Shock spread across the ship after Kuzan's words sank in.
No one expected Sabo to fall into the hands of the World Government.
As the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, his influence and strength were undeniable. His power was already on the level of an Emperor of the Sea. For someone like him to be captured, it meant the situation was far worse than it appeared.
Rolan was the first to speak.
"Are we talking about Sabo from the Revolutionary Army?"
"Yes," Kuzan replied, his voice carrying a trace of helplessness. "The Chief of Staff himself."
Rolan's expression hardened slightly as he thought it through.
"Then this public execution isn't just for show. They're targeting the Revolutionary Army and Peach Garden."
The World Government never acted without purpose. They crushed threats immediately, eliminating anything that could challenge their rule. Public executions were rare, especially for someone of Sabo's level.
That alone made the intention obvious.
This was bait.
Anyone with sense could see it. If they made a move to rescue him, they would be walking into a trap. If they did nothing, they would lose the trust of those who believed in them.
Either way, the World Government forced them into a losing position.
Kuzan let out a quiet sigh. "That's exactly what it looks like."
Rolan continued, "Since the Marines are involved, the World Government must be watching you closely too."
"Most likely. Our every move is under their eyes now."
Rolan paused briefly before speaking again.
"There's still a month. Follow their orders for now. We'll sort everything out soon."
Kuzan went silent for a moment. "That works. But what did you mean earlier about the system?"
Rolan caught the slip instantly.
"Nothing important. I meant restructuring Peach Garden's internal system. We'll meet in two days and discuss everything properly."
Without giving Kuzan time to dig deeper, Rolan ended the call.
The moment the Den Den Mushi went quiet, the crew gathered around him.
Kuro adjusted his glasses first. "Captain, what's the plan?"
All eyes turned to Rolan.
He leaned back slightly, his tone steady.
"Our target has always been the World Government. This just gives us a reason to move."
A faint curve appeared on his lips.
"Once this is settled, we begin preparations."
Franky slammed his fists together, excitement written all over his face. "Aho, so we're finally going after those so called gods? That's super!"
His voice carried more than excitement. There was anger buried beneath it. The World Government had taken Tom from him, and that wasn't something he forgot.
Enel spun his golden staff lazily, a grin forming. "So those self proclaimed gods are finally stepping forward. Good. I've been waiting."
He wasn't driven by hatred like the others. He simply refused to acknowledge anyone above him.
Crocodile let out a low laugh. "Just don't embarrass yourself."
Enel's expression darkened instantly, lightning crackling around him. "Say that again."
Crocodile raised his hand, Armament Haki gathering. "You heard me."
Two sharp impacts echoed across the deck.
Both of them dropped at the same time, each with a swelling bump on their heads.
They looked up and saw Nami standing there, her fist still raised, faint traces of Conqueror's Haki lingering.
Neither of them said another word.
Robin watched the scene with a faint smile, her fingers resting lightly against her chin.
"The World Government… I wonder how those Celestial Dragons will react when they fall from their position."
There was no visible anger on her face, but everyone knew her past. What happened at Ohara was not something that could be forgotten.
Zoro rested his hand on his sword, a slight grin forming.
"So it's finally happening."
He had already achieved his dream of becoming the world's greatest swordsman. The only thing left was standing beside Rolan as he overturned the world itself.
Lina, Vivi, and Shirahoshi stood nearby. They didn't carry the same hatred as the others, but their stance was simple.
If Rolan moved, they followed.
Kuro spoke again, more serious this time. "Even with our strength, taking down the World Government won't be simple. We need a proper plan once we return to Peach Garden."
Rolan gave a small nod.
Peach Garden had grown powerful, strong enough to rival the World Government. But careless action would still lead to heavy losses.
That wasn't acceptable.
He had no intention of letting everything collapse because of poor planning.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi rang again.
Buruburu
Buruburu
Rolan picked it up.
"Moshi moshi."
A tense voice came through immediately.
"Rolan, our spy in Mary Geoise confirmed it. Sabo has been captured by the World Government."
It was Dragon.
Rolan responded without hesitation. "I already know."
Dragon paused slightly at the composed tone.
"What are you planning to do?"
"There's no need to rush. This is a trap. Acting blindly will only make things worse."
Dragon's voice tightened. "But Sabo…"
Sabo wasn't just his subordinate. He was family.
Rolan spoke calmly.
"Kuzan confirmed the execution. One month from now."
Dragon was silent for a moment. "Can we trust that information? The World Government doesn't play fair."
"They want us to believe it," Rolan replied. "The execution is meant to send a message, but more importantly, it's meant to draw us out."
The line went quiet again.
Rolan continued, his voice steady.
"The Marines will handle the operation on the surface, but the World Government will be directly involved behind the scenes."
Dragon exhaled slowly. "If that's true…"
He still had doubts about Kuzan. Their past clashes made it hard to fully trust a Marine, especially one who once stood at the top.
Rolan didn't waver.
"Kuzan isn't lying."
There was no hesitation in his tone.
Dragon understood what that meant.
Rolan never spoke without certainty.
"Then this is…"
Rolan cut him off.
"A declaration of war."
Silence followed for a brief moment.
Then Rolan added, his voice turning colder.
"The final stage begins now."
===
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