The Holy Land of Mariejois, home to the Celestial Dragons, had descended into utter chaos.
From above, a shattered island crashed into the town, flattening buildings and instantly crushing countless Celestial Dragons beneath its massive weight. The devastation did not end there. Emerging from the wreckage were thousands of grotesque, mutated beasts—rhinos with tusks like spears, saber-toothed tigers with blood dripping from their jaws, massive elephants, swarms of wasps, and legions of black ants the size of dogs. Towering mantises with razor-sharp claws sliced through stone as if it were paper.
The animals rampaged indiscriminately, but their blood-red eyes betrayed an insatiable urge to destroy. Their primary targets? The Celestial Dragons. Even creatures that would typically fight one another seemed unified in their carnage, spreading through the Holy Land like a plague of death.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rocked the land as buildings were reduced to rubble. Panicked screams filled the air as Celestial Dragons, flanked by their bodyguards, fled for their lives. Some guards sacrificed themselves, falling alongside their masters. Fires raged uncontrollably, spreading through the once-grand town, devouring everything in their path.
Above it all, Golden Lion Shiki hovered, his laughter booming like thunder. "Jiehahahaha!" he roared, a sadistic grin spread across his face. "Tonight, no one sleeps! Let the joyous banquet begin!" He raised a hand, summoning a towering tsunami that surged toward a fleeing crowd of Celestial Dragons.
The Holy Land of Mariejois, once a beacon of Celestial Dragon opulence, was now a smoldering battlefield. Fires raged uncontrollably, casting an orange glow over the chaos. Among the rubble, the screams of Celestial Dragons filled the air, their usual arrogance replaced with panic and desperation.
Golden Lion Shiki floated high above, his signature mad grin plastered across his face as he directed the chaos below. "Jiehahaha! Look at them squirm! The so-called gods reduced to nothing more than prey!" He summoned another wave of destruction, uprooting parts of the Holy Land itself and hurling them into the fleeing crowds.
Near the ruins of a lavish mansion, a Celestial Dragon clad in an ornate, jewel-encrusted suit scrambled through the debris. His face was twisted in rage rather than fear. "You filthy peasants! How dare you bring this madness here! Where are my slaves?!" he bellowed, stumbling over the bodies of his own guards.
A moment later, a monstrous rhino, its eyes glowing red with savage bloodlust, barreled toward him. The man didn't beg for mercy. Instead, he pointed at a nearby group of slaves who had been cowering in fear.
"Kill them instead!" he shrieked, shoving a child forward as bait.
The beast wasn't interested. With a guttural roar, it lowered its massive horn and charged straight into him. The man barely had time to scream before the rhino impaled him, its horn shredding his golden robe as blood sprayed into the air. The slaves, frozen in shock, watched as the beast trampled their former master into a bloody pulp, his bloody jeweled crown rolling into the dirt.
Elsewhere, a group of Celestial Dragons tried to flee in a gilded carriage pulled by chained slaves. "Faster, you scum!" barked the woman inside, her gloved hand lashing out with a whip through the window. The slaves, barely able to stand from exhaustion, stumbled over the uneven ground as the carriage careened down the street.
Before they could get far, a swarm of wasps descended upon the carriage, their stingers glinting ominously. The slaves screamed and collapsed under the assault, but the Celestial Dragon within refused to accept her fate.
"Protect me, you useless garbage!" she shrieked, shoving her slaves out of the carriage to shield herself.
Her efforts were in vain. The swarm broke through the carriage, their venomous stingers piercing her pale, perfumed skin. Her cries for help faded into guttural choking as her body convulsed and collapsed, the wasps feasting on her lifeless form.
In the heart of the chaos, another Celestial Dragon, a corpulent man adorned with gaudy pearls and golden chains, barked orders at a group of his personal guards. "Eliminate these beasts! Do your job, you imbeciles! I am a god, and they are beneath me!"
A massive saber-toothed tiger slunk from the shadows, its muscles rippling beneath its bloodstained fur. The guards turned to defend their master, but their weapons were no match for the beast's raw power. One by one, the guards were torn apart, their screams blending into the cacophony of destruction.
The Celestial Dragon attempted to flee, but his overweight frame betrayed him. The tiger pounced, its claws sinking into his back. He howled in pain, but his cries turned to frantic bargaining.
"Wait! I'll pay you—I'll pay anyone! Slaves, gold, whatever you want!" he wailed as the tiger's jaws closed around his head. A sickening crunch echoed, and his body fell limp as the tiger savored its meal.
