NOVEL NEXT Wicked Justice & Ulterior Motives
Skypea, Upperyard.
The island of Skypea was a vast expanse of land perched upon the clouds, seemingly suspended in mid-air. Within this lost civilization, a proud race thrived—individuals adorned with wings on their backs. At this very moment, a revolution was unfolding in these lands.
The soil of the Upper Yard was stained with the blood of its citizens, forsaken by fate and subjected to the whims of a new "God."
Many of those who lay lifeless on the battlefield were once hailed as the "guardians of God" by the island's residents. However, at this moment, they were nothing more than charred corpses and remnants of darkness.
"Please forgive us," they pleaded.
Their officially proclaimed 'God' had already fled in the face of this catastrophe, and his forces crumbled after a thundering defeat. Leaving them with no choice but to kneel before a man who had now assumed control. He stood there, dressed in a toga with a white headscarf, his elongated ears reaching below his neck with the most wicked of smiles. That's how he had longed to see them, kneeling and defeated.
Behind him stood a group of individuals who wickedly revelled in his deeds. One man, in particular, drew attention. His arm exuded a dark aura, and he wore a white tuxedo with a skull mask, small wings of darkness sprouting from his back. Beside him stood three others, similarly clad in white attire, each wearing their own distinctive masks. They observed the unfolding events with a mix of disgust and indifference.
"Your leader has abandoned you. Henceforth, I am your God."
"God, please forgive us."
"You are forgiven, but your sins against Birka are not. Remove these peasants from my sacred land; the Upper Yard is now mine!"
"We have intruders."
"..."
One of the men in white spoke up, capturing everyone's attention. He wore a bob-cut hat and a mask that gave him a melancholic appearance. Enel, the self-proclaimed God, halted his actions to address this individual.
"Did someone pursue you?" he asked the man with the skull mask, who shook his head vigorously.
"How vexing. No one should have followed us. I made sure no one could after taking the Knock Up Stream. Are you certain, Guernica?"
"There is no doubt. I've already sensed their presence. Three of them emit a profound and potent aura reminiscent of Conqueror's Haki. They're formidable. Stay vigilant."
The white-clad individuals grew serious at the mention of "Conqueror's Haki." Facing three such individuals was no trivial matter.
"Even if they did arrive, they must be on Angel Island. We can deal with them later. Focus on your task, God..." the taller man spoke with open disdain, making Enel frown but refraining from voicing his disapproval.
"Hurry up; we have no time to waste," the impatient female urged, brushing her golden hair aside. She just wanted this ordeal to end as quickly as possible.
Enel furrowed his brows in annoyance and nodded, his gaze fixated on the man responsible for the source of his power—Peter Hornigold.
...
Orders were issued, and the so-called "God Army" now had a new leader—a malevolent fiend they were powerless against, accompanied by his followers. What none of them expected was that, just as they sensed formidable individuals, they were also sensed in return.
BOOM!
A dramatic explosion echoed through the dispersing clouds as a group of levitating figures approached the Upper Yard. All eyes turned upward to greet the newcomers, and the man with the skull mask reacted most intensely.
His gaze locked onto a particular object—the sword hovering behind the white-haired youth.
'Kokutou Yoru...?!'
"What an intriguing conversation you're having here. Mind if I join?" Veyron's eyes bore an unusual seriousness. Ever since arriving on this land, he had encountered nothing but chaos—far from the cloud paradise he had initially envisioned. Instead, he found streets littered with corpses, bloodshed, destruction, and lightning bolts wreaking havoc on homes, while dark chasms swallowed entire villages.
The primary instigator of this turmoil stood before him.
Tsuru and Gion stood alongside Veyron, and upon seeing the men in white, their souls seemed to quiver. They could only associate this group of individuals with the catastrophe that had befallen the land—in the worst possible way.
"You are..." Enel began, expecting to lead the conversation, but he was quickly overshadowed by the four white-clad individuals who understood that the situation was far from simple.
"Dark Mantle, Dracule Veyron."
Ignoring the Vice Admiral and Rear Admiral, they directed their attention to the rising star responsible for the chaos in Marie Geoise two years prior, a man they had orders to eliminate on sight.
"What a coincidence to meet you here, at your tomb," Peter's voice dripped with malevolence.
Veyron tilted his head and signalled his group to stand down. Hancock, Primrose, Marigold, and Sandersonia positioned themselves defensively, while Robin remained behind for cover. Tsuru and Gion struggled to believe their eyes.
"I'm going to ask a question, and you'd better answer me. What is CP0 doing here, collaborating with a criminal and massacring innocent citizens?" Tsuru's voice was strained, her restraint palpable.
The masked woman replied, "Vice Admiral Tsuru, it appears you've pried into matters where you're unwelcome. You've witnessed things you shouldn't have and heard what you shouldn't know."
"So?"
"Out of respect for your former status as a Marine legend, we'll allow you and Rear Admiral Momousagi to retreat immediately. Return to the Blue Sea from whence you came and forget what transpired here. This is a direct order from the World Government."
She extended her hand, displaying what seemed to be credentials bearing the name of a high ranked member of the organisation, her existences was almost a secret, "Stussy."
Veyron didn't know who these people were, but if Tsuru referred to them as "CP0," he could only assume they were akin to Rob Lucci and his team—although these individuals seemed even more ominous.
"People have died here, and you expect us to back off?"
"Those are your orders. Whether you follow them will determine if you leave here alive or dead."
"I don't think she'll be leaving here dead, but that's beside the point... How about all of you tell me who you are? I don't appreciate being left in the dark."
The boy sensed an imminent battle.
"Don't waste time with pointless chatter; eliminate him!" the woman shouted, but the skull-masked figure halted her, earning Veyron's designation as he did.
"I'll handle this personally. What's the name of that sword, kid? It bears a striking resemblance to Yoru."
"You're acquainted with my mother?"
"Indeed, I'm familiar with her... I owe her a thrashing from a year ago, guess you will have to take it for her!"