One Piece: Start as a mythical beast, practice to become stronger.

The World Government's flag once again fluttered high above Mary Geoise. At the summit of the Red Line, the sacred land once consumed by war and stained with blood was now back under the World Government's control.

The towering Pangea Castle still stood between heaven and earth, but the scars of war remained clearly visible.

The collapsed palaces had not yet been fully restored, with charred walls, shattered sculptures, and collapsed domes… all serving as witnesses to the recent battle, reminding the Celestial Dragons that a war significant enough to rewrite history had just taken place.

In the main plaza, World Government troops stood in neat ranks, their armor reflecting the faint sunlight. Their heavy boots struck the ground, producing a steady and powerful sound.

Their recapture of Mary Geoise seemed to proclaim to the world: the World Government had not perished, and they were still the rulers of this sea.

However, the one who truly stood at the pinnacle of power was gone.

Im was dead.

This fact could not be changed no matter what, and no matter how much the World Government tried to cover it up, they could not deny that the supreme ruler who had controlled the world for centuries had been completely erased.

The Neo-Navy did not stay in Mary Geoise for long after their victory.

They knew very well that while they had destroyed the core of the World Government, they were far from having enough power to completely control this behemoth that had ruled the world for centuries.

They made the most rational choice—to withdraw.

They knew that Mary Geoise was like a bizarre treasure trove filled with countless secrets, and the deeper one delved, the easier it was to be swallowed by it.

Now, it had been reoccupied by the remnants of the World Government, who were trying to rebuild order and summon troops and officials from all over who still pledged allegiance to the World Government, attempting to regain control of the sea.

......

Deep within Pangea Castle, in a dimly lit hall, people were seated on both sides of a long table.

The new Five Elders were coldly gazing down at the report of the battle before them, filled with humiliation.

"…After the fall of Mary Geoise, our troops scattered and fled. Many kingdoms took the opportunity to declare their secession from the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons also suffered heavy losses…"

A deep voice slowly spoke from the darkness, filled with anger and unwillingness.

"The Navy has also completely broken with us, and even some members of the CP organizations have begun to waver."

Another of the Five Elders sneered:

"Traitors… they will pay the price one day."

The Five Elders' expressions were gloomy. The failure of the war had challenged their authority like never before.

The once-supreme World Government now needed to regroup its forces, like a wounded beast temporarily lying dormant,

waiting only for the next opportunity to tear its enemies apart.

"What's laughable is…"

The man sitting in the center chuckled softly, his voice cold and sinister.

"The Neo-Navy actually abandoned Mary Geoise."

He slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with scheming light.

"They think they've won?

No… this war has only just begun."

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table. In the darkness, it was as if an invisible net was quietly spreading.

"Since they don't dare sit firmly on the throne, then we will… take it back."

As his voice fell, the hall fell silent once more.

But beneath this silent darkness, the shadow of the World Government was re-coalescing.

Deep within the World Government, in the mysterious palace once occupied solely by Im.

This place was originally an absolute forbidden zone, where even the Five Elders could not casually enter.

But now, the former supreme ruler had been defeated, and the power structure of the entire Pangea Castle had completely collapsed, yet—

this place was still immersed in darkness, as if it had never been truly conquered.

......

The deep palace was deathly silent, with only an ominous pulse echoing in the shadows.

Black weapons, like twisted branches, coiled throughout the entire room, like a giant spiderweb, tightly entangling every inch of this forbidden zone.

They writhed constantly, as if alive, emitting an unsettling sense of oppression.

And between the gaps in the weapons, specks of red light emerged, like evil eyes opening in the deathly darkness, coldly watching the entire room.

"Thump—"

"Thump—"

A low and eerie heartbeat slowly resounded from the depths.

At first, it was so faint that it could almost be mistaken for a hallucination, but as time passed, the heartbeat grew louder and clearer, as if some unknown existence was slowly awakening.

"Thump—"

With each pulse, the air trembled, and the entire room seemed to be slightly distorted, as if the entire space was beating in time with the heartbeat.

"Thump—Thump—"

The black weapons seemed to begin to swell, their surfaces flowing with dark red light, as if some kind of blood was being injected.

Twisted patterns gradually emerged, outlining some ancient and evil symbols, like forbidden marks that sent shivers down one's spine even just by looking at them.

This power did not belong to humans.

It was a deeper darkness, perhaps something that even Im had never fully controlled.

———

Just then, outside the palace, a World Government researcher stood tremulously before the gate.

His fingers trembled slightly, cold sweat oozed from his forehead, and his chest rose and fell sharply.

He had been ordered to investigate, but standing before this door, he felt an unspeakable fear.

"…Can I really enter this place…?"

He muttered to himself, his voice so hoarse it was as if something was choking his throat.

He could hear it… he could hear the heartbeat coming from deep within the room!

This was definitely not an illusion, and definitely not some ordinary echo, but… something alive, breathing here, reviving here.

A chill ran straight from his spine to the top of his head, and his legs began to tremble, uncontrollably taking a step back.

However, the dark red glow seeping from the crack in the door was like an invisible shackle, attracting his gaze and preventing him from looking away.

—Just then, the heartbeat suddenly stopped!

Inside the room, the darkness seemed to solidify, and the entire space fell into a terrifying state of stillness.

The researcher's pupils contracted violently, and he felt as if an invisible hand was tightly gripping his throat, making it difficult to breathe, and all the blood in his body seemed to freeze in an instant.

"You… are… watching…"

An extremely faint voice rang in his ear.

He widened his eyes, and turned around in terror, wanting to flee, but the next second, a black shadow suddenly stretched out from the crack in the door and instantly wrapped around his ankle!

"Ugh ah ah ah—!"

A shrill scream echoed in the depths of the corridor, then stopped abruptly.

The World Government soldiers heard the sound and rushed over, but when they pushed open the door, the room was empty.

Only on the tightly closed door, a twisted dark red pattern slowly emerged, like a bloodthirsty eye, quietly opening in the darkness.

...