The shrine atop the Red Line gleamed brightly against the night sky. In a world where electricity was a rare and precious resource, the lights of Mariejois never dimmed.
For the Celestial Dragons, even the most mundane luxuries came at the expense of others. In this case, countless slaves toiled relentlessly, generating energy to illuminate the Holy Land's nights.
To Edie, however, this method of power generation was utterly crude—worse than wind power, he thought with disdain.
Turning to Golden Lion Shiki, Edie broke the silence. "You should prepare."
Shiki grinned, pulling out a transponder snail. "Heh, no need to remind me!" He brought the snail's receiver to his lips, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Indigo, are you ready?"
A crackling response came through. "Kalkal… ready as ever, Captain Shiki."
"Jiehahaha!" Shiki's laughter echoed, filled with anticipation. "Then prepare to launch!"
With a sweep of his claw-like hand, Shiki summoned his powers. The floating island above Mariejois shuddered as a massive chunk of earth was torn away, breaking off in a thunderous roar.
The detached section—a lush forest brimming with ferocious beasts—began its controlled descent toward the Holy Land below. Over 3,000 wild beasts, each a living nightmare, hurtled toward the Celestial Dragons' estates, guided by Shiki's precise manipulation of its trajectory.
From the edge of the island, Edie watched silently as chaos began to unfold. Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward, his figure vanishing into the night as he descended toward the battlefield below.
Kaido's Descent
Far ahead of Edie, Kaido's massive form pierced the sky, a living meteor of destruction heading straight for Pangaea Castle. The wind roared past him, but to Kaido, it was a soothing melody. He felt nothing but calm as he approached the epicenter of the World Government.
Memories of his past flickered through his mind—his youth as the strongest warrior of the Vodka Kingdom, his betrayal at the hands of his king, and his first bounty as a fugitive. Even then, the Marines had failed to contain him. They were fools, selling him out to the World Government for the illusion of power at the Reverie.
And now, decades later, he was here to repay the favor.
"The so-called 'Immortal' Saint Imu," Kaido muttered, his voice dripping with scorn. "A king of the world who hides in the shadows? Let me shatter that fragile illusion of yours!"
Kaido smirked. To him, Imu was no king. Rocks D. Xebec had been closer to that title, though even Rocks had ultimately fallen. Now, it was Kaido's time. And if anyone else deserved the title of "king of the world," it was Edie in his view.
The Five Elders? Insects.
Bang
Kaido crashed into the dense green forest near Pangaea Castle with earth-shattering force. The ground beneath him exploded on impact, creating a massive crater in his likeness. Dust and debris rose into the air, obscuring the moonlight.
Kaido stood, unscathed, his towering figure radiating an aura of pure menace. Around him, the Holy Land guards rushed toward the disturbance, their whale-oil lamps swaying in the dark.
"What the…?" one guard stammered, his face pale.
"It fell from the sky!" another shouted, his rifle trembling in his hands.
The soldiers gathered around the edge of the pit, their weapons trained on the shadowy figure rising from within.
A massive hand gripped the edge, and Kaido pulled himself out, his enormous frame dwarfing the terrified guards.
"K-Kaido of the Beasts!" someone screamed.
The name alone sent waves of terror rippling through the ranks. Memories of Fisher Tiger's rebellion years ago came flooding back, but this was different. This was worse.
"Sound the alarm! Shoot!" a squad leader barked while holding an Ak-47.
Gunfire erupted, bullets tearing through the air and striking Kaido. Yet, the metal projectiles bounced harmlessly off his skin, clinking to the ground.
Amused, Kaido glanced at the rifles in their trembling hands and let out a low chuckle. "Oh, these toys?" He smirked, recognizing them as weapons he himself had once sold on the black market. "You're trying to kill me with my own creations? Pathetic."
Taking a deep breath, Kaido's voice exploded into a thunderous roar. "The war has begun, Celestial Dragons!!"
The roar was followed by a wave of Conqueror's Haki, sweeping across the Holy Land like an unstoppable tide. Soldiers collapsed instantly, their bodies crumpling to the ground as their eyes rolled back. The few who remained conscious trembled, unable to move.
Kaido's body began to shift, growing impossibly larger as he transformed into his Azure Dragon form. His serpentine body coiled through the air, blotting out the stars with his immense size.
"Boro Breath!"
His dragon's maw opened wide, glowing with an intense, fiery light. A massive blast of flames erupted, his Dragon's Breath tearing through Mariejois in an instant.
Pangaea Castle, the pride of the World Government, was ripped apart by the sheer force of Kaido's attack. Half of the castle crumbled into rubble, engulfed in flames. Hundreds of soldiers and three Celestial Dragons were reduced to ash in the inferno. The blast continued, carving a fiery path across the Holy Land and leaving destruction in its wake for several kilometers.
Mariejois in Chaos
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
The blaring sirens broke the stunned silence, jolting the Holy Land into motion. Soldiers scrambled, Cipher Pol agents emerged from the shadows, and the once-complacent residents of Mariejois awoke to a nightmare.
