Chapter 239: 239: The Fleet Floating in the Sky
Kong crossed his arms and fell into deep thought after hearing Sengoku's strategic layout. Then, he turned to Sengoku and asked,
"So, your plan is to deploy all our forces in the New World and Mary Geoise? Rather than engaging the enemy head-on, you want to focus entirely on defending Mary Geoise and the Sea near the Red Line?"
Sengoku nodded. "Mary Geoise sits atop the Red Line—an easily defensible position. Holding our ground there will allow us to preserve our forces much better than trying to fight our enemies head-on in open waters."
"We'll station infantry on the Red Line to encircle Mary Geoise, while the Navy and warships will enforce a three-layer blockade in the Sea below. With the firepower at our disposal—artillery, Pacifistas, and other advanced weaponry—we will be able to deal significant damage to the enemy."
"A purely defensive strategy, huh…"
Akainu, his cap shadowing his eyes, spoke coldly. "Why not take the initiative and launch an attack before they have the chance to gather?"
Chaton nodded in agreement. "That's right. If we strike now, we could wipe out the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates before they even reach the New World."
"To completely eradicate them, we'd need to deploy at least three Marine Admirals along with a substantial fleet," Sengoku replied in a serious tone. "But what if, during that time, that man launches an attack on Mary Geoise?"
"You're all forgetting—he's a Float-Float Fruit user. With that ability, he could descend upon Mary Geoise at any time. If we disperse our forces, we're taking an unnecessary risk."
Kong nodded. "It's true—playing it safe is the wiser choice."
Seeing this, Akainu said nothing more.
After further strategic discussions, the meeting finally came to an end, and the officers began to disperse.
As they walked together, Aokiji turned to Gion and Chaton.
"Where's Garp?" he asked.
"Hm… I think he got into a huge argument with Kong a few days ago and was ordered to guard the Mary Geoise prison as punishment," Chaton recalled.
Gion spoke softly, "Does Garp… not want to participate in this war?"
Chaton waved his hand dismissively. "Come on, Garp is a Marine hero. There's no way he'd back down from this."
But both Aokiji and Gion remained silent, their expressions heavy.
The war was fast approaching.
A thick air of tension and oppression hung over Mary Geoise.
And yet, the Celestial Dragons remained oblivious—still indulging in their usual routine of buying, trading, and "training" slaves from all corners of the world, discarding them like broken toys when they lost interest.
Inside a high-end restaurant in Mary Geoise, Fujitora sat alone, eating a bowl of noodles.
"Hmph… This doesn't taste nearly as good as the one that guy treated me to back then," he murmured to himself.
Meanwhile, deep within the underground prison of Mary Geoise, Garp sat cross-legged before a reinforced cell, his brows furrowed tightly in distress.
Inside the cell sat Rob Lucci, silent as a shadow.
…
On the same day, both the Revolutionary Army and the Kuja Pirates arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago.
The different factions finally converged.
For the first time ever, Luffy found himself face to face with his father.
Luffy tilted his head, staring at Dragon. "So… you're my dad?"
Dragon, his expression as unreadable as ever, simply responded, "You've grown."
That was all he said. He did not say anything more.
"Th-That's Luffy's father?! The most dangerous man in the world—Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army?!"
Usopp was drenched in cold sweat as he stared at Dragon, who exuded an overwhelming aura of authority.
Kidd, Killer, and many others were also seeing Dragon in person for the first time, and they couldn't help but be shocked by the sheer strength emanating from the Revolutionary Army.
"It looks like everyone's here," a voice chuckled.
A man wearing a gray-white coat stepped forward—Silvers Rayleigh.
He looked at the massive gathering before him with a smile.
Beyond the shores of the Sabaody Archipelago, the sea was filled with an endless fleet—ships of the Revolutionary Army and numerous pirate crews, stretching as far as the eye could see.
…
Area 13.
In the open space in front of Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, the ground was packed with figures who commanded fear and respect across the Grand Line.
Among them were:
- The Revolutionary Army: Monkey D. Dragon, Sabo, Ivankov, Bartholomew Kuma, and the four army commanders.
