New World – Egghead Island
Inside the futuristic laboratory, Buggy and his crew sat on the ground, their gazes fixed on the large screen as Dr. Vegapunk pointed to a flashing message.
"Look here," Vegapunk began, adjusting his glasses. "A fleet is approaching—dozens of nautical miles away. At their current speed, they'll arrive shortly. As far as I can tell, news of my contact with you hasn't leaked yet." His expression darkened. "That means they likely don't know you're waiting to ambush them. So… what's our next move?"
Buggy and his crew studied the screen. From the images captured beneath the sea, a total of ten warships were visible—an exact match to the Celestial Dragons' fleet that Morgans had warned them about.
Buggy raised a hand, signaling for silence. Instead of answering immediately, he reached for a Den Den Mushi and made a call.
"Hello? Kaku?" Buggy spoke casually. "They just landed on the island today, right?"
"Yes, Captain," Kaku's voice came through. "They should have just arrived in the Flower Capital."
"Got it."
Click.
Buggy hung up. Buggy's eyes gleamed as he turned to Blueno. "Go back and get Enel and the others ready. Pick them up, and while you're at it, have Uta prepare for a concert. Over the next two days, you'll escort our 'guests' around the empire—make sure they eat, drink, and enjoy themselves." His grin widened. "Our Imperial Government will give them the vacation of a lifetime."
Blueno smirked. "Understood."
A few minutes later, a familiar crunch echoed through the room as Enel, Dragon, Hancock, Shirahoshi, and the others stepped into the laboratory.
By now, nearly every major cadre of the Buggy Pirates was present—except for Zephyr and Blueno, who were keeping Garp and his group occupied, and Doringo, who was already en route to the New World to track down Silver Axe's black ship.
Vegapunk couldn't help but be impressed by Buggy's speed and coordination.
Buggy swept his gaze over the assembled crowd, his lips curling into a smirk. "Alright, everyone. One last time—let's go over the situation." His voice carried through the room. "The Knights of God, fresh from their battle with Red-Hair, and Saturn, one of the Five Elders, are heading toward Egghead Island."
The air in the lab turned heavy.
Dragon and the Buggy's crew members inhaled sharply.
Realization dawned, and Hancock's heart pounded with excitement. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined this day would come—a battle against the Celestial Dragons.
Her gaze burned with admiration as she looked at Buggy. I truly followed the right man.
Sensing her intense stare, Buggy simply flashed a grin before turning back to the room. His voice rang out with confidence:
"Alright, it looks like everyone gets it now!" He raised a fist. "Before we begin, we need a name for this operation."
A sharp glint flickered in his eyes.
"From this moment on, our mission is called—The Drums of Liberations!"
"OOOHHHH!!!"
Gabban, Bullet, and the others roared in excitement.
The battle against the Celestial Dragons was about to begin.
Buggy raised his hand and pressed down slightly, and the room immediately fell silent. His voice carried the weight of command as he spoke.
"Enel, your primary mission this time isn't to fight," he stated firmly. "I want you to block all signals within a hundred-kilometer radius when the battle begins. Can you do it?"
Although Enel looked somewhat displeased at being sidelined from combat, his expression quickly turned serious.
"Leave it to me, Captain!" he declared. "Not a single signal will get through, and not one of their rescue ships will escape!"
"Good." Buggy nodded in satisfaction before turning his gaze to Shirahoshi, Sunbell, and Jinbei.
"The three of you won't be fighting either," he continued. "Shirahoshi, I need you to command the Sea Kings and declare the waters within a hundred kilometers of Egghead Island off-limits. Any ship that refuses to heed the warning—sink it."
Shirahoshi gulped but nodded determinedly.
"As for Sunbell and Jinbei, once the battle starts, your job is to destroy the Celestial Dragons' fleet, leaving them stranded with no way to retreat. After that, spread out—each of you will hold position in three different directions around the island to prevent any unforeseen interference."
"Understood, Dragon!" Sunbell said with a grin.
"I'll do my best, Buggy!" Jinbei added solemnly.
