108. A Major Event That Shook the World (3)

The Red Line, often likened to a feat of the gods, is a continent that spans the entire globe, named for the red soil that blankets its surface. Atop this landmass stands a world-spanning power: the current face of authority across the seas, the World Government.

Steep, rugged, and desolate—these words truly capture the essence of this continent. Here, the Holy Land of Mary Geoise stands, and from this place, a single command is enough to stir the calmest of seas into a tempest. Most significantly, this is the home of a group of humans despised and loathed by the world, people whom others wish to see flayed and dismantled: the World Nobles, known as the Celestial Dragons.

The Celestial Dragons are the descendants of the twenty kings who established the World Government eight hundred years ago. On this basis, they style themselves as the "Descendants of the Creators." They are an arrogant, overbearing, and self-important lot, rightfully labeled by many as the ultimate refuse of humanity. Yet, there is no doubt that these cruel, cold-blooded enslavers possess the power to directly intervene in the decisions of the World Government.

These people, devoid of the slightest shred of humanity, deem it beneath them to breathe the same air as commoners, and thus they wear bubble-like helmets year-round. Most importantly, they treat members of other races as slaves with impunity. Should they ever be offended, the Marine Headquarters will immediately dispatch an Admiral to protect them. It can be said that, at certain times, the entire world exists simply to serve these people. Male Celestial Dragons typically append the suffix "Saint" to their names, while females use the title "Palace," all to emphasize their perceived greatness.

Pavilions and towers rise amidst ethereal mists; under the faint, dark moonlight, clusters of luxurious architecture loom over the red continent. However, Mary Geoise, a place that no one dared to offend and which had seen no riots for centuries, was tonight engulfed in fire. Under the cold moon, a spark grew rapidly, spreading across the entire region in an instant.

"Boom... boom..." Alarms wailed everywhere. People scrambled, smoke filled the sky, and towering flames illuminated the entirety of Mary Geoise.

"Disaster! The slaves are rioting!"

Amidst the flames, on the chaotic streets, law enforcement officers armed with weapons chased after various humans—ragged, skeletal, and hollow-eyed, yet holding onto a flicker of hope.

"Quickly! I am free at last!" one of the Giants broke his chains, soaring like a great eagle and howling toward the heavens.

"Those damn Celestial Dragons! Once I escape, I will kill them all..."

"Haha... free at last..."

"Run! Escape this place!"

Refugees of countless races surged like a tidal wave, scrambling to flee in every direction. Among these rioting masses, three skinny youths, aged sixteen or seventeen, were carefully making their escape. Behind them, a Fish-man—sporting a headscarf, thick curly hair, a wide mouth, and a bushy beard with stubble on his upper lip—continued to set fires, liberating everyone he encountered.

"Buru, buru..." The urgent ringing of a Den Den Mushi echoed through Marineford. The base was ablaze with light, and every officer from the rank of Rear Admiral and above—those not currently deployed—had gathered in the Marshal's office.

"A riot has broken out in Mary Geoise. A Fish-man has released all the slaves. The Five Elders have ordered the Marines to suppress it..."

With a loud crash, the desk in front of Sengoku shattered into pieces.

"Report!" A communications officer, face pale, rushed in frantically.

"What has happened now?" Sengoku roared.

"Marshal, the world’s strongest pirate crew, the Whitebeard Pirates, have all appeared at the Sabaody Archipelago."

"What?" Sengoku stood up abruptly, his eyes wide and burning with a murderous intensity. "Kizaru, immediately contact Garp and tell him to head to Sabaody at once. And Zephyr, take half of the Marine forces with you. You must be vigilant..."

His mind in turmoil, Sengoku felt that this situation was far from simple.

"But Vice Admiral Garp only returned three days ago, this..." Kizaru swallowed hard.

"That is an order!" Sengoku turned, his eyes bulging with rage.

"Yes, sir..."

"Buru, buru... Hello! This is Sengoku!"

