At Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku furrowed his brows as he stared at a stack of covertly taken photographs on his desk. These images had been snapped by a Navy informant stationed in Dressrosa.
Dressrosa, a major power in the New World, had always been under close surveillance due to Doflamingo's presence. Though the Marines couldn't act directly because of Doflamingo's status as a Celestial Dragon, they still kept tabs on him through informants. This time, one of them followed Doflamingo to the east coast and stumbled upon something terrifying—something that shook even the higher-ups of the Navy.
The photos showed a meeting between Doflamingo and a rising threat: Rhett Vane, along with members of the Big Mom Pirates.
From their conversation, which had been partially reconstructed through lip reading, it was deduced that Vane and a mysterious blue-haired woman had defeated Katakuri and several other powerful members of the Charlotte Family. Including Smoothie—who was later escorted—six key figures were now under Vane's control. Even more shocking, the Three Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates were among them.
This wasn't just an incident—it was a declaration of war.
Doflamingo also appeared to be involved in a covert deal with Vane. Though there were only about ten photographs—the informant had been careful, knowing the risk of being caught by such powerful individuals—they were enough to paint a grim picture. The Navy was rattled.
(Lol,you think they didn't notice you? Haha)
Sengoku rubbed his temple. His head was beginning to ache.
This wasn't just a conflict; this was war in the making.
As an experienced tactician, Sengoku immediately deduced Vane's likely strategy: blackmail Big Mom. But anyone with common sense knew how this would play out. The likelihood of Charlotte Linlin agreeing to a peaceful negotiation, surrendering for her children, was practically zero.
She wasn't Whitebeard.
And now, the situation was dire. Vane had struck at the very core of the Big Mom Pirates. Their top commanders were his prisoners. Even if he wanted to kill them, he probably could.
"A new recruit? Took down six Charlotte Family elites with just two people? Kalifa... she's not normally known for strength, but this other woman, the blue-haired one... she's unusual."
The woman in question had long, icy-blue hair, wore a distinctive military cap, and was dressed in a black suit and leather shoes. From the photographs alone, it was impossible to gauge her strength, but her presence was imposing. No one knew her abilities.
Still, the devastation along the coast—frozen terrain, shattered ground—was likely her doing. Her power was unknown, but undeniably formidable.
Katakuri, Cracker, and Smoothie were all recognized powerhouses of the New World. It would be impossible for Vane to have defeated them alone. Sengoku concluded that the mysterious woman must possess extraordinary power.
(Note: they don't know his exact strength, so that's just Sengoku's assumptions)
"Kalifa's strength is noted in World Government records, with a power level under 700," he muttered. "But Vane and this woman together... that's enough to be a nightmare."
The Navy couldn't even issue a bounty yet—there wasn't enough known about them.
Since entering the New World, Vane had completely escaped the Navy's grasp. Though the Navy had some outposts there, its influence was a shadow of what it was in the Grand Line's first half. That region was child's play compared to what lay ahead.
The New World was a land of monsters. Weaklings who slipped through wouldn't last long—they'd be swallowed by the sea. Only the truly powerful survived.
And Vane... he was one of them.
"What's certain now," Sengoku said grimly, "is that he's headed for Whole Cake Island. If he's bold enough to pull this off, then he clearly intends to fight with Big Mom. What follows... will be catastrophic. That woman is insane and not easily offended. Vane may have grown too confident, especially after escaping from Kuzan and Sakazuki . Now, he acts without restraint."
"He's still young," Sengoku added quietly.
From across the room, Aokiji—Kuzan—spoke up. "What if it's not Vane who'll suffer... but Big Mom?"
Sengoku gave him a long look. "Unlikely. That's her home turf. If he came to Marineford, I'd toss him in a dungeon myself." The source of this content ɪs NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt
Aboard Vane's ship, Katakuri and the others sat silently, now fully restrained. Except for Brûlée, the Charlotte children were shackled with Sea-Prism Stone cuffs, their chains anchored to the ship's railings. But even Vane knew that wasn't enough. Strong Haki users could still resist.
So, he added another layer of protection: a dome of solid ice, crafted by his companion. Small holes were left for air circulation—but no exits. He could now sleep peacefully.
Katakuri and his siblings could only stare out at the ocean through the blurry ice, weighed down by humiliation and uncertainty. This was the first time they had ever been captured. Now, they were hostages. Vane intended to bargain with their mother.
And if word got out, their reputations would be in tatters.
Katakuri's once-untouchable myth had shattered.
Still, he remained calm. While his siblings shifted nervously, he was unmoved—cold and quiet as ever.
Yesterday, they'd overheard Vane contacting Charlotte Linlin. But Vane had been careful not to reveal their location. If he had, she would have already arrived, riding Zeus and Prometheus in a storm of fury.
Even they, her children, feared her. Linlin was unpredictable—moody, prone to violent fits of rage. Even blood ties didn't guarantee mercy.
If Vane truly intended to go to war with her, then the world was about to witness a titanic clash.
Should he somehow survive, Rhett Vane's name would shake the seas once again.
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