Chapter 129: World In Chaos (1)

<<Rhino Pirates attacked 72nd Marine Branch! A high number of casualties arose, and the commander branch ran away in cowardice!>>

<<A revolt arose in the Geoto Kingdom, led by Yongli! The kingdom sent a request for help to World Government, but it has been ignored!>>

<<Dr.Vegapunk has recently disappeared! Gone from Egghead, his whereabouts currently remain unknown!>>

<<The movement of the Pirate Alliance has been spotted after their victory against Whitebeard pirates—>>

"BIG NEWS!! KUWAHAHAHA!!"

In the middle of the office full of journalists where they busily wrote down the information that was relayed through Den Den Mushis, a bird-human shouted in joy.

This bird-human was 'Big News' Morgans, the president of the World Economy News Paper.

"NOW THIS IS GETTING EXCITING!!"

It took a little for the president of the world's biggest newspaper company to know that all these events, which were happening simultaneously, weren't by chance. They were a sign... that a huge war was about to break out!

"Shelly~!"

Morgans immediately reached one journalist and tapped her on the back.

"Pay close attention to the situation in the Tajine Kingdom, alright? My hunch tells me... that something big, something we've never come across, is about to happen! Kuwahahaha!"

"Fucking president... why are you laughing when the world's in a state like this?!"

Grumbling, the journalist named Shelly immediately got to work, complying with Morgans's order.

__________

<<A war is bound to happen, Sakazuki.>>

In Marineford, on the highest floor of the headquarters, there lied the Fleet Admiral's office.

Within the room, Sakazuki was found smoking a cigar as he silently heard the order that came from the Den Den Mushi ahead of him.

<<Gather all troops that you can muster and send to the Tajine kingdom.>>

"..."

Sakazuki, why did he become a Fleet Admiral in the first place?

'To purge all evils. To eradicate pirates. To... prevent the same tragedies...'

In Sakazuki's mind lingered an event from the past, when his hometown was invaded and destroyed by pirates.

'...from happening again.'

However, Sakazuki was now tired. It felt as if all the efforts that he put in had gone to waste, as they bore no fruit. The world continued to get worse and worse, and the feeling of helplessness crept into him.

<<...Sakazuki. >>

Seeing that there was no response from Sakazuki, one of the Five Elders from the other side of Den Den Mushi spoke in a low tone.

<<How old is your daughter again? Hibari was it?>>

That's when Sakazuki's eyes trembled. He found himself drenched in a cold sweat as he finally realized why his efforts bore no fruit.

His 'Thorough Justice'... it has long been fallen. All that was left in him now, was the dog of World Government.

"Hibari... she's turning 2 this year."

His eyes turned dull, exhibiting no emotion.

"Troops... I will first send the available force from Marineford. Retracting the rest from Four Blues will take some time."

<<Good. >>

The call ended, and Sakazuki found himself huffing heavily. Raising his hand up, he wiped the sweat on his forehead.

"Huff... huff..."

"What belief do you hold in regard to the Marine's 'justice.'"

In Sakazuki's mind popped up the memory of the past. Back then, Sakazuki asked Smoker a question, trying to figure out what kind of marine Smoker was.

"If I were to summarize my thought of justice in word... 'arbitrary', I would say."

Back then, Sakazuki simply snorted it off. Then, Smoker, after going through many things, revealed former Admiral Blaise's status as the chief of CP0, directly opposed the World Government and broke free from chains that bound him.

"Greater... good..."

That was the word that Sakazuki often used to justify his actions. Upon muttering the word out, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Greater good... for who?"

After all, he realized that his 'greater good' only included the World Government.

"...Hibari."

Nonetheless, Sakazuki stands up. Even after he finally learned that Marine no longer upholds the right justice, he couldn't stop; he's come far too much to turn back.

Pressing a button, Sakazuki spoke.

<<All marines, listen carefully. I, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, officially declare from hereon that the war against Revolutionary Army has begun!>>

__________

"You? A commander? How laughable!"

Standing proudly in front of one woman wearing goggles and headphones, Ginny, was Figarland Garling.

Flicking the blood off of this white sword, Garling pointed its tip at Ginny and grinned.

"But in terms of look... you're quite appreciable. Now then, how about I take you as my slave instead?"

"Never!!"

Ginny growled, which Garling snorted at.

"I wasn't asking for your opinion, bug. Once I set my decision, it is how it is meant to be."

Ginny looked around her surroundings. Most of the East Army were dead, and a few who remained alive were notably injured.

She felt her heart dropping, but as the commander of the East Army, she couldn't afford to reveal any fear, no matter what kind of consequences she would end up facing.

"For years, we suffered!! For years, you, the World Government, controlled the world as you saw fit!! And look where that led to... nothing but the cries and pleas of common folks!!"

Ginny desperately shouted.

"You only care about yourselves!! This world, this system... everything is built to benefit just you guys only!! I refuse, we refuse this filthy world!! As long as you continue to stand above us, we will continue to struggle, no matter how worthless it may seem—"

"ENOUGH!!"

Garling, whose veins were popping out of his forehead, ended Ginny's words. Taking in a deep breath, Garling lifted his hand to signal the army behind him that no action needed to be taken.

"Let's see if you can say the same after you lose an arm."

Garling spoke coldly as he raised his sword and brought it down onto Ginny's exposed arm—

—before a huge, bear-paw-like hand suddenly blasted Garling away from his spot, leaving Ginny without any harm.

"Huff... huff..."

Now, standing in front of Ginny was a huge man, one whom Ginny was extremely familiar with.

Unable to conceal the tears of joy and relief, Ginny exclaimed,

"Kuma-chi!!"

"Are you, huff, are you..."

Kuma, calming his breathing down, asked out of worry,

"Are you hurt, Ginny?"