With that settled, Buggy turned to the rest of the assembled fighters, a confident smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Now, for the main event," he declared. "I'll personally take on the Five Elders. Saint Figarland Garling of the Knights of God—Gabban, he's yours."
Gabban cracked his knuckles, grinning.
"If the Knights of God have the hidden Admiral-level combat power that Shanks warned us about," Buggy continued, "then Dragon, Bullet, and Hancock will engage them. The remaining six members of the Knights of God will be dealt with by Hancock, Juan, Crocodile, Hawk, Snake, Yamato, and Lucci.
"Hancock, you're our wild card. If they have only two Admirals, we follow the original plan. But if there are five, we switch to Plan B.
"As for the remaining CP members, I'll leave them to Kalifa, Kumadori, and Moria.
"Enel's thunderclaps will be our signal. After the third thunderclap—sink their ships. And then…" His smirk widened. "The real fun begins."
"Understood!" the crew responded in unison, their voices brimming with anticipation.
Without wasting another moment, Sunbell, Jinbei, and Shirahoshi departed to carry out their tasks. Enel transformed into a bolt of lightning and shot into the sky.
Buggy and the rest remained in the laboratory, watching the enemy fleet steadily approach on the monitors.
At that moment, Vegapunk, visibly uneasy, broke the silence.
"Buggy…" he said hesitantly. "Earlier, you mentioned that the Knights of God might have two or three Admiral-level combatants. Is that true?" His voice wavered slightly. "If we exclude Figarland Garling, that would mean there are four Admirals within the nine-member order. And if you add in a Five Elder, that brings the count to five Admiral-level threats.
"And that's not even considering the hidden forces the Celestial Dragons have stationed on the Red Line… If Saturn is also at Admiral level, then wouldn't that suggest the other Four Elders are just as strong?"
His face paled as the implications sank in. For a man as intelligent as Vegapunk, the thought of facing such overwhelming power was terrifying.
Buggy, however, simply grinned.
"Scared, old man?" he asked, amusement lacing his tone.
Vegapunk swallowed hard.
"Terrified."
Buggy chuckled. "Good. That means you understand just how much fun this is gonna be."
Buggy smirked at Vegapunk's words, shaking his head in mild amusement.
"Old man, you can't be this naïve, can you? The World Government has ruled for eight hundred years—if they didn't have this level of strength, they would've been overthrown long ago. Don't be fooled by those pig-like Celestial Dragons. They are what they are because their power is absolute.
"In this world, dominance isn't built on diplomacy or ideals—it's built on overwhelming force. Do you think peace comes when each country has enough resources? That's nothing more than a fairytale. Take a good look at how we handle this battle. Think of it as a mere appetizer before the true world war begins."
"If everything goes according to plan, we might buy ourselves some time."
Vegapunk studied Buggy, his brows furrowing. "Buy time? What else are you planning?"
Buggy simply grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. "That's a secret. But don't worry—when the time comes, the whole world will know."
New World—Crimson Empire
Thanks to Morgans and his underground network, the live broadcast of Uta's concert finally began, illuminating the central stage of the Adam Palace Group. Across the world, Den Den Mushi screens flickered to life, transmitting the event in real time.
Even in Elbaf, the Red Hair Pirates—still recovering from their last battle—stood gathered before a live Den Den Mushi, forming an impromptu support group. Behind them, the towering giants of Elbaf watched curiously, their massive frames silhouetted against the sky.
On stage, Uta smiled, her voice carrying effortlessly through the speakers.
"This next song is something I wrote after coming to the Crimson Empire," she announced. "I call it… 'New Era.'"
Then, she began to sing.
Her voice, empowered by the Sing-Sing Fruit, transcended mere melody—it was ethereal, a sound so pure and uplifting that it resonated like the voice of the heavens themselves. In a world ravaged by chaos, her song was a soothing balm, a warm spring cutting through the cold.
Across the seas, countless people paused to listen, finding within the song a renewed will to live.
Even at the Flower Capital's grand hotel, where Garp and his companions indulged in a lavish feast, the atmosphere shifted. The once-lively chatter faded as they became entranced by the music.
