Standing on the ceremonial platform, "Sakazuki" gave off a chilling aura as he slowly spoke again.
"However, on this day that should be one of celebration, a war will begin. A war that will sweep across the entire world. For many people, it has nothing to do with them, and yet for many others, it means everything. It may even bring our newly established government to ruin.
"But after thorough discussion, the World Federal Council approved this proposal with a unanimous vote, because it is worth risking everything."
"Sakazuki" took a deep breath. His commanding voice resounded across heaven and earth, reaching every corner of the world.
"I now announce World Federal Government, World Federal Council, Executive Order Number One.
"At all costs, abolish slavery!
He glared directly into the camera lens. "All Marine personnel under the World Federal Government are already in position. Every person registered as a slave in the ID card system may immediately report to the nearest Marine base at their island's port for identity verification and investigation. No one is permitted to stop them.
"All Marine soldiers are to deploy immediately to their assigned locations and supervise the operation. If anyone resists, the commanding officers of each local branch are authorized to use armed force at their own discretion.
"This is a war that will determine the future of the world. Slavery has existed for thousands of years. It is the tragedy of an era.
"In this world that claims to be civilized, slavery gave birth to the noble class, and from that noble class came the Celestial Dragons. It is the tragedy of civilization.
"Death itself is not the most frightening thing. What is truly terrifying is the slow, invisible change that takes root over time.
"When the World Federal Council debated this issue, every council member spent countless sleepless nights. We ran the future through countless simulations, and every time we reached the same conclusion.
"If slavery is not abolished, then hundreds or even thousands of years from now, the World Federal Government of today will walk the same path as the former World Government. Corruption will spread. Nobles will rise once again.
"We cannot forgive ourselves if the government we created becomes something like that. We have no intention of hiding our purpose. We are going to set this world back on the right path. We are going to eliminate this problem at its very source.
"We all breathe beneath the same free blue sky. We will never allow anyone to stand above others and look down upon the rest of humanity. We will never allow anyone to silence the people or decide who lives and who dies.
"It is time for the feudal slave system that has endured for thousands of years to be laid to rest forever!"
"Sakazuki's" thunderous roar shook the hearts of the people, echoing throughout the entire world.
* * *
South Blue, Art Island.
The island's largest district, where the nobles lived, had already been completely surrounded by Marine soldiers.
Many ordinary citizens stood in the distance, silently watching as conversations and whispers filled the air. It seemed like none of this concerned them, yet at the same time, it concerned every one of them.
The Marines' calls to surrender were repeated again and again. Once the deadline expired, anyone who refused would be attacked…
* * *
Arnold Family.
The young noble who had only recently inherited the family stood before the live broadcast with a bitter smile as the Marines' calls echoed continuously from outside.
After letting out a long sigh, he called over his wife. "I'll take the slaves to meet the Marines. You stay here and don't worry. They probably won't make things difficult for you."
Because he was young, he understood this era better than most. He knew exactly how powerful the Marines had become.
* * *
Coliver Family.
Crash!
Crash!
The sound of shattered objects echoed throughout the mansion as a lavishly dressed middle-aged man roared in fury toward the people outside.
"Those slaves are my property! What gives them the right to take them away?! Damn it! What are they trying to do?! I'll fight them to the very end! Bring me my gun! I..."
Those slaves accounted for nearly one-third of the family's wealth. How could he possibly hand them over?
Boom!
A loud explosion echoed outside, and the middle-aged man hurried out of the house.
"What happened?"
A servant, his face bruised and swollen, stumbled over in panic. "M... My lord! T... the slaves broke through the wall and escaped!"
The man grabbed the servant by the collar. "What did you say?!"
Snatching the rifle a maid handed him, he rushed outside.
* * *
The Morey Family.
An elderly noble sat calmly in the main hall with his eyes closed. Around him stood several middle-aged women and numerous grandchildren, all silently waiting for him to speak.
The old noble slowly opened his eyes. "Have all the slaves been gathered?"
An older middle-aged man stepped forward. "Yes, Father. They're all in the courtyard."
The old noble gave a faint nod and glanced at his uneasy grandchildren. "Good. Give every one of these children a gun. Execute the slaves outside.
"The Morey Family has stood for centuries. We do not produce cowards. Even if we die, we will defend the honor of our ancestors. The Marines... Hmph!"
A few moments later, the sounds of pleading and cursing echoed without end.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
* * *
The watching residents chatted among themselves.
"Is it really that serious?"
"I don't know. It feels like Fleet Admiral Sakazuki is making a mountain out of a molehill. They're just slaves. How could this possibly affect the fate of the world?"
"What Fleet Admiral? He's the Chairman now, idiot."
"I can't really say either, but how are ordinary people like us supposed to understand what those big shots are thinking?"
"Maybe they're just using this as an excuse to eliminate their enemies."
"That's possible."
"Forget that. Isn't the deadline almost here? The Marines are about to attack."
"Huh?"
"Isn't that Coliver-sama? He..."
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
A figure wearing a slave collar stumbled but didn't stop. Holding her daughter, who wore the same slave collar, tightly in her arms, she ran toward the place where the Marine flag was flying.
Bang!
Another gunshot rang out.
"Stop!"
The Marines Commodore leading the operation flashed forward, placing himself between the slave mother and daughter and the gunfire. The middle-aged man chasing them raised his gun to fire again, but before he could pull the trigger, the Commodore swiftly drew his pistol and shot him dead.
