"The sea watches, as this world begins, the sea knows, where this world's summit lies, so it guides the path we ought to take, and leads us toward the way the world should be…"
On a remote island in the New World, Zephyr sat perched on the gunwale of his ship, drinking alone while softly humming his favorite song — The Guidance of the Sea.
"Instructor Zephyr!"
A young girl approached from behind. She wore the crisp white uniform of a Marine recruit, and could not have been more than fifteen years old.
Her hair was cut neatly to shoulder‑length, framing a face with large, bright eyes expressive enough to rival any stage actor's.
Her name was Ain — one of Zephyr's most promising students at the Marine Academy.
She was a Paramecia‑type Devil Fruit user, possessing the power of the Reverse‑Reverse Fruit, and already commanded considerable strength.
Zephyr stopped humming, set down his flask, and wiped a drop of liquor from the corner of his mouth. "The World Government again?"
"Yes, sir. They request you meet the convoy in the waters around Punk Hazard." Ain spoke with deep respect.
Punk Hazard was a lush, jungle‑covered island rich in natural resources, and fully under Marine control.
It also lay very near the entry point of the New World, making it the most logical stop for ships heading toward Mary Geoise.
For this reason, it had been chosen as the main assembly point for the Heavenly Tribute collected from across the New World.
Once gathered there, the entire shipment would be sent onward to the capital.
The tribute from nations in the first half of the Grand Line was handled by other officers — Zephyr was only responsible for the New World portion.
Sigh…
Zephyr let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping slightly. He hated this assignment from the bottom of his heart.
All this effort, just to guard wealth destined for those scum known as the Celestial Dragons.
"Understood."
Suddenly his expression tightened. He quickly reached into his coat, pulled out a vial of sedative, and sprayed it into his mouth.
Only then did his breathing and color return to normal.
Damn it… I barely even got worked up, and already this happens… he thought in frustration.
"Instructor Zephyr… are you alright?" Ain asked with concern.
This was the last class of cadets he would ever teach.
Once they graduated, he intended to retire completely from the Academy.
"I'm fine. Let's go — to Punk Hazard!"
With a wave of his hand, more than a thousand elite guerrilla troops snapped into formation, moving with the precision of men trained for years.
Think of it as collecting garbage, Zephyr told himself, forcing his mind to accept the task.
Meanwhile, in the largest coastal military port city on Artemis — Grimm's territory.
A Den Den Mushi sat on the small table beside Grimm, wearing the same curved sunglasses and pink feathered coat as Doflamingo himself.
It mimicked his expression perfectly, and its voice rang out in the warlord's distinctive tone:
"The location is confirmed. Final assembly will be at Punk Hazard, before sailing on to Mary Geoise. That will be our best chance to strike."
Grimm pressed the snail's shell to end the call, then stood and walked out of his castle.
As his men turned their attention toward him, he raised a hand and spoke only two words: "Set sail."
Simple as they were, those words lit up the eyes of Mannoroth, the remnants of the Golden Lion's crew, and Planck, who had come to join the expedition.
Far away, aboard a ship belonging to the Kuja Pirates from Amazon Lily.
As one of the Four Emperors, Grimm was already under constant surveillance.
A full‑scale fleet departure would instantly draw the attention of the Marines, so only a single vessel had been dispatched.
"It has been so long since I sailed beside my beloved… I am simply trembling with excitement!"
In her private quarters, Boa Hancock held her cheeks in both hands, swaying her body from side to side in giddy anticipation.
Violet, who effectively served as the second‑in‑command of the Kuja, was also on board — her unparalleled ability to observe and spy made her an indispensable asset.
The two groups would rendezvous before proceeding further.
Ignoring Hancock's almost overwhelming enthusiasm, Violet — who had shared many intimate nights with Grimm — felt a faint flush creep across her dark‑tan cheeks.
She quickly composed herself and focused her attention outward.
"One o'clock, two hundred nautical miles ahead — a Marine warship. Judging by the markings, it is commanded by a Rear Admiral."
"Sink it."
Any vessel that dared enter the waters of an Emperor's territory was clearly there to scout and report.
Back at Marine Headquarters.
"Fleet Admiral Kong — the three ships assigned to monitor Grimm's movements have all lost contact, yesterday and the day before." A colonel reported in the office.
"Is Grimm preparing to strike? Who could be his target?" Kong's expression grew grave.
He never once considered the Heavenly Tribute — the mission was classified at the highest level, and besides, Grimm's known habits were to kill and fight, not to hoard treasure.
In recent years he had also remained relatively quiet, making it impossible to guess what he was planning.
"At this moment, sir — we have no further intelligence." The colonel shook his head helplessly.
KNOCK!
Another Marine entered and bowed.
"Sir — the Donquixote Pirates have abandoned their temporary base and set sail. We have not yet determined their destination or objective."
"Then find out!" Kong snapped.
"Y‑yes, sir!" The man quickly withdrew.
At Green Bay Dock, Punk Hazard.
Dozens of men in white uniforms were busy hauling countless heavy crates onto large ships marked with the World Government's emblem.
Upon closer inspection, the craftsmanship of the boxes was of the highest quality, and each bore a unique crest — the symbol of the nation that had sent it.
Inside lay the riches collected as tribute for the Celestial Dragons.
The men loading them were a mix of regular Marines and agents from the Government's most secretive force: CP‑0.
"Have you any idea how much treasure is inside all these?"
The speaker was a young man wearing a simple white recruit's vest, with spiky, bright pink hair that looked as if it had been struck by lightning.
He appeared to be in his late twenties, and carried a massive katana strapped across his back. He turned to Ain as he spoke.
His name was Binz. Like Ain, he was a cadet from Zephyr's final class.
It would be several more years of training before they officially graduated and earned their rank — as of yet, their names were not even listed in the Marine register.
"These crates hold the combined tribute from nearly eighty nations across the North Blue, West Blue, and the New World. At the very least, it totals over five hundred billion Berries."
Even Ain's usually expressionless face showed a flicker of hesitation as she spoke the number.
In truth, five hundred billion was a conservative estimate — if it were only that little, the Celestial Dragons would hardly be satisfied.
The real value was certainly far higher.
Even so, the figure sent a ripple of shock through the nearby sailors.
Some muttered nervously, "Let's hope no pirate gets wind of this…"
"There is no need to worry about that."
A tall figure stepped forward to stand beside them.
He stood nearly two and a half meters tall, his face hidden behind a mask.
"The route and schedule of the Heavenly Tribute are kept under absolute secrecy."
__________________
For more advance chapters visit patreon.com/bars45.
For 10$- All advance chapters.
"Schedule"
Monday - Friday - Update 3 Chapters a Day
Saturday - Sunday - Off