MARINEFORD, THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE NAVY
THE OFFICE OF FLEET ADMIRAL SAKAZUKI Koby followed Vice Admiral Garp into the office of the Navy's red dog himself, saluting as he entered once the fleet admiral caught sight of them. "Garp, you aren't scheduled to report back in for another six weeks. This is highly unlike you." Sakazuki barked as he sat back in his chair. Koby trembled at the sight of the Admiral, the memory of the red dog executing a fellow marine for abandoning their position still fresh in his mind. He snuck a glance at Garp, who was the picture of carelessness as he sat across from Sakazuki, and Koby wondered how a man could be so at ease no matter what surrounded him. "I have news that I just couldn't do justice over a transponder snail, so I came to deliver it in person. It seems your rare moment of compassion for an enemy on Punk Hazard has led to a troublesome string of events." Garp informed his superior with a slight chuckle at the irony as he opened a bottle of liquor on Sakazuki's desk and helped himself to a generous amount. A snarl curled on the face of the fleet admiral before he finally responded. "So, Kuzan has finally reared his head. Where?!" "We received a distress call from the South Blue, so we headed over to investigate. By the time we arrived, the battle had long ended. The new post on Baterilla has been destroyed." Garp answered. "Aokiji has become a very foolish man since his resignation. There is a special level of hell in the great prison for men like him. Has there been any information on where he might be headed next?" Sakazuki said as he stood up. "No, but it looks like those celestial scumbags are going to have their worst fears come to life. The Blackbeard pirates are finally making their move across the seas. Teach wants to rule the world, he might finally have the power to do it." Garp chuckled to himself, amused at the turns the world had gone through since the days of Gol D. Roger. "I don't understand what you find so amusing in all of this, Vice Admiral sir." Koby whispered to Garp as they followed Sakazuki out of his office and through Navy headquarters. "No matter how hard we try to stop it, the age of pirates is shining brighter than ever before. We are on the cusp of an era unlike even the one spearheaded by Roger himself." Garp explained to the captain as they reached the bay of Marineford. "Thank you for the information Garp, you are dismissed. Captain Koby!" Growled Sakazuki, startling Koby as Garp headed back to his own ship. "Vice Admiral Smoker and his G-5 contingent are currently stationed near Black Drum Kingdom, I want you and a crew to set sail immediately and assist in the location and capture of former admiral Kuzan!" Koby saluted the fleet admiral before rushing off to prepare one of the Navy warships for departure, shocked and excited that Sakazuki had decided to put such faith in him. ISLE OF MAKAI, SOMEWHERE IN THE SOUTH BLUE A pair of Giants tore through the village of Makai as its citizens scurried through the streets seeking refuge from the assault. From a ship about seventy kilometers off the mainland King Wapol watched as the mercenaries he ordered from Buggy the Clown's service wreaked havoc on the island through a pair of binoculars. "Mahahahahaha! The clown warlord has his usefulness. With his mercenaries, the Black Drum Kingdom will cover all of the South Blue!" Wapol cackled as the ship drew closer to the isle of Makai. "Do not forget Wapol-san, that Doffy expects six hundred million berries in return for convincing Buggy to loan the giant warrior pirates to our cause." Queen Kinderella reminded her boastful husband. However, Wapol's spirits could not be doused as his dreams of reclaiming Drum Island were coming ever closer to fruition. "Once we rule Makai, we will repay Doflamingo with daily tributes from every citizen in the village!" Wapol declared as Kinderella jotted down the latest law created by the unruly king. "King Wapol sir, there seems to be something or someone pushing back against our forces!" One of the Black Drum soldiers cowered as he relayed the bad news to Wapol, afraid he may become the latest meal in the king's peculiar appetite. "Get us on the island now! Who's foolish enough to stand in my way!?" Wapol cried, outraged at the mere idea someone would stand in their path as they expanded their reach in the South Blue. Stansen and Road stood towering over the man who wiped out the group of Black Drum soldiers that had been supporting their incursion into the village. "You're a brave man. But bravery has never gotten anyone far against us." Road chuckled as he stepped towards their new adversary. "We represent Warlord