Chapter 473: The Gathering Storm: Sacrifice and Awakening
by xennovel“Luffy, don’t you get it yet? We’re no match for him. Take everyone and get out of here, don’t let us all die in this place.”
“Ye… Ye Fan, come with us!”
“Zoro, you know what to do, right?”
Zoro’s eyes burned red with frustration, but seeing Ye Fan coughing up blood, he could only nod in silence.
“Hey everyone, look! I caught Perona!”
Usopp came running up to Sanji and the others like he’d found treasure, pushing a small cart with Perona inside, but as he spotted Ye Fan seriously injured on the other side, he dropped the cart and dashed over.
“Quick, help! Somebody, save him!”
As Usopp passed by, Sanji blew out a smoke ring and instinctively rested a hand on Usopp’s shoulder to stop him.
“Formation—Starshift!”
This was a technique Ye Fan had dug out from deep within the Elder Heavenly Master’s memories, one that could relocate everyone to another place in an instant. But it cost so much energy, Ye Fan had never dared use it before.
Using every last shred of strength, Ye Fan smacked Luffy over to Zoro’s side.
“No!”
As Luffy’s shouts echoed out, glowing blue runes erupted from the earth beneath them, swirling with energy. The ground shifted, and as space itself twisted, all anyone could see in that final moment was Ye Fan forcing out one last line.
“Live on! Survive!”
Whoosh!
In an instant, everyone was teleported straight to the Thousand Sunny, now resting at the edge of the fog.
“Sail! Head back! I’m going to save Ye Fan!”
Luffy lifted his head, blinking away tears as he ordered Gin at the helm to turn the ship back toward the Devil Sea.
Gin, still confused by what just happened, walked toward the rudder on reflex.
“Luffy, you’re the captain!”
Everyone could feel the ache, but Zoro knew that going back now would be suicide. There was no way they could beat Moria until they got much stronger.
“Gin, come back.”
As the third in command on the ship, Zoro’s words carried weight and Gin obeyed without question.
But when he returned and glanced around at the crew, he saw every head hung low—and Ye Fan was nowhere to be seen.
A pit opened in Gin’s stomach, but he still voiced the question. “Where’s Lord Ye Fan?”
“He’s… gone…”
Luffy let the words tumble out like the breath he’d been holding in, then collapsed on the spot, all strength washing out of him.
“Waaah!”
“Ye Fan, he…”
“Captain!”
Standing at the stern, Gin roared toward the fading Devil Sea, his voice breaking.
“Lord Karl, is this really the plan?”
Ye Fan and Moria stood atop the eerie triangular sail, watching Luffy and his friends gradually disappearing into the distance.
“I’ve never experienced life behind closed walls. Let’s do things this way.”
“Alright!”
“Give them some motivation, and my plan’s sure to work.”
…
No one could bring themselves to speak. For the first time since setting sail, they’d tasted bitter defeat. Each was battered with wounds, and now their most important first mate was left behind in those dangerous waters.
Over the next few days, Luffy barely left his captain’s chair. The others busied themselves as best they could, trying to shake free from the grief or distract themselves from the pain of losing a friend.
While they plunged into the Devil Sea, the Navy Headquarters received a ‘gift’ from Blackbeard. Sengoku then announced the public execution of Whitebeard Pirates’ Second Division Commander—Ace.
The news spread like wildfire, and the previously calm New World instantly erupted into turmoil.
The moment Whitebeard heard, he summoned all 56 fleets under him, preparing to head for Marineford to save Ace.
The world was about to witness a global event—the war at the top was about to begin.
“Gurararara!”
“Don’t worry, Karl. I won’t be late.”
“You better not get drunk and mess things up at a time like this.”
“Relax, relax, I got this.”
“Boys, we’re setting sail!”
At Kaido’s command, his entire crew mobilized, setting their sights on Marineford.
In Shanks’ territory in the New World, a special guest arrived today.
“You’ve sure grown, kid, even become one of the Four Emperors.”
“C-captain?”
“Hahahaha!”
“Brat, I wonder—will you still call me captain?”
“Of course. You’ve always been the captain I respect most.”
…
Navy Headquarters, Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s office.
Knock, knock, knock!
“Come in!”
A messenger stepped in holding a stack of files, saluted Sengoku, and set the documents in front of him.
“Reporting, Fleet Admiral! All Four Emperors in the New World are on the move. Whitebeard Pirates are heading for Headquarters, Kaido’s crew has vanished, Shanks is stirring things up, but Karl’s crew remains silent for now.”
The Navy’s intelligence team might not match the World Government’s, but over the years they’ve planted plenty of spies. So when something big happens in the New World, the Navy always hears about it.
“Alright, you’re dismissed.”
“Yes, sir!”
Sengoku watched the messenger go, then finally picked up the files on his desk.
“Let’s hope for the best, not the worst.”
After reading everything through, he balled up the papers and fed them to the ever-hungry goat at his side. Then he picked up the Transponder Snail to call the Five Elders.
“Moshi Moshi!”
“Sengoku? What’s on your mind?”
“I know you must’ve gotten wind of the New World’s changes. What’s your plan?”
“Patience, Sengoku.”
It was Marcus’ voice that came from the Transponder Snail.
“The World Government already has everything in hand. Swing by Mariejois later!”
Click!
The call cut off before Sengoku could reply.
“Tch, what, worried the Navy has spies?”
“You really think I don’t know your little tricks?”
Sengoku knew what was going on, but he still had to go through the motions. He grabbed his admiral’s cloak, climbed into his private car, and headed for Mariejois.
The army can’t march until the supplies are ready.
High atop Cake Island’s castle, Karl glanced up at the sky.
“The age is calling.”
“When the tree wishes to rest, the wind won’t stop. I’ll be the one to end this battle.”
Tonight’s moon hung huge, painting the whole island in silver.
Suddenly a breeze swept by, and giant clouds blotted out the moon above Cake Island.
But then the clouds started to descend. Looking closer, it turned out to be a fleet of floating, controllable Sky Islands—nearly a hundred in all. More than enough to carry every fighter on Cake Island away at once.
“In seven days, we go to all-out war!”
After hanging up, Karl closed his eyes and stretched out his arms, feeling his blood stir at the thought of the impending battle. “Hero or coward, let’s decide it on the battlefield.”
Across the Four Seas, Dragon relayed the command to all the key leaders of the Revolutionary Army, ordering them to stockpile supplies and prepare for the coming war.
Only top commanders like Aokiji and Sakazuki were privy to the most crucial information: that in seven days, the assault on the World Government would truly begin.