Chapter 145: Straw Hat Pirates, The Summit War is Close!

~ Support & Read 15 Advanced Chapters on My Patreon!

~ Drop some Power Stones 💎💎

<><><><>

"He's fine. He just needs to sleep," Ian said to Dragon, indicating there was no need for concern after he had healed Sabo's fragmented soul, leaving him in a peaceful slumber.

The revolutionary had been suffering from agonizing headaches due to the fragmented memories.

"Thank you. When it comes to the soul, only Charlotte Linlin possessed such expertise. Even Ivankov, our revolutionary army's doctor, was helpless," Dragon replied.

He was grooming Sabo as his successor. If he couldn't fulfill his mission...

Perhaps, it would fall upon Sabo's shoulders.

"Ivankov? The Horu Horu no Mi huh... holding sway over the human body's secrets. As for Charlotte Linlin, she just consumed souls. She suffered from soul sickness herself and was, to put it bluntly, a fool."

"Tell me about the World Government. You can omit information about the Revolutionary Army."

Dragon nodded. Ian sought intelligence on the World Government not out of fear, but likely to ensure no remnants survived. He had no need for information on the Revolutionary Army, a force meant to distract the Marines.

Dragon sighed inwardly. This man was ruthless.

"According to our intelligence network, the World Government, in addition to the Marines, possesses another hidden force, a formidable power. They will be the greatest obstacle in our quest to conquer the Red Line," Dragon revealed, his voice calm.

During his time in the Marines, Dragon had been groomed for the position of Admiral and was privy to the World Government's hidden forces. He now had access to even more information thanks to Shiryu.

"The World Government, besides the Marines who control the seas, also commands a land army and Cipher Pol."

Ian and the others were taken aback. So, this army really existed. After all, the Red Line's landmass.....was comparable in size to any of the world's oceans.

"How does the Army compare to the Marines?"

"The World Government has three main military branches: the Marines, the Army, and the globally dispersed Cipher Pol. Kong commands all three branches. In terms of overall strength, the Marines are superior. They control the vast seas, while the Army's operations are confined to the Red Line," Dragon explained.

"Over twenty years ago, I participated in a training exercise against the Army alongside Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr. Borsalino and Kuzan were there as well. I believe we won in the end."

"However, it was a hard-fought victory."

"Borsalino and Kuzan, future Admirals, barely won? The Army possesses such powerful beings?" Intrigued, Ian leaned forward. So, there were hidden powerhouses within the army.

Over two decades ago, the future Admirals, though not yet at their peak, still struggled to achieve victory.

"Those two geniuses who faced Borsalino and Kuzan are likely Admirals in the Army by now."

"The Army, like the Marines, has one Fleet Admiral and three Admirals. However, that's just the surface level. I'm uncertain what else lies hidden within the depths of the Red Line."

Koshiro and Tashigi exchanged serious glances. The detailed information revealed by Dragon about the World Government's hidden army, a force rivaling the Marines, was unsettling.

"What's their estimated strength?"

Dragon inhaled deeply and uttered a single word:

"Millions."

A wave of shock rippled through the room.

"The vast Red Line, excluding Mary Geoise, is dotted with over a hundred large city-states, each garrisoned by around ten thousand troops, all under the World Government's command," Dragon added.

Koshiro and Tashigi were stunned, struggling to comprehend the sheer scale of the force Dragon had described. "It must be cloning technology," Koshiro finally said.

Ian broke his silence, stating the obvious.

Dragon nodded. "Indeed. Cloning."

"The World Government conducts countless clandestine experiments. Those hundred city-states on the Red Line are essentially training grounds for their forces. Their cloning and human experimentation predate Germa 66 by centuries, going back hundreds of years."

"Even Impel Down's establishment, while ostensibly for humanitarian purposes, serves a darker agenda. They use the prisoners for their experiments."

"The Army also has its own version of Impel Down's Level 6, an aerial prison suspended high in the sky. It's known to some as Level 7. The prisoners held there are monsters, each possessing power comparable to a Yonko, capable of single-handedly disrupting the world order."

Tashigi was speechless, her jaw agape.

Until now, she had been unaware of these dark secrets. She had always believed in the Marines' justice, in imprisoning pirates for their crimes. But compared to being subjected to horrific human experimentation, perhaps death was a mercy.

"Is that all you know?"

"No. There's one more thing," Dragon said.

"The World Government's human experimentation has been ongoing for centuries, but their progress in recent decades has surpassed the advancements of the past few hundred years. A true monster may have been created within the Army."

"Is it because of... Vegapunk?" If Ian recalled correctly, Kuma had been almost entirely transformed into a Pacifista. Only his memories remained to be erased. That was why Ian wanted to act quickly.

"Yes," Dragon confirmed.

"Vegapunk is a true genius, centuries ahead of his time. With the World Government's limitless resources at his disposal, his technology has reached unimaginable heights. The Pacifistas are just the beginning. Several other creations have been sent to the Red Line, likely already deployed within the Army. He's a dangerous man."

"Perhaps one day, science will surpass swordsmanship, physical prowess, and even Devil Fruit powers. The world might become ruled by science."

Dragon's words reminded Ian of the world he had left behind, where, twenty years after Kaguya's defeat, technology had advanced rapidly.

Someone had even wielded a Gatling gun in battle, a sight that had both shocked and amused him. Cloning and modification technologies were often the domain of mad scientists, a recurring theme in both the One Piece and Bleach universes.