"Sengoku, why have countless pirate ships appeared simultaneously in the waters surrounding the Red Line?" Kong’s stern voice came through the receiver.

"What?" Sengoku nearly dropped the Den Den Mushi. "Marshal Kong, Whitebeard’s subordinates have also appeared at Sabaody, and now there is a riot in Mary Geoise. I suspect this is no coincidence."

"Report..." Another Marine rushed in.

"Speak." Holding the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku’s face turned as dark as a storm.

"Report, Marshal: the strongest crews of the New World—the Beasts Pirates, the Red Hair Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, the Grim Reaper Pirates, the Fate Pirates, and others—have all appeared around the Red Line at the same time. And the center of it all is Mary Geoise."

Swallowing hard, the Marine spoke the newly received information with a deathly pale face.

"What is going on? What exactly has happened..." Sengoku cursed, his fury rising to the heavens.

"This is clearly a conspiracy!" Tsuru frowned from below. "But who has the capability to orchestrate this?"

"Could it be..." Tsuru’s eyes flickered, though she suppressed her suspicions.

"Sengoku, send the Marines to Mary Geoise immediately..." the Den Den Mushi rang again.

"Marshal Kong, the Marines are currently stretched thin... Isn't the Army stationed at Mary Geoise?"

"The Army is pinned down. There are not only pirates here, but also the Revolutionary Army."

"What..."

The entire office was heavy with tension. It was a conspiracy—an absolute conspiracy.

Meanwhile, at the seat of world power in Mary Geoise, in that austere room, the five figures stood or sat with grim expressions.

"What is your take on this matter?" an elder holding a cane asked calmly.

"It is nothing more than a test," an elder clutching a long sword replied dismissively.

"How rare. To think that these devious, cunning pirates would encounter one another so unexpectedly," a bald elder remarked with a sneer.

"I hear that in the New World, there is talk of 'Four Emperors.' Could this be the reason?"

"That is only part of it. More importantly, those ambitious fools want to see our trump cards—or rather, the trump cards of the Celestial Dragons."

"There are many fools in this world, but also many clever ones. After this incident, it seems we must purge our moles and informants."

"I am not worried about these pirates. What concerns me most is the Revolutionary Army, which has been toppling kingdoms one after another recently. Compared to the scattered pirates, they are the truly terrifying force."

"You are right. As long as we remain unmoved, those pirates will soon turn on each other, which will save us some trouble."

"In that case, order the Army and Marines to hold their ground and not attack! As for the slaves, let them run. There are plenty more in this world."

"That is the only option. Unless absolutely necessary, the Celestial Dragons must maintain their public image..."

"Hmph. In this world, there is and always will be only one voice, and that is ours!"

It was for this reason that a prison break deemed impossible actually succeeded. A clever person might find clues to the truth, but the foolish would only believe that the Fish-man was extraordinary, a savior who had broken through Mary Geoise. They did not realize that, on that night, the entire world had nearly descended into an irreversible catastrophe.

This was the first time that, through a twist of fate, the World Government faced an unprecedented crisis. It is also said that on that night, the ocean beneath the Red Line was stained red, and countless pirate crews were annihilated; only twenty or so powerful crews emerged from the wreckage. On that day, the strength of the scattered pirate factions dropped by an entire tier. And on that day, a massive organization—the Revolutionary Army—toppled nearly a dozen kingdoms without anyone noticing, all in the name of overthrowing the World Government and establishing a peaceful order.

.......................................

I mentioned at the beginning that the timeline of this book is somewhat chaotic, so please do not take it too seriously. I believe many readers have realized by now that the timeline is not only messy but full of loopholes. In short, just treat this as a way to pass the time!

I could have checked the facts, but I chose not to, because I wanted to write a fan-fiction that subverts the original work. I have seen enough books that follow the original plot to the letter, so I wanted to write something that turns things upside down. How embarrassing!

Finally, let me say this: this is an abnormal book written by a normal author!

*Cough, cough...* I hope you will all be lenient!