In the Holy Land Mary Geoise, inside a lavish hall, a middle-aged woman wearing a bubble headgear was shouting at a Den Den Mushi:"What did you say?! He didn't age because of a Devil Fruit ability? There's no such thing in this world as an elixir of eternal youth!"
"Yes, ma'am, it's absolutely true. I swear everything I said is real. That guy ate the Life-Life Fruit. He can control chains because he injects life into inanimate objects and makes them obey him."
"Damn it! He actually dared to deceive me?!" the woman shrieked. "I'll make him regret toying with me! Go kill him immediately!"
"Please forgive me, ma'am, but Qingcheng is not just an ordinary doctor. He's now more powerful than I am. Plus, he's accompanied by a powerful swordsman—Kozuki Oden—as his bodyguard. If I hadn't escaped quickly this time, I'd be dead just like Ira. If you really want him dead, only a Marine Admiral can get the job done."
"What? A doctor is that powerful? Hmph, fine—then let the Navy deal with him. Coincidentally, I have an even more important task for you. And if you fail this time, you know what I'm capable of, don't you?"
"Y-yes… I understand. Thank you for your mercy."
BANG!
At Marine Headquarters, a loud thud came from the Fleet Admiral's office.
"That damned idiot…" Fleet Admiral Kong slammed the Den Den Mushi down, his face grim.Those stupid Celestial Dragons really thought the Marines were their lapdogs?
"Thanks to their bounty on Qingcheng, Marine HQ and even several branch offices have been swarmed by reporters and citizens. And now they want me to send an Admiral to clean up their mess? Are they joking?"
Brrrring… Brrrring…
"Hello?"
"Kong, I want an explanation! Why the hell is Qingcheng being hunted? And the bounty was issued days before I even left port! What is going on? Did you intentionally send me away from his side? How am I supposed to face him now?! Don't think I don't know—after spending all that time with him, I'd know if he committed any crime! If you don't explain right now, I swear I'll head back to the East Blue and quit the Marines for good!"
"Ugh…" Kong rubbed his temples, groaning as Garp's furious voice boomed from the other end.
"Well? Say something!"
"It's the Celestial Dragons. He offended them, and you know how that goes…"
BANG!!
"Those fools again?! I'm going back to the East Blue to farm. Don't send anyone to bother me!"
Click!
"Hey! Hey!!"
"Damn it all… What did I do to deserve this?" Kong slumped into his chair like his soul had been drained.
North Blue, aboard Garp's warship.
Garp wore an expression that screamed "Don't mess with me" as he turned to his subordinate."Tell the helmsman to turn us around. We're heading back to the East Blue."
"Y-yes, sir!" the sweating officer replied. He had served under Garp for years but had never seen the Vice Admiral this terrifying.
Time passed quickly. Before anyone realized, a day had slipped by.
Back at Marine HQ, just as Kong was preparing to withdraw Qingcheng's bounty to appease Garp, his Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
"Fleet Admiral Kong? This is the Intelligence Division," said an urgent voice.
"This is Kong," he replied. "Actually, I have something important I wanted to ask you."
"Apologies, sir, but I need to speak first. We just received a report from CP9. While monitoring the Roger Pirates, they witnessed the swordsman Kozuki Oden boarding the ship with an unconscious Dr. Qingcheng—Harvis D. Bilia Qingcheng."
"WHAT?!" Kong's face twisted in shock. "What are you waiting for?! Tell CP9 to retrieve Qingcheng at all costs. If they can't… then kill him if necessary!"
"This is a serious situation, and of course CP9 knows how to handle it… but unfortunately, this report came just before their defeat. The CP9 agents on site are… no longer alive."
"DAMN IT!" A furious roar shook the walls of the Fleet Admiral's office.
"And sir, what was it you wanted to request of us earlier?"
"…It doesn't matter now. But I'll be sending over updated bounty posters for Qingcheng and Kozuki Oden. You'll know what to do."
"Understood."
"Damn it all…" Kong gritted his teeth and quickly dialed Garp.
"Hello, may I ask who's calling?"
"This is Fleet Admiral Kong. I need to speak with Garp. It's an emergency."
"Apologies, sir. The Vice Admiral is… refusing to take your calls."
"PUT HIM ON NOW!" Kong shouted, cutting the officer off.
"U-understood, I'll bring it to him right away…"
"…Sir, Vice Admiral Garp is right here, but he doesn't wish to speak with you."
"Garp, I know you're listening. What I'm about to say concerns the fate of the entire sea. Qingcheng has boarded the Roger Pirates' ship under the protection of Kozuki Oden. You already know what that means. If we don't act now…"
Kong paused. "Listen, I'll be honest with you—I'm devastated about what happened to Dr. Qingcheng. I was going to cancel his bounty, but given the situation, I have to put aside my personal feelings. I'm sorry. So please—just this once—I'm begging you. Arrest Roger before Qingcheng fully heals him. If not, the seas will fall into chaos. Please, I'm begging you as your elder brother in arms…"
"…Where is the Roger Pirates' ship?"
Kong's eyes lit up. "You're agreeing?!"
"I asked—where. Are. They?" Garp's gritted-teeth voice came through again.
"I don't know for sure, but they shouldn't have left the waters around Trann Town yet."
"…This is the last time."
"Yes, yes, thank you! Once you capture Roger, you'll get as much leave as you—"
Click.
Before Kong could finish, the call was cut.
North Blue, somewhere at sea.
Garp stood on the deck, gazing out over the endless ocean with his trademark dog-head hat on.Deep down, he really didn't want to take this mission. He didn't have the face to meet Qingcheng again.But he owed Kong too much. And Kong's desperate, pleading voice had left him no choice.
Three days later…
A new issue of the World Economic News was distributed across the globe by News Coo, featuring explosive headlines that stirred discussion and sorrow among the people.
"Harvis D. Bilia Qingcheng — Bounty: 220 million Berries. Status: Dead or Alive."Crime: Disrespecting the World Nobles.
The Celestial Dragons—untouchable and feared by all.
Although countless people wanted to stand up for their savior, Dr. Qingcheng, they could only sigh bitterly, knowing the terror the Celestial Dragons held.
Somewhere on the Grand Line – Aboard the Moby Dick
Whitebeard stood at the bow of his ship, fists clenched, staring silently toward the direction of Mary Geoise.
"Pops! What do we do? Qingcheng-pops' bounty went up again—and now it's dead or alive!"
"Yeah, what should we do now?!"
Worried voices echoed across the deck.
"Celestial Dragons, huh?" Whitebeard muttered, a flash of madness passing through his eyes. But as he glanced at his sons around him, he sighed.
"Pops, say something!"
"Yeah, Pops!"
"My silly sons… don't worry." Whitebeard smiled warmly. "Your Qingcheng-pops is no ordinary doctor. Didn't you see the paper? He's got a swordsman of Kozuki Oden's caliber at his side. Plus, with Qingcheng's own strength, unless the Navy sends an Admiral, not even two Vice Admirals could take him down."
"Then what do we do? Do we just head back to the North Blue and hope we run into him?"
Whitebeard nodded. That was the only option they had now, however unreliable.
"Pops! Your hand is bleeding! Let me bandage you!"
The ship's doctor came running with a med kit.
"It's just a scratch. Compared to everything else, we need to pick up the pace and reach the North Blue," Whitebeard replied, finally noticing he'd clenched his fists so tightly that his nails had drawn blood.
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