After capturing Whitey Bay and presenting her to the Marines, Blackbeard had kept his word, releasing Kid's companions. But by that time, all of them had lost their shadows and could no longer survive in sunlight. Exposing themselves would make their bodies vanish instantly.
This enraged Kid, and he swore vengeance on Blackbeard. Fate, however, dealt another cruel hand: he had just become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea when the Marines summoned him.
By nature, Kid despised being told what to do. He scorned the status of Shichibukai, seeing it as nothing more than becoming a Marine's lapdog. Though his companions had been saved, he initially wanted to renounce the title entirely.
It was only through Killer's patient persuasion that he reluctantly agreed to temporarily maintain his position. Surrounded by the Red Hair Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, Phoenix Pirates, and Blackbeard Pirates—all powerful enemies he intended to destroy—abandoning his Shichibukai status outright would have been suicidal. Kid suppressed his resentment and prepared to attend the so-called mandatory meeting.
Inside Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's office, a Marine Lieutenant Commander entered, saluted crisply, and reported, "Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, the Seven Warlords of the Sea have arrived."
Sakazuki's cold snort carried disdain. "Hmph, the scum of the sea… finally." Without hesitation, he strode toward the conference room.
Seated around the round table were seven members of the Seven Warlords: Dracule Mihawk, Boa Hancock, Bartholomew Kuma, and the four newly appointed Shichibukai—Buggy the Clown, Trafalgar Law, Eustass Kid, and Cavendish. All had arrived on time except Kuma, who was absent for reasons immediately apparent. Even Hancock, who typically ignored Marine summons, had come within the allotted time.
This pleased Sakazuki. Anyone who dared defy him or show up late would have faced instant execution.
Kuma's place at the table was taken by PX-1, a Pacifista. The real Kuma, now a fully remodeled human weapon, had his consciousness erased. Before the modification, he had implanted a final command through Vegapunk, leaving PX-1 to attend the meeting on Sabaody Archipelago, protecting the Straw Hats. This frustrated Sakazuki, but he had no recourse; Kuma was no longer a person, only a machine.
Sakazuki settled into his chair, eyes scanning the assembled pirates coldly. "Welcome to Marineford, scum of the sea."
The Marine had relaxed standards to expedite preparations against the Three Emperors Alliance, but he had no trust in these Shichibukai. In his eyes, they were expendable—if they died, new Warlords could always be recruited.
Kid, true to form, laughed loudly, arrogance blazing in his eyes. "Gyahahaha! I never thought we'd step foot in Marineford and see the famous Fleet Admiral in person! My life is complete!"
Sakazuki's eyes narrowed. "You enjoy the privileges of legal pirates, so you bear the responsibilities. The Three Emperors Alliance in the New World threatens global peace. The Marines will act to eradicate them. If anyone acts recklessly, as during the Marineford War, I will execute them on the spot."
Even the usually stoic Mihawk raised an eyebrow at the statement. Buggy shouted in disbelief, "What?! Declare war on the Three Emperors Alliance? Haven't you Marines seen what they can do? How could you possibly defeat them?"
Sakazuki's icy glare made Buggy break into a cold sweat. "I am not here to debate. I am informing you. Act responsibly."
As his anger rose, his magma-infused fist formed, drops of scorching magma seeping to the floor, accompanied by blue smoke that raised the room's temperature dramatically.
Hancock, as usual, let out a soft snort, ignoring Sakazuki's warnings.
Suddenly, a Marine officer rushed in, panicked. "Fleet Admiral! Emergency! Emperor Marco has attacked Holy Land Mary Geoise! The Gorosei have ordered immediate Marine deployment to protect the World Nobles!"
"What?!" Sakazuki's eyes widened. Marco dared to strike Mary Geoise directly!
The Shichibukai present were stunned, particularly Boa Hancock, whose eyes glimmered with a mix of shock and admiration for Marco's audacity.
Meanwhile, in Holy Land Mary Geoise, banners flashed across the city streets:
"Kill a Celestial Dragon, reward 500 attribute points."
"Kill a CP0, reward 200 attribute points."
Marco, dressed in the armor of a Mary Geoise guard to conceal his identity, moved with deadly precision. Every strike against the Celestial Dragons yielded massive attribute points, quickly surpassing 30,000 points, filling him with exhilaration.
He knew time was critical. Every moment counted before the God's Knights and the Gorosei could intervene.
"Guards! Stop him!" Celestial Dragons shouted in panic as the streets erupted into chaos. They fled in disorder, completely unprepared for Marco's calculated onslaught.
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Milestone
100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
200 Power Stones = 3 Bonus Chapters