One Piece: The Archangel's Guide

Chapter 314: Two-Front War

Elbaf, the Underworld.

Hajrudin sat silently on a massive rock, his eyes a swirling mix of grief and rage. Gaban's expression was complex as he looked at the two half-brothers, Loki and Hajrudin. All his words eventually dissolved into a single sigh.

"Harald..."

After a long time, Hajrudin stood up, brushing the snow from his beard, his face hidden in shadow. He turned to leave.

Gaban, seeing this, didn't hesitate. He gave Loki one last look and followed.

Their departure made Loki, still tightly bound, panic. "Hey, hey! You're just going to leave me here?! Are you going to fight those immortal monsters from the God's Knights and the Marines with just your forces?"

Hajrudin, already transforming into his coiling dragon form, hovered in the air. He looked back at his brother, his expression complicated. "The people of Elbaf don't know the truth. They aren't ready to accept you. You'll stay here a while longer."

With that, he snatched Gaban up in his Flame Clouds and soared away, leaving Loki alone in the deathly silent, cold Underworld.

Loki stared at his retreating back, his bandaged face dark with fury. "HAJRUDIN! YOU-SON-OF-A-BITCH! DON'T EVER LET ME SEE YOU AGAIN!"

But Hajrudin did not look back. His sky-blotting form disappeared into the clouds of the Sun World.

A few minutes later, Hajrudin, back in his dragon-man form, pushed open the castle doors. He stood before the giant fortress, looking down at the fully-armed giant soldiers.

"What a magnificent sight... the giant army of the Land of Warriors, Elbaf." Gaban stood on a massive stone pillar, looking down at the breathtaking army. He pushed up his sunglasses and chuckled. "Roger, it's a shame you couldn't live to see this."

Hajrudin glanced at Gaban, then pulled a small, gray vial from his person and handed it to him.

"Here, Mr. Shan. Miss Uta and the Captain asked me to give this to you."

"This is...?" Gaban took the vial, confused. "What is it?"

"Pure Gold," Hajrudin explained simply.

"..."

"PURE GOLD?!" Gaban yelped, pulling off his sunglasses, his eyes wide with disbelief. "I was just getting ready to go look for it after you left... and Louis's group already found it?"

Gaban had been planning to hitch a ride with Shanks to search for the Pure Gold, hoping to live longer with his wife and son. Hajrudin's coronation and departure had delayed his plan. He never imagined that in the short time since Louis's visit, they had not only found it but had also set a piece aside for him.

"You've been in Elbaf too long, Gaban," Hajrudin's voice was slow and powerful. "Your sense of time is off. A lot has happened. It's been a while since Louis was here."

"Is that so..." Gaban laughed awkwardly. "Well, please thank Uta-chan and Louis-bro for me!" He happily accepted the gift. He knew he'd never be able to leave his wife and son for long without it, and finding it on his own was a long shot.

"Mm." Hajrudin nodded.

Once the army was fully assembled, Hajrudin took a hand-sized crystal from his belt and crushed it.

An invisible pulse spread out, as if sending a signal.

The next second, Gaban looked up, his eyes widening. A massive thing, made of countless, irregular, shimmering crystals, appeared in the sky.

As the strange, pulsing light spread, the entire giant army in front of the castle, along with the Giant Warrior Pirates, vanished in an instant.

The once-raucous area was now silent, leaving only the women, children, and the onlooking Red Hair Pirates.

"Island Clouds... mixed with that indestructible crystal... and brought to life?" Gaban recognized the blue-tinged crystal and marveled. "This ability to deploy troops... it's just absurd."

Hajrudin then handed Gaban a smaller, human-sized crystal.

"Mr. Shan, Elbaf is in your hands for now. If something happens... something beyond human understanding... crush this."

Gaban took the crystal, examining it. "I've seen this stuff. Are you sure I can even break it?"

"You just saw me do it, didn't you?"

"...Guess so." Gaban pocketed the crystal and grinned. "Alright, leave it to me!"

Hajrudin nodded, took a deep breath, and stepped forward, ready for teleportation. But he paused, looking back at Gaban. "If... a problem arises that you can't solve, but it's not 'beyond understanding'..."

"Go to the castle. Get the key. And let Loki out."

With that, Hajrudin vanished. The crystalline thing in the sky pulsed and disappeared.

Gaban watched it go, his expression serious. "Let Loki out, huh?" He turned and walked into the castle.

At the head of the West Village, Jarl turned to the women, children, and elders. "The warriors of Elbaf have gone to war, but we who remain cannot sit idle!"

"Women! Clean the royal castle! His Majesty Hajrudin has ascended the throne, it's a disgrace to leave it empty!"

