The scene abruptly fell silent.
For a brief moment, the only sounds that remained were the distant crashing of waves against the cruise ship's hull and the faint creaking of timber beneath the strain of battle.
The voice on the Den Den Mushi continued, carrying the arrogance of someone accustomed to standing above others.
"Marine! Just wait and see. One day, you will witness me standing at the summit of this world. And when that day comes "
Click.
Saint Roselith Seraphina ended the call before he could finish.
The Den Den Mushi's eyes rolled back in confusion before it fell silent.
"Forget it if you won't give your name."
Seraphina casually lowered the receiver.
After all that boasting, the man still refused to reveal who he was.
In her eyes, he was nothing more than another coward hiding behind a Transponder Snail.
If he could not even state his own name, then he was not worth her time.
Meanwhile, the battle below had already reached its climax.
"Life Return: Paper Art!"
Bruce exhaled sharply.
His muscles instantly tightened as he poured his willpower into every fiber of his body. His movements became lighter, faster, and more precise.
The battle's momentum had long since shifted in his favor.
Gladius knew it as well.
His expression darkened.
Originally, Bruce alone had already placed tremendous pressure on him. Now another monster had appeared.
The white-haired Marine woman standing nearby radiated an even more terrifying presence than Bruce himself.
Even worse, she had somehow intercepted his communications with the Young Master.
For the first time since the battle began, genuine unease crept into Gladius's heart.
"I never expected someone as strong as you to be only a Marine Captain."
His eyes narrowed as he studied Bruce.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Throughout the fight, Bruce's mastery of Kenbunshoku Haki had rendered nearly every surprise attack ineffective. Every movement Gladius made seemed to be anticipated before it happened.
Originally, he had assumed that Bruce was the powerful Observation Haki user he had sensed from afar.
Yet that conclusion now felt increasingly absurd.
If a mere Captain possessed this level of strength…
Then what kind of monster was the woman standing behind him?
"Unfortunately for you," Gladius muttered, "this is where it ends."
His scarred hands slammed repeatedly against the deck.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
His palms moved so quickly that afterimages appeared.
Invisible traps spread throughout the area.
Anything he touched could be transformed into an explosive.
The surrounding floorboards silently became bombs waiting to detonate.
"Full Body Fission: Ground Death!"
The deck trembled.
Dozens of hidden explosive points had been planted in an instant.
At the same moment
"Moonlit Draw."
A calm voice interrupted him.
A silver flash crossed the battlefield.
For an instant, it seemed as though the moon itself had descended.
The slash was elegant.
Silent.
Beautiful.
Yet impossibly fast.
Even Bruce's eyes widened slightly.
Gladius barely had time to react.
The silver arc passed through the air and struck him before his mind could process what had happened.
No blood splashed.
No horrific wound appeared.
Yet Gladius's entire body stiffened.
An overwhelming pain exploded throughout his muscles.
The strike had not been intended to kill.
Instead, it had penetrated deep into his body with surgical precision, disrupting muscle function while leaving his life intact.
The blade had been coated with Busoshoku Haki.
Its power had been perfectly controlled.
Seraphina wanted answers.
Dead men answered no questions.
Gladius staggered backward.
His pupils contracted violently.
He had been watching her the entire time.
He had never lowered his guard against her.
Yet she still crossed the distance faster than he could perceive.
Too fast.
Far too fast.
Before he could recover
"Rankyaku!"
Bruce seized the opening.
A compressed blade of air exploded forward.
The strike landed squarely on Gladius's chest.
The pirate crashed across the deck, smashing through wooden structures before finally coming to a stop.
The battle was over.
Bruce immediately stepped forward and secured him with Seastone handcuffs.
The moment the cuffs locked into place, Gladius felt all strength leave his body.
His Devil Fruit powers vanished instantly.
Dragging the defeated pirate across the deck, Bruce brought him before Seraphina.
"Rear Admiral, the prisoner has been secured."
Gladius struggled furiously despite his weakened state.
His face twisted with frustration.
"Despicable Marines!"
"You call this a victory?!"
"You attacked me two against one!"
"How shameless can you be?!"
He writhed helplessly on the deck.
Without his Devil Fruit powers, he could barely resist.
Seraphina ignored his complaints completely.
"Your codename is Spade, isn't it?"
Gladius immediately fell silent.
"An organization that uses card-themed codenames."
"You people seem fond of playing secret games."
The pirate turned his head away.
"I won't tell you anything."
"Then let's continue."
Seraphina crouched slightly.
Though her eyes remained closed, the pressure surrounding her intensified.
"Where is this 'Young Master' of yours?"
Silence.
"Is he currently in Paradise?"
Still silence.
Gladius maintained a stubborn expression.
However
✦ [SYSTEM] ✦
Target's emotional fluctuations detected.
Analysis complete.
Statement judged false.
✦ [SYSTEM] ✦
Additional deduction: Target associates "Young Master" with a location outside Paradise.
Seraphina smiled faintly.
"So he's in the New World."
Gladius's eyes widened.
Only slightly.
Most people would never have noticed.
But Seraphina did.
"How…?"
He stared at her in disbelief.
He had not spoken a single word.
"How did you know that?"
Seraphina ignored the question.
"He sent you to supervise the transportation of those materials."
"The powder recovered from the ship wasn't the primary cargo."
"The real objective was something else."
Her voice remained calm.
"What was being transported?"
Gladius clenched his teeth.
Silence.
Again.
✦ [SYSTEM] ✦
Target possesses limited operational knowledge.
Probability exceeds 87%.
Target is not a decision-maker.
✦ [SYSTEM] ✦
Conclusion: expendable subordinate.
Seraphina sighed.
"So you don't know either."
"How disappointing."
The realization hit Gladius like a hammer.
This woman wasn't guessing.
She was somehow extracting information without receiving answers.
For the first time, genuine fear appeared in his eyes.
"Who are you?"
His voice trembled slightly.
A Marine Rear Admiral?
Impossible.
No ordinary Rear Admiral should possess this kind of terrifying perception.
Seraphina merely smiled.
"A Marine."
The simple answer somehow felt more frightening than any threat.
Nearby, Riva stepped forward.
"Rear Admiral, what should we do with him?"
Seraphina considered the matter briefly.
Then she made her decision.
"Transfer him to Impel Down."
"Along with Enel."
The name caused several Marines to glance at one another.
The former self-proclaimed God of Skypiea had remained imprisoned under Marine supervision since his capture.
Ordinarily, someone without a World Government bounty would not be sent to Impel Down.
However, Enel's destructive capabilities were too dangerous to leave unchecked.
Even Sengoku had approved the special detention order.
Seraphina folded her arms.
"Once Marine Base G-8 sends its next prisoner transport to Impel Down, have them sent together."
"Yes, Rear Admiral!"
Riva saluted immediately.
Without further hesitation, he dragged the restrained Gladius back toward the warship.
As the defeated pirate disappeared from view, Seraphina stood quietly upon the deck.
The sea breeze stirred her silver hair.
Somewhere beyond the horizon, a hidden enemy continued to move his pieces from the shadows.
But now she had a lead.
And sooner or later
She would find him.