Seeing that the Marine warships from G-5 Base continued to pursue them relentlessly, Saint Roselith Seraphina calmly drew the dark-blue blade at her waist.
Soru.
Geppo.
"Awakening of Insects: Sea Parting!"
Using the techniques of Rokushiki, she vanished from the deck and soared high into the sky.
At the peak of her ascent, Winter Solstice flashed with a cold blue radiance as she swung it downward.
A massive azure sword slash tore across the sea.
BOOM!!
The ocean split apart.
An enormous trench stretched across the water, reaching far beyond the horizon.
Normally, the sea would immediately rush back together.
However, this slash was different.
For reasons that defied ordinary logic, the seawater remained separated, flowing slowly along the towering walls of the divided ocean as though an invisible force held everything in place.
It was as if the sea itself had been severed.
The enormous gap instantly blocked the pursuing G-5 fleet, preventing their warships from advancing any farther.
Every Marine aboard every vessel stared in complete disbelief.
Silence spread across the battlefield.
Could a human being really accomplish something like this?
It was terrifying.
It was unbelievable.
It completely exceeded the limits of common sense.
"Keep moving!"
"Do not stop the ship!"
Saint Roselith Seraphina's calm voice shattered everyone's stunned silence.
"Yes, Rear Admiral!"
The helmsmen immediately regained their composure and accelerated the warship.
Even so, Seraphina noticed that the vessel's speed still fell short of her expectations.
She tightened her grip around Winter Solstice before turning toward the stern.
With a gentle swing, she released another precisely controlled slash.
Rather than striking the hull, the slash descended into the sea directly behind the warship.
A surge of water erupted beneath the vessel.
Using the flowing current created by her sword technique, she generated an enormous burst of propulsion that pushed the Marine warship forward at an even greater speed.
The vessel shot across the sea like an arrow released from its bow, rapidly widening the distance between itself and the G-5 fleet.
...
Meanwhile…
Within the territory protected by the Whitebeard Pirates…
"Father!"
"The brothers stationed on the outer perimeter have reported that a Marine warship has entered the edge of our territory!"
"Gurararara!"
"So after all these years… the Marines have finally decided to make a move against us!"
Whitebeard burst into booming laughter.
The enormous man slowly rose from his chair, his towering figure radiating an overwhelming sense of pressure.
It had been many years.
For many years, no one had dared to openly challenge the Whitebeard Pirates.
Even the Marines, who proclaimed themselves the guardians of justice, had never dared to send a warship deep into his territory.
Unexpectedly, Sengoku had finally shown some courage.
Had the Fleet Admiral finally decided to confront him head-on?
Very well.
Whitebeard wanted to see exactly how much resolve Sengoku truly possessed.
"How many Marine warships are there?"
Whitebeard asked with a grin.
The pirate responsible for reconnaissance hesitated before answering.
"Father…"
"It seems…"
"There's only one."
The pirate spoke cautiously, clearly worried about spoiling Whitebeard's excitement.
After all…
Only a single Marine warship had appeared.
"Hmm?"
Whitebeard slowly sat back down.
The smile on his face faded into thoughtful silence.
"How far away are they?"
"They're approximately thirty to forty nautical miles from our current position."
Whitebeard rested one hand beneath his chin.
Only one warship?
Were the Marines looking down on him?
Or was Sengoku preparing some elaborate scheme?
No matter how clever a plan might be…
Before overwhelming power, every scheme and conspiracy was ultimately meaningless.
"Father!"
"Are we really going to let a Marine warship pass through our territory without doing anything?"
A division commander named Musashi stepped forward.
It had been a long time since he had fought a worthy opponent.
To him, this was the perfect opportunity to clash with the Marines.
Whitebeard remained silent for another moment before finally making his decision.
"Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Prepare to set sail!"
His deep voice echoed across the Moby Dick.
Although he remained seated, the overwhelming pressure he emitted caused every pirate aboard the ship to become excited.
After careful consideration, Whitebeard decided to mobilize the entire Whitebeard Pirates.
Since the Marines had entered his territory, they would seize this opportunity to strike back.
If circumstances allowed…
They would even launch an assault against Marine G-5 Base.
While he was still capable of fighting…
He intended to let the entire world remember one undeniable truth.
This sea…
Still belonged to one man.
The era of Edward Newgate…
The era of Whitebeard…
A dense blanket of fog gradually enveloped the sea.
Following the guidance of the Log Pose, the Marine warship steadily sailed toward the next island in the New World.
