One Piece: SSS-Rank Haki at Age Seventeen

Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's iron-blooded declaration echoed heavily throughout the war room.

Around the long conference table, the gathered officers frowned deeply, fingers unconsciously tapping against the surface.

Then—

SCRAAAPE!

The legs of a chair screeched sharply against the floor, tearing through the silence.

Vice Admiral Doberman stood up.

The brutal scar running across his face looked even harsher beneath the overhead light.

His voice sounded like rusted steel grinding against stone.

Rough.

Cold.

Every word struck the room like a hammer.

"Remnants of the old era… hmph."

His burning gaze swept slowly across every tense face in the chamber.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"The Pirate King's life ended at Loguetown by our hands."

"And Whitebeard's so-called invincible flag was burned to ashes at Marineford."

His voice suddenly rose sharply.

"So what right does a ghost crushed beneath the wheels of time have to roar in this new era?!"

"THE MARINES—"

Doberman slammed his fist onto the table hard enough to rattle the teacups.

"—are the sole rulers of this era!"

"Any monster foolish enough to stand in our path will be completely annihilated!"

His harsh declaration swept through the room like scorching wind, blowing away the lingering uncertainty.

Light returned to the officers' eyes.

That's right.

What was there to fear?

The Fleet Admiral commanded Marine Headquarters.

The three Admirals stood at the pinnacle of military might.

Behind them stood Sengoku's strategic brilliance.

And Hero of the Marines Garp still possessed fists capable of crushing mountains.

This was absolute power capable of suppressing the entire sea.

Golden Lion Shiki?

Nothing more than a wandering ghost trapped in the illusions of the past.

The atmosphere in the room shifted once more.

The oppressive tension gave way to sharp killing intent.

Tsuru slowly nodded.

"Vice Admiral Doberman is correct."

Her calm voice carried the weight of long years and undeniable authority.

"Golden Lion may appear arrogant while rampaging through Paradise… but in reality, he is already a trapped beast."

"The Marines' net will eventually tighten around him."

Then her tone hardened instantly.

"But 'eventually' is no longer acceptable."

"His recent massacres are no longer ordinary pirate attacks."

"They are public executions of the World Government's authority."

She paused briefly.

"The pressure from Mary Geoise…"

"…has already become an ultimatum."

Her eyes swept across the room.

"Within one week, Golden Lion Shiki's head must hang beneath the flag of Marine justice."

"One week?!"

Whispers spread among the officers.

Even the most aggressive hardliners could feel the crushing political pressure behind that demand.

"Anger accomplishes nothing."

Sengoku's deep voice cut through the room.

He adjusted his glasses, sharp eyes gleaming behind the lenses.

"The important issue isn't how dangerous he is."

"It's what he intends to do."

"Madness always has a purpose."

"Slaughter always follows a path."

"We must identify his route if we want to turn 'eventually' into 'now.'"

"Exactly."

Tsuru immediately continued.

Without hesitation, she turned and pressed a finger against the massive sea chart behind her.

The sharp tap echoed loudly in the silent room.

"After analyzing the destruction patterns, ocean currents, and Golden Lion's personality…"

"There is an extremely high probability that his final destination is—"

Her finger stopped firmly upon a single region of the map.

The weakest sea.

And one of the most symbolically important.

"…the East Blue."

"The East Blue?!"

The room instantly fell silent.

That peaceful sea was both the birthplace and execution ground of the Pirate King.

It was also the symbolic face of "peace" the Marines worked hardest to maintain.

If Golden Lion intended to invade the East Blue—

Then the level of provocation had just escalated dramatically.

"Proceed with the operational directives, Tsuru."

Sakazuki's cold voice broke the silence.

His expression remained unmoved.

Tsuru immediately pointed toward the complex magnetic routes connecting Paradise to the East Blue.

"Based on the final attack location, there are four standard routes leading toward the East Blue."

"Although Golden Lion possesses aerial mobility, using Log Poses or Eternal Poses along established magnetic routes remains the fastest and most efficient method for moving large-scale forces."

"Remote islands outside the routes are meaningless to him."

"And navigating chaotic magnetic zones carries unnecessary risks."

She began issuing commands rapidly and clearly.

"Fleet Admiral Sakazuki will remain at Marineford to oversee overall command and maintain deterrence."

"Admiral Kizaru will act as the Marines' global rapid-response force utilizing his speed advantage."

