The Holy Land, Mariejois. Once a place of unparalleled opulence, it now lay in ruins, picked clean by looters. Not far off, a massive vessel was anchored atop the Red Line. On its sails sat the emblem of the Immortal Pirates, while the smaller sail bore two English letters: "V.P."
This stood for the initials of the Immortal Pirates' chief scientist, Dr. Vegapunk, and signaled the presence of the Immortal Pirates' Scientific Research Division.
Standing before the palace gates alongside Bartholomew Kuma and a phalanx of Pacifista, Aranea sighed with a touch of irony. "The last time I was here, I was still an officer in the Air Force. I never imagined the Government would one day end up like this."
Acting on Alucard's orders, the research team, who were originally developing the Sky Island branch, had dropped everything to focus their efforts on the destruction of the Ryumyaku.
It wasn't just Dr. Vegapunk's team; other members of the Immortal Pirates were also converging on the ten other Royal Lands.
"Alucard-sama."
Inside the palace, within a secret chamber used to activate the National Treasure, a room previously known only to the Gorosei and the heads of the three Great Celestial Dragon families, Dr. Vegapunk addressed Alucard.
"Have you found the core?"
Alucard was sprawled across a sofa, asking the question without even bothering to look up.
"Yes. Since there is a master control switch, locating the core isn't much of a problem, but..." Dr. Vegapunk paused mid-sentence.
"Say it all in one breath," Alucard said, sounding annoyed.
"Understood," Dr. Vegapunk replied with a fawning smile. "We don't know what will happen to the other ten Royal Lands if we destroy the Mariejois Ryumyaku, which serves as the central hub. If this place is destroyed, it is entirely possible the others might be lost as well."
"Meaning, your idea is..."
"Yes. We should destroy the ten Royal Lands first, then destroy this place last," Dr. Vegapunk suggested with a grin.
"Hmph. It seems I'll be bored for a while then."
Alucard's words were a tacit approval of Dr. Vegapunk's proposal.
"Alucard-sama, your earlier concepts regarding three-dimensional space were fascinating. Joining you was definitely the right choice."
"Heh. I, for one, am looking forward to the day you become my enemy," Alucard said bluntly.
"Ahaha... please don't say such terrifying things."
Tap, tap, tap…
Sudden, hurried footsteps echoed through the hall. It was Aranea.
"Alucard-sama." Aranea gave a mock-solemn salute, though a trace of lingering shock remained on her face. "Shirokitsune, or rather, Alessia-senpai, just called me. She wants to see you."
"Shirokitsune? There are rumors that during the year you were gone, she wandered with Momousagi, Fujitora, and other Marines who were stripped of their rank. They say they've been helping refugees. I wonder what she wants now?" Dr. Vegapunk mused.
"I'm not in the mood for guests today. Tell her to wait." Alucard's body began to sink into the wall. No one knew where he would reappear.
[Vampire Extra Ability: Schrödinger's Cat]
[LV1: 75%]
[Exists everywhere and nowhere. A quantum power of parallel universes that, when evolved to its limit, grants the power to traverse time, space, and even world dimensions.]
As Alucard left Mariejois, the system's voice echoed in his mind. He thought privately: Other times, spaces, dimensions... just what is this...
…
Ever since Alucard toppled the World Government, a saying had begun to circulate across the seas: "You can only aim for second, never for first."
This phrase perfectly captured Alucard's current momentum. As long as he existed, everyone else was fighting for the silver medal; the top spot was permanently reserved for him. It was a level of despair even greater than that felt during the era of Gold Roger.
While it was the truth, many found it impossible to accept, especially those who had harbored grudges against Alucard over the years. However, even those who wished to take him down knew they had to raise their combat power first. Never mind Alucard himself; the captain-level figures currently under the Immortal Pirates' banner were enough to drive anyone below the level of a Yonko or Admiral to despair.
Among those who wished most fervently for Alucard's death, the heavyweights were Kaido and Big Mom.
Big Mom chose to bolster her forces by absorbing the power of Germa 66 through a political marriage. Meanwhile, Kaido chose to aggressively expand his crew, regardless of individual quality, feeding them the artificial Devil Fruits known as "SMILE."
Yet, for everyone who wanted Alucard dead, there were those who submitted out of fear or simply chose to avoid him. Recently, more and more pirates had attempted to join the Immortal Pirates, but the captains in charge of recruitment were turning them away in droves, as hiring such trash would only lower the crew's standards.
A few days later, another event sent a new tidal wave through the world: the reappearance of the Pluton blueprints that Alucard had scattered two years prior.
He had given them to the other three Emperors, Germa 66, the Navy, and various other factions. Now that Whitebeard was dead, the documents should logically be in the hands of Fire Fist Ace and the remnants of that crew.
Suddenly, the Whitebeard remnants became the primary targets of every major power. In particular, the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates were itching to seize the blueprints for themselves.