"Well, I got some information from Morgans, so I figured I'd check with you." Buggy didn't bother with pleasantries and got straight to the point.
Shanks sighed, thinking for a moment before replying helplessly, "Alright, there are some things I can tell you, but there are others I can't."
Buggy scoffed, "Who said I was asking about you? What I want is information on the Knights of God and Saint Jaygarcia Saturn."
Shanks twitched in annoyance, barking, "At least act like you're asking for a favor, you bastard!"
Laughter erupted in the conference hall.
Buggy waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just start talking." He set the Den Den Mushi on speaker.
Shanks hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The God's Knights consist of nine members, led by Saint Figarland Garling. I've personally fought six of them, but the other three never engaged—they just stood there, silent."
Buggy narrowed his eyes. "And?"
Shanks sighed. "All three wore masks, and I have no idea who they really are. But here's the strange part—I couldn't sense their presence at all. No breath, no haki, nothing. You get what I mean?"
For a moment, silence filled the room. Then Buggy spoke, his voice unsettlingly calm.
"So… you're saying they've mastered Observation Haki to the point where they can completely conceal themselves?"
A sharp intake of breath echoed through the hall.
Everyone present was a core member of Buggy's crew—they knew exactly what that meant. The ability to erase one's presence from even the most advanced Observation Haki was a feat only achievable by those who had honed it to its absolute peak.
If three of the God's Knights had truly mastered such a technique, it was terrifying.
"Three individuals capable of erasing their existence from even the most advanced Observation Haki?" Buggy's voice carried a rare edge of seriousness.
Not even Kaido or Big Mom—both of whom he had personally defeated—had been capable of such a feat. If that was the case, then these three masked figures weren't just strong; they were something far more formidable.
"It feels eerily familiar to me," Shanks admitted, though even he seemed uncertain.
"But make no mistake—the three of them are incredibly strong. Based on what I know about Figarland Garling, I'd say the God's Knights have at least three fighters at the Admiral level. As for the remaining six, they're undoubtedly at least Vice Admiral-level, possibly even higher."
This revelation left the room in a heavy silence, the weight of the impending threat pressing upon them all.
His expression darkened slightly. "The Celestial Dragons' strongest force truly lives up to its reputation. And if we factor in the combat strength of the Five Elders…"
Shanks let out a slow breath. "Their combined power is on a terrifying scale."
He then turned toward Buggy. "This time, one of the Five Elders, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, personally stepped into battle. I assume Morgans already gave you intel on that?"
Buggy nodded slightly, prompting Shanks to continue.
Shanks's voice carried a weight that drew everyone's attention.
"Saturn's abilities aren't documented in any known Devil Fruit encyclopedia. However, based on my encounters, I believe he possesses the Mythical Zoan-type Gyuki."
The room seemed to grow colder as Shanks continued.
"His powers are unlike anything I've seen. In his transformed state, he takes on a monstrous form—spider-like legs, an ox-headed demon's visage, and an aura that distorts the very air around him. His mere presence can paralyze weaker opponents, and his resilience is terrifying. Injuries that should be fatal barely seem to faze him."
A deep frown etched itself on his face. "I haven't fully deciphered the mechanics, but one thing is clear: conventional attacks are useless. Even with Armament Haki, it takes an advanced level—particularly Emission—to bypass his natural durability. Those who've mastered internal destruction stand the best chance against him."
Lowering his voice, Shanks added, "The true counter lies in Conqueror's Haki infusion. His regenerative abilities and near-invulnerability mean nothing against someone who can impose their will through Haki-clad strikes."
Turning to Buggy, a knowing glint in his eyes, he concluded, "You, of all people, should grasp this better than anyone."
A heavy silence enveloped the room as Shanks's words settled over the crew.
Buggy's crew absorbed the information, their expressions grim. This wasn't just another enemy.
This was a whole new level of power.
After mulling it over for a moment, Buggy narrowed his eyes and asked, "So from what you've said, the Five Elders made a move—Saturn included—but the other two or three masked Knights of God didn't, right?"
"That's right," Shanks replied, his expression grave. "And to be honest, I suspect those three are their real trump cards."
As he spoke, his face suddenly darkened. "Buggy… don't tell me you're planning to mess with them?"
Buggy let out a low, mischievous chuckle. "Heh… come on, Shanks. The Five Elders descending to the new world is a rare event. As a 'Godslayer,' I can't just sit back and do nothing, now can I?"
His smirk widened. "Besides, this is the perfect chance to test the bottom line of the Knights of God. If we ever have to face them head-on, we can't go in blind."
He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Morgans' birds have been keeping tabs on their movements. I just need the right opportunity."
Buggy tapped his fingers against the table. "That Figarland Garling and Saint Saturn fought you for three whole days and nights. There's no way they walked away unscathed, right?"
His grin turned sharp. "Don't tell me you're all just going to let them rest and recover."
Shanks sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It's not like that, Buggy. Do you think I held back against opponents of this level? These bastards came straight for me—I wasn't going to just stand there and take it."
His expression turned serious. "Both Saturn and Figarland Garling took quite a beating. They won't be at full strength for a while."
Buggy frowned. "And what about you?"