From above, Shiki observed the carnage with gleeful satisfaction. He twirled his sword lazily as he watched the so-called gods meet their gruesome ends. "What a pitiful lot. Barking orders even as they're devoured. And they call themselves superior beings? Jiehahaha!"
He raised a hand, summoning another wave of destruction. An enormous tidal wave rose from the edge of the island, surging toward a cluster of Celestial Dragons who had gathered near a fortified mansion, hoping for safety. The wave slammed down with devastating force, sweeping them away like ants.
Across the flaming ruins, the irony of the situation could not be ignored. The Celestial Dragons, who had spent their lives treating others as expendable tools, were now at the mercy of creatures that had no regard for status or power. The beasts devoured indiscriminately, their raw instincts unclouded by fear or hesitation.
For the slaves who had survived, the night was both terrifying and liberating. As the screams of their former masters faded into silence, many simply watched, unable to suppress a grim sense of poetic justice.
In the northeast corner of the town, amidst the chaos, a woman in her thirties stood calmly, a look of mild irritation crossing her face. Her regal demeanor betrayed her status as one of the Celestial Dragons.
"What a disaster," she muttered, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Two years ago, it was those fish-man adventurers. Now, it's pirates. Can't we have a single night of peace?"
She sighed, recalling the infamous raid of Fisher Tiger, who had scaled the Red Line with his bare hands to free slaves from the Holy Land. That had been the first incident in centuries. Now, a mere two years later, the Holy Land faced an even greater calamity—one aimed at eradicating the Celestial Dragons entirely.
As she stood lost in thought, a crazed elephant, its eyes glowing crimson, charged toward her. Its massive forelimb rose high, ready to crush her into the earth.
Unfazed, the woman raised a single hand. "Blood Impact," she whispered.
Her palm made contact with the elephant's forelimb, and in an instant, a deafening pop rang out. The elephant exploded into a crimson mist, its blood spraying across the ground.
This was Joyce Mia, a member of the Knights of God and a wielder of the Paramecia-type Blood Fruit. Her abilities granted her absolute control over the blood of all living creatures.
The chaos continued unabated, but Joyce Mia was just one of many forces at play tonight. This raid was far graver than Fisher Tiger's noble quest to liberate slaves. The invaders this time were here to slaughter, and their target was clear—the Celestial Dragons themselves.
Meanwhile, in one of the grand mansions of the Figarland family, Saint Figarland Garling stood on the balcony of the second floor. His sharp eyes surveyed the town, now engulfed in flames. His expression was unreadable as he observed the destruction below.
"Golden Lion Shiki," he murmured, his gaze locking on the figure floating above the town.
Without hesitation, Garling leaped from the balcony, heading directly toward Shiki.
Elsewhere, amidst the burning streets and rampaging beasts, Edie moved as if he were strolling through a tranquil park. Flames roared around him, and the snarls of beasts echoed in the air, yet not a single creature noticed his presence. The fleeing Celestial Dragons and their panicked guards passed him by without so much as a glance.
Edie's ability—invisibility to even advanced Observation Haki—rendered him undetectable to those around him, a ghost in the chaos.
He walked with purpose, his mind calculating. As he moved, his thoughts turned to the Knights of God. He had learned of their existence and had heard whispers of their leader, Saint Figarland Garling, a figure with ties to Shanks. Perhaps a father, or even a grandfather yet to be confirmed.
Garling was rumored to have fought in the legendary Battle of God Valley and was said to hold the title of "King." Though his strength remained a mystery, Edie surmised it rivaled that of a Yonko. As for how many members comprised the Knights of God? Edie did not know—but tonight, he intended to learn.
This raid served multiple purposes: gathering intelligence, testing White's limits, and, most importantly, luring Imu into the open. But there was one more goal—a prize Edie coveted above all else.
The Age-Age Fruit.
His destination was clear. "Saint Saturn's estate," Edie murmured to himself, ignoring the carnage around him as he strode toward his target. He moved with absolute confidence, his surroundings little more than a backdrop to his greater schemes. Tonight, chaos was his ally.
The streets of the Holy Land burned with chaos, flames consuming what had once been a symbol of ultimate power and arrogance. Edie strolled calmly through the wreckage, the destruction around him a mere backdrop to his mission. His white coat remained pristine, untouched by the blood and ash that stained the ground. Ahead loomed the mansion of Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders.
The familiar surroundings of the Holy Land, monitored year-round by his Queen Bee Surveillance System, held no surprises for Edie. Yet, tonight, the scene of carnage and pandemonium brought an odd sense of satisfaction.
As he turned a corner, he encountered a group of fleeing Celestial Dragons, escorted by black-clad bodyguards.
