"What's going on this time?"
"It seems the world truly doesn't know peace anymore!"
Kizaru — the fastest of them all — had already arrived at Mary Geoise. From the sky above, he could see it clearly: a vast crater of blackened earth and ruin.
Though the flames had burned out, the air still shimmered with heat. The once-pristine Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons was now scarred by devastation — three massive craters, each more than a thousand meters wide, and a fourth, smaller one nearby.
Even Kizaru's usually lazy expression tightened. "Such destruction… how terrifying" he muttered, descending through the smoke.
The fires had been extinguished — someone must have used an incredibly powerful ability to suppress them. But that wasn't the most alarming part.
"What kind of enemy could do this?" he whispered, eyes narrowing.
Moments later, reinforcements from Marine Headquarters arrived: Akainu, followed by Vice Admirals and countless marines.
"Could it be a slave riot?" one of them asked anxiously.
"Commander Kong! What happened this time?"
Kong turned toward them, his massive frame casting a shadow over the scorched ground. His expression was grave.
"Sakazuki, you came just in time. Mary Geoise was attacked — by an unknown intruder, or perhaps several. Their strength is beyond comprehension. The casualties are… catastrophic. At least three hundred Celestial Dragons are dead. Guards, attendants, slaves — countless more!"
"What…?" Akainu's voice faltered for a moment. Even he, hardened by war, was shaken.
"Three hundred Celestial Dragons… killed?"
"The scene speaks for itself" Kong said grimly. "And the attacker — or attackers — may still be in Mary Geoise!"
Akainu clenched his fists. "Let's move. Search and rescue the injured, find whoever's responsible — and bring me their head!"
The marines spread out in waves. But even now, the Gorosei had forbidden them from entering certain sectors — especially the Celestial Dragons' estates.
"That's insane," muttered a vice admiral under his breath. "If the intruder's hiding there, we can't even touch the area!"
Frustration spread through the ranks. Still, the search continued.
Among them was Gion. She moved quietly, her eyes sharp. The sight of the three craters made her heart sink.There was only one man she could imagine with such destructive power… and the audacity to strike Mary Geoise itself.
Elior.
And if it truly was him… then this was no ordinary act of defiance.
Still, intelligence from Headquarters stated that Elior remained secluded in Paradise. No one had reported seeing him leave the island. But Gion knew him — his instincts, his unpredictability. If anyone could appear here undetected, it was him.
As she walked through the smoke, she suddenly froze.
A figure in a CP0 uniform stood at the edge of the ruins. Through the mask's eyeholes, she caught a glimpse — cold, clear, unmistakable.
Those eyes.
Her breath caught. "Elior…" she whispered.
He raised a hand — a subtle wave. A silent message: Don't follow. Then he turned and vanished into the ruins, disappearing like a shadow into the night.
Gion lowered her gaze. She understood. If she spoke of this, it would bring more trouble — for both of them.
Still, her heart trembled.
"You fool… you actually came here."
Around her, marines gasped at the sight of the destruction.
"What kind of monster could create a pit like this?" Hina asked, staring into the thousand-meter crater.
"It's like an entire mountain was erased!"
"Who could have this kind of power?" she asked Gion quietly.
Gion's eyes lingered on the dark horizon.
"The question isn't who has the strength… it's who has the courage to challenge the world itself."
Her voice softened, almost inaudible. "And I already know who."
She turned away, hiding the faintest trace of emotion.
Far from the search teams, the man in the CP0 mask stood alone at the edge of Mary Geoise's cliffs.
The moon hung low. The wind was fierce.
Elior looked back once — at the city of the gods, still burning faintly in the distance — and then he was gone.
To the guards and marines below, it was nothing but a passing gust of wind.
Mary Geoise would remain sealed under orders from the Gorosei, but even they knew: for someone like Elior, walls and orders meant nothing.
He had come and gone as he pleased — leaving behind only silence, fire, and fear.