The raid on Navy Headquarters unfolded on a sweltering day, with the midday sun blazing down on the glimmering sea.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku sat reviewing reports when a frantic marine burst through the door. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Sengoku frowned at the marine's haste. "Why the panic? Calm down, soldier."
Breathing heavily, the marine managed to stammer, "A Vice Admiral's warship... it was just hijacked! As soon as it passed through the Gate of Justice, we received a distress signal! They're requesting immediate support!"
"Hijacked? In the triangular current?" Sengoku's eyes narrowed, the surprise evident in his voice.
Everyone knew that the waters between Navy Headquarters, Impel Down, and Enies Lobby were treacherous, governed by a special current that could trap ships indefinitely. If the Gate of Justice wasn't opened by one of the three institutions, any ship caught in the current would be endlessly pulled in circles, unable to escape.
"This is absurd," Sengoku muttered angrily. "Who would have the audacity to hijack a warship in such a place?"
The marine hesitated for a moment, then delivered the news, "It's the legendary pirate... Golden Lion Shiki!"
The name hit Sengoku like a thunderbolt, his expression hardening instantly.
Just a few days ago, the Navy had reissued a bounty for Shiki. Sengoku hadn't anticipated that the infamous pirate would show up so boldly at their doorstep. Gritting his teeth, he tried to contain his rising anger. "Shiki, huh? If it's him, I can believe it. But what is his objective?"
Sengoku's mind flashed back to ten years prior. Shiki had stormed Naval Headquarters back then, enraged that Gol D. Roger had been captured by the Marines. Of course, what Shiki hadn't known at the time was that Roger had surrendered willingly, not captured by force. Nonetheless, Shiki's fury led him to singlehandedly attack the base, causing havoc.
The marine spoke cautiously, interrupting Sengoku's thoughts. "He... he said we Marines are too arrogant... and that he didn't have enough fun the last time. He's here to teach you and Vice Admiral Garp a lesson. He also brought a video den den mushi... and he's planning to broadcast the entire thing to the world..."
Bang!
Sengoku's fist slammed into his desk, splintering it into shards. His face twisted in fury. "That damn Shiki! He thinks he can waltz in and make a mockery of us again? I'll deal with him myself!"
Rising from his seat with determination, Sengoku stormed out of the office, his voice echoing with authority. "Notify Garp immediately! We're going to put an end to this madness!"
As the marine scrambled to follow orders, Sengoku's mind was already racing with plans. This time, Shiki wouldn't leave Naval Headquarters alive.
When Sengoku, Garp, and their team arrived at the inner bay of Marineford, they were greeted by an extraordinary sight. A colossal warship, over 160 meters long, hovered upside down above the port. The ship's deck faced downward, suspended by an unseen force.
Vice Admiral Onigumo and his crew were tightly bound, floating beneath the warship's deck with their heads pointed down toward the sea, held in place by the powers of the Float-Float Fruit. Above them, standing with arms folded and an arrogant grin, was none other than Golden Lion Shiki.
"Jiehahaha! Long time no see, Sengoku! Garp! I hope you're not too comfortable sitting at the top!"
Garp's expression turned grim. "Shiki, you bastard! You managed to escape Impel Down, and now you come here to cause more trouble?"
Garp's tone was serious. Shiki, once a member of the infamous Rocks Pirates and later the captain of the Sky Pirates, was a fearsome pirate, regarded as an equal to Whitebeard and Roger in their heyday. With his Float-Float Fruit, Shiki was capable of bending the battlefield to his will.
A pirate of his caliber was a problem for any era.
Sengoku's voice was cold and firm. "Your time has long passed, Shiki."
"Hmph," Shiki smirked, unimpressed. "You've changed since becoming Fleet Admiral, Sengoku." With a wave of his finger, the massive warship began to descend, hurtling toward the port, along with Vice Admiral Onigumo and his tied-up crew.
"Aren't you looking for me? You placed out a new bounty on me! Well, here I am! And I've brought gifts, Jiehahahaha!"
With a deafening crash, the warship shattered upon impact, breaking into splintered wreckage and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Soldiers scrambled as debris scattered across the square in front of the port.
Sengoku removed his Cloak of Justice, his expression set in stone, while Garp casually tore off his shirt, revealing his muscular frame.
"A repeat of 10 years ago?" Garp grinned, brimming with excitement. "When we lock you up this time, will you cut off your arms now to escape again?"
Sengoku's body began to expand, glowing with a radiant light. In an instant, he transformed into his Golden Buddha form, the brilliance of the Buddha's light flooding the battlefield. The ground shook beneath the sheer pressure of his power.
Shiki laughed wildly. "Jiehahaha! Who said I came alone?" He turned his gaze upward and shouted into the sky. "Come on, you b*****ds! Are you just going to watch me fight alone, or are you going to make your grand entrance?"
Sengoku and Garp's eyes narrowed, their expressions darkening. The Vice Admirals standing nearby immediately focused their Observation Haki into the sky, scanning for threats.
Suddenly, two dark silhouettes plummeted from the heavens like meteors. Their large, black wings flared out as they descended rapidly toward Sengoku and Garp, their speed cutting through the air with violent force.
"It's the Earthly Branches!" Garp exclaimed, his eyes wide in shock.
Sengoku's gaze locked onto one of them. "Weiyang… but who's the other one!?"
Without hesitation, Weiyang transformed into his own Golden Buddha, mimicking Sengoku's power, and lunged forward with a massive punch.
"Shockwave!" Sengoku retaliated, and the two golden giants clashed in a blinding explosion of light. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the port, tearing up the ground, smashing buildings, and sending marines flying.
