This is a pivotal event that will unfold in the future.
As Bacardi Maude spoke slowly, everything became as clear as the veins on a leaf.
Law finally understood the direction Maude had been gazing at all this time.
It was—a road paved with blood and bones.
By then, countless lives would become nothing more than cold numbers.
But so what?
Law didn't care at all.
He stood alone in the room, silently staring at the tightly shut door.
"During this unprecedented war… let's deal with Doflamingo…"
Maude's departing words echoed in his mind. Law's arm tensed slightly, causing the sheath of Kikoku to press deeper into his clothes.
A cold glint slowly surfaced in his eyes as he looked toward the door.
...
Sabaody Archipelago, Marine Branch.
It was mealtime.
Commodore Franks Aiden, the officer in charge of the Sabaody Archipelago Marine Branch, sat at the dining table with a sorrowful face.
The table was filled with delectable dishes, most of them his favorite, yet he had little appetite.
The reason?
It wasn't the worries of middle age.
It was the return of that monster.
"Sigh."
Commodore Aiden sighed heavily, slowly putting down his knife and fork. He leaned his forehead against his hand, fingers habitually rubbing the half-missing eyebrow.
Bang!
Suddenly, the door was forcefully pushed open.
His adjutant, wearing a Marine cap, rushed into the room with a panicked expression.
The abrupt commotion made Commodore Aiden's elbow slip, filling him with a sense of foreboding even before the adjutant could speak.
The adjutant's next words confirmed his fears.
"C-Commodore Aiden… M-Maude…"
"What!?"
Commodore Aiden abruptly stood up, eyes widening as he stared at his adjutant.
The adjutant froze, thinking to himself, I haven't even finished my sentence…
Realizing his own overreaction, Commodore Aiden coughed lightly, slowly sat back down, and took a sip of water.
The adjutant hesitated before continuing, "Uh… Commodore Aiden, do you already know what I'm about to report?"
"I don't." Commodore Aiden frowned, holding the cup. "Go on. It's not like it's going to be good news anyway."
The adjutant forced a bitter smile, straightened his posture, and reported in a low voice, "One hour ago, the recently arrived Supernova, Scratchmen Apoo, was killed by Maude…"
"…"
Commodore Aiden nodded expressionlessly.
News like this was well within his expectations.
He had long since abandoned any thoughts of snatching prey from Maude.
As for the whispers and criticism from the populace, he couldn't care less.
The adjutant continued, "And just now, Maude brought Scratchmen Apoo's corpse to our branch…"
Crack!
The sound of a glass shattering echoed.
...
Reception Room.
Maude sat on the sofa, tilting his head as he gazed at the vaguely familiar Marine officer before him.
That officer was none other than the hastily arrived Commodore Aiden.
Despite being the highest-ranking officer in the branch, Commodore Aiden appeared meek and nervous in front of Maude.
Maude had come to the Sabaody Marine Branch specifically to request information on the whereabouts of other Supernovas, while also exchanging Scratchmen Apoo's corpse for the corresponding bounty.
Normally, exchanging pirate corpses for bounties required a complex process.
However, Maude had special privileges, allowing him to bypass the red tape and receive his reward quickly.
Even so, gathering over a hundred million beri in funds still required some time.
Maude wasn't in a hurry. He quietly observed Commodore Aiden, unconsciously estimating how much experience the commodore would yield if killed.
There was a hint of malice in his gaze.
Commodore Aiden's back tensed as if needles were pricking him. He kept his head down, not daring to meet Maude's eyes.
Ten minutes later, a Marine officer entered the room carrying a case of money.
With the money in hand, Commodore Aiden finally felt some relief, hoping the menace before him would leave quickly.
Maude took the case but made no move to leave. Instead, he calmly looked at Commodore Aiden.
"By the way, what's your name again?"
"Uh?"
Commodore Aiden froze, unable to respond immediately.
Maude weighed the case in his hand, then lost interest. "Forget it. I need information on the Supernovas' movements. You can get your hands on that, right?"
"…"
Commodore Aiden's breath caught in his throat.
If wishes could come true, he would have sliced Maude into a thousand pieces right then and there.
Half an hour later, Maude received the intelligence.
Among the remaining Supernovas—excluding Scratchmen Apoo, Jewelry Bonney, and Urouge—the crew closest to Sabaody Archipelago was none other than the Straw Hat Pirates, whose reputation had been soaring recently.
"Looks like we'll meet again."
Maude murmured to himself, staring at the intelligence report.
...
Two days later.
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's Office.
Bang!
Fleet Admiral Sengoku slammed the table heavily, veins bulging at the corners of his eyes behind his glasses.
As the Marine Fleet Admiral, he rarely lost his composure like this.
"How did the news leak?"
His sharp gaze pinned down the bowl-cut Marine officer in charge of intelligence.
The oppressive aura made the officer struggle to breathe.
The officer's lips trembled, unable to answer.
From his position, the information had been sealed tightly.
Yet somehow, the news of Fire Fist Ace's capture had spread across the entire world in an instant.
If that were all, it would have been manageable.
But someone—some damn bastard—had embellished the story, revealing that Fire Fist Ace was the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger.
What nonsense.
The officer cursed silently.
However, what he didn't know was that Sengoku's anger wasn't just about the leak of Ace's capture—but the revelation of his bloodline.
Only a handful of people knew that secret.
With the Golden Lion Shiki's return to the seas, the leak of such sensitive information at this critical juncture made Sengoku's mind race.
Who could it be?
Sengoku's brow furrowed as familiar faces flashed through his mind.
None of them seemed like the culprit.
Moments later, Sengoku dismissed the intelligence officer, plunging the office into dead silence.
Vice Admiral Tsuru entered the office.
Sengoku glanced at her, then waved for the officer to leave.
Standing quietly, Tsuru watched the officer depart before turning to Sengoku.
"What will you do?" she asked calmly.
"Execute Fire Fist Ace ahead of schedule."
Sengoku rubbed his temple, unable to hide the worry on his face.
Summoning the world's elite to Marineford wasn't something that could be done overnight.
Moreover, such a significant execution needed to be publicly announced to the entire world.
Even if it gave the Whitebeard Pirates time to prepare, so be it.
Tsuru's expression remained placid. "Start by summoning the Seven Warlords."
Sengoku nodded grimly.
Ironically, his greatest concern at the moment wasn't the Whitebeard Pirates—but the long-absent Golden Lion Shiki.
Suddenly, piercing alarms echoed across Marine Headquarters.
Boom!
A deafening explosion shook the entire base.
Both Sengoku and Tsuru's eyes sharpened.
-------
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parenthesis ( )]
There are more than 400 advance chapters available for you!