"Tsk tsk, what a grand operation!"
"Those World Government dogs must be losing their minds!"
"Heh, what could drive them crazier than blowing up Marineford and planting explosives in Mary Geoise?"
"At this point, there's nothing for us to worry about!"
"With all those Celestial Dragons as hostages, are we really afraid of their retaliation?"
…
The members of the Fallen Angel Pirates were astonished but couldn't help marveling at the audacity of the operation. None of them had expected Barry's group to fail at directly raiding the World Government's treasury yet succeed in looting the private vaults of the Celestial Dragons instead.
Although the World Nobles led lavish lives, their wealth and reserves were undeniably immense. Apart from a few scattered families, many Celestial Dragons had accumulated treasures over generations. Their collections were undoubtedly astonishing. If all their vaults were emptied, the riches would be unimaginable.
"With the limited time available, it's impossible for Barry to have emptied all of the Celestial Dragons' treasuries," Sally said with a smile. "But I imagine the haul is still significant!"
"Hmm, even a fraction of it is already astonishing!"
El nodded, smiling. He had to admit, fortune often accompanied audacity. Although every move the Fallen Angel Pirates had made felt like walking a tightrope over a bottomless abyss, the rewards had been equally immense. With each battle, they had only grown wealthier.
Especially during these past weeks, Barry and his team's infiltration of the Celestial Dragons' private treasuries had yielded a trove of Devil Fruits that was nothing short of astonishing. Some of the abilities they recovered surprised even El, potentially rivaling the collections housed in the World Government's official treasury.
It wasn't hard to guess that many of these Devil Fruits were whimsically acquired by the Celestial Dragons—whether through tributes from sycophants or purchases from auction houses—and used as mere playthings. The Five Elders had likely "requisitioned" a large portion of these fruits over time, under the guise of necessity for the government. Otherwise, Barry and Ryan's group might have brought back far more than the 20 or 30 Devil Fruits they managed to recover.
"I suspect an opportunity like this won't come again," Crane commented with a chuckle. "After this incident, the World Government will undoubtedly tighten its security. Pulling off something like this in the future will be much harder!"
The World Government was no fool. A single strategy could not succeed repeatedly. They would learn from this failure, becoming more cautious and vigilant in the future. Pulling off such an unexpected move again would be nearly impossible.
More importantly, the risks were immense.
"Have Barry and the others follow the original plan. Do not use the Mirror World for transport," El said firmly to Sally. "The Five Elders' spatial teleportation abilities might allow them to directly access the Mirror World. Be extra cautious!"
"Instruct the Homies in the Mirror World to monitor its interior closely. If there is any sign of irregularity, report it immediately!"
The mission to have Barry and his team infiltrate Mary Geoise had been a significant gamble. A single misstep could have resulted in catastrophic losses, with Barry and his group potentially being trapped there forever. But there was no other option; calculated risks had to be taken. Fortunately, their objectives were successfully achieved.
"Understood!"
Meanwhile, the events unfolding at sea were causing an uproar. Even though the live broadcast had come without warning, several nations and factions had received the signal. Through the projection of Den Den Mushi, they witnessed the horrifying destruction of Marineford as it was engulfed in flames.
The shocking and visually overwhelming scene left them stunned, their disbelief turning into urgency as they scrambled to contact the World Government or nearby Marine branches to confirm the situation. However, no responses were forthcoming. This silence only fueled their unease and stoked fears of the worst.
"Crack!"
"The footage just now... Was that really Marineford?"
"Is it true? Did the iconic bastion of justice go up in flames?"
"Who could have done such a thing?"
"Unbelievable..."
Throughout the Grand Line and the Four Blues, cities and royal capitals—especially those with advanced communication and projection technology—witnessed the broadcast from the Fallen Angel Pirates. Seeing the catastrophic explosion and the complete destruction of Marineford left many in shock. Fear and panic spread among civilians, who found it hard to believe their eyes.
After all, in the centuries since the World Government was founded, nothing of this scale had ever occurred.
"Could this really be true?"
"How could this happen? What's going on?"
"Did Marineford truly fall?"
"But... we all heard that deafening explosion just moments ago!"
"That's right! The sound of the blast unmistakably came from Marineford's direction!"
"Oh, heavens! Is this the end of the world?"
"Could it be that a terrifying war is about to break out?"
On the Sabaody Archipelago, a bustling crowd gathered in a central square. Through projection equipment secretly set up by agents of the Underworld Trade Syndicate, they too saw the disaster unfold. The masses turned pale as fear and uncertainty took hold.
"Kehahahaha! What a masterpiece!"
A wild-looking, golden-haired man laughed heartily.
"Captain Shiki, should we go take a look?" one of his crew members asked hesitantly.
"Of course! How could we miss out on such a spectacle?" the lion-like man roared, heading toward the harbor without hesitation.
"Wait for us, Captain Shiki!"
His crew exchanged glances before rushing to follow him.
"Kurararara! Quite the spectacle, isn't it?"
Elsewhere on the Archipelago, a tall, golden-haired young man sat on a tree branch, stroking his prominent chin in amazement.
"To pull off something like this... It could only be the work of the Fallen Angel Pirates, right? Was this their doing?"
"Newgate, forget about that for now!"
A nearby pirate captain wearing a tricorn hat shouted to him, "It looks like the Marines are mobilizing!"
"Our ship has just finished its coating; we need to set sail!"
"Alright, I'm coming!"
~~~
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