One Piece: A Warlord's Path

The battle between the Marines and the Demon Mask Pirates on the Sabaody Archipelago has finally come to an end, at the devastating cost of Grove 53, which was utterly destroyed in the process.

The price was steep. Including the stationed garrison on the archipelago, the Marine forces lost nearly 3,000 personnel. Rear Admiral Branly, the highest-ranking officer stationed at Sabaody, was critically wounded and rendered unconscious. The garrison suffered heavy losses, with more than 1,500 dead and over 600 wounded.

Yet, despite the casualties, the operation was hailed as a resounding success. The Demon Mask Pirates' captain, Demon Mask Gutte, was slain in battle, overwhelmed by the combined might of Admiral Kizaru and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Golden Ring Aeridar.

The crew's notorious first mate, the infamous Calamity of Ten Thousand: Jig, was eliminated by agents dispatched directly from the World Government. Their top officers, the Pillager Puda and Black Bow Obes, were gravely wounded, captured, and sent to Impel Down, Level 6—Eternal Hell.

The rest of the Demon Mask Pirates were largely annihilated. A handful were taken prisoner and incarcerated in Impel Down. Only about a hundred managed to escape with their lives.

The Marine's triumph shook the world. News of the battle spread across every corner of the seas, sending a shockwave through the pirate underworld. For the first time in recent memory, the first half of the Grand Line saw a significant improvement in security. Even pirate crews in the New World were rattled.

After all, Gutte had earned a fearsome reputation, a monster of the New World. His defeat at the hands of Vice Admiral Garp might have been understandable. But to be struck down on the Sabaody Archipelago, cornered by just one Admiral and one Warlord without even managing to flee? That shook even the most hardened pirates to their core.

Above all, it made one name ring across the seas: Golden Ring Aeridar.

Marine Headquarters – Marineford.

Inside the Fleet Admiral's Office.

"You did well. Better than expected, actually."

Sengoku, seated behind his desk, allowed himself a rare smile.

"Flattered," Kizaru replied, lounging on the couch with a cup of tea in hand. "The real credit goes to your choice of backup. That freak wrecked Jig and Puda one after another, and even Gutte didn't walk away clean. That's the only reason our losses were this low."

At the mention of a certain individual, Sengoku's brows knit slightly.

"You worked with him. What's your impression?" he asked.

Kizaru tilted his head thoughtfully and slowly pursed his lips.

"Hm... That man," he said with a lazy drawl, "is a monster in terms of strength... and a lunatic by nature. A dangerous man, through and through. Also, that mouth of his... sharp enough to cut Seastone. But I won't lie... working with him was surprisingly pleasant."

"Sometimes humble, sometimes arrogant, and at times, downright bloodthirsty. That was Syrons' assessment," Sengoku said coolly.

"No wonder it was Syrons-san. He hit the nail on the head," Kizaru said with a sip of tea.

...

New World – Dressrosa, King's Plateau.

Inside the Royal Palace of Dressrosa.

Donquixote Doflamingo reclined on a lounge chair beside the pool, dressed in casual wear and grinning widely as he read a newspaper.

"Fufufufufu~ So that man's already cooperating with the Marines? Took out that bastard Gutte too? Looks like his ambition isn't small."

A sharp voice rang out, though no one else was present.

"Doffy, it's for the best he's dead. That guy was always muscling in on our dark world markets."

"Pica, don't you think we owe the man a thank-you?" Doflamingo laughed, arms wide. "Fufufufufu... Just when the New World was starting to quiet down, that man's going to stir everything back up again. Fufufufufufu!"

...

Above the Calm Belt.

High in the sky, 3,000 meters above sea level, five floating islands drift silently. One large island stood at the center, surrounded by four smaller ones, like moons orbiting a planet.

Within the palace on the central island—

Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang...

The sound of metal tapping against stone echoed from one of the rooms.

A man paced back and forth. A ship's wheel was embedded in his head, and his long golden hair trailed to the ground.

He wore a kimono with alternating orange and yellow stripes. His sideburns and beard were golden, and incredibly long. Most striking of all, he had no feet.

Instead, his legs ended in two legendary swords, Oto and Kogarashi, used in place of legs. The blades scraped the floor as he walked, producing the sharp clang of metal on stone.

Poot. Poot. Poot. Poot...

An absurd flatulent sound followed.

A clown-like man entered the room, wild blue hair, thick glasses, an exaggerated smile. He wore a long white coat over a blue V-cut shirt and a polka-dotted scarf.

"Can't you do something about those footsteps of yours, Dr. Indigo!?" the golden-haired man snapped with irritation.

Poot. Poot. Poot. Poot...

Indigo responded with exaggerated gestures and clownish theatrics, trying to mime his point.

"Ugh..." The golden-haired man looked puzzled for a moment but quickly lost patience.

"Spit it out already! What are you trying to say!?" he shouted.

Indigo threw his arms wide. "Shiki-sama! Hodgil Gutte, the one who was about to join us, is dead!"

"Oh, so you can speak!"

The golden-haired man, Golden Lion Shiki, the legendary flying pirate and former captain of the Flying Pirates, nearly popped his eyeballs out in surprise.

A pirate once counted among the strongest in the world alongside Gol D. Roger and Edward Newgate, and the first man in history to escape from Impel Down...

"Wait, what did you just say?" Shiki blinked, his surprise quickly hardening into a scowl. "That brat, Hodgil... or whatever his name was—is dead?"

"Yes," Indigo replied, passing him a freshly printed newspaper. "According to the latest reports, Hodgil Gutte and his entire crew were wiped out by the Navy at Sabaody Archipelago. He himself was taken down by Admiral Kizaru… and the newly appointed Warlord of the Sea, Golden Ring Aeridar."

Shiki snatched the paper and scanned the front page. The headline blared the Navy's latest triumph: the eradication of the Demon Mask Pirates and the death of their infamous captain, Demon Mask Gutte.

"Tch. What a damn waste." Shiki clicked his tongue in irritation. "That brat had potential. Could've been a strong asset down the line. And now he's dead, crushed by the damn Navy. And that punk, Aeridar, he's siding with the Marines and the World Government now? A damn lapdog of the system!" He jabbed a furious finger at the photo of Aeridar printed beside the headline.

"So what now, Shiki-sama?" Indigo flailed in frustration, arms waving like seaweed in a storm. "Without those scientists we snatched, I can't accelerate the research timetable!"

"Forget it," Shiki said with a dismissive wave, his voice gruff. "It was always going to take time, with or without them."

But then his tone shifted, low and frigid, like the calm before a storm.

"Still… that brat Aeridar," he growled. "He cost me a future powerhouse. When the plan is complete… I'll carve him up myself."

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