Standing quietly at the railing, Saint Roselith Seraphina gazed into the endless white mist rolling across the ocean.
"Bruce."
Her calm voice broke the silence.
"I'm here!"
Bruce answered almost instantly.
As her personal escort, he rarely strayed far from her side and was always prepared to respond the moment she called.
"Tell me…"
"What do you think Fleet Admiral Sengoku is really planning?"
Saint Roselith Seraphina asked without taking her eyes off the sea before her.
Bruce blinked in confusion.
"…What do you mean?"
"I think…"
"He wants me to challenge Red-Haired Shanks."
She voiced her conclusion in an unusually calm tone.
Bruce froze.
"Why would you think that, Rear Admiral?"
He genuinely appeared puzzled.
At least…
On the surface.
A faint smile appeared on Seraphina's lips.
"Oh?"
"You didn't notice?"
"It seems Fleet Admiral Sengoku knew I was heading to the New World long before I ever arrived."
She slowly turned toward Bruce.
"Tell me."
"Why do you think that is?"
Bruce hesitated before answering.
"…Perhaps the Marines' intelligence network is simply that efficient."
His expression remained composed.
Inside, however, his heart had already begun racing.
"I could accept that explanation…"
Seraphina replied evenly.
"But they even knew the exact route I took into the New World."
"They stationed Marines near the exit of Fish-Man Island before I even arrived."
"The timing was far too precise."
She folded her arms.
"You should know by now."
"My Observation Haki allows me to detect far more than ordinary people."
"I can sense when someone is following us."
Her golden eyes settled directly upon Bruce.
The pressure in her gaze was enough to make most people break into a cold sweat.
Bruce forced an awkward smile.
"Haha…"
"So that's how it is…"
He immediately realized that his secret communication with Sengoku had almost certainly been discovered.
No matter how carefully he had concealed it…
Nothing escaped Seraphina's Observation Haki.
Fortunately, she did not continue pressing him.
Instead, she returned to the subject she had raised from the beginning.
"But why do you believe Fleet Admiral Sengoku actually wanted you to challenge Red-Haired Shanks?"
Bruce asked, deliberately steering the conversation back to her earlier conclusion.
"The answer is simple."
Seraphina spoke without hesitation.
"If Sengoku truly wanted to stop me, he had every opportunity to do so."
"He knew where I was going."
"He knew how I intended to reach the New World."
"He even knew the exact moment I would emerge from Fish-Man Island."
"And yet…"
"He never dispatched a true powerhouse to intercept me."
"Doesn't that already answer the question?"
Her reasoning was straightforward.
Vice Admiral Garp had remained at Marineford.
Bruce had informed Sengoku of her intentions long before she reached the New World.
If Sengoku genuinely wished to prevent her from leaving, he could have ordered Garp or another top-tier Marine officer to intercept her before she ever reached Fish-Man Island.
Instead…
He merely instructed G-5 Base to stop her without using force.
That decision alone revealed Sengoku's true intentions.
"There are only two possible explanations."
"The first is that Fleet Admiral Sengoku is unwilling to openly interfere because of my status as a member of the Saint Roselith Family."
"The second…"
"He tacitly approves of my decision to challenge Red-Haired Shanks."
She paused briefly.
"But…"
"Does Sengoku truly fear offending me?"
"I don't think so."
"He understands my personality."
"If he had ordered Vice Admiral Garp to stop me for the sake of Marine discipline, I wouldn't hold a personal grudge against him."
"More importantly…"
"I am currently responsible for the Alabasta Naval Academy Project."
"He has invested far too much into that project to simply ignore my safety."
"From Sengoku's perspective, stopping me under the banner of protecting an important Marine officer and safeguarding the future of the Academy would have been the most reasonable course of action."
"And yet…"
"He didn't."
Bruce slowly narrowed his eyes.
"I understand now…"
"If Fleet Admiral Sengoku truly intended for you to challenge one of the Four Emperors…"
"Then his objective is far more complicated than it first appears."
A faint smile appeared on Seraphina's face.
It seemed her CP0 escort had not let his guard down after all.
"Then tell me, Bruce."
"Why do you think Sengoku wants me to challenge one of the Four Emperors?"
Bruce remained silent for several moments before finally answering.
"…Because of your identity."
"As long as you openly challenge one of the Four Emperors, the World Government will have no choice but to pay close attention."
"No matter who wins…"
"The balance of power across the seas will inevitably shift."
"And once that balance changes…"
"The World Government will be forced to intervene."
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