Chapter 428: Storm Clouds Over Mariejois

Meanwhile, in Mariejois, no one seemed the least bit concerned about Karl’s mobilization.

“No matter how much Karl rallies his forces it doesn’t make a difference to us.”

“That’s right—that’s right. Ants are still ants. Numbers alone can’t bring down an elephant.”

Marcus Derlin, one of the Five Elders, was in charge of intelligence.

He sat on the sofa, passing the report to the other Elders.

“Exactly. Our intel from CP agents all over says Karl’s gathering a bunch of nobodies. Not a single powerful fighter among them.”

“With that secret weapon of ours revived, any problem can be solved.”

“Our only real concern should be Cake Island. All of Karl’s top fighters are there.”

The gravity in Marcus Derlin’s voice was impossible to miss.

As for these regular soldiers, the World Government was a bit surprised but hardly caught off guard. There were nearly five million Army troops stationed on the Red Line—more than enough to handle low-level warfare.

What caught him off guard was that Karl’s group wasn’t just a bunch of random nobodies. These were fighters who’d been trained for over a decade and all of them had faced real bloodshed. Compared to the Army on the Red Line, they were on a completely different level.

The Army stationed on the Red Line hadn’t seen war in years. They’d long since lost the fighting conviction and discipline a true soldier needed.

Marcus—Saint Mars tapped the ground with his sword’s sheath. “One thing’s for sure—Karl’s target has to be the World Government.”

“I wonder if his old tricks can still work now?”

What Marcus—Saint Mars feared most was a repeat of the incident from years ago, when those terrifying golden monsters destroyed half of Mariejois. Countless Celestial Dragons were slaughtered, and even after thirty years their numbers still hadn’t recovered to even one-tenth of what they used to be.

If this turned into a protracted war, the Heavenly King might not hold out for long.

“How’s the Holy Knights recruitment coming?”

Topman Woqiuli answered gravely: “We’re back to full strength—thirty-six active knights, and a hundred on reserve.”

That meant the World Government now secretly boasted the power of thirty-six Admirals and a hundred Vice-Admirals.

And that didn’t even count the additional strength hidden within each Celestial Dragon family. If you included those, the numbers would be even higher.

“Let’s send some Holy Knights out. We can’t let chaos break out across the Four Seas,” Zambaronas Shuron said slowly, his hands clasped together.

“If the member kingdoms in the Four Seas suffer huge losses because of this upheaval, rebuilding them later will be a nightmare.”

He handled political affairs and diplomacy. For years, the World Government had been in a weakened state. If the member nations in the Four Seas were toppled en masse, the very name of the World Government would be all but meaningless.

They certainly couldn’t send the Army to reclaim one island at a time, could they?

“I’ve just visited each of the Celestial Dragon families,” Nayrona Borg said. “They can free up ten Admirals right now.”

“If we send ten Holy Knights along as well, that covers the Four Seas. With overwhelming might on our side, even if Karl stirs up trouble, he won’t make a ripple.”

“Agreed. Let’s settle it that way. Derlin, you’re still in charge of monitoring Karl’s Pirate Crew. If there’s any sign of a major move, we need to crush it in the cradle.”

“As long as we don’t alarm Lord Im, there won’t be a real problem.”

…

But across The Sea, it wasn’t just the Navy and World Government making massive mobilizations. Even the Four Emperors and many ordinary folk could feel the brewing chaos on the waves.

Of course, none of this had anything to do with Luffy and his friends, who were currently on Skypiea tackling the second trial.

After blitzing through the first stage, Luffy’s team—plus nearly ten thousand others—stepped onto the cloud stairway leading to the Wood Trial, the second stage.

“I never expected Skypiea to have scenery like this.”

“What I really want to know is, are there any special ingredients here?”

Ahead of them stretched a vast ancient forest atop the clouds, with trees towering nearly a hundred meters high. Vines and unfamiliar exotic plants were everywhere. The place was so silent, it felt completely lifeless.

“This second trial is the hardest. Screw up, and you could die right here,” said a burly, stubbled man.

For anyone without talent or luck, making it past this stage was a rare feat.

As for the even tougher third trial, only real elites had a shot at that—it was out of reach for most.

“Exactly. Don’t let these giant trees and vines fool you. They all come from Lord Siyue’s power.”

“No kidding—Lord Siyue wields a Logia-type Devil Fruit, after all.”

“Alright, enough chatting. Get ready,” someone said. Everyone began unstrapping weapons from their backs. Luffy, Zoro and Sanji had wondered why they even bothered bringing swords for the first trial, only to realize, now, this is where they’d need them.

Everyone in the Straw Hat crew was too proud to follow those ahead. Instead each picked a direction and forged their own path toward the finish.

Every trial finish line had a small red flag. Only by reaching the space around the flag could a contestant clear the stage.

Once everyone entered the forest, Siyue, seated at the finish, twitched a finger. Instantly the whole forest seemed to come alive.

“They say you’re the real key. Let’s see if you deserve it.”

Karl’s methods baffled his followers. They couldn’t understand why, with so much strength already on hand, he was waiting instead of attacking the World Government head-on. What was he waiting for—this so-called Child of Destiny?

But the truth was, Karl had been spooked by the so-called ‘world line’. No matter how hard he tried to change things, the end result barely shifted.

He didn’t want years of careful planning to go to waste. So on one hand, he pushed Luffy forward to test the Child of Destiny’s power. On the other, he kept building up his own trump cards—making sure when the time came, he couldn’t possibly lose.

“Clang, clang, clang!!”

“So the entire forest moves?” Zoro braced for a sudden burst of wind behind him. He swung Wado Ichimonji and hacked apart the attack, then glanced over his shoulder—only to see scores of thick vines.

Each vine gleamed with metal as they whipped in at him from all sides.

He readied himself for the next strike—but then, from deep in the woods, hulking tree-men nearly three meters tall began to emerge, closing in around him.

“Now this is interesting.”

“Three-Sword Style—One Hundred and Eight Pound Phoenix!”

Sword aura slashed straight through several wooden golems lunging his way, as Zoro charged quickly toward the finish line.