People are sailing and synthesize the devil fruit of phantom beast sp

The colonel was hurled straight out of the sky.

But Golden Lion Shiki wasn't finished yet. He discovered a surveillance camera within the naval base, made it float a hundred meters into the air, and began to broadcast himself live.

"Hahaha! Roger, I knew you wouldn't die so easily. You've always been my only true rival."

"Since you're still alive, let's join forces and flip this world on its head!"

"I now possess even greater power—power capable of shaking the very foundation of this world. Your pirate crew is gone, but mine still stands strong!"

"Let the world tremble! This time, even during the so-called Age of the Warlords, you and Garp won't be able to stop me."

"This is my declaration, Roger. If you don't come to the East Blue to find me, I'll destroy every island in this sea one by one."

With a twisted grin, Shiki raised a hand sharply.

The island below, which had already been shaking violently, began to rise slowly into the sky.

Some of the island's residents had been trying to escape by boat, hoping to make it to the ocean's edge—but now, watching the island itself float into the sky, they were stricken with sheer terror. Screaming in panic, they fled in every direction, but where could one run when the very ground was rising into the heavens?

The footage captured by the floating camera was nothing short of a global shockwave.

From hundreds of kilometers away, you could see the massive landmass levitating high into the sky. It was a vision straight out of a nightmare.

Golden Lion Shiki let out a maniacal laugh and slowly curled his fingers.

In full view of the world, the island seemed to be grasped by an invisible hand. Inch by inch, the massive landmass twisted and compressed, like wet clay being squeezed in a child's hand.

No one was spared.

The residents, the navy recruits, the base itself—everything was swallowed in a horrific collapse. The screams, the cries, the wails—they all ceased as they were crushed beneath tons of stone and steel.

In the end, what remained of the island was compressed into a giant sphere, tens of kilometers wide.

"See this, Roger? This is my power. Come to me. Become my right hand. Together, we will be unstoppable."

With that, Shiki laughed again—cold, monstrous, inhuman. He hurled the stone sphere into the sea below.

BOOM!

A colossal column of water, thousands of meters high, exploded upward as the ball struck the ocean. A massive tsunami, taller than the tallest buildings, surged in every direction.

Nearby islands were devastated by the tidal wave. Thousands died. It was a catastrophe unlike any before.

Shiki tossed the recording device toward the place where the navy colonel had disappeared, then summoned the floating fortress he had stationed tens of thousands of meters high in the sky. It slowly drifted toward him, hovering over the devastation.

He stood there, suspended above the ruins, awaiting Roger's arrival.

One Day Later

Naval Headquarters — Marineford

In the War Room, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was buried in intelligence reports, still seeking confirmation about the rumors surrounding Roger's resurrection.

He had already dispatched Green Bull and Garp to the East Blue to investigate Roger's gravesite. But even using the most advanced warships available, the trip would take nearly two weeks.

Frustrated, Sengoku had no choice but to issue additional orders, sending nearby naval base personnel to investigate immediately.

Brubru!

The Den Den Mushi rang sharply.

Sengoku's heart skipped a beat. He picked up instantly.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Roger's grave has definitely been opened… and the body is missing."

The report struck like a hammer. Sengoku froze.

The one thing he feared most had come true.

Roger may really be back.

He hung up, slumping in his chair as a pounding buzz filled his mind. This wasn't just about dealing with the Whitebeard Pirates anymore—this was about confronting Gol D. Roger himself.

And if Roger returned, then it was likely he would gather his old allies: Silvers Rayleigh, "Dark King," and other legendary pirates. It would be the most dangerous coalition in history.

Names flashed through Sengoku's mind like lightning:

Whitebeard.

Rayleigh.

Roger.

Red-Haired Shanks, the former crewmate of Roger.

The Whitebeard Pirates.

The Red-Haired Pirates.

With so many top-tier threats joining forces, Sengoku realized the Navy would be overwhelmed, no matter how extensive their preparations.

The war plan had to be canceled.

There was simply no winning this kind of war.

Sengoku was just about to contact the Five Elders to discuss canceling the operation when suddenly—the room trembled.

A murderous aura filled the space.

Sengoku's pupils constricted, and a wave of pressure caused his hair to stand on end. He immediately stood, his entire body cloaked in Armament Haki. His eyes were sharp, and his stance was full of killing intent.

But when he saw the two figures who appeared before him, all that rage melted into confusion.

"You are...?"

"We are the Knights of God," one of them declared. "Under direct orders from the Five Elders, we're here to oversee the situation."

"From this point forward, command of the Navy falls under our jurisdiction."

Sengoku's eyes narrowed. One of the knights—Xiya—spoke with complete authority, attempting to override naval command.

Nack, the other knight, stood silently beside him. Though the move was unexpected, he didn't challenge it. After all, the Navy was ultimately a tool of the World Government—a creation of their design. If the Five Elders wanted to take over, they had every right.

Sengoku, however, was incensed.

"This is outrageous! I cannot hand over the Navy's command to two strangers!"

Even if they were the so-called Knights of God, Sengoku had never seen them before—not even once in all his years as a naval officer and marshal.

He was deeply suspicious.

But then Xiya removed her hood.

Underneath was the iconic Celestial Dragon's fishbowl helmet—proof of her identity.

Her face was stunning—flawless, ethereal, beautiful beyond words. But it was the helmet that mattered.

"I am Xia of the Celestial Dragons. You are but a Navy dog. How dare you question me?"

Nack pulled back his own hood as well. He too wore the iconic helmet, and though handsome, his expression carried cruelty and arrogance—an utter disdain for the lives of commoners.

Sengoku felt a chill.

They were real. Genuine Celestial Dragons.

That innate arrogance was unmistakable—once seen, never forgotten.

And so, the fate of the Navy—and the world—shifted once again.