"What?!"

  "A Buster Call on Sabaody Archipego?"

  "They're going to destroy the entire isnd?!"

  "Are they joking?!"

  At the naval blockade surrounding Sabaody Archipego, dozens of warships had already sealed off the isnd, ensuring no one could escape.

  Inside one of the lead ships, Admiral Sengoku and several Vice Admirals stood in stunned sileruggling to prehend the order they had just received.

  "This is an order from the Wover."

  "No discussion. e."

  Seated at the and station, Fleet Admiral Kong spoke in a cold, unwavering tone:

  "For years, time and time agaiial Dragons have been attacked on this isnd."

  "Sabaody has bee an irredeemable den of crime—unfivable."

  "To uphold the absolute authority of the Wover, this isnd must be erased from existence."

  He turned his gaze toward the assembled officers, issuing his final directive:

  "Immediately inform all residents, merts, and noble visitors: ah valid identifiay evacuate via the emergency ships."

  "But as for the criminals and outws..."

  "Not a single one leaves alive."

  "Yes, sir!"

  Though deeply uled, Sengoku and the h-ranking officers khey had no choice but to obey. The Wover was furious—and a direct order was not up fotiation. Without hesitation, thousands of Marines and CP agents nded on Sabaody Archipego, spreading the annou.

  Pas Across the Isnd

  "What?!"

  "They're evacuating the isnd?!"

  "What's happening?!"

  "Even if they're hunting criminals, isn't this overkill?!"

  "You're tellihe Navy is making us flee instead of catg the real culprits?!"

  All across Sabaody, civilians and merts alike stared in horror, struggling to prehend the madness unfolding. Some angrily protested, demanding an expnation, but the heavily armed Marines remaione-faced.

  "We are simply reying orders."

  The lead Marine Rear Admiral stepped forward, his voice ft aionless:

  "This is your final warning—if you fail to evacuate in time, you will bear the sequences."

  "You have one hour."

  "Gather your dots and board the evacuation ships immediately."

  "They're serious about this..."

  "Hurry! Everyone, get out of here!"

  "Go pack your things—get to the port, now!"

  The ised into chaos. Terrified families, travelers, and even nobles shoved past each other, scrambling for the docks. Many threw their wealth around, desperately trying to secure their pce.

  "Out of my way! I’m a me through!"

  "I'll pay double—just get me a seat on that ship!"

  Meanwhile, not everyoeo evacuate peacefully. A number of outws, bounty hunters, and rogue pirates attempted to sneak out through other ports, only to be obliterated by Marine warships, their boats sinking to the bottom of the sea. Those who remained behind lined up in a massive exodus, desperately b evacuation ships uhe watchful eyes of the Marines.

  The Final Call

  "BZZT—BZZT—"

  Ihe fgship, a Den Den Mushi rang. Fleet Admiral Kong lifted the receiver, his expression grim and unyielding.

  "This is Kong speaking."

  A sharp, furious voice immediately roared through the line:

  "Kong, have you lost your damn mind?!"

  "Did you not hear our orders?!"

  The Den Den Mushi projected Mars Saint's cold and ruthless voice:

  "Initiate the Buster Call on Sabaody Archipego immediately."

  "What are you Marines waiting for?"

  Fleet Admiral Kong's face darkened. He took a deep breath, trying to remain posed:

  "But... there are still civilians on the isnd who haven't fully evacuated—"

  "They failed to protect the Celestial Dragons."

  "They stood by while a World Noble was murdered by criminals."

  "They are already guilty of an unfivable crime."

  The Den Den Mushi's form shifted, now mimig Saint Saturn's cold, detached expression:

  "These people are all insignifit."

  "Even if they all perish, more will simply take their pce."

  "The Wover demands the immediate destru of this vile isnd—"

  "to instill fear in those who dare challehe divihority of the Gods!"

  "Do you uand?"

  "Now. Fire. Immediately!"

  "Yes, sir."

  Kong's expression hardehough flicted for a moment, he quickly resolved himself. He grabbed the loudspeaker Den Den Mushi, his voiing across the fleet:

  "All Marine and gover personnel—evacuate Sabaody Archipego immediately."

  "All warships—target the isnd and prepare to fire!"

  "What?!"

  "Already?!"

  Hearing Kong's ruthless order, Sengoku and the h-ranking officers reeled in shock.

  "Is this truly necessary?!"

  "We need more time to evacuate the civilians!"

  But Kong remaione-faced. His voice was devoid of emotion:

  "This is a direct order from the Wover."

  "There is no room for debate."

  "The Marines will obey."

  From aboard his own battleship, Sengoku's face twisted with internal turmoil, but his resolve hardened.

  "The only way to correct the Navy's misguided path..."

  "is to reach the highest position of power."

  "Only then I execute true justice."

  And to reach that point... he had to ply.

  "FIRE!"

  "YES, SIR!"

  BOOM!

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  A storm of pitch-bck onballs unched from the warships, tearing through the air. They rained down upon Sabaody Archipego, striking buildings, streets, and civilians alike. The instant the first shells exploded, fires erupted, thick smoke billowing into the sky. The entire isnd trembled.

  "AAAHHHH!!"

  "WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

  "THE NAVY IS FIRING ON US!!"

  "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

  "Damn it!"

  "They don't care about us at all!"

  "What does a Celestial Dragon's death have to do with us?!"

  "Damn the Marines!"

  The horrified masses tried desperately to flee. Hundreds rushed toward the docks, desperate to board the evacuation ships. But for those still iy ter, the hellfire had already reached them.

  "BOOOOM!"

  Explosions ripped through the urban districts, engulfiire neighborhoods in fmes and shrapnel.

  "AAAAAHHHH!!!"

  "HELP ME!!"

  "MY FAMILY—!!"

  "THEY'RE BURNING ALIVE!!"

  It didn't matter if they were pirates, bounty hunters, merts, or nobles. Screams of agony filled the air as the isnd was ed by chaos. Sabaody Archipego, once a vibraer of erd adventure, was now a sea of fire.

  The bzing inferno spread relentlessly, ing everything in its path. The isnd had bee a living hell.

  Bleam