Buggy's deliveries. You are standing in the way of our mission, and to fail our mission would be a stain on Buggy's reputation. Don't make us crush you to keep Buggy's name in good condition!" Stansen implored, readying his giant hammer for an attack. The man known across the seas as Aokiji didn't flinch as the pair of giants began to pace towards him. "Tell the clown he's overstepped his boundaries for the last time, and no amount of Navy support will save him." Kuzan replied flatly, barely paying the giants any attention. "His day's supporting pirates with his services end now." Road smirked, amused at the tiny man's brash warnings. With a burst of speed unnatural for any creature of his immense size, Road surged toward Aokiji, pulling his massive katanna from his hilt as he approached. He aimed a slash at Kuzan, but the effort was all for nothing as an ice figure identical to the man who created it replaced Aokiji, shattering on impact from Road's blade. Road and Stansen scanned the village for where the former admiral could have disappeared to, coming to the assumption that he fled from the battle. At that moment Road realized his blade was completely frozen to the ground as a layer of ice spread down the sword and to its shaft, freezing his hands in place as well! "Now if I were a far more vicious man, I'd have already shattered your hands. Instead, I'll repeat myself once again. Leave this island, and tell Buggy to shut down, permanently." Kuzan warned as he formed a sword of ice in one hand and a shield in the other. "Excuse me." Kuzan turned and increased the size of his shield as he blocked a swing from Stansen's hammer, much to the giant's shock. Aokiji quickly engulfed the hammer in ice before leaping towards it's wielder, smashing through the head of the weapon before smacking Stansen in the jaw with a Haki-infused kick. The giant dropped, shaking the village as he did so and unconscious before his head hit the ground. Road watched in utter awe, his jaw hanging open as Kuzan walked back over to him. "I won't be repeating myself again."Aokiji said as he peered over his sunglasses at the giant, who was now stiff as a board having witnessed the power of the former Admiral of the Navy first hand. "I'll make sure Warlord Buggy knows what you said, I promise!" Road stammered through clenched teeth, however Kuzan's attention was no longer on the pair of giants, but on the man he sensed approaching behind him. "Such parlor tricks should be beneath a man of your former rank." Kuzan looked over his shoulder to see the leader of CP0, Rob Lucci, leaning against what was left of a building. He was dressed in all white, a stark contrast to the colors he once wore under Cipher divisions 9 rank, his pigeon Hattori matching his master to the tee. "Come to sate your lust for battle Lucci?" Aokiji asked, amused slightly at the possibility of doing battle against a man with Rob Lucci's considerable reputation. "You won't find much left of one here." "I was on assignment nearby when I was instructed to investigate the situation here. But I wasn't expecting to find an Admiral. That is...something. You're defying the World Government just by pulling this stunt. But I don't have to explain those consequences, least of all to you." Lucci said as he approached Road, examining the giant before scoffing with amusement. "You should have put him out of his misery. Such weakness is a blight on the eyes." "While you're here I have a message for you to carry as well, since you're also so keen to be a government lap dog." Kuzan called to Lucci, who stopped in his tracks, a smirk on his face as he turned to face Aokiji. "Blackbeard is coming for your masters, and all of Mary Geoise. When the heavens are swallowed in darkness, what will be left to govern then?" Suddenly Lucci sprung at Aokiji, his Zoan fruit powers activating as he transformed into his leopard-hybrid stage and thrusting a finger pistol at the Aokiji's chest. Aokiji raised his ice shield just in time to protect himself, however a large chunk is taken out by the impact from Rob Lucci's blow. Lucci's hand began to freeze and he quickly leaped away from Kuzan, his own Haki reversing the effects of Aokiji's devil fruit. "The stain you have left on the reputation of the Navy has not gone unnoticed by your former peers. However, making yourself a distinct target of Cipher Pol Zero is overstepping a bit too far, even for you." Lucci warned as he reverted back to human form, Hattori flying back on to his shoulder as the brief exchange came to an end. "Take your next steps in the coming days wisely Kuzan, you don't want to lose another leg." And with that Lucci began to head back out of the village, leaving