Her finger traced four routes across the map.

"The remaining top combat forces will split into four pursuit divisions and conduct interception operations along all possible routes."

"Admiral Fujitora!"

"Admiral Ryokugyu!"

"Inspector General Sengoku!"

"Vice Admiral Garp!"

"All four will each command three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals alongside supporting Rear Admirals and elite troops."

The list alone sent chills through the room.

Four monsters standing at the peak of the seas—

Supported by twelve Vice Admirals.

This was nearly the strongest strike force the Marines could assemble without initiating all-out war.

"Everyone."

Tsuru's gaze sharpened like a blade.

"The indiscriminate slaughter of member nations is a direct attack against the foundations of world order."

"The tolerance of both the Marines and the World Government…"

"…is zero."

She paused briefly.

"This operation will not involve pursuit."

"It will not involve capture."

Only one final word remained.

"Extermination."

No one spoke afterward.

Only cold killing intent filled the room.

At that moment, the Marine war machine activated at full power.

Its blades pointed directly toward the East Blue.

Determined to bury the remnants of the old era forever.

The following day—

Sabaody Archipelago.

Shakky's Rip-Off Bar.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through coating bubbles outside, scattering shifting colors across the tavern.

Shakky held a slender cigarette between her fingers but had forgotten to take a puff.

For once, she looked genuinely surprised as she stared at the man sitting before the counter.

Compared to three months ago—

He had changed considerably.

His signature green hair had grown slightly longer, still sticking up wildly as ever.

A fresh vertical scar now crossed over his left eye like a cruel badge of honor, adding a hardened sharpness to his youthful face.

But the biggest difference was his presence.

When calm, he resembled an ancient blade resting silently beneath deep waters.

Yet occasionally, a glance from him felt as sharp as a sword leaving its sheath.

The three swords hanging casually at his waist silently told the story of the hellish path he had walked.

"Well now…"

Shakky exhaled slowly, masking her genuine astonishment.

"This is definitely unexpected."

"You're actually the first one here."

She remembered very clearly—

This swordsman was hopelessly directionally challenged.

The kind of person capable of walking the wrong way down a straight road.

Had three months of training somehow cured that too?

The world really was mysterious.

"I'm first?"

Zoro raised a brow before draining his glass in one gulp.

The rich alcohol slid down his throat, drawing a satisfied sigh from him.

Back on Kuraigana Island, good liquor had been a luxury.

Now the familiar taste brought rare relaxation.

He pushed the empty glass forward unapologetically.

"One more."

"Looks like I beat that guy by a huge margin."

Shakky smiled while refilling his drink.

A faint trace of annoyance appeared when she thought about her own absent old man.

"Not just you."

"That unreliable old geezer of ours still hasn't shown up either. Who knows what sea he's fishing in right now."

"Hmph."

A victorious grin spread across Zoro's face.

As though he could already picture Sanji exploding with rage.

"Getting here before that love-cook alone is enough to make him lose a hundred times over."

"Hopefully he didn't spend the last two years obsessing over recipes and forget how to fight."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that."

Shakky leaned casually against the counter with a slightly sympathetic smile.

"Sanji's last two years were probably every bit as… intense as yours."

"Under your captain's influence, I'm sure he's gone through quite the transformation."

"Maybe."

Zoro answered vaguely, clearly more focused on his drink.

As far as he was concerned, arriving first today was already a glorious victory.

A perfect weapon for tormenting curly-brow in the future.

Just imagining it made the alcohol taste even better.

After finishing several drinks, he paid cleanly and stood up.

"Well, nothing else to do."

"I'm gonna go fishing for a while."

Stretching his shoulders casually, he headed toward the door.

"See ya."

"Hey."

Shakky raised her voice from behind him.

"Go fishing if you want—but pay attention to the signs."

"Don't end up casting your line at a Marine base by accident."

"You worry too much."

Zoro waved dismissively without turning around.

Then his figure disappeared into the colorful bubble-lit streets outside.

Shakky watched him leave while slowly taking another drag from her cigarette.

Yet her brows gradually furrowed.

A strange foreboding crept into her heart.

The kind born from long experience… and knowing Zoro's personality far too well.

She glanced at the calendar on the wall and sighed softly.

"Hopefully…"

"…the authorities around Sabaody won't receive some bizarre report like…"

"'Green-haired swordsman spotted asking for directions while carrying swords through the amusement district.'"

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