Amidst the chaos, Garp's attention shifted to the second Earthly Branch, his face frozen in disbelief. Standing before him was a boy of about ten years old, but there was something disturbingly familiar about him.
It was him. A clone of Garp himself, from his childhood.
"My name's Chou!" the young clone declared with a wicked grin. "Let's see if you can handle your younger self, old man!"
Before Garp could react, Chou's fist, crackling with Conqueror's Haki, shot toward him like a cannonball.
"Galaxy Impact!"
In an instant, Garp snapped out of his shock and matched the attack, his own Conqueror's Haki enveloping his fist as he countered with the same devastating punch.
Boom!
The two fists collided with earth-shattering force. The impact destroyed everything within a few hundred meters, reducing the port to rubble. Shockwaves rolled across the bay, and the once peaceful harbor was now a battlefield of monsters.
As Garp struggled to withstand the impact, his mind raced. "I've been cloned…"
The realization sent a chill through him. His clone, though young, had the strength of Garp in his prime.
In the sky above Marineford, Golden Lion Shiki spread his arms wide and cackled with unrestrained glee. "This is... incredible! With this kind of power, why not just change the plan? Let's wipe Marineford off the map! Jiehahahahaha!" His laughter echoed across the battlefield, a chilling declaration of destruction.
Suddenly, a figure shot up from the ground, soaring toward Shiki with blinding speed. Before the pirate could react, a pitch-black fist, radiating immense Armament Haki, crashed into the side of Shiki's face. The impact was devastating—Shiki's face caved in on the left side, his eye bulging grotesquely as the force sent him hurtling through the sky.
Boom! Shiki smashed into the square below, cracking the ground beneath him. He quickly rose, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with a sneer. His eyes darkened as he recognized his attacker.
"Haven't you retired after pirates killed your wife and kids? Jiehahaha! Former Marine Admiral, Zephyr!" Shiki's words dripped with cruelty, hoping to strike a nerve.
Zephyr, unfazed, stood tall with an unshaken expression. "I may have retired, Shiki, but I'm not dead yet. And if you think Marineford's going to fall today, you're out of your damn mind."
Zephyr, known as Black Arm, stepped forward with a fierce determination. His right arm, coated in Armament Haki, gleamed in the sunlight as he walked toward Shiki. The former admiral's upper body was bare, his cloak of justice draped over his muscular frame, a symbol of his unwavering strength.
Meanwhile, inside Marineford's staff office, Vice Admiral Tsuru sat calmly behind her desk, listening to the chaotic reports flooding in.
"...That's the situation," a subordinate finished. "Admiral Zephyr, Vice Admiral Garp, and Fleet Admiral Sengoku are currently engaged in battle with Golden Lion Shiki and the two Earthly Branches at the port. One of them appears to be a clone of Vice Admiral Garp."
Tsuru's brow furrowed as she processed the information. "A clone of Garp? When did this happen?"
Her mind raced, piecing together the puzzle. "A ten-year-old clone… no, that doesn't make sense. Cloning technology from the World Government can accelerate growth. With enough resources, clones can mature rapidly, even at a ratio of 1:3. If this is true, then Edie's technology surpasses Vegapunk's."
She leaned back, her face contemplative. "Nearly two years ago… was it during the last Buster Call naval battle?"
Just then, the door to her office creaked open, interrupting her thoughts. A voice spoke from the entrance.
"Yes, during the last Buster Call."
Tsuru's head shot up in surprise, recognizing the familiar tone. The staff officer standing beside her turned toward the door, his face reflecting her confusion.
"Momousagi!" he blurted, astonished.
"Momousagi?" Tsuru's eyes narrowed as she saw Vice Admiral Gion, also known as Momousagi, standing before her. But something was wrong. Her aura… felt off.
Tsuru's sharp gaze caught a flicker of red light from the corner of her eye. In the next instant, the staff officer beside her collapsed, unconscious, before he even realized what had happened.
"You're not Gion," Tsuru said, her voice steady but sharp, her observation Haki confirming her suspicion. "That girl doesn't have Conqueror's Haki and such a dangerous aura."
The figure before her let out a sly chuckle, and Gion's form began to shift. Her features blurred, transforming into the unmistakable face of Edie.
"Smart as always, Tsuru," Edie said smoothly, settling into the chair across from her. He crossed his legs nonchalantly, smiling as if they were old friends catching up.
"I originally wanted to bring Gion here to see you herself, but she's a bit... reluctant to leave my care," Edie remarked, his smile widening. "Rest assured, she's doing well at the Hive. She's happy."
Tsuru sighed, her tone calm but carrying a heavy weight. "When I found out Gion had become a 'traitor,' I was disappointed. The government altered her wanted order to 'capture alive' because of the influence of people like me and Garp. That girl was a victim of circumstance."
Edie's expression softened, his smile laced with amusement. "Don't worry, she's quite content. She's living well, and her talents are being put to good use."
Tsuru leaned forward, her sharp eyes locked on Edie's. "So, today's attack on Marineford… that's your doing, isn't it?"
Though it wasn't framed as a question, Edie tilted his head, his expression playful. He didn't need to answer. It was obvious. Only someone like him could work with Shiki and command the Earthly Branches.
After a brief pause, Tsuru's voice hardened, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. "What do you want, Edie? What's your endgame, great scientist?"
Edie's smile grew wider, the gleam in his eyes hinting at the dangerous intellect lurking beneath the surface. "Ah, Tsuru… it's always about the bigger picture, isn't it?"