed their formation entirely.
Seeing the Marine fire finally cease, the slaves, gladiators, and even nobles still hiding in the arena poured out, scrambling in all directions.
For a moment, multiple groups intermingled. Slaves and noble lords ran side-by-side in awkward, surreal pairs. Chaos reigned.
The Marines on-site tried to restore order. The nobles ignored them. The slaves and gladiators wouldn't side with the Marines.
So the Marines focused on the most conspicuous figure, the one who'd started it all—
Alvin Vergil.
"Pursue him! Stay on him! Drag this out until our backup arrives!"
Marineford.
Fleet Admiral's Office.
The former Fleet Admiral, "Steel Bones" Kong, was now "Commander-in-Chief" of the World Government. "The Resourceful General" Sengoku had assumed the role of Fleet Admiral several years prior.
At this moment, Sengoku sat at his desk, deep in thought over an urgent battle report.
The report was simple:
An attack on a Celestial Dragon had occurred on Sabaody Archipelago in the Grand Line. A Celestial Dragon's condition was unknown—possibly dead.
Protocol demanded dispatching a Navy Admiral. But the current situation was far from ideal.
The year was 1506.
The Great Pirate Age was a few years in. Many future-shaping events were in their infancy.
Sengoku, the "Resourceful General," had foreseen much. He had his considerations.
What's the situation now?
In the New World, the "Four Emperors" power structure was still forming. Forces clashed constantly.
The "Seven Warlords System," established to check the Emperors, was nascent. Only a few pirates had taken seats; several remained vacant.
And those who had, like Sir Crocodile, were clearly maneuvering for their own ends—requiring vigilance.
In other words, while the seas seemed calmer on the surface compared to the early days of the Pirate Age, undercurrents ran deep.
In such times, the combat power of an "Admiral" was crucial. Any one of their movements could trigger massive chain reactions.
Sengoku had to be cautious.
He frowned, thinking long and hard, but couldn't find the right person to handle this.
The three Admiral candidates—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—were all occupied with critical tasks. None could be easily pulled away.
"But if the Navy doesn't send someone… CP0 will intervene…"
Sengoku murmured.
He knew CP0 well. As the Celestial Dragons' "Strongest Shields," they carried out missions with ruthless efficiency, indifferent to collateral damage.
On an uninhabited stretch of sea, that was one thing. But this incident was on Sabaody Archipelago—not just a famous tourist hub, but the vital transit point connecting the two halves of the Grand Line!
If CP0 ran amok there, civilian casualties would be heavy. The fallout was unpredictable. It could expand the lawless zones on Sabaody and further weaken the Navy's influence there.
"Need a solution that satisfies both sides…"
Sengoku pondered.
But the Den Den Mushi line for the Celestial Dragons was ringing incessantly.
Purururu… Purururu…
Purururu… Purururu…
"Tch…"
Sengoku felt a headache brewing. He truly didn't want those impersonal CP0 agents involved on Sabaody.
Just as he was at a loss, the door to his office swung open.
No knock.
Few in the Navy dared that, but those who did were undoubtedly figures who could aid Sengoku.
He looked up. Indeed.
An elderly woman with gray hair and a slender frame stood before his desk. She picked up the battle report, sighed softly.
"Ah… Another restless youngster."
It was the Navy Headquarters' sole "Great Staff Officer," a veteran who'd served alongside Sengoku and Garp—Vice Admiral Tsuru!
Granny Tsuru set the report down gently, her gaze meeting Sengoku's, understanding his dilemma.
"No one to send… but you don't trust CP0 to handle it?"
"Right."
Between old comrades, words were unnecessary. Sengoku nodded.
Granny Tsuru thought a moment, then drew a Den Den Mushi from her pocket and placed it softly on the desk.
"No choice. There's a certain… free spirit near Sabaody right now. Even if he's only a 'Vice Admiral'…"
A calm, knowing smile touched her lips.
"If we let him handle it, even the Celestial Dragons can't complain, can they?"
Sengoku's eyes lit up.
If it was him… he was indeed the best person to handle troublesome matters involving both Celestial Dragons and civilians!
Purururu… Purururu…
Click!
The Den Den Mushi connected.
An incredibly boisterous voice boomed from the other end, laughing uproariously.
"AH HAHAHAHA! My vacation's not over yet! What's the trouble, little Tsuru?"
(End of Chapter)
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