206 With the Justice System

New World, G-5 Branch.

The iron fleet, like a silent leviathan, slowly berthed.

"Crrk—"

A heavy metal gangplank dropped, crashing onto the pier.

Tens of thousands of navy elite in uniform poured down the warships by squads, quickly taking control of the naval base.

Half an hour later, several large transport ships arrived at the port and took all the original G-5 soldiers away, returning them to Headquarters.

...

Branch Chief's office.

Rayne Hawke stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the treacherous, shifting sea.

He raised his hand, and a system panel only he could see appeared in front of him.

[Rayne Hawke]

[Admiral of the Navy Headquarters and concurrently G-5 Branch Chief]

[Observation Haki: Peak]

[Armament Haki: Peak]

[Physique: Peak]

[Martial Arts · Fist: Peak]

[Conqueror's Haki: Top-Tier (Justice Points needed to promote to Peak: 10,000,000.)]

[Host's current remaining Justice Points: 4,800!]

During the few days of rest at Headquarters, he had already raised both Observation Haki and Armament Haki to Peak level.

[Ding, with Peak-level Observation Haki, the host can glimpse certain pieces of the future and hear the voices of all things!]

[Ding, with Peak-level Armament Haki, the host's great black fists are unstoppable!]

"Sss—"

Hawke pulled a cigar from his pocket and lit it.

"Haa—"

He drew in a deep breath; the smoke curled before the window.

Now he was only one final step away from the pinnacle of individual power in this world.

The Peak of Conqueror's Haki!

Hawke calculated silently.

A Yonko pirate crew, from captain to crew, completely wiped out, would bring in just over one million Justice Points.

Even if he buried Kaido and Big Mom of the New World, he'd only gain around two million Justice Points.

Far from enough.

It seemed...

His iron fist must reach the true source of evil on this sea... the World Government.

Those five lofty old men should be worth a lot of Justice Points!

"Knock, knock—!"

At that moment the office door was knocked. "Enter!"

"Hawke!"

Dane's steady footsteps sounded from behind. "An urgent den-den mushi from Sengoku!"

"Hm…?"

Hawke took the den-den mushi; its shell quickly shifted to show Sengoku's face.

"Rayne!"

Sengoku's voice came through the den-den mushi, heavy with gravity.

"War — it's about to break out again!"

...

Earlier.

New World, a nameless island.

After Law chose to join the Navy, things grew simpler.

Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr — three retired elders without any of the arrogant airs of Navy legends — dragged Law and the members of his former pirate crew to the beach and started a barbecue party.

"Here—"

Garp tore off a huge piece of sea-beast leg meat and handed it to Law.

"Law, from now on you're Navy. These brats here will be fed by the Navy too — eat your fill!"

"..."

Law looked at the three legendary men devouring the food and felt a little dazed.

He silently tore off a piece of roasted meat and handed it to Bepo beside him, then took a small bite himself.

After confirming each other's positions, Law spoke a piece of highly valuable intelligence.

"Sengoku-san, the Supernova alliance looks mighty on the surface, but inside it's riddled with contradictions — completely a loose collection."

"Kid is arrogant, Hawkins is moody and unpredictable, Apo's a turncoat waiting to happen..."

"But this alliance has one advantage: they share intelligence."

"We small-time pirates struggling to survive in the New World pool what we gather together and analyze it to try to find any chance to keep living."

"I found a very strange phenomenon."

"Oh?"

Sengoku looked up and put down the meat in his hand.

"'Beast' Kaido and 'Big Mom' Charlotte Linlin — these two sea emperors, after the Summit War, their fleets have been tucked into their own territories, very quiet."

Law took a nautical chart from his chest and spread it on the sand.

"So some reckless people dared to trespass into their territories."

His finger pointed to an island circled on the map.

"This is Big Mom's 'Candy Island,' usually garrisoned year-round by her fourteenth child, Charlotte Perospero."

"But someone found it empty — only some low-level production cadres remained."

"Including Perospero, all the elite forces had vanished."

Law's gaze sharpened.

"This isn't isolated — Kaido's side is the same. Several key border strongholds of Wano have had their elite forces pulled away."

"!!!"

"..."

Sengoku's pupils contracted slightly.

Garp and Zephyr stopped what they were doing, their gazes drawn to the rough chart.

Silence.

Two Yonko who had roamed the New World for decades — they both, without agreement, pulled their elite troops away...

"!!!"

Sengoku's mind raced, connecting the fragments of information.

Kaido and Big Mom, once both members of the Rocks Pirates and long rivals who watched and fought each other for decades... had joined forces!!!

And the only target across the whole sea that could make them set aside their grievances and cooperate was one thing:

The Navy!

"Swish—"

Sengoku shot his head up, exchanging a glance with Garp and Zephyr. In each other's eyes they all saw the obvious answer.

"Their target is the G-5 Branch!"

Sengoku's voice was ironclad.

"It's Hawke!"

The New World is the core territory where the Yonko sit.

And the Navy had sent its most hawkish force here — the Army personally led by "Blood Hawk" Rayne Hawke!

The carnage of the Summit War had already made Kaido and Big Mom realize...

With the Navy's current strength, if they fight one-on-one, they'll be picked off one by one.

So alliance is their only choice!

And Hawke, as the banner of the Navy's new generation and the "prime culprit" who annihilated two Yonko crews, naturally became their primary target!

If they could kill Hawke, not only would they crush Navy morale, they could proclaim to the whole world that a Yonko's dignity cannot be challenged!

"This is no joke!"

Sengoku immediately pulled out a den-den mushi from his chest, expression deadly serious.

"We must notify Hawke and Sakazuki at once!"

"Full-scale war is about to roar again!"