Chapter 289
At the same time, in the New World — Totto Land, a lace-covered afternoon tea table exploded into splinters beneath one enormous hand.
Expensive desserts, shattered porcelain, and spilled tea scattered across the floor in a ridiculous imitation of a bloody massacre.
"Those damned old corpses hiding on top of the Red Line..."
Charlotte Linlin's roar shook Whole Cake Island.
"THEY ACTUALLY DARED USE ME LIKE SOME FILTHY RAG THEY COULD THROW AWAY WHEN THEY WERE DONE?!"
Her mountain-like body heaved with rage.
A crude prosthetic had been fitted where her right arm had been severed, and the artificial limb ground harshly every time her body tensed.
Whenever she thought of Zaraki—whenever she remembered that enormous chipped cleaver and the dark-gold arcs crawling along its edge—her remaining hand twitched involuntarily.
It was fear.
Even as an Emperor of the Sea, even with a body once praised as an Iron Balloon, Charlotte Linlin had felt the shadow of death more clearly than she ever expected against the man called War Demon.
The memory of Nozarashi tearing through her guard and severing her right arm refused to leave her.
"Zaraki..."
Her bloodshot eyes bulged as saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth and hissed against the floor.
"And those old bastards who kicked away the bridge after crossing it..."
Her face twisted.
"I'LL TEAR EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU APART!"
She bared her teeth.
"AND TURN YOU INTO THE FINEST HOMIES I'VE EVER MADE!"
Katakuri stood silently in the shadows of the enormous hall.
His scarf covered most of his face, leaving only his deep, razor-sharp eyes visible.
Beside him, a Den Den Mushi had only just finished relaying the latest intelligence from the surface.
The Reverie had been moved forward.
The abolition of the Seven Warlords had been forced onto the agenda.
Zaraki had been sent to Fish-Man Island as the World Government's final messenger.
And unusual Government movements were being reported around the Red Line.
Katakuri's fingers tightened inside his sleeve.
Future Sight could tell him nothing about events days away on another island. What bothered him was the pattern.
The Government had tried to use Linlin and Kaido against Zaraki.
That had failed.
Now Mary Geoise was accelerating the Reverie, threatening the Warlord system, and sending the same man into another politically sensitive location.
Too many things were moving at once.
"Mama..."
Katakuri's voice came quietly from beneath his scarf.
Linlin turned toward him.
His gaze had gone cold.
"For now, don't go after the World Government blindly."
His eyes narrowed.
"And don't chase War Demon either."
Linlin's expression darkened.
"What did you say?"
"Something larger is moving."
Katakuri glanced toward the silent Den Den Mushi.
"We need to know what it is before we throw ourselves into another battlefield somebody else prepared."
For once, Linlin did not answer immediately.
The silence lasted only a few seconds before her temper pushed against it again.
"What could possibly be more humiliating than what those old corpses already did?!"
Katakuri remained where he was.
"The point isn't humiliation. We still don't know what they're trying to accomplish."
He gestured toward the intelligence reports beside the Den Den Mushi.
"The Reverie was moved forward with almost no warning. The Warlord system is suddenly under direct attack. Zaraki's resignation is being delayed just long enough to send him to Fish-Man Island, and Government activity around the Red Line is increasing at the same time."
His eyes hardened.
"That isn't a coincidence."
Linlin's remaining hand tightened.
"And Zaraki?"
"He's part of it."
Katakuri did not pretend to know more than he did.
"Whether he's their target, their bait, or simply another piece they expect to move the board for them, I don't know."
He paused.
"But if we chase him now, we're letting the Government decide where we fight him again."
That was the argument that finally reached her.
Linlin's bloodshot eye narrowed as the memory of Totto Land twisted her face again.
"Those bastards."
Katakuri continued.
"We need strength first."
His next words made several of his siblings look sharply toward him.
"The cooperation they tried to force between us and the Beasts Pirates..."
He looked directly at Linlin.
"...we should consider making it real."