"Warriors! Go to the Underworld and hunt! We must prepare a feast for victory and the birth of our new king!"

"UNDERSTOOD, LORD JARL!"

The crowd dispersed. As Jarl was about to head to the castle, his coat was tugged. He looked down and saw the village children, including Kolon, staring up at him.

"Lord Jarl, what about us? What should we do?"

"You?" Jarl looked at their eager faces and waved his hand dismissively. "I'll have Saul give you all extra homework."

"..." The children's faces fell.

Nearby, the Red Hair Pirates looked at each other, then at their captain.

"Well, boss? Should we leave now? Elbaf only has half its army left..."

Shanks looked down, thinking. After a long moment, he looked up and grinned. "Guess not. We'll go back to the ship... and start a banquet!"

Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the castle on Terra.

Louis sat on a sofa, studying a wanted poster. He was looking at the photo of a certain blue-haired, red-nosed pirate.

In front of him, Reiju, in a form-fitting white blouse and light-colored skirt, was bent over, adjusting a Video Transponder Snail on the table.

Louis looked at the ferocious, brutal expression on Buggy's poster and wondered if he was missing something.

Reiju finished her adjustments and stood up. "Lord Louis, the Video Transponder Snail is calibrated." She pressed a switch.

The snail woke up, its eyes opening as it projected a hazy white light onto a screen, which resolved into a color image.

On a stormy sea, a fleet of ships, all flying the Archangel flag, cut through the waves.

Faint voices could be heard. "The video snail is active! Is Terra watching?"

"Look alive! One of the big-shots back home could be watching!"

"The higher-ups might not remember your bravery, but they will remember your failures!"

A fleet captain was warning his crew.

"Switch the feed," Louis said.

Reiju nodded and began switching between the different snails in the fleet.

She panned past a brawny, small-giant-sized man... a massive beast lying on a deck...

The Vinsmoke snail-ships with their clone soldiers and the three colorful-haired brothers...

A squad of thirty Flügel... a brief flash of a pink figure...

Reiju saw the main officers of the fleet, all gathered on the deck of the flagship, and stopped.

There was Yelena, in her heavy armor; Kuina, in her kimono, arms crossed over her famous sword; Ulti and Page One, looking bored; and Daz Bonez in his suit, with Baby-5 in her maid outfit.

As if sensing the snail's gaze, they all looked up, their eyes staring through the screen, seemingly across the world, meeting Louis's. They looked thoughtful, then turned back to the sea.

Clack.

The heavy stone doors to the hall opened. A tall and a short figure, led by a maid, walked in.

Reiju looked up, her eyes widening slightly. The tall, heavily built man was the pastor, Bartholomew Kuma. The man beside him... was the World Government's most wanted criminal: the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon.

Dragon walked to the sofa and sat down, his eyes on the tall, golden-haired, white-winged man.

"I've heard a great deal about you... Archangel Louis."

Louis turned his gaze to Dragon. "Kuma told me you wished to see me. I was curious. We have few dealings with the Revolutionary Army. Why did you want this meeting?"

Dragon met his gaze directly. "I heard... details... of what happened at Mary Geoise from Iva. I came here to see for myself... just what kind of man you are."

Just as he spoke, the feed on the screen changed. The officers on the deck, their lazy expressions gone, were now on high alert.

On the horizon, a fleet of Marine warships had appeared. A warning blared over a loudspeaker:

"Non-affiliated Terra fleet! You are in the territorial waters of a World Government nation! Cease your advance and turn back immediately!"

On the deck, Ulti blinked her pink eyes, crossed her arms, and snorted. "Are those Marines blind? Can't they see the damn pirate flag?"

Daz Bonez loosened his tie, his calm eyes turning dangerous.

Kuina walked to the bow, her gaze piercing past the ships to something farther in the distance. Her hand tightened on the Wado Ichimonji.

"A swordsman..." she whispered. "A very powerful swordsman." She felt an immense pressure, a sense that he was unbeatable.

Yelena, beside her, overheard. "A swordsman who can make you feel that? ...Don't tell me it's Hawkeye. Is he participating in this as a Warlord?"

She pushed the thought aside, took a breath, and picked up the Den Den Mushi horn.

"All units. Prepare for battle!"

At the same time, in a South Blue kingdom.

A fleet of Marine and World Government ships blockaded the entire island. On the lead ship, Admiral Fujitora stood at the bow, his hands resting on his cane sword.

His aide looked at him nervously. "Admiral, sir... it's past the designated time to attack—"

"Keep waiting," Fujitora interrupted. "Do not open fire."

He turned and walked back into the cabin, sighing. He had never wanted to be part of this.

But then he'd thought about what would happen... if Akainu had been sent instead. And he had accepted the mission.

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