...

The Grand Line, Water 7.

Galley-La Company, Dock One.

"Waaaaah!" The straw-hatted boy shrieked, startling his crewmates.

"My bounty's gone up to 300 million! Why aren't we on the front page?!" Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, pouted.

"Are you an idiot?" Nami, the orange-haired navigator, smacked Luffy on the head, nearly sending him flying.

"It's better if we stay out of the spotlight! Do you want to be chased by every bounty hunter in the sea? We need to be low-profile! do you understand?!" Nami scolded. 

"Well said, Nami-swan!"

"Absolutely brilliant, Nami-swan! Do you understand, Luffy?" Sanji, the lovestruck cook, chimed in.

"Luffy, it's dangerous if we attract too much attention!" Chopper, the timid doctor with a 50 berry bounty, looking at the newspaper he added weakly. "But… is this the Grand Line? Are these the battles of those who stand at the top? Compared to the Yonko. Admirals and their battles, we're still so far behind!"

Zoro, the swordsman and Bounty Hunter, murmured in awe. Even without witnessing the events firsthand, the descriptions in the newspaper filled him with a sense of helplessness. Such overwhelming power was despair-inducing.

"If we encountered them, we would be annihilated in an instant," Robin, added with a smile, exchanging a knowing glance with Zoro.

After all, the man referred to as a god had connections to both of them. He had gifted Zoro with a sword and saved Robin's life. Were they finally about to meet him?

"No! No! Don't say that!"

"Don't jinx us! We definitely won't run into them! Definitely!"

"low-profile! We need to be even more discreet!" Nami cried out in fear.

...

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

"Garp! Where's that old fool? Hasn't he returned yet?!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku bellowed.

"Sir, Vice Admiral Garp is currently pursuing the Straw Hats, who caused the incident at Enies Lobby," Brandnew reported nervously.

"The Straw Hats!" Sengoku's eye twitched. The Enies Lobby incident, the destruction of one of the World Government's three major institutions by the Straw Hats, was global news.

"That damned Garp is putting on an act! Does he really think he can capture his own grandson? Tell him to get back here immediately!" Sengoku ordered, already anticipating Garp's inevitable bragging.

"Yes, sir!" Brandnew saluted and hurried off.

A short while later, Brandnew rushed back, his face pale. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"

"What now?" Sengoku sighed, rubbing his temples. There was never a moment's peace.

"We just received a message from Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard. He claims to have captured Portgas D. Ace, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division, and is offering to hand him over to us."

As Brandnew delivered the news, a loud crack echoed from the hallway outside. A figure stood there momentarily before turning and walking away, his back seemingly burdened by the weight of the world, aged by years in an instant.

...

Several days late... 

Mary Geoise.

The Holy Land, a city of dreams, was also a den of inequity.

Within Mary Geoise's opulent central palace, the Five Elders, the highest-ranking officials of the World Government, were gathered.

Their faces were grim as they reviewed the latest report from Marine Headquarters, laid out on the crystal table before them.

The atmosphere in the council chamber was heavy, thick with tension. The sudden turn of events had left them stunned, unsure how to proceed.

"What is Blackbeard up to? Is he trying to distract Whitebeard, instigate a conflict, and then fear retaliation? After all, that righteous old fool cherishes his family above all else."

"His betrayal is puzzling, but with two Emperors gone, this is our chance to solidify our control over the seas. Perhaps that's why he betrayed Whitebeard."

"Pirates will eventually be eradicated. He's Just choosing sides early. Regardless, this is a win-win situation for us. We have three options."

"First, release Ace. Second, execute Ace in secret. Third, execute Ace publicly."

The blond-haired Elder took a sip of his tea, set down the cup, and rose to his feet, his face serious with resolve. "If we're going to do this, let's do it right. We just dealt with Zephyr's rebellion, and now we risk incurring Garp's wrath. But Ace is a pirate, regardless of his lineage."

"No matter the cost, we must proceed. Dispatch the order… Portgas D. Ace will be publicly executed at Marineford."

The pirates were no longer a threat. Their eradication was inevitable. The Marines, too, would eventually outlive their usefulness.

Betrayal and disposal were tools they wielded without hesitation.

"Can things possibly get any worse? Damn it!" Another Elder slammed his fist on the table, shattering the crystal surface.

Just then…

"Five Elders! Terrible news!" A messenger rushed in, his voice filled with panic. "What is it?!"

The blond Elder's brow furrowed.

The Marine messenger, his face pale and sweat dripping from his brow, stammered, "Reporting, sirs! In the Sabaody Archipelago… a Celestial Dragon has been assaulted!"

"The perpetrators are the Straw Hat Pirates, led by Monkey D. Luffy, with the Heart Pirates, led by Trafalgar Law, and the Kid Pirates, led by Eustass Kid, as accomplices. They are all Supernovas with bounties exceeding 100 million berries!"

The Elders nearly choked on their tea. They had just been grappling with the Ace situation, and now Luffy had thrown another wrench into their plans. "What are the details?"

"The Celestial Dragon has requested immediate dispatch of Marine warships and an Admiral to quell the uprising and apprehend the offending pirates…"

"..."

...

Support & Read 15 Advanced Chapters. Ahead of the rest!

https://p-atreon.com/dragonnx

(Just remove the hyphen to access Patreon normally.)

There is 8 Exciting Fanfics already Available on my Patreon!