High above, Kaido's dragon form hovered ominously, his glowing eyes surveying the chaos below.
He sneered, his voice rumbling like thunder. "Are those five old men still asleep? Or do they only crawl out of their holes when it's safe?"
The mockery in his tone was unmistakable, but he had no intention of waiting for their response. Kaido inhaled deeply, preparing for another blast of destruction, as the Holy Land descended further into panic.
At the same time, in the town near Pangaea Castle known as the Divine Domain, chaos had erupted. The Celestial Dragons, rudely awakened by the cacophony outside, stirred from their luxurious beds. The Five Elders, residing in separate mansions across the God's Domain, also came to attention. Though revered as the most powerful individuals in the world, even their composure faltered at the sight of the blazing Pangaea Castle.
"What's happening?" muttered Saint Saturn, rising from his bed. Dressed in his ornate pajamas, he shuffled to the window, leaning on his cane. His sharp gaze landed on the inferno in the distance, where a massive green dragon loomed, illuminated by the flames. His expression darkened. "Chenlong? No… it's Kaido!"
Confusion morphed into disbelief. What could drive Kaido, the self-proclaimed King of Beasts, to attack Mariejois? His thoughts were interrupted by frantic knocking at the door.
"Saint Saturn! Kaido has invaded Mariejois!" came a trembling voice.
Saint Saturn snorted, his disdain palpable. "The enemy is at our doorstep, and only now do you report it? Useless." His scornful words barely left his lips when a dark magic circle, etched with arcane symbols, materialized beneath him. Black mist coiled upward, enveloping his figure before retreating into the circle and leaving no trace of his presence.
On the scorched grounds near Pangaea Castle, the same magic circle reappeared, and Saturn stepped out unscathed. The gathered soldiers, trembling at his sudden appearance, knelt immediately, heads bowed. But a few rookies, unaware of protocol, hesitated, their curious gazes meeting Saturn's cold eyes.
"Lower your heads!" a Vice Admiral barked urgently, but it was too late. Saturn's eyes flared with demonic light, and the offenders' heads vanished in an instant, leaving behind headless corpses sprawled in growing pools of blood.
The survivors froze in terror, unable to even breathe too loudly. Saturn's voice broke the silence. "Panic breeds insolence. Know your place." His gaze then shifted to the azure dragon hovering above.
Kaido, unfazed by the carnage, let out a mocking laugh. "Saint Saturn... Been a while since God Valley, hasn't it? You and your kind haven't changed. Still killing your own like insects."
Saturn's disdain deepened, but Kaido's mind was already racing. He hasn't aged a day… Is he immortal, too? Memories of the Valley of the Gods surfaced, where Kaido had glimpsed Saturn from afar. Yet, even back then, he hadn't understood the true extent of the Five Elders' power.
Before Kaido could act, an unseen force pulled him from the sky, slamming him to the ground. He immediately shifted to his hybrid form, landing with a resounding crash, his mace resting casually on his shoulder.
"Interesting ability," Kaido grinned, his sharp teeth glinting in the firelight. "You've got tricks, old man. But let's see how you fare against me."
Saturn's eyes narrowed as he noted the emerald flames dancing around Kaido. "An awakened Azure Dragon Fruit… No wonder you're bold enough to set foot here. But awakening is a double-edged sword. Let me show you why."
Before he could act, however, a chilling laugh echoed through the fiery night. "Yahahahaha~!" The sound was accompanied by the steady beat of drums. Saturn's pupils dilated as he turned toward the source. High above, silhouetted by the moon, a white figure descended gracefully.
"Impossible…!" Saturn whispered, his voice trembling. "This can't be... Joy Boy?"
The figure landed softly, the ground beneath him morphing into rubber to cushion his fall. His carefree laughter filled the air, contrasting the chaos around him. Saturn's mind raced. The long-lost Nika Fruit had reappeared, and yet, the government's attempts to retrieve it from the Red-Haired Pirates had yielded no results.
"How is this possible?" he muttered, his composure cracking. In the depths of his mind, the voices of the other Elders clamored.
"What's happening? Has Imu-sama been notified?"
"Do we need reinforcements?"
Saturn gritted his teeth, his voice cutting through their frantic chatter. "Joy Boy has returned."
A collective silence followed his revelation. Then, in unison, the Elders spoke: "He must not leave Mariejois alive."
Saturn raised his cane, and four additional dark magic circles materialized, each billowing black smoke. The air thickened with a malevolent energy. But before he could act, a cold, melodious voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Capture him alive."
The voice froze even the fearless Kaido in his tracks. Deep within the ruined Pangaea Castle, Imu, the shadowed ruler of the world, stirred. Her presence radiated an oppressive power as she stepped through the charred halls. Her gaze pierced through the walls, locking onto the white figure outside.
Imu's lips curled into a rare frown. "Joyboy… Eight hundred years have passed, yet you dare to reappear."
The garden around her withered under her dark aura, flowers wilting and life draining from the air. Without another word, Imu vanished, leaving behind only silence—and the promise of devastation.