Across the New World, the balance of power began to crumble.
At sea, aboard one of the Whitebeard Pirates' ships, Marco clenched a sheet of intelligence in his hands, his face filled with disbelief.
"H-Hey… is this some kind of joke?"
"Weren't those guys always hiding and building strength quietly?!"
The report was shocking.
Revolutionary Army vs World Government.
A direct, open war.
The world itself was on the verge of chaos.
"This isn't good for the old man's plans at all!"
Marco's voice shook with urgency.
One of the commanders tried to calm him down:
"Relax, Marco... The sky's not falling just yet."
Marco gritted his teeth.
"Maybe not...
But the entire old Navy guard has mobilized—
they're preparing to crush the Revolutionary Army in the New World!"
"WHAT?!"
The shout shook the deck.
From the central cabin, the imposing figure of Whitebeard stomped forward.
Grabbing the report from Marco's hand, he scanned the contents.
For a rare moment, the face of the world's strongest man was uncertain.
Live broadcast of the Celestial Dragon slaughter…
Openly announcing their position and daring the World Government to attack…
Has Monkey D. Dragon gone mad?
Whitebeard closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them—
full of gleaming, fierce light.
"What should we do, Pops?" one of his commanders asked cautiously.
Whitebeard chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound like the ocean itself.
"Heh... How could I sit out something this big?"
"This isn't just a brawl.
This is the changing of an era."
He leaned forward, resting his massive bisento against his shoulder.
"Get ready.
We're heading to Belmont Island.
Not to fight—
but to watch the world burn a little brighter."
Under Whitebeard's orders, ten of his ships immediately set sail toward the unfolding storm.
———
At the same time, aboard another ship slicing through the sea—
Red-Haired Shanks stood at the prow, eyes sharp against the gleaming ocean.
Behind him, Benn Beckman looked uneasy.
"Boss, isn't it risky to intervene so openly?
After all, the Revolutionary Army declared full war this time."
Shanks smiled wryly.
"You don't get it, Beckman.
To keep the balance of the world intact,
we have no choice but to go."
He stared at the horizon, thoughts dark.
The Revolutionary Army has always worked from the shadows.
Why so radical now?
Have they truly gained enough strength?
Or… is someone else pulling the strings?
It was troubling.
And it spelled nothing but headaches ahead.
Still, Shanks knew—
he couldn't sit idly by.
———
Meanwhile, aboard another warship…
Blackbeard lounged at the stern, his crew drinking and laughing around him.
But his face was anything but relaxed.
He had just been forcibly drafted by the Navy to join their assault on the Revolutionary Army.
It disrupted his original plans completely.
Blackbeard tapped his fingers on the railing, thinking hard.
"Tch… The plan's been wrecked.
I was going to lure Pops into a trap… but maybe this isn't so bad."
His grin widened.
"With a battle this massive, he won't just sit on the sidelines."
He looked at his men—rowdy, careless idiots—and barked:
"Listen up, you lot!
Keep your eyes glued to the battlefield.
Focus on anyone—Navy or Revolutionary—with a Devil Fruit."
"This time, we change plans.
After this war, the whole world will split apart."
Burgess, chugging ale nearby, scratched his head in confusion.
"Captain, what about our plan to bust into Impel Down?"
Blackbeard laughed loudly, letting the sea breeze whip his coat.
"Forget it.
Times are changing too fast!
After this war—
the world itself will change!"
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
And somewhere in the distance, dark storm clouds began to gather over the New World.
———
Three days later...
The world watched with bated breath as the Navy's massive fleet surrounded the waters of Belmont Island.
But something felt... wrong.
There were no defensive lines.
No underwater traps.
Not even scouts lurking around the perimeter.
Nothing.
What the hell is going on here?
Where's their army?
Marshal Sengoku stood on the deck of the lead warship, arms crossed, his frown deepening with each passing second.
He issued steady instructions, keeping the fleet's slow advance measured and cautious.
"Report—!" a soldier called out, saluting sharply.
"No warships detected near Belmont Island! Only six looted vessels docked at the harbor!"
Sengoku's expression darkened.
"Scan again!" he barked.
"There's no way they're this unprepared!"
It was absurd.
Dragon had publicly declared his location days ago.
The Revolutionary Army had made no effort to hide.
And now... they were just sitting on the island?
———
Ten minutes later, the Navy fleet had closed the distance to within ten kilometers of Belmont's shores.
Still—no resistance.
No attacks.
Marshal Sengoku's face grew grimmer by the second.
Are they planning to fight us on land?
Or is this something else?
Next to him, Admiral Kizaru strolled up lazily, yawning.
"Marshal... want me to go scout ahead?
I'm fast enough that no one could catch me, hmm~?"
Sengoku hesitated.
Kizaru's speed was unparalleled—but sending him alone felt dangerous.
"No," Sengoku finally said, shaking his head.
"I have a bad feeling about this.
Send a squadron first.
We need more information before risking a top general."
RUMBLE—!
Suddenly, a low thunderous roar echoed from Belmont Island.
Everyone—Navy, pirates, and revolutionaries alike—snapped their heads toward the sound.
From miles away, even Shanks, Whitebeard, and other distant forces could see it.
A massive, sky-shielding tornado had erupted on the island.
It roared to life, tearing through the mountains with apocalyptic force.
One by one, the peaks surrounding Belmont were flattened into dust under the storm's fury.
Shock spread across the fleets.
"What the hell...?"
"Is the Revolutionary Army attacking their own island?!"
No one understood.
Why destroy their own defenses?
Why expose themselves so openly?
When the tornado finally settled, a dazzling golden light radiated from the heart of Belmont Island.
Through binoculars and telescopes, the leaders of each force glimpsed the unbelievable sight.
"That's... no ordinary palace..."
"An altar...?
Made entirely of gold?"
The Golden Altar towered tens of meters high, a shining monolith against the ruined landscape.
It was adorned with priceless jewels, shimmering in the sun.
At the very peak, laid out like an offering—
The Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi.
And beside her, a massive plate piled high with dozens of Devil Fruits.
———
On the deck of the Whitebeard Pirates' ship, Marco lowered his binoculars in horror.
"Old man! It's Princess Shirahoshi... she's going to be sacrificed!
And the Devil Fruits—they're using them too!"
For a split second, silence.
Then—
BOOM—!
Whitebeard slammed his bisento onto the deck, cracking the wood beneath him.
His face twisted into pure rage.
"WHAT?!"
"Neptune is an old friend of mine!!"
His voice thundered across the ship like a tsunami.
"Those damn Revolutionary bastards...
They've gone too far!!"
Veins bulged across his massive arms as his aura exploded outward, rocking the ship itself.
Without waiting for orders, Whitebeard turned toward his fleet.
"Full speed ahead!
Prepare for battle!
Even if it's the Revolutionary Army—
No one touches the mermaid princess while I still draw breath!"
The era of chaos was no longer approaching.
It was here.