The New World.
G-5 Marine Base.
A steel fleet loomed like a silent behemoth as it slowly docked at the harbor.
Heavy metal gangways slammed down onto the pier.
Tens of thousands of elite Marines, clad in uniform and moving in tight formations, poured off the warships and swiftly took control of the entire base.
Half an hour later, several large transport vessels arrived, carrying away every original G-5 soldier back to Marineford.
The transfer was absolute.
Inside the branch commander's office.
Silence.
Hawk stood before the massive floor to ceiling window, gazing out at the turbulent sea beyond. The waters of the New World were never calm. Beneath the surface, unseen currents constantly collided, just like the era itself.
He raised his hand.
Before his eyes, a translucent interface appeared, visible to him alone.
Name: Renn Hawk
Position: Marine Headquarters Admiral, Acting Commander of G-5
Observation Haki: Apex
Armament Haki: Apex
Physical Ability: Apex
Hand to Hand Combat (Fist): Apex
Conqueror's Haki: Advanced
(Justice Points required for Apex breakthrough: 10,000,000)
Remaining Justice Points: 4,800
During his short period of rest at headquarters, he had pushed both his Observation and Armament Haki to their absolute limits.
Apex level.
A soft mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
At apex Observation Haki, the host can glimpse fixed fragments of the future and hear the voice of all things.
Another notification followed.
At apex Armament Haki, the host's Black Fist is unstoppable.
Hawk took a cigar from his coat and lit it.
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. Smoke curled through the sunlight by the window.
At this point, he stood only one step away from the peak of individual power in this world.
The final step.
Apex Conqueror's Haki.
Hawk did the math in his head.
Wiping out an entire Emperor crew, from captain to foot soldiers, would earn just over one million Justice Points.
Even if he buried both Kaido and Big Mom in the New World, the total gain would barely reach two million.
That meant his fist had to reach further.
Toward the true source of evil in this world.
The World Government itself.
Those five old men standing above everything.
They should be worth a very large number of Justice Points.
A sharp knock broke the silence.
"Come in."
The door opened. Dane stepped inside, his footsteps steady and controlled.
"Urgent call from Old Man Sengoku."
Hawk turned.
He accepted the Den Den Mushi. Its face shifted rapidly, taking on Sengoku's stern expression.
"Hawk, kid."
Sengoku's voice was heavier than usual.
"War is coming once again."
Earlier.
The New World.
An unnamed island.
After Trafalgar Law chose to join the Marines, things became unexpectedly simple.
Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr, three legends who had already stepped away from the front lines, showed none of the distance expected of Marine myths.
They dragged Law and his former crew into a beachside barbecue without a shred of ceremony.
"Here."
Garp tore off a massive chunk of Sea King leg meat and shoved it toward Law.
"Kid, you're one of us now. These brats of yours too. The Marines feed their own. Eat as much as you want."
Law stared at the three men devouring meat with terrifying enthusiasm.
For a moment, reality felt unreal.
He quietly tore off a piece of meat and handed it to Bepo, then began eating himself.
Once their positions were clearly established, Law revealed a piece of intelligence of enormous value.
"Sengoku, sir. The so called Supernova Alliance looks impressive on the surface, but internally it's a mess."
"Kidd is reckless and arrogant. Hawkins is unpredictable. Apoo is a complete opportunist who would sell anyone out."
"Still, the alliance has one advantage."
"Shared intelligence."
Law paused, then continued.
"Pirates struggling to survive in the New World exchange information constantly. Anything that might give us a way out."
"I noticed something strange."
Sengoku raised his head and put down his meat.
"Both Kaido of the Beasts and Big Mom Charlotte Linlin have gone quiet since the Summit War."
Law pulled out a map and spread it across the sand.
"They've pulled their fleets back deep into their territories."
"Which encouraged some reckless people to test those waters."
His finger tapped a circled island.
"This is Totto Land's Cacao Island. Usually guarded by Big Mom's fourteenth son, Charlotte Oven."
"But recently, the island was nearly empty."
"Oven and every elite combatant vanished. Only low level production staff remained."
Law's eyes sharpened.
"This wasn't an isolated case. Kaido's territory shows the same pattern."
"Several critical outposts near Wano were stripped of their elite forces."
Sengoku's pupils contracted.
Garp and Zephyr stopped eating as well, all three sets of eyes locking onto the crude map.
Two Emperors.
Veterans who had ruled the New World for decades.
Both withdrawing elite forces at the same time.
Sengoku's mind raced, assembling the scattered fragments.
Kaido and Big Mom.
Former members of the Rocks Pirates.
Enemies who had distrusted and fought each other for decades.
They had joined forces.
And there was only one target in the world worthy of such a decision.
Sengoku looked up sharply. His eyes met Garp's and Zephyr's.
They all reached the same conclusion.
"Their target is G-5," Sengoku said firmly.
"It's Hawk."
The New World was the core territory of the Emperors.
And the Marines had sent their most aggressive force here.
The Iron Army, personally led by Admiral Renn Hawk, the Blood Hawk.
The devastation of the Summit War had made one thing clear.
In the current era, if the Emperors fought alone, they would be eliminated one by one.
Alliance was their only option.
And Hawk, the symbol of the new Marine generation, the man who had personally destroyed two Emperor crews, was the most dangerous threat of all.
Kill Hawk.
Cripple Marine morale.
Prove to the world that the authority of the Emperors could not be challenged.
"This is no joke," Sengoku said grimly.
He immediately pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
"We must notify Hawk and Sakazuki at once."
"Total war is about to begin again."