"Saint Halifax!" One of the guards spoke, panting. "We must hurry! Beasts are everywhere—it's not safe!"
The rotund Halifax, sweat pouring down his pale face, growled impatiently. "Where is my slave? The idiot carrying me earlier—where is he?!"
"Your Excellency," one guard stammered, "the tiger killed him. The collar detonated, and he died fighting the beast."
Halifax's face twisted with rage. "Useless! All of you are worthless! Fine, you—" he jabbed a finger at the trembling guard—"you'll be my mount. Get on all fours!"
Before the guard could respond, Halifax's gaze fell on a figure approaching from the shadows. His bejeweled monocle nearly dropped as he recognized the white-clad man. His haughty demeanor crumbled, and a sharp, feminine scream tore from his throat.
"E-E-EEEE!!" Halifax stumbled backward, his bloated frame quivering. "It's you!"
His legs froze, locked in place as red lightning arced through the air. Edie's Conqueror's Haki struck like an invisible storm, leaving the guards unconscious before they could draw their pistols. Halifax, trembling, could barely move.
Edie approached with slow, deliberate steps, his expression cold and calculating. "Saint Halifax, isn't it?" he said, his tone calm but laced with menace.
Halifax's lips quivered. "E-Emperor… my name is Halifax R-Remember?! It's an honor—a pleasure, really—to meet you here…"
Edie's eyes narrowed. "I remember you. You were the one who tried to capture Ginny in East Blue, intending to make her your eighth wife." His voice grew colder. "Your lucky I didn't kill you back then."
"Emperor! I-I didn't mean it! Please, spare me! Anything you need, I'll do it!" Halifax groveled, tears streaming down his face.
Edie smirked. "Take me to Saturn's mansion."
Halifax nodded furiously, stumbling to his feet. "Y-Yes! Of course!"
The once-pampered Celestial Dragon led the way, his usual arrogance replaced with fear-fueled obedience. He dared not complain or slow down, even as sweat drenched his ornate robes.
"So you can walk on your own two feet after all," Edie remarked, his voice dripping with disdain.
Halifax flinched. "F-From now on, I swear I'll never ride a slave again! In fact, I'll let the slaves ride me!"
"Just keep moving," Edie ordered, his tone icy.
Before long, they arrived at Saturn's mansion. Halifax stopped at the gates, trembling. "Here we are, Emperor… May I leave now? The bunker beneath the bell tower—"
"You can leave," Edie replied calmly, raising a finger.
Halifax's face lit up with hope—until a flash of black lightning erupted from Edie's fingertip, striking his forehead. His head exploded in a spray of blood and bone, his lifeless body collapsing to the ground.
Edie stepped over the corpse without a second glance. "So much for gods," he muttered, activating his Op-Op Fruit ability ring.
"ROOM."
A transparent sphere of power enveloped the mansion, and in the blink of an eye, Edie's figure vanished, reappearing inside.
The interior of Saturn's mansion was eerily silent, the servants either gone or dead. Edie moved with the precision of a phantom, his footsteps soundless. He knew exactly where to go—beneath the mansion lay an underground laboratory, a hub of Saint Saturn's twisted experiments.
Teleporting through layers of reinforced steel and protective systems, Edie found himself in the heart of the laboratory. The air was sterile, tinged with the acrid scent of chemicals. Rows of cages lined the walls, containing emaciated slaves whose bodies bore strange, blue crystalline scales.
"Sapphire scales…" Edie murmured, examining the afflicted captives. The condition, reminiscent of Platinum Lead Disease, was a side effect of Saturn's grotesque experiments—an attempt to artificially grant Devil Fruit abilities through injections.
The slaves, their spirits broken, barely reacted to Edie's presence. Their bodies were riddled with lesions, the sapphire-like scales spreading across their skin. Sunlight would accelerate the process, killing them painfully.
"Hopeless," Edie muttered, shaking his head. He turned and delved deeper into the lab, leaving the doomed captives behind.
In a storage room, he found his target—a Devil Fruit nestled in a glass case. Its swirling pattern and peculiar shape identified it as the Age-Age Fruit, the very power he had sought.
With the fruit in hand, Edie's gaze shifted to a nearby terminal. Files and research notes filled the screens, detailing experiments on Zoan awakenings, Devil Fruit bloodline factors, and more.
He skimmed through the data, unimpressed. "Amateur work," he scoffed. "Even Caesar or Vegapunk could do better."
Satisfied, Edie activated his ability ring once more. The ROOM expanded, and with another teleportation, he was outside the grandiose mansion once again, the flames of chaos still raging around him.
