Kaos naturally didn't know what Hancock was thinking.
At this time, Kaos had already arrived at Square One.
Around a thousand soldiers had gathered here.
Not a massive number, but they were definitely elite forces.
These included members from Naval Headquarters and CP organizations.
If judged by rank, the weakest was at the captain level, and that too from headquarters.
Additionally, the leaders included Sengoku, Garp, and others.
Most importantly, the Five Elders were also attending.
After all, this was the Otherworld, and no one wanted to miss out.
Unless someone was absolutely unable to go, they would definitely want to see it.
"We greet His Highness Kaos."
Except for the Five Elders, who smiled and nodded at Kaos, everyone else greeted him respectfully.
By now, they were all aware of certain things.
For instance, it was because of Kaos that the World Government could access the Otherworld.
Also, they had learned more about Kaos's identity.
Even Garp had a respectful expression on his face.
No matter how much he despised the Celestial Dragons in his heart, he wasn't foolish enough to express his true thoughts.
Kaos smiled and nodded. "It seems everyone is ready. If that's the case, let's not waste time. Let's go."
After finishing his words, Kaos raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
Hum—
A golden gate suddenly emerged.
Immediately after, the door opened, and colorful lights blossomed.
Many people's eyes filled with anticipation and excitement.
"A new world... I wonder what it's like."
"Didn't someone from the World Government mention it yesterday? I'm not sure about the details, but apparently, there are monsters called zombies. They are humans infected with a virus, and if they bite us, we might turn into zombies too. So, we'd better take care of ourselves."
"Yeah, I heard that zombies have no rationality, so we should be really careful."
"Anyway, it's the Otherworld, and I can't wait to explore."
"Quiet."
As the gate to the Otherworld opened, Kaos gave a straightforward command, "Move out."
After saying that, Kaos was the first to step into the gate.
The Five Elders followed.
Then, everyone else.
A sense of dizziness hit.
When vision returned, the apocalyptic world came into view.
Kaos had seen this scene many times before.
It was nothing new to him.
On the other hand, the others began to look around curiously, inspecting everything.
"This is terrifying. Is this the Otherworld? It truly looks like the end of days," Kizaru commented with his usual nonchalant tone, though there was a hint of shock in his eyes.
Even though they had heard about the Otherworld before, stepping into it evoked genuine fear.
"Stop chatting and scout the area first. Then, set up camp here," the elder with the sword instructed after scanning the surroundings.
Sengoku immediately nodded.
Perhaps the commotion caused by their arrival was too loud, as a group of zombies began approaching from a distance.
There were quite a few—hundreds, at least.
Without waiting for orders, several CP members rushed forward, launching kicks into the air.
A series of Rankyaku (Tempest Kicks) burst out.
One by one, air blades sliced through the zombies.
Pfft. Pfft. Pfft.
The zombies had no chance and were sliced in half.
But what surprised everyone was that despite being cut in half, the zombies were still alive.
They continued crawling toward the group.
The sight made some people's scalps tingle.
"Their bodies are split in half, but they're still moving?" one soldier exclaimed.
Hearing this, Kaos explained, "Zombies can only be fully killed if you destroy their heads."
"They're also attracted to sound."
"While we are powerful, we still need to be careful. There are a lot of zombies in this world. There are probably hundreds of millions in this city alone. If we accidentally attract all of them, you can imagine the consequences."
"Hiss... tens of millions?"
"That's a terrifying number."
Even Sengoku was stunned.
He immediately issued an order without hesitation: "Move as quietly as possible."
There weren't just Marines and CP members here.
More importantly, Kaos was present.
If Kaos were harmed, given his status in the World Government, it would be disastrous.
With that in mind, Sengoku even gave a special instruction to Kizaru. "Kizaru, stay by His Highness Kaos's side, just in case."
"Understood," Kizaru nodded without objection.
Like a bodyguard, he quietly positioned himself to the left of Kaos, observing the surroundings.
The Five Elders had no objections to this arrangement.
The more protection around Kaos, the better.
They feared it might not even be enough.
Now that they had entered the Otherworld, their next moves would unfold step by step.
The Five Elders and Kaos had already made decisions.
One order after another was issued in an orderly manner.
"Marine forces, begin clearing the surrounding zombies and collect any items from the Otherworld."
"CP troops, disperse and investigate all information about this city, focusing on technology and uninfected survivors."
"Everyone else, stand by."
"Yes!"
Everyone followed the orders and began acting.
It was evident that, with the strength of the Marines, the zombies were being cleaned up quickly.
Whenever a zombie was spotted, a Marine would step forward. In a flash, they would appear beside the zombie and deliver a decisive Shigan (Finger Pistol) to pierce its head.
They were currently in a square, a place bustling with people in normal times.
Naturally, there were many zombies here as well.
But under the Marine's efforts, the number of zombies was visibly decreasing.
Standing with the Five Elders, Kaos observed the scene and commented, "It's time for the scientific research team to come in and start examining these zombies."
"Agreed," the blond Five Elder nodded. "Vegapunk's team is ready. If all goes well, they'll arrive shortly."
"Also, after we stay here for a while, we'll be leaving."
"There's still much work to be done within the World Government that requires our attention."
"At that time, this area will be handed over to you."
With that, the blond elder advised, "Your Highness Kaos, although the Otherworld's resources are valuable, your safety is the top priority."
Kaos smiled and nodded. "Of course I understand. Rest assured."
Just as he finished speaking, a voice came from not far away.
"Marshal, we found something inside a zombie's head!"