Aokiji alone with the defeated giants. On the docks of Makai village Wapol, Kinderella, and a fleet of Black Drum soldiers disembarked from his royal ship and prepared to assist the rest of their forces in seizing the island. "Kill anyone who defies me, this island is officially Black Drum Kingdom territory." Wapol yelled for anyone who cared to hear, planting his flag in the snowy land. Before his soldiers could begin marching forward, one by one every last member of Wapol's forces was frozen in a block of ice, including Queen Kinderella, much to the king's dismay! "Unthaw your people, get back on your boat, and never leave Black Drum again." Wapol turned to see Kuzan, now holding an axe made of ice against the block Kinderella was frozen inside. "Or do you need an example to get through that thick skull of yours?" Aokiji threatened with a sigh. Wapol immediately grabbed Kinderella and scurried on to the ship without another word, leaving behind his soldiers and beginning to set sail back to Black Drum kingdom without them. Rob Lucci watched the exchange between Kuzan and Wapol's forces before pulling out his transponder snail. "Inform Doflamingo his gamble did not pay off unfortunately." "Understood. Report back immediately, we have another assignment that needs your attention." The voice of Spandam echoed from the snail as Lucci curled a lip in disgust. He was not particularly enthused that he was still taking orders from such a worthless man, but he brushed these feelings aside for now. His mission in life was to serve dark justice, and no matter the obstacle he would do just that. AN UNDISCLOSED ISLAND SOMEWHERE IN THE NEW WORLD Rayleigh stepped off his small boat and onto the island, pulling his hood off his head just as he caught the sun reflecting off the steel of a pistol. "You gonna gun down a defenseless old man, Yasopp?" Rayleigh called out as he peered in the direction his Haki detected the shooter to be perched. "Don't give me that crap old man. You here to see the captain?" Yasopp cracked as he leaped out of a thicket of trees and landed near the man formerly known as the dark king. "Is he here? The man can never stay in one spot for very long unless he's drunk enough." Rayleigh said with a broad smile as Yasopp led him deeper on to the island. The Yonko known as Red Hair Shanks boastful laughed shook the birds from the tree's. He downed another bottle of whiskey before grabbing another, pouring his guest, the Warlord Dracule Mihawk a cup full before drinking from this bottle as well. "I can't believe you of all people decided to train someone. You've never been the guy to take anyone under their wing." Shanks teased, trying to get a reaction out of Mihawk. "The ambition shown by the boy you gave your hat too and his crewmates is something far too elemental to ignore. I have faith Roronoa Zoro will surpass me one day, something I will not give in to easily." "I'm happy to see the pair of you in the same place for once. Beginning to feel like the pair of you are myths more than men." Rayleigh said as he approached the rocks near the waterfall where the two men sat drinking. "Rayleigh! What brings you out here? Grab a cup!" Shanks said with a laugh, happy to see the man who was once the first mate on Gold Roger's ship. "I didn’t come all the way out here just to drink with you Shanks, but I won't say no either." Rayleigh said as the two greeted each other. "What did force the dark king to come out of hiding?" Mihawk said as he took a sip of his drink. "I'm sure you've heard about Blackbeard's declaration of war Mihawk, you are an extension of the Navy's power after all." Rayleigh remarked, much to Mihawk's displeasure. "Teach is an idiot, even with the powers he stole from Whitebeard, he won't overtake Mary Geiose. It isn't just impossible, it's inconceivable." Mihawk said, the very idea coming from his mouth ridiculous to him. "There is much Blackbeard has accomplished we thought wasn't possible. Aokiji himself has been attacking Navy outposts in the South Blue at Blackbeard's command. He's already made the first move, the world as we have known it could be in the throes of a great change." Rayleigh warned, this time looking to Shanks, whose demeanor had changed completely. He stood up, finishing the bottle before tossing it into the water behind him and throwing on his cape with the only arm he had left. "Let's go, we'll take my ship." Shanks said, a staunch determination in his words as he led the way toward his ship with Rayleigh nodding farewell to Mihawk before following after him. TO BE CONTINUED....SOON
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August 2019
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