Mission complete, Edie disappeared into the night, leaving the Holy Land to burn.
The chaotic roar of battle outside the Holy Land was deafening, a symphony of destruction orchestrated by Shiki, whose wild beasts tore through both civilians and guards alike. Above it all, the golden-haired pirate floated effortlessly, his swords clashing with Saint Figarland Garling's blood-soaked blade. The God's Knight Captain was far from outmatched, his Supreme Grade Sword cutting through Shiki's airborne debris with deadly precision.
Meanwhile, beneath the burning Holy Land, a gathering of Celestial Dragons huddled in the supposed safety of an underground bunker. The chamber was fortified, its walls lined with reinforced seastone and advanced air filtration systems. Nearly fifty of the "gods" had crammed into the tight space, surrounded by their personal bodyguards. The air was thick with desperation and the stench of fear, despite their attempts to maintain their delusions of superiority.
One trembling Celestial Dragon, clutching a gaudy mask to his face, barked at a nearby servant. "Fetch me water, dog! My throat is dry!"
The slave, thin and broken, hesitated for a moment too long. A loud crack echoed as the Celestial Dragon's pistol discharged, leaving the servant crumpled on the ground. "Insolent filth!"
The others laughed, a twisted display of their cruelty, but their nervous glances toward the distant rumbling above betrayed their unease.
Above ground, Edie stood atop the burning remains of a chapel, his white coat fluttering against the rising heat. In his gloved hand was a sleek, metallic canister marked with Caesar Clown's insignia, its glowing vents releasing faint wisps of a deadly green mist.
Edie tilted the bomb, inspecting it thoughtfully. "Caesar outdid himself this time," he murmured. "A weapon fit for the "gods"."
With the Op-Op Ring on, finding the bunker had been simple. His surveillance bees had pinpointed its location hours ago. Now, it was time to execute the final act.
"ROOM."
The invisible sphere expanded, encompassing the bunker buried deep beneath layers of soil and seastone. With a flick of his wrist, Edie teleported the canister directly into the center of the bunker.
Inside, the Celestial Dragons froze as the device materialized before them, its vents hissing ominously.
"Wh-what is that?" one shrieked, stumbling backward.
"It's… gas! Seal the vents! Quickly!" screamed another.
But it was too late. The canister erupted, releasing a billowing cloud of green mist. The toxic fog spread with terrifying speed, invading their lungs before they could even react. The bodyguards fell first, collapsing as their airways burned and their eyes melted into viscous streams.
The Celestial Dragons clutched their throats, their screams devolving into gurgles as their bodies spasmed. Even in their death throes, their grotesque arrogance remained, some clawing at each other in a desperate bid for survival.
Back on the surface, the battle between Shiki and Saint Figarland Garling raged on. Shiki's Golden Lion Style was devastating, chunks of the Holy Land itself soaring into the air and bombarding Garling like meteors. The aging knight, however, was no slouch.
With an elegant swing of his blade, Garling cleaved through the debris, his movements precise and controlled. "You're nothing but a relic, Shiki," he sneered. "Your time has passed!"
Shiki laughed, the sound as wild as his golden mane. "Relic or not, I'm still the man who made the world tremble!" He raised both swords, commanding a swarm of sharpened debris to converge on Garling from all sides.
Garling spun, his blade emitting a sharp, radiant light. "God's Verdict!" he roared, unleashing a devastating circular slash that obliterated the incoming projectiles and sent a shockwave barreling toward Shiki.
The pirate dodged with ease, soaring higher into the air. "Not bad for an Celestial Pig! Let's see how you handle this!"
With a flick of his foot, Shiki manipulated the battlefield itself, uprooting entire chunks of the burning Holy Land and sending them crashing down toward Garling. The knight raised his sword once more, but the sheer volume of debris forced him to retreat, buying Shiki a moment to press his advantage.
"You Celestial lackeys are all the same—hiding behind power you didn't earn!" Shiki taunted.
Garling's gaze darkened, his grip on his sword tightening. "And you pirates are nothing but filth, clawing at the scraps of civilization. You'll die here, Shiki."
As the gas filled the bunker below, Edie observed the distant skirmish between Shiki and Garling with mild interest. "A battle between relics of different eras," he mused.
He activated his observation Haki, ensuring no Celestial Dragon had escaped the bunker alive. Satisfied with the results, he turned and began to walk away, the screams of the dying fading into the distance.
"Let the gods choke on their hubris," Edie muttered, his cold smile returning. The Holy Land would burn, and its so-called rulers would fall, one gasping breath at a time.