Red Port, beneath a bright, sunny sky.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku boarded a bubble cable car with a group of high-ranking Marines.
As one of the parties involved in this Reverie, as well as the one who had convened it, Sengoku, as Fleet Admiral, had to attend the banquet held after the Reverie's conclusion. It was both proper etiquette and a statement of attitude.
Logically speaking, the Marines' attendance at the banquet should have been as grand as possible, but this time, Sengoku only brought Tsuru, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan with him.
There was no need to mention Garp. His disgust toward the Celestial Dragons was completely undisguised, so he would never come to Mary Geoise.
And as for Zephyr...
At that thought, even though they were on their way to the banquet, Sengoku's expression inside the bubble cable car was grim. The others did not look much better.
The World Government's complete disregard for the Marines' position had created a deep rift within the organization.
Most people in the Marines knew about Admiral Zephyr's hatred for pirates.
Although twelve years had already passed, having his family killed by pirates was an unhealable wound for Zephyr.
During those twelve years, after stepping back from the front lines, Zephyr had trained a large number of Marines. Those Marines now occupied most of the Navy's high-ranking positions.
As a result, after yesterday's argument, rare signs of division began appearing within the Marines.
Sengoku could have hidden the matter from his old friend, but he knew the World Government had already made up its mind. The Shichibukai plan was no longer something the Marines could stop.
He had questioned the Five Elders, but what he received was an undisguised rebuke.
"The Shichibukai plan is an order from the World Government. All the Navy needs to do is carry it out. You have no right to negotiate."
Only now could Sengoku fully understand the helplessness and relief Kong must have felt when he handed the position of Fleet Admiral over to him.
Within the Marines themselves, opposition to the Shichibukai plan was extremely clear.
Using pirates to catch pirates. Was that not simply telling the entire world that the Marines were incompetent?
Even among the four people accompanying Sengoku to this banquet, Borsalino was the only one who seemed unconcerned. Sakazuki was absolutely opposed, the usually mild Kuzan had also expressed clear disapproval, and Tsuru looked deeply troubled.
In the past, she might have tried to comfort Sengoku, but at this moment, even she had a pounding headache.
She knew that given the current state of the seas, the Shichibukai plan was a brilliant move for stabilizing the seas in the short term. But once enough time passed, it would undoubtedly breed a terrifying darkness.
Especially at such a critical moment.
The arrogance of the World Government and the Five Elders would ultimately be paid for by the seas and the Marines.
Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the sky suddenly dimmed.
"What's going on...?"
Everyone instinctively looked up, and saw something unbelievable.
High above them, beside the enormous sun, a massive celestial body had appeared at some point. It slowly devoured the sun's light, and within barely a minute, the world was plunged completely into darkness. Only the edge of the pitch-black celestial body let through a little sunlight, giving the world a faint glow.
"Is this a solar eclipse?!"
Borsalino froze.
Beside him, Tsuru said in confusion, "How strange. The Science Department didn't send any news or intelligence saying there would be a solar eclipse today..."
Logically, this should have been a perfectly natural celestial phenomenon, but for some reason, everyone present felt a trace of unease.
And at that moment, the Holy Land of Mary Geoise was not the only place shrouded in the darkness brought by the solar eclipse.
Marine Headquarters at Marineford, the Sabaody Archipelago, Fish-Man Island where the roots of the Sunlight Tree Eve had lost their light, Punk Hazard, and many other places.
A vast stretch of the world centered around the Holy Land of Mary Geoise had been swallowed by darkness. Yet many people did not realize what was happening. Instead, they looked up excitedly at this wondrous celestial sight, something they might never see again in their lives.
"Something's wrong..."
At that moment, Sengoku suddenly shouted in alarm.
As the bubble cable car continued rising, five or six minutes had already passed, but the solar eclipse overhead showed no sign of ending. Solar eclipses were supposed to last for a very short time.
Meanwhile, in the Chamber of Power, the Five Elders, who had been striking their poses, also noticed the scene. They walked to the window, looked at the massive celestial body in the sky, and frowned.
"What is going on...?"
Behind the Celestial Dragon Gate, inside the homes of the Celestial Dragons, countless Celestial Dragons watched the scene curiously. They stepped out of their houses, went onto their balconies, and looked up at the sky in excitement.
Then, at a moment no one expected, within the darkened world, a towering pillar of fire appeared in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise. It spun endlessly like a tornado, shooting straight into the heavens and connecting with the massive celestial body in the sky.
The world that had been swallowed by darkness was instantly dyed crimson by the light of the flames.
And as if those flames had stirred the life force within the celestial body itself, the massive celestial body also began turning crimson.
Seeing this, Sengoku and the others, who had just reached the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, finally realized something was terribly wrong. Their expressions changed drastically, and they rushed toward Pangaea Castle.
As the user of the Pika Pika no Mi, Borsalino was the first to reach the source of the flames: Pangaea Castle's Social Plaza.
But the scene before him left him frozen in place. For the first time, his face showed complete panic.
"Hey, hey, hey... You've got to be kidding me. This is way too insane..."
Sengoku, Tsuru, Sakazuki, and Kuzan arrived soon after, and they were even more horrified, cold sweat breaking out across their foreheads.
At that moment, on Pangaea Castle's Social Plaza, Philock VII's crazed laughter echoed through the air. He stared up at the massive red celestial body above as if he were witnessing a miracle.
"I see, I see! Your Excellency the President, this is nothing less than a miracle! Hurry and bring it down! Let the whole world be destroyed!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding kings, queens, and guards all went pale.
At that moment, Sengoku was utterly furious.
This scene was far too familiar to him. It reminded him of the noble hostage incident at the Sabaody Archipelago.
Only this time, it had become even more terrifying.
Unable to control himself, he descended from the sky in rage, killing intent pouring from his body like an Asura. He roared at Yemu, who was sitting there quietly with flames burning around his body.
"Fire Dragon Yemu, do you know what you're doing?"
At the same time, in the New World, beneath the Red Line where the Holy Land of Mary Geoise stood, on a calm, deserted stretch of sea.
As waves suddenly surged upward, a massive pirate ship, sky-blue like the sea itself and bearing the symbol of the sun, broke through the water and emerged onto the surface.
On the bow deck, Fisher Tiger stood with his arms crossed, staring intently at the Red Line above him. Behind him stood the warriors of Fish-Man Island, all gripping their weapons.
"Warriors of Fish-Man Island, today is the day we change the world! Let us charge into the sky and welcome our captain and our brethren!"