The atmosphere in the hall seemed to freeze.
An actual alliance with Kaido?
For decades, neither side had seriously entertained the idea.
They were both Emperors, both monsters, and neither had ever been willing to stand beside the other as an equal.
But things had changed.
Both had been manipulated by the same Government scheme. Both had reasons to want Zaraki dead. And neither could pretend the political order of the New World was still stable.
Linlin's enormous chest rose and fell as rage, humiliation, and calculation churned behind her bloodshot eye.
A long moment passed before a roar tore from deep in her throat.
"PEROSPERO!"
Perospero jolted.
"Yes, Mama!"
"Contact that bastard Kaido!"
Linlin's voice was sharp enough to cut.
"Tell him if he's still angry about being used by those old corpses, then it's time we talk seriously!"
Her expression twisted savagely.
"And tell him this time, I'm not interested in another fake arrangement built by the World Government!"
"GO!"
"Yes!"
Perospero did not waste a second. He hurried out of the palace with several of his siblings close behind.
While another storm began gathering in the New World, the first half of the Grand Line remained almost unnaturally calm.
...
The Oni Slayer moved steadily through clear blue water.
The two Marine escort warships that had accompanied it from Marineford had already turned back near the Sabaody descent zone after Vice Admirals Yamakaji and Gion transferred aboard the coated vessel.
Zaraki reclined sideways in his usual deck chair, the sea breeze stirring loose strands of hair across his forehead.
For once, he looked almost comfortable.
Two sets of footsteps approached from behind and stopped on opposite sides of the chair.
Zaraki did not bother opening his eyes.
He already knew who they were.
One presence carried the familiar smell of cigar smoke and gunpowder.
The other came with a faint fragrance reminiscent of cherry blossoms.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji.
And Vice Admiral Gion, better known as Momousagi, one of the Marines' Admiral candidates.
"Zaraki."
Yamakaji's rough voice came first, cigar smoke curling lazily from his mouth.
"The surface escorts are clear. From here on, it's just us and the coated Oni Slayer."
Escort?
Zaraki almost laughed.
Supervision sounded more accurate.
Sengoku was probably worried his resident battle lunatic might suddenly change course halfway there and head straight for the Red Line instead.
"Got it."
Zaraki answered lazily.
Apparently that was enough of a greeting for him.
Gion looked at his completely relaxed posture and finally lost patience.
"Zaraki, this is different."
Her voice remained cool, but the concern beneath it was obvious.
"The Five Elders wouldn't force through something this obvious unless they believed they had prepared for several possibilities."
She looked toward the sea ahead.
"Fish-Man Island is ten thousand meters beneath the surface. If the coating fails at that depth, Devil Fruit or no Devil Fruit, the environment alone can kill almost anyone before rescue is possible."
Her concern was understandable.
Whatever else Zaraki was, he represented a level of combat power the Marines might not see again for a century, and no one wanted to watch him die because of some filthy political scheme.
"Trap?"
Zaraki finally opened his golden eyes.
He sat up, reached for the chilled bottle of shochu beside him, and took a swallow. The liquor burned pleasantly down his throat.
Then he looked toward the horizon.
"If the prey is stronger than the hunter..."
A playful curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"...doesn't the trap just become a dinner bowl?"
Yamakaji and Gion exchanged a look.
The same helplessness appeared in both pairs of eyes.
Trying to reason with this man was like explaining music to a bull.
Then a faint chime rang inside Zaraki's mind.
Ding.
His hand stopped halfway through raising the bottle again.
A pale-blue virtual screen appeared across his vision without warning.
Surprise flashed through his eyes.
'System Shop?'
No.
That made no sense.
The normal monthly refresh was still more than ten days away.
Cold mechanical text appeared across the translucent interface.
[Special Condition Fulfilled: "Prelude to the Grand Stage."]
Zaraki narrowed his eyes.
Another line appeared beneath it.
[Limited-Time Themed Mystery Box Shop preparing to refresh...]