The observer's face turned deathly pale. His lips trembled as he struggled to deliver the report.
"R-report! The World Government transport ship has arrived… The Seraphim aboard it… every one of them gives off an unbelievable presence!"
Extreme fear had twisted his voice into a hoarse rasp.
Even the vast sea seemed to sense the approaching danger. The waves no longer rolled freely, instead becoming heavy and sluggish.
Only now had the most terrifying stage of the conflict truly begun.
An eerie silence hung over the harbor at Marine Headquarters.
It was not the peaceful silence of calm waters, but the suffocating stillness before a storm.
The World Government's specialized transport ship loomed like a gigantic steel beast as its cargo doors slowly opened.
A wave of cold air immediately surged from within, so intense that it seemed to seep straight into the bones. Every Marine soldier present shuddered, their bodies trembling involuntarily.
Amid the faint grinding of metal, twelve figures emerged from the hold in perfectly synchronized steps.
They wore immaculate white uniforms, the spotless fabric standing out sharply beneath the gloomy sky.
Pairs of elaborate mechanical wings extended from their backs, each metallic feather gleaming with a cold light.
But what truly unsettled everyone were their crimson electronic eyes.
Those eyes belonged to weapons built solely for slaughter—empty, emotionless, and so cold they seemed capable of staring straight through a person's soul.
"Target confirmed: Marine Headquarters."
The Seraphim at the front suddenly spoke.
Its voice was an emotionless mechanical tone, as though the order had come from the depths of hell itself.
"Under Article Seven, Clause Three of the operating protocol, we will temporarily accept the authority of the Marine Fleet Admiral."
Each word was brief and precise, yet struck everyone's heart like a hammer.
It slowly swept its gaze across the harbor.
Those scarlet electronic eyes rested on each Marine officer for exactly half a second.
Despite how brief the inspection was, invisible pressure seemed to settle over every person it examined, nearly robbing them of breath.
Finally, it spoke coldly.
"Combat assessment complete. Ninety-seven-point-three percent of all present targets pose no threat."
The statement sounded like a sentence being handed down, making painfully clear just how little regard the Seraphim had for the Marines around them.
Sengoku suppressed the discomfort churning inside him.
He straightened slightly and took a firm step forward.
The movement was measured and calm, yet carried an undeniable weight that drew everyone's attention.
His gaze swept across the harbor before he spoke in a loud, solemn voice.
"I am Sengoku, Fleet Admiral of the Marines. You have been brought here under a direct and sacred order from the World Government—"
"Authority confirmed."
The cold, emotionless voice interrupted him.
The Seraphim's mechanical tone echoed across the silent harbor with unquestionable authority.
"No additional introduction is required. Our database already contains all relevant information concerning this operation. Under established procedure, we recommend beginning the purge immediately."
Kizaru's mouth tilted into his usual crooked expression.
"Ooh… What rude little weapons these are~"
His words sounded casual, but carried a trace of irritation beneath the teasing tone.
The subtle shift in emotion did not escape the Seraphim's sensors.
Its electronic eyes instantly locked onto Kizaru with perfect precision.
"Significant dissatisfaction detected. Is corrective 'education' required?"
Before the sentence had even ended, its mechanical finger transformed at astonishing speed, reshaping into a powerful laser emitter that began glowing with a chilling light.
"That's enough!"
Sengoku hurriedly shouted, his voice carrying both authority and urgency.
He knew that allowing the situation to develop any further could lead to disastrous consequences.
After a brief pause, he took a deep breath and made a formal declaration.
"Effective immediately, the Seraphim unit will be granted special military status. Their authority will rank below that of an Admiral, but above that of a Vice Admiral!"
The announcement struck the harbor like a boulder dropped into still water.
Marines immediately began whispering among themselves, their expressions filled with shock and confusion.
One Vice Admiral could no longer contain his anger. Gathering his courage, he stepped forward in protest.
"Fleet Admiral! These things are nothing more than cold, unfeeling weapons! What gives them the right to hold such a position—"
Clang!
A sharp metallic sound cut him off.
The Vice Admiral froze in place.
The Seraphim's razor-sharp fingertip had stopped only a tenth of a centimeter from the center of his forehead.
The slightest additional movement would have ended his life.
"Objection to an order issued by superior authority detected."
A dim red light flickered within the Seraphim's electronic eyes, its tone remaining cold and decisive.
"Should the elimination protocol be initiated? Awaiting instruction, Fleet Admiral."
Sengoku's expression became grave.
His brows tightened as he drew in a deep breath, as though pulling all the tension from the harbor into his lungs.
A moment later, he slowly exhaled.
"Lower your weapon. That is a highest-level command. Disobedience is prohibited."
"Understood."
The Seraphim immediately withdrew its lethal hand with the smooth speed of a machine responding to precise instructions.
It behaved as though nothing had happened.
Nearby, Aokiji lowered his head, his expression grim.
He muttered quietly enough that only he should have been able to hear,
"These things… They're nothing but a pack of wild beasts that could lose control at any moment."
"Correction."
The Seraphim abruptly turned toward him, its gaze fixing directly on Aokiji.
"We are weapons designed and manufactured with absolute precision.
"The condition described as 'loss of control' does not exist. We only execute elimination directives."
The atmosphere over the training grounds became so heavy it almost seemed solid.
Sunlight filtered weakly through the thick clouds, but even that warmth could not disperse the suffocating pressure.
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