Blood poured from the savage-looking man's mouth as he grinned viciously.
"They're... all... my... property..."
Thud.
He collapsed to the ground, dead.
The slave mother, who had been struck by two bullets, looked at the Marine officer standing before her. Using the last of her strength, she placed her daughter into his arms and gently stroked her crying child's face before dying.
Furious, the Commodore held the little girl tightly and roared, "Attack!"
Watching this horrifying scene unfold, every bystander fell silent. The kind and gentle Coliver-sama they had known had hidden such a monstrous face.
The fate of the slave mother and daughter filled them with grief, and for the first time, they truly understood "Sakazuki's" words.
It was the tragedy of an era. It was the tragedy of civilization.
They could empathize because, just like those slaves, they were all people living beneath the same blue sky…
Civilization… should never have looked like this.
* * *
West Blue, Ambrose Island.
Relentless gunfire echoed across the island. The battle had already begun the moment "Sakazuki" declared the abolition of slavery. Countless Marine soldiers surrounded the area.
The mafia leader, Aris, had misjudged everything. There was no prolonged back-and-forth battle like he had imagined.
"Damn it! It's a trap! This is the Marines' trap! We don't even have slaves here! This is all the Marines' conspiracy!"
But no matter how loudly he shouted, it was useless. The Marine bulldozer robots that had once amazed everyone on the beach had now become harbingers of death.
One laser blast after another pierced through buildings, triggering violent explosions, while more than half of the gang's leadership was wiped out almost immediately.
The Marine soldiers advanced cautiously like patient hunters, and their slow, methodical advance became the gang's inevitable death sentence.
The orders received by the Ambrose Island Marine Branch were simple. The gang led by Aris, which occupied Ambrose Island, every member ranked as a squad leader or above was to be executed without exception. No survivors. Ordinary gang members would be arrested, imprisoned, and await trial.
* * *
East Blue, Dewart Island.
The Kingdom of Stonoway.
The old kingdom had once been purged by the revolutionaries. Then, during the Great Cataclysm, the former Minister of Finance, Hans Stonoway, used the wealth he had secretly embezzled over the years to manipulate the people. He reclaimed power and established a new kingdom, but he hadn't enjoyed his reign for even two years.
Inside the royal palace, a young man whose body had clearly been ruined by a life of indulgence rushed in, shouting at the pacing Hans.
"This is bad, Father! The Marines have surrounded the palace! What do we do?!"
Hans glanced at his panicked son and barked, "What are you panicking for?!"
After steadying himself, he continued, "Take some men to my chambers. There are four large chests of gold beneath my bed. Bring them here and wait for my orders. I'll go speak with the Marines."
Without the slightest hesitation, he strode outside. As the kingdom's former Minister of Finance and now its king, Hans had experienced countless rises and falls. Even in a crisis like this, he remained calm.
His son, finally finding someone to rely on, hurried off to gather men and retrieve the gold.
But when he emerged from the underground vault, he discovered that the Marines had already stormed the palace. His father's head lay on the ground not far away, his lifeless eyes still filled with disbelief.
A Commodore stepped forward, took out a stack of photographs, and compared them to the young man's face.
"Confirmed."
Ssshk!
Another head fell to the ground.
The orders received by the Dewart Island Marine Branch were clear. Beginning with Hans Stonoway, every member of the Stonoway royal family, regardless of age or gender, was to be spared by no one.
The twenty-seven noble families already identified were to be thoroughly investigated, and every slave belonging to the royal family and the nobles was to be taken back to the Marine base for a complete background investigation.
Those found innocent would have their ID cards updated to Civilian and await placement by the World Federal Government. Those found guilty would also have their status changed to Civilian, then be sentenced according to their crimes.
* * *
North Blue, Kano Country.
Boom!
A hundred-meter-tall blue giant descended from the sky and crashed directly into the royal palace. The tremendous impact shook the entire island like a massive earthquake. Its crimson eyes glowed like blood-red moons from the depths of hell as they swept across the soldiers and armies below.
World Federal Government Admiral 'Aooni' Bullet had received only one order.
The Kano royal family had raised bandits as soldiers and committed countless atrocities. Leave none alive.
The Happo Navy and anyone in Kano Country whose strength exceeded that of a Commodore. Leave none alive.
An unstoppable slaughter unfolded, and the martial legacy built over centuries was shattered in a single day, never to recover again.
* * *
Red Line.
World Federal Government Headquarters.
No matter how chaotic the world had become, peace still remained here.
The founding ceremony had ended, and Carlo was already gone, teleporting across the world to join the battles.
This was the final war under "Sakazuki's" command. It was also the war that would finally lead this world into the light.
After years of endless conflict, the people of the world had already reached the limit of what they could endure. Only by using this opportunity to launch a war of liberation could the world's ugliest side finally be swept away.
No one knew what the future would bring, but he had done everything he could.
* * *
Beneath the towering entrance of the World Federal Government Headquarters, Enel leaned against the wall with his arms crossed as he watched "Sakazuki" slowly approach.
"Was it worth it?"
His voice was calm and completely emotionless.
Looking at Enel, "Sakazuki" seemed momentarily lost in thought before a faint smile appeared on his face.
"Perhaps... it was never a question of whether it was worth it..."
(End of Story)
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