Ginny, as tears freely flowed down her face, shook her head weakly.

Angered, Kuma then gazed at the front where the troops of the World Government warily pointed their weapons at Kuma.

Simultaneously, the distant rubbles shook before Garling revealed himself from beneath. Frowning in a mix of embarrassment and rage, Garling growled.

"This humiliation... I won't tolerate it!!"

"Tsk tsk, what champion of God Valley?"

A voice was then heard behind Garling. Garling turned back and angrily growled,

"Shut your mouth, Lavender...!!"

There stood a wrinkly old woman who wore a huge cap that covered her eyes: Manmayer Lavender, one of the god's knights. She, while holding her rifle, crackled a laughter as she saw Garling's state.

"How about you return that title? A senile old man like you shouldn't be holding the glory, don't you think?"

"So this is god's knights?"

Upon hearing another voice interfering with them, Garling and the old woman named Lavender ceased their feud. Away from them, there stood one swordsman who inspected the scene impassively,

Dracule Mihawk.

"You are..."

Mihawk, through his operation of Haki, was able to estimate their strengths.

"...quite disappointing, I must say."

Mihawk felt like sighing, and therefore, he sighed.

"...Dracule Mihawk. Don't assume that you plebeian stand above us simply because you were given the title of a Warlord."

Garling growled, before returning his attention to Kuma.

BOOM!

As Kuma swung his hand, the explosive noise, and the troops of World Government were blown away.

"Pad Cannon!"

The bear-paw-like injuries appeared over the bodies of soldiers as they were blasted back. The remaining East Army watched in amazement, and Ginny seemed to have relaxed, feeling safe under Kuma's protection.

Then, Garling reappeared in Kuma's sight, about to slash his sword down.

"Squish!!"

Repelling the strike, Kuma successfully defended Garling's attack. Simultaneously, he placed his other hand at where Lavender stood,

BANG!

"Pad Cannon!"

The bullet was instantly repelled, and without managing to hit Kuma, fell to the ground.

__________

"Joy Boy... Joy Boy's heart...! If this were to be true... no, it must be! The source of infinite energy..."

Linlin gulped.

"It will be the key to all the technologies that the Ancient Kingdom left! In other words... the owner of that heart... will be the owner of all those technologies! Truly the greatest treasure of the world!"

Linlin, while sweating all over, stood up wobbly. Calming herself down, she hurriedly moved out,

"Two... I have two Road Poneglyphs, but so does Kaidou. And that damned Ochoku... who knows how many he's managed to gather?!"

She realized now that it was the Pirate Alliance who was the closest to One Piece. If she left them do as they wished...

'One Piece would go in their hands!!'

After gaining an idea of what One Piece may be, Linlin could no longer stay still. A war, a war was needed—one that would allow her to step up and become the Pirate King.

So Linlin walked to the grand hall, about to make a major announcement. However, once she arrived, she was the one to hear a news instead,

"Mama! Some assholes decided to invade our territory!"

"Ha?!"

Her eldest son, Perospero, then widened his eyes as he heard the rest from Den Den Mushi. In a shaky voice, he relayed it to Linlin,

"I-It's... the Pirate Alliance!!"

__________

"And? And? After that fight with the big bad dragon guy, what happened?"

Sitting by a big rock, Smoker stared at one child whose eyes were sparkled in wonder.

"I got flown all the way here."

It was a peaceful island that Smoker stumbled upon, one that he didn't know existed—especially in New World of all places.

By Smoker's side was a Den Den Mushi, one that he managed to borrow from the kind mayor of the village.

"Then what? Come on, don't keep me waiting~"

Knowing that the situation was dire, Smoker simply ruffled the child's hair as he quickly dialed for a call. Though there was no White Den Den Mushi to prevent eavesdropping, Smoker didn't have the luxury to care that much.

<<Oi, Smoker. What the fuck was that?>>

The recipient of the call was none other than Maynard. Though it wasn't revealed before, Maynard was with Smoker in Dressrosa during Smoker's clash with Kaidou.

Maynard was to monitor the situation and communicate with the civilians in Prodence, Meliana, and Vastrode should something go wrong.

Smoker assumed that Kaidou probably felt Maynard's presence; he let out a light sigh upon hearing Maynard.

"I was blown away from Dressrosa. Is Kaidou still there?"

<<Hell no. There was a bright light when you and that monster of man struck each other, I couldn't see thing. After the died down, opened my eyes saw none you.>>

"So he isn't in Dressrosa."

<<Guess not. And I doubt that he went to one of three kingdoms we have people evacuated in; any form navigation tool had with him must've broken when fought you. No way remembers the specific route reach those islands by his sight alone.>>

"Then, I suppose that he..."

<<Yeah. He's probably going back to Wano.>>

"Hellooooo, I'm Oleh, a 7-year-old, and and—"

Smoker, pushing the kid's head away, continued speaking,

"Maynard. I'll be going to Wano now."

<<...And you know which direction you're supposed to go to?>>

Smoker fell silent, realizing that Maynard was right.

'...How am I supposed to reach Wano?'

<<Yeah yeah, you sometimes end up missing small details, I get it.>>

Maynard's chuckle was heard, before he said,

<<There are lots of oils that spread around Dressrosa thanks to your fight with Kaidou. I'll set this place on fire, so use fruit ability detect smoke and come back here. I have the Eternal Pose Wano, which got from pocket T-rex guy you defeated.>>

"...The entire island?"

<<I mean, what else can we do?>>

"Wahahaha, true."

Ending the call, Smoker returned Den Den Mushi to the kid.

"Well, time for me to go. Make your parents proud, kid."

Before the kid could speak, Smoker vanished into the thin air, leaving the kid shocked.

"...Whoa."