Shanks let out a short laugh. "Me? I'm fine. Didn't take too much damage, but I'll need to lay low for a bit."
He smirked. "Fighting two Admiral-level monsters at once isn't exactly a walk in the park. Not all of us have broken fruit abilities like you, Buggy."
Buggy clicked his tongue, pressing a hand against his forehead. "Tch. Alright, I'll send Law and Mansherry over to patch you up. You'll be back on your feet in a day."
"Eh?!!" Shanks' jaw nearly dropped.
Shanks stared in shock. "Is that even possible? I'm covered in injuries."
"What kind of dumb question is that?" Buggy scoffed, rolling his eyes. "How do you think I managed to take down Kaido and Big Mom over a year ago? Princess Mansherry's Chiyu Chiyu no Mi (Heal-Heal Fruit) allowed me to recover more than half of my stamina—enough to finish them off."
Shanks' eyes widened. "Good grief! So that's why you were so damn unstoppable! If you've got a second wind like that, who the hell is supposed to beat you?!"
He clenched his fists, grumbling. "And here I thought you'd just gotten ridiculously strong all of a sudden… Damn it! Why does everything keep going your way, you bastard?!"
Buggy smirked. "That's just the irresistible charm of yours truly old friend Buggy!"
Then, his expression shifted, and he looked at Shanks more seriously. "By the way, Shanks… do you want your arm back?"
Shanks blinked. "Huh?"
Not only Shanks, but everyone around them froze, caught off guard by the abrupt question. It had been so long that they'd almost forgotten—Shanks had lost an arm. Now that Buggy had brought it up, even his crew looked at him with curiosity.
A heavy silence settled over the Red-Haired Pirates.
Ben Beckman furrowed his brow, looking like he wanted to say something, but he held back, waiting for Shanks' response.
At last, Shanks exhaled and said, "Buggy… I bet this arm on the new era—"
"Bet, my ass!" Buggy interrupted, waving him off. "I've already collected three Road Poneglyphs. Meanwhile, Luffy's still out there on his adventure—he's got time. But me? I've got Gabban and the others by my side. The last Poneglyph isn't going to be a problem for me."
Buggy's expression darkened. "You know what that means, don't you?"
He crossed his arms. "You made your choice back then, deciding not to chase after the One Piece. That's fine. But don't give me that crap about 'betting your arm on the new era.' The fight ahead isn't just some grand adventure—it's a war that's going to shake the entire world."
Buggy leaned forward, his voice unwavering. "And as your brother, I don't want you to be an easy target just because you only have one arm."
A long silence followed.
The Red-Haired Pirates, usually so laid-back, were staring at Buggy in shock.
Three Road Poneglyphs?
And the last one won't be a problem?!
The weight of those words hit them like a thunderclap. They knew exactly what that meant.
The next Pirate King… was within reach.
And their captain's brother—the legendary Buggy—was the one claiming it.
And, honestly… it didn't sound all that bad.
Shanks was silent for a long time before he suddenly laughed.
"Good!" he said, a grin stretching across his face. "Buggy, I accept your help. I'm guessing you have a way to get Vegapunk to do this for me, right?"
Buggy snorted, rolling his eyes. "Vegapunk? That old man's got better things to do." He smirked. "Ever heard of Germa 66?"
Shanks blinked in surprise. "Huh? Not Vegapunk? You mean those shape-shifting freaks from the North Blue?"
"Exactly!" Buggy grinned and nodded. "They became part of my spoils after my battle with Kaido and Big Mom. I relocated them to the Crimson Empire. Say what you want about them, but their cloning technology is top-tier! If Vegapunk ever bothered to study cloning, it might be a different story, but as things stand, Germa's already mastered it. Right now, they can easily clone human limbs, organs—you name it. Thanks to them, the Crimson Empire's medical advancements have skyrocketed." He chuckled. "Even Drum Kingdom's famed medical expertise can't compare to what we have now."
Shanks listened quietly, his expression unreadable. After a few seconds, he exhaled and smiled.
"Good."
"Alright, that settles it," Buggy said, stretching. "Once you've recovered from your injuries, you can come to restore your arm. But for now, I've got more important things to discuss with my officers."
Buggy was just about to cut the call when Shanks suddenly spoke again, his voice unusually serious.
"Buggy!"
Buggy arched a brow. "What?"
"You must become the Pirate King!"
A silence stretched between them. Then, Buggy smirked.
"Good."
Marineford – Naval Headquarters, War Room
Akainu's enraged voice echoed through the conference hall, his fist slamming against the table.
"What the hell are those Celestial Dragons thinking?! They've lost their damn minds, attacking the Red-Haired Pirates now!"
The tension in the room was palpable.
"Given Buggy's relationship with Shanks, if anything happens to Red-Hair, the Celestial Dragons might not even make it back to the Holy Land alive!"
"Not to mention the Knights of God—why the hell don't we have any intel on them?!" Akainu's furious roar made everyone in the room frown.
Vice Admiral Tsuru sat calmly, fingers interlaced as she rested her chin on them, her voice grave.
