One Piece: Holy Light Swordmaster

As Tashigi and Bone acquired their new abilities and prepared to assist Kuina in conquering islands formerly under Whitebeard's control in the New World, Wright had just left Impel Down.

By releasing the sealed crystal inside a special, enclosed Holy Light container containing fruit, the corresponding Devil Fruits were successfully created.

After handing over three Devil Fruits to Rosinante, Wright needed to handle one particularly special Devil Fruit—the Logia-type Yami Yami no Mi.

"Just like the Hobi Hobi no Mi, it shall be sealed away permanently—but this time, I have a better place for it."

If locking it inside a Seastone chest and sinking it into the ocean was an effective hiding method, then what about placing it on the moon?

Teleporting to the moon, Wright sealed the Yami Yami no Mi deep within a forbidden underground zone. With that done, he retrieved the final sealed crystal and let out a sigh.

The crystal contained none other than the Gura Gura no Mi, reputed as the "strongest Paramecia" ability.

"Whitebeard... I will entrust your power to someone worthy."

"But not just yet. One surprise is good—but two surprises are even better!"

...

The remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates were struggling in battle against both the Marines and rival pirate factions seeking to claim their former territory. Led by Marco, the division commanders had survived the Summit War without major injuries, but their subordinate crews had suffered devastating losses.

Though they themselves had managed to withdraw from the battlefield, many of their ships were forever lost in Marineford's inner bay.

Gathering what forces remained, Marco led his commanders in purging the rogue pirates wreaking havoc. At the very least, islands occupied by the Marines remained relatively safe for their inhabitants.

In contrast, those seized by pirates had already become sites of mass slaughter and brutal revenge.

Under Whitebeard's rule, these scoundrels dared not step out of line. His presence kept them in check, forcing them to abide by his laws.

But with Whitebeard gone, they unleashed their unchecked cruelty, driven by a twisted sense of retribution.

It seemed they had completely forgotten who had shielded them from the Navy's wrath all this time.

Now, their reckless indulgence had led them straight to disaster—or perhaps it was merely the inevitable consequence of their unchecked madness.

During the Summit War, the Navy's elite forces remained largely intact thanks to Wright's immense power. With rapid post-war healing, these soldiers required only brief recovery periods before regaining their full combat strength.

Marineford's fortress of justice sustained only minimal damage. Repairs were needed in areas like Oris Plaza and the inner bay, but these tasks were left to ordinary sailors. Meanwhile, over half of the 100,000 elite Marines who had endured the Summit War were now mobilized toward the New World.

In a short time, with the Dawn under Kuina's command leading the charge, the Navy began securing key islands. As Kuina and reinforcements—including Hina, Ace, Tashigi, Cavendish, and Bone—led their forces in capturing these strategic points, the Marine elites swiftly moved in to establish control.

Following this, Kuina and the Dawn utilized their unparalleled mobility to launch relentless assaults on the surrounding pirate factions.

As the chief instructor aboard the Dawn, Issho—whose formidable presence had stood alongside the Four Admirals during the Summit War—had already become a globally recognized figure. His primary mission now was to defend against incursions from the forces of Kaido and Big Mom.

With Whitebeard dead, Marco alone could not uphold the legacy of the Whitebeard Pirates. Kaido and Big Mom, as two of the Four Emperors, had no reservations about seizing his former territories.

Following Whitebeard's funeral, Shanks dedicated himself to maintaining the balance between the remaining three Emperors. But even after scouring the world, he had yet to find a pirate worthy of ascending to the rank of Emperor.

There wasn't even a candidate with the potential. The gap between an Emperor and an ordinary pirate was that vast.

Thus, the New World had reverted to the state it was in four years prior—when Shanks had yet to claim his title, and only three Emperors ruled the seas. Meanwhile, the World Government was once again faced with the dilemma of filling the vacant Warlord positions.

Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard, had held the title of Warlord for only a short month before he openly rebelled against the World Government by storming Impel Down. His insurrection led to a final confrontation with Admiral Wright and Chief Warden Magellan—resulting in his death within the depths of Impel Down.

Now, rumors circulated across the seas that the Warlord system had effectively shrunk to six members—after all, the seventh position seemed to carry an ominous fate.

Having played only a minor role in the Summit War, the Revolutionary Army had since returned to their headquarters on Baltigo, the "Island of White Soil."

During the war, out of caution toward Dragon's presence, Sengoku chose to ignore the Revolutionary Army's relatively disciplined conduct. Wright had even less reason to confront them.

Wright and Sengoku's mutual decision to overlook them ensured that, even after Issho was freed to act, he remained focused on countering Redfield and the potential arrival of Dragon.

And indeed, Dragon did appear—though only after Shanks had entered the battlefield, serving as the final piece to end the war. As the "World's Most Dangerous Criminal," his presence alone carried that much weight.

Now, back in Baltigo, the Revolutionary Army wasted no time celebrating the return of Ivankov and Inazuma. Instead, they immediately convened an emergency meeting.

Within the meeting chamber, only Dragon, Sabo, and Ivankov were present. The atmosphere was heavy. Even after years apart, Ivankov showed no inclination to lighten the mood.

"Ivankov, welcome back."

Dragon was the first to speak. On their journey back from Marineford, the group had remained vigilant against the Navy's rapid mobilization, leaving little time for in-depth discussions.

"Ordinarily, this would not be the time to act. But things have changed… which is why I had Sabo and the others move ahead to retrieve you."

Turning to Ivankov, Dragon asked, "Let's set aside the Impel Down situation for now. Ivankov, what exactly is happening with Kuma?"

Ivankov drained his cup of water in one gulp, exhaling deeply. While he was intrigued by Dragon's comment about unexpected developments, it was clear that Kuma's situation took priority.

"When we arrived at the Summit War battlefield, we did not act immediately. Instead, we observed Kuma from the shadows. But we were discovered far sooner than expected—by that Warlord."

"'Thunder God' Enel… His Observation Haki is indeed as formidable as the rumors claim."

Pausing briefly, Ivankov frowned and continued, "Kuma's condition was exactly as Sabo described. He didn't recognize me at all… and he even attacked me outright."

"However, as the battle progressed, I noticed something strange about his consciousness."

"It felt like he was operating entirely on an automated system, yet with occasional signs of external intervention!"

Dragon and Sabo furrowed their brows. Ivankov's description puzzled them.

"During our fight, Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit abilities functioned normally, and he even wielded Kizaru's laser attacks… But more importantly, he consciously avoided striking my vital points!"

Ivankov's words immediately sharpened everyone's focus. Sabo, visibly excited, asked:

"Avoided your vitals? That's the 'external intervention' you mentioned?"

"Does that mean Kuma still has his consciousness?!"

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