The sky was a canvas of serene blue, the clouds resembling tightly packed cotton balls drifting lazily.
Above the clouds, an island floated in the air.
Sanders stood mid-air, his piercing gaze locked on the Red Line below. With a wave of his arm, the small ship anchored to the island slowly drifted away, hovering at a safe distance.
"Moa Moa no Mi: Tenfold Size!"
Placing his hand on the island, Sanders activated the power of the Momo-Momo Fruit.
In an instant, the previously modest island expanded rapidly, transforming into a massive floating landmass.
Feeling the strain on his stamina, Sanders frowned slightly.
Inflating an island, it seemed, was vastly different from enlarging something as simple as a cup.
Even with his current near-superhuman body, he could feel the energy drain. His mastery of the Momo-Momo Fruit allowed him to magnify the island tenfold, but pushing beyond that was beyond his capabilities—for now.
But this much was more than sufficient.
The impact of a falling meteorite could leave a colossal crater on land. An island's descent promised devastation beyond imagination.
However, Sanders was aware of one limitation.
Given his current altitude, simply releasing the island to let it free-fall wouldn't achieve the velocity of a meteor.
Fortunately, he possessed the power of the Gravity-Gravity Fruit.
As he deactivated the Float-Float Fruit, the island, now under the full influence of gravity, began to tremble violently.
And then it fell.
Just as it started plummeting, Sanders applied the Gravity-Gravity Fruit, drastically accelerating its descent.
The enormous island hurtled toward the Red Line, streaking downward like a massive meteor engulfed in flames due to air friction.
Hovering above, Sanders watched with cold indifference.
"Consider this my gift to you... swine."
Sanders was under no delusion that the island would annihilate the Celestial Dragons.
The World Government had ruled the seas for centuries. If they were so easy to topple, they would have long lost their self-proclaimed godhood.
This "island strike" served not just as vengeance but also as a test of the World Government's defensive measures.
"How will you handle this? The Ancient Weapon Uranus?" Sanders mused. "Or something else entirely?"
He floated downward through the clouds, watching as the once-clear skies grew ominously dark.
Thunderclouds gathered unnaturally, black as ink, and lightning writhed within them like restless serpents. The storm now loomed ominously over the Red Line.
If the island wasn't enough to deal with Figarland Meg, Sanders had a backup plan.
As the massive island descended, its fiery surface grew brighter, making it resemble a gigantic meteor blazing toward the Holy Land Mary Geoise.
In Mary Geoise, amidst the luxurious palaces of the Celestial Dragons, chaos had yet to erupt.
Within the depths of Pangaea Castle, in a dimly lit chamber, a shadowy figure resembling the owner of a certain pineapple under the sea stood silently before a giant straw hat.
At the exact moment the island began its descent, the figure's eyes flickered, glancing upward briefly before returning to the hat as though nothing of note had happened.
In another ornate room within the castle, the Five Elders—the highest governing authority of the World Government—gathered.
Some sat while others stood, discussing matters of grave importance.
Suddenly, all five froze. Their expressions darkened, and they simultaneously turned their gazes toward the heavens.
"Damn it!"
"Who dares?!"
The bald elder with the katana, clad in a white kimono, gripped his sword tightly, his pupils contracting with rage.
"Whoever it is, we'll deal with the threat first!"
Markas Mars Saint growled, his figure vanishing from the room in an instant.
The other four elders followed suit.
They reappeared moments later atop a building within Pangaea Castle.
Standing on the rooftop, all five of them gazed into the sky, their faces grim.
Their sudden appearance surprised many of the Celestial Dragons, as even among their own kind, the Five Elders held an unparalleled status.
Ordinary Celestial Dragons were nothing more than ants in their eyes.
"A falling island… if it's anyone, it must be Sanders," the bald elder, Nasjuron Saint, muttered darkly, gripping his katana as his face grew even more somber.
Although the island was still invisible to the naked eye in the sky, the Five Elders could already "see" what was about to happen. Though brief, the vision was crystal clear.
This was the ability of Observation Haki, allowing them to foresee the future.
"We should mobilize our forces and eliminate that man. Someone who can wield multiple Devil Fruit powers is far too dangerous to the World Government!"
"Talking about it won't solve the problem. Let's focus on how to deal with this situation first," said Vauchuli Saint, the bald elder with a mustache, his tone calm but tinged with urgency.
"Should we report this to Imu-sama?" Mars Saint asked.
"Imu-sama hasn't issued any directives regarding this matter. There's no need to bother Imu-sama over something like this," Nasjuro Saint replied firmly, his voice exuding confidence and authority.
"Does that brat, Sanders, really think a mere island is enough to destroy Mary Geoise?" Saturn Saint, leaning on his cane, sneered mockingly.
"Well, well, it seems you already know what's going on."
At that moment, a playful voice interrupted their conversation, reaching the ears of the Five Elders.
The source of the voice was an elderly man dressed in a black trench coat and wearing sunglasses, who suddenly appeared beside them.
The man carried a sword at his waist, and his white hair and beard formed a crescent moon shape, with sharp, pointed sideburns extending outward.
"Figarland Garling Saint!"
The bald Nasjuro Saint narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, glancing at the Holy Knights standing behind him.
"Didn't expect to see you here," Nasjuro commented coldly.
"If I hadn't come, Mary Geoise would already be on the verge of destruction," Figarland Garling Saint replied, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips as he looked up at the small dark dot forming in the sky.
"This mess was caused by your Figarland family, wasn't it?" Nasjuro Saint gestured at the growing spot in the sky with a hint of accusation in his tone.
"Sanders, is it? This is the doing of that little upstart, Meg," Figarland Garling Saint said, momentarily pausing before continuing.
He was aware of the rumors surrounding Sanders, the talented Marine defector, and the chaos he had unleashed.
Particularly after Sanders had defeated Whitebeard, criticism of the Figarland family from other Celestial Dragon families had intensified.
Thanks to the Figarland family, the other Celestial Dragons now found it far too dangerous to leave the Holy Land.
"Still, he defeats Whitebeard yet doesn't dare storm into Mary Geoise. Should I call that caution? Or cowardice?" Garling Saint said, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Sanders!"
His sharp gaze locked onto the sky as though piercing through the island, the clouds, and everything else to confront Sanders himself.
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T/N:
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