From the streets below, joyous cheers rose in harmony with Uta's song. The people of the Crimson Empire sang and danced, their spirits unburdened, their world untouched by war.
"Peace is a beautiful thing," Sengoku murmured, gazing out the window at the revelry below.
"Yeah," Zephyr agreed, his expression solemn yet warm. "Never in my lifetime did I think I'd witness a place like this—a country where giants, fish-men, minks, even those half-beast Zoan users, all live side by side without discrimination.
"It feels like a dream."
He sighed, placing a hand over his chest. "If I can dedicate the rest of my life to protecting this place, I'll die with no regrets."
A rare silence fell over the table. Even Garp, usually lost in his food, set down his chopsticks for a moment, listening.
"Peace," Kizaru echoed softly, his usual nonchalant demeanor giving way to something more reflective.
Egghead Island – Inside the Laboratory
Vegapunk paced back and forth, deep in thought. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he leaped onto the experiment table, drawing the stunned gazes of his five avatars. He met Buggy's eyes with an uncharacteristically solemn expression before addressing everyone in the room.
"Since you're truly determined to sever ties with the Celestial Dragons and make an enemy of the entire world… then, while we have no time left, I'll tell you what I know. The reason why the World Government wants me dead. The truth I've uncovered."
His voice carried an undeniable weight.
"Well?" He tilted his head slightly. "Are you interested?"
The room fell silent.
A near-audible swish echoed through the lab as every head—including Buggy's—snapped toward Vegapunk. The answer was written all over their faces: We're very interested. Get on with it.
Vegapunk cast a glance at the screen, where the Celestial Dragons' fleet was steadily approaching. His voice lowered, but his words carried immense gravity.
"The reason the World Government has sent such an overwhelming force to eliminate me… is because I've uncovered fragments of the Void Century's history."
The tension in the room thickened instantly.
Vegapunk continued, his tone growing darker.
"Not only that—I have also uncovered secrets about the Celestial Dragons and the Twenty Kings who founded the World Government."
The air seemed to still.
Everyone in the room leaned in, their anticipation palpable.
Vegapunk let out a slow breath before continuing, his voice steady.
"Everyone here knows that among the Twenty Kings who established the World Government, one royal family did not relocate to Mariejois to become Celestial Dragons."
Crocodile's sharp gaze flickered with recognition. "Yeah. The royal family of Alabasta. The Neferutali clan."
"Correct."
Vegapunk nodded, his expression grim.
"Based on the Poneglyphs we've managed to study across the world, there's strong evidence to suggest that Queen Neferutali Lili, the ruler at the time, was the one who scattered those records. Her purpose?"
He paused.
"To preserve the truth of the Void Century. To ensure history was not forgotten. And more importantly—to expose a reality the world has never known."
A silence heavier than steel filled the lab.
"She wanted the world to understand something terrifying," Vegapunk said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"That the so-called Empty Throne—the one that symbolizes the absence of a supreme ruler—has never been empty. Not once. For eight hundred years, a single person has ruled the world from the shadows."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
"What!?"
Gasps filled the air. Expressions of disbelief, horror, and shock flashed across every face except for one—Buggy's.
"Vegapunk… do you even understand what you're saying?"
"That's impossible!"
"No one can live for eight hundred years!"
"Wait." Law's wavered. "The Op-Op Fruit—isn't its ultimate ability the Immortality Operation? Could that be…?"
"If someone has been sitting on that Empty Throne for eight centuries…" Crocodile muttered, his face darkening. "Then that's not just terrifying. That's the most dangerous being in history."
"Vegapunk." Law swallowed hard. "Then tell us. Who is it? Who has ruled the world for centuries?"
Vegapunk took a deep breath, his voice steady but heavy.
"If my research is accurate, they belong to the Nerona family…"
Before he could finish, Buggy spoke.
His voice was calm, almost indifferent, but it sent chills through the room.
"Nerona Imu."
Swish.
All eyes turned toward Buggy in unison.
Vegapunk's expression was frozen in shock. "You know!?"
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