Aeridar departed from Ruskaina Island.
Having pried the information he sought from Rayleigh, and having given Luffy a thorough thrashing to boot, Aeridar left feeling quite satisfied.
Rayleigh, however, was in a much darker mood after learning about the incident at Zou. Duke Inuarashi and Master Nekomamushi had once served as crew members on the Roger Pirates; as their former First Mate, Rayleigh naturally did not want to see his old shipmates in harm's way. Given that the entire country had been razed, it stood to reason that even if Inuarashi and Nekomamushi survived, they were likely grievously injured. Under such circumstances, it was no wonder Rayleigh hadn't given Aeridar a friendly parting look.
Aeridar didn't mind. He showed Rayleigh a degree of deference only because their interests didn't currently clash, and because of the debt of gratitude he owed for Rayleigh's past guidance.
However, the moment Aeridar returned to Amazon Lily, he was greeted with troubling news.
Amazon Lily, Maiden Island. Kuja Castle. The Royal Bedchamber.
"You're saying the Revolutionary Army has gotten involved?"
Leaning back on a wide, soft sofa, Aeridar had just picked up a call from Sriya.
"The Revolutionary Army!"
Beside him, Hancock and Mina both raised their eyebrows, their movements pausing. The two women exchanged a silent, knowing glance.
"That's right. It's been confirmed. The Revolutionary Army's second-in-command, Chief of Staff Sabo, has arrived in the Bivins Kingdom. I've already clashed with him on the battlefield," Sriya's calm voice vibrated through the Den Den Mushi.
"Sabo..."
Aeridar narrowed his eyes. Hearing that familiar name instantly brought Luffy back to mind. Portgas D. Ace, Sabo, and Monkey D. Luffy, the three sworn brothers of the Pirate World.
Originally, all three dreamed of becoming pirates, but fate had other plans. Sabo never made it to sea as a pirate, instead joining the Revolutionary Army. In the original timeline, Sabo appeared during the Dressrosa Arc. After obtaining the Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit, he famously held his own against the new Admiral 'Fujitora' Issho, Vice Admirals Bastille and Maynard, and thousands of Marines. His strength was unparalleled.
While it could be argued that Admiral Fujitora wasn't going all out, Sabo wasn't fighting at full capacity either. Later, he easily defeated 'The Champion' Jesus Burgess of the Blackbeard Pirates, greviously wounding him with a single Fire Fist.
The Flame-Flame Fruit certainly augmented his power, but without Sabo's own monstrous base strength, he couldn't have mastered the fruit so quickly, let alone held off a Marine blockade alone. It was clear that even without the fruit, Sabo's Dragon Claw Style and physical combat skills were top-tier.
Aeridar realized that with Sabo in the mix, Sriya and Andrei were outmatched. He needed to send at least two more high-level officers as backup, or one of his "Big Three": Oliver, Arlan, or Enel.
"I understand. Cease all major operations for now. Wait for the reinforcements I'm sending," Aeridar commanded.
"Understood," Sriya replied solemnly.
Click.
The Den Den Mushi hung up.
"The current King of the Bivins Kingdom is notorious for his cruelty. He's been on the throne for less than six months and the whole country is already in revolt. It's only natural the Revolutionary Army took notice," Mina said, slicing an apple with a small knife and taking a dainty bite.
"I know. I'm just thinking about who to send," Aeridar said, pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed. "Enel is still recovering, Arlan has a mountain of paperwork to deal with, and while Oliver is free, his lazy streak means he probably won't want to move."
Oliver's swordsmanship had reached such heights that he now preferred stillness over action; he spent most of his time meditating and rarely even stepped outdoors, let alone traveling to the distant Bivins Kingdom.
"Why don't I take the Kuja Pirates? I'll slaughter every revolutionary in that kingdom," Hancock volunteered, her tone dripping with murderous intent.
"Relax. I'm not that short-staffed; there's no need for you to step in yet," Aeridar laughed, patting Hancock's hand. "I'm planning to send Dimitri and Cavendish, along with Quiniel Vito's Triangle Pirates. Dimitri needs to train his More More Fruit abilities in a real fight."
"Dimitri, Cavendish, and the Triangle Pirates... is this Sabo really that strong?" Mina asked, puzzled.
"A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit. If we underestimate him and send only one person, it's a death sentence," Aeridar said coolly. "Besides, we have to account for whatever other hidden cards the Revolutionary Army might be holding."
After years in a position of high power, he was no longer the simple commoner he once was; his strategic thinking had become comprehensive. An organization as vast as the Revolutionary Army surely had many elites. If they were deploying their No. 2, who knew what other "monsters" were lurking? Sending extra help was simply a matter of caution.
Mina and Hancock nodded in understanding.
…
Bivins Kingdom. One of the Six Great Forts: Valanfort!
Valanfort sat on Dorona Island, home to the largest and most vital port in the Bivins Kingdom. Despite the rebellions tearing the country apart, no one, from the King down to the nobles, dared to redeploy the 30,000 elite soldiers stationed here. This fortress was the final retreat for the monarchy. As long as Valanfort stood and its elite garrison remained intact, the King and his court still had a glimmer of hope.
"The Night is coming; tomorrow is no more. To save the world, look only to the Night!"
The streets were filled with priests clad in black coats adorned with white crosses. they handed out flyers to passersby, whispering a prayer with every hand-off.
Watching these priests, everyone from street vendors and laborers to children and patrolling soldiers bowed their heads in respect. Even those who declined the flyers did so politely, not daring to show the slightest disrespect. Their faces held a mixture of reverence and lingering dread.
In a secluded corner, two figures in heavy black cloaks watched the scene—one middle-aged, one young.
"I haven't seen a single member of the Chris Pirates for days," the youth whispered, confused. "It's just these people everywhere. Who are they?"
"They are priests of the Church of the Night," the older man replied.
"The Church of the Night?!" The youth scratched his head, then his eyes widened in shock. "Wait, you don't mean that cult... the ones who love performing executions at midnight?!"
"That's exactly the 'cult' I mean. You're new, so you don't know yet. The Church of the Night has spread quite far in the Bivins Kingdom. Valanfort is actually their main branch here."
The middle-aged man tugged his hat lower, explaining in a low voice: "They worship the Goddess of the Night and hold rituals exactly at 12:00 AM. Many people in Valanfort are believers now, even a good portion of the garrison."