"Sakazuki, shouldn't the real concern be the Five Elders?" she asked. "From the intel released in World Economy News, it's highly likely that each of the Five Elders possesses Admiral-level strength. They've been hiding their true power for who knows how long!"
Fujitora let out a deep sigh. "Garp and Sengoku should have already reached Wano—no, the Crimson Empire," he corrected himself. "Kizaru mentioned before that he had intercepted a message from the Five Elders, but the call got cut off halfway. Garp crushed the Den Den Mushi before anything else could be said."
He shook his head. "Honestly, we're lucky Garp didn't let Kizaru take that call. If Kizaru had gotten involved in that battle, the Marines would be in an even worse position than we are now."
Aokiji, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke. His brows were furrowed.
"The World Government is deeper than we ever thought," he muttered. "We may be their enforcement arm, but we have to tread carefully. Especially with the Celestial Dragons... it feels like they're finally making their move." He exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the cold tension of the room. "We need to start training our forces immediately. I've got a bad feeling about this... another major battle is coming, and it's not far off."
Tsuru nodded solemnly. "I feel the same way."
Akainu clenched his fists, his expression is stormy.
If that was the case… the entire Marine strategy might need to change.
New World. Off the Coast of the Crimson Empire
A massive Marine warship slowly approached the Crimson Empire's submerged port. Its arrival sent waves of tension through the Marines stationed at the underwater fleet's perimeter. Immediately, the guards on duty sprang into action, relaying a report to headquarters:
"Headquarters, this is the perimeter watch! A large Marine vessel is approaching! The figures on board have been identified as Vice Admiral Garp, the Marine Hero, and retired Fleet Admiral Sengoku—wait, there's also a Marine Admiral trailing behind them! Headquarters, please remain on high alert!"
In the Flower City Castle, Zephyr, who had been overseeing affairs, furrowed his brows at the urgent transmission from the Den Den Mushi. Without hesitation, he reached out and pressed a button on his desk.
Beep. Beep.
The signal pulsed out in invisible waves.
Zzt!
Almost instantly, a bolt of lightning crackled in the air, and in the next moment, Enel materialized before Zephyr. Though arrogant as ever, Enel still held a degree of respect for the old man before him. After all, Zephyr had guided him in the mastery of Armament Haki, Observation Haki, and various combat techniques—making him something of a mentor. Because of this, Enel had entrusted Zephyr with a special radio wave transmitter to summon him in emergencies.
"Zephyr." Enel tilted his head, his golden staff resting against his shoulder.
Zephyr took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. "A few big names from the Marines have arrived. I want you to keep an eye on them—or better yet, ask Buggy how he wants to handle this."
Enel smirked. "I was just about to bring that up."
He folded his arms, his usual confidence evident. "When I was out over the open sea, I sensed a few powerful auras—they weren't even trying to hide their presence. So, I went straight to Captain Buggy for instructions. He said as long as they don't cause any trouble, let them visit as they please. No need to pay them any mind."
Then, with a chuckle, he added, "Buggy also said that if you, Zephyr, want to catch up with some old friends, you're free to greet them yourself. He won't be joining in—after all, he's already beaten Sengoku twice. Any more and it'd just be awkward."
Zephyr let out a hearty laugh. "Hah! That fool… Fine, then. I'll personally escort them around and show them what our Crimson Empire has to offer."
Enel grinned and gave a slight nod before his body flickered, turning into a brilliant bolt of lightning. Zzzt! In an instant, he vanished into the sky with a sharp crack.
Recently, he had been spending most of his time high above the Crimson Empire, training atop the sky islands hidden within the clouds. The high altitude made for an ideal training ground—thinner oxygen meant a harsher environment, forcing the body to adapt and grow stronger.
This, in part, explained how Buggy's own physical abilities had improved so rapidly. Whether it was the Sky Islands at an altitude of 10,000 meters or the former site of Fish-Man Island at a depth of 10,000 meters, both were extreme environments that pushed one's body to the limit.
And when paired with the Boin Archipelago's energy-packed, nutritious food, the result was clear:
Strength, speed, endurance—all skyrocketing beyond normal limits.
Crimson Empire – Submerged Harbor
"Ka Ka Ka!"
As the massive gate of the underwater port beneath the cascading waterfall slowly creaked open, Garp, Sengoku, and Kizaru found their eyes widening in surprise.
They hadn't expected such a vast and bustling harbor to be hidden beneath the depths of the Crimson Empire.
The moment they entered, the sight before them was nothing short of astonishing. Villagers worked in harmony, using pulleys to transport goods, their voices echoing as they shouted in rhythm while loading ships. Others, having finished their tasks, sat down to rest, their faces brimming with contentment.
Even the ship crews from the underground world's most notorious rulers—the kind who were usually ruthless and impatient—stood by without complaint, quietly waiting for their cargo.
The atmosphere was unlike any port the Marines had seen. It wasn't the usual chaotic hub of smugglers and black-market dealings. No, this place felt… peaceful. Lively, yet orderly. A thriving community.
Garp couldn't help but grin as a wave of nostalgia hit him. This… this feels like East Blue.
Was this truly the Crimson Empire?
They had only just set foot in the harbor, yet they could already sense it—something here was different.