- The Straw Hat Alliance: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Jinbe, Law, Kid, Killer, Hawkins, Bege…
- The Kuja Pirates: The Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
With such an overwhelming force gathered in one place, taking over a country even as powerful as Alabasta wouldn't take much time.
Bege, cigar between his lips, turned to Rayleigh. "So, what's the next move?"
The Eastern Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army, Belo Betty, adjusted her sunglasses and frowned. "If we're meeting in the New World, we have to pass through Fish-Man Island, right? The deadline for our rendezvous is only a few days away. Can we really coat all these ships in time?"
"You won't need to pass through Fish-Man Island."
Rayleigh's words stunned everyone.
All eyes immediately locked onto him.
"But there are only two ways into the New World—through Fish-Man Island or Mary Geoise. If we're not taking Fish-Man Island… does that mean there's a third route?"
Jinbe was visibly startled.
Rayleigh simply smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out soon enough."
Everyone exchanged uncertain glances.
…
That evening, Rayleigh received a message through a Den Den Mushi. Without hesitation, he gave the order:
"All hands, board your ships."
He then stepped onto the Thousand Sunny.
Kid frowned. "What the hell is going on?"
Before anyone could respond—
"W-WHAAAT?! The ships… THEY'RE RISING!!"
A pirate's panicked scream echoed across the harbor.
Kid turned toward the voice, eyes widening in shock.
One of the massive ships had begun to rise into the air.
Before he could even process what was happening, his own ship lifted off the ocean's surface—as if gravity had lost its hold.
One after another, the ships rose into the sky—a second, a third, a fourth…
"This… This is his power!"
Law's breath hitched as the realization dawned on him.
This was how they were all getting into the New World.
But at the same time, he was completely shaken.
"He's really planning to lift every single ship… into the sky?"
"This… is that even possible?"
All around them, pirates and revolutionaries stared in disbelief.
One by one, their ships were floating, weightless, ascending into the heavens.
…
As the Thousand Sunny lifted off the ocean's surface, Usopp and Chopper's eyes nearly popped out of their skulls.
"WAAAAAHHHH! WE'RE FLYING!!"
Sanji, watching the sea grow more distant, exhaled sharply. "So this… is the third route."
"Ron's ability…"
Zoro, hand on the hilt of his swords, gazed up at the sky, as if trying to spot the one responsible for this incredible feat.
"WOAHHH!!"
At the front of the Sunny, Luffy clutched his hat against the wind, his face lit up with pure excitement.
"HAHAHAHA! THE SHIPS ARE ALL FLYING! THIS IS SO AWESOME!!"
Onboard the Kuja Pirates' ship, Boa Hancock stood at the bow, her stunning figure wrapped in an elegant blue kimono. The wind whipped through her long, raven-black hair as she gazed forward with a cool, unreadable expression.
But deep within her deep blue eyes burned an undeniable admiration and longing.
"This time… I will stand beside you in battle."
…
At the head of the Revolutionary Army's flagship, Ivankov clutched his massive head, eyes wide in disbelief.
"This kind of power… could he be a god?!"
Karasu, one of the Revolutionary Army commanders, was equally stunned—completely speechless.
Sabo adjusted his hat, his lips curving into an appreciative smirk.
"As expected of Ron."
Even Dragon, the most dangerous man in the world, looked up toward the barely visible silhouette in the sky. For the first time in a long time, a small smile appeared on his face.
"If it's him…"
If it was Ron…
Then maybe, just maybe—
The iron rule of the Celestial Dragons… the chains that had bound the seas for eight hundred years—could finally be broken.
…
Over a hundred large ships and dozens of smaller ones ascended into the sky, forming an aerial fleet like no other.
With over two hundred thousand people aboard, they soared high above the clouds—covering the sky like an unstoppable force.
Guided by Ron's power, the fleet crossed the Red Line at an altitude of ten thousand meters, bypassing the need for Fish-Man Island.
In that moment, history itself had been rewritten.
They had entered the New World.