341-345

Chapter 341: "Unit 02" and Orochimaru's News 

Finally, Uchiha Hikari casually asked about Ace in the chat group. 

It was quite interesting, really. Perhaps because their group had been causing such a ruckus in the pirate world recently, Ace, who was originally supposed to be the fuse for the "Marineford War" and a central figure, now seemed to have been completely forgotten by the World Government. 

Marine Headquarters still hadn't announced how they would deal with the "Son of the Pirate King." 

Even Hancock, a Warlord of the Sea, had no clue about Ace's current situation, not even knowing if he was imprisoned in Impel Down. 

However... no big deal. 

Ace's identity meant that the World Government couldn't just casually execute him. Once the news of the Whitebeard Pirates' alliance with the "Dimension Pirates" spread across the seas, the World Government would likely react. That's when the "former Pirate King's son" would be brought out to be used as a major bargaining chip. 

[Nameless: Logging off for now. Remember to call me if anything comes up.] 

After dropping that message in the group, Uchiha Hikari turned her attention back to reality. She briefly reviewed Dr. Gero's research findings and then, within the Red Ribbon Army base, took delivery of a highly anticipated piece of technology— 

[Ultimate Mechanical Stereoscopic Armor: Striker Freedom Prototype Unit 02] 

This "Unit 02" project had begun the moment Yuuki arrived at Dr. Gero's lab. 

Now, after about half a year of research, it was finally taking shape. 

Uchiha Hikari first had Yuuki find several cameras and video recorders, telling him to remember to take photos of her. Then, she climbed into the cockpit of "Unit 02" from its side and, following Yuuki and Dr. Gero's voices through her earpiece, attempted to operate it. 

The results? 

Quite impressive. 

Previously, the "Unit 01" that Uchiha Hikari piloted was essentially Dr. Gero's mass-produced Red Ribbon Army mecha with a new skin. Aside from a slight resemblance to a "Gundam" in appearance, its performance wasn't even a fraction of the original. If scientists from the Dragon or Jujutsu Kaisen worlds put in the effort, they could probably make something similar. 

But this new "Unit 02" was different. 

Although it still had some differences compared to the original "Gundam" series designs, "Unit 02" was a true combat mecha. It featured a nuclear battery with a maximum endurance of 14 days, three navigation modes (land, sea, and air), plus twelve medium-to-short-range missile launchers with corresponding ammunition... 

All of these were true reflections of Dragon Ball's technology. 

If she were to take something like this to the Dragon Ball or Jujutsu Kaisen worlds... 

Uchiha Hikari could already imagine the shock those "modern people" would experience. 

However... 

Before Uchiha Hikari could decide which world to show off in, an unexpected message interrupted her plans: 

[Serpent of Immortality: Lady Hikari, there is something I need to report to you.] 

[Serpent of Immortality: I may have successfully unsealed the "Reaper Death Seal."] 

"?!" 

In the Naruto world, at the Sound Village. 

It had been a while since Uchiha Hikari had last returned here. 

After meeting with Karin, her mother, Kimimaro, and others, Uchiha Hikari went to the cave outside the village. There, she met Orochimaru's main body. 

"...Are these the relics from the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Temple?" Uchiha Hikari slightly tilted her head, looking at a display wall in front of her. It held a full row of masks of different styles, all resembling demonic Asuras. 

They looked almost identical to the Uzumaki masks she remembered seeing later in the original story. 

As for another corner of the laboratory... 

Several jars stood upright, containing human bodies submerged in dark green nutrient fluid. 

"These individuals were all people who committed grave crimes of arson and looting in the ninja world. I captured them and used them as test subjects for breaking down jutsu," Orochimaru hissed, explaining from beside her. "Thanks to their help, I was able to make this research breakthrough." 

"...Alright then." Uchiha Hikari nodded, acknowledging Orochimaru's methods. 

Just as she had done with Blackbeard, having these individuals, whose evil deeds were too numerous to list, participate in medical experiments was a way to make them serve their only remaining value. 

As she read through Orochimaru's research data by the candlelight, he spoke in a low voice again: 

"Lady Hikari, you're so interested in unsealing the 'Reaper Death Seal'... it must be related to the Fourth Hokage, right? After all, since the destruction of the Uzumaki Clan, only he has ever used that jutsu to seal the Nine-Tails." 

"I once collected the Fourth Hokage's cell samples. If you need it, I can clone him. Then, with 'Impure World Reincarnation,' his revival can be achieved." 

"..." Uchiha Hikari shot Orochimaru a glance. 

It wasn't surprising that he could guess her objective. 

After all, as he said, Minato Namikaze was the only person in recent decades to have used the "Reaper Death Seal." 

And the fact that she and Minato Namikaze knew each other was known to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Jiraiya, and the Konoha advisors. With Orochimaru's abilities, even if he didn't know the specifics, he could certainly deduce some clues. 

However... 

The suggestions Orochimaru mentioned were not necessary. 

For cloning, Uchiha Hikari planned to ask Dr. Briefs to do it; that would be more reliable. If she let Orochimaru do it, who knew what he would add to the cloned body? 

As for "Impure World Reincarnation"... 

Compared to this flawed resurrection jutsu, Uchiha Hikari preferred another method to revive Minato Namikaze: 

[Nameless @Yondaime: Minato-sensei, I have some good news for you. It seems... you might be able to come out of the Reaper's belly.] 

As Uchiha Hikari sent the message, the chat group, which had been in a heated discussion about the "Pirate Revolution," suddenly fell silent. 

Then, Minato Namikaze, who had been lurking, popped up with an astonished emoji. 

[Yondaime: ?!] 

[Yondaime: Does Lady Hikari mean...] 

[Nameless: Yes, I have... no, to be precise, Orochimaru has found a way to unseal the "Reaper Death Seal." Theoretically, once a clone body is fully grown, combined with the "Idle Transfiguration" I obtained from Itadori's world, your soul can be transferred into a new body, achieving true resurrection. 

Alternatively, you could consider being brought back with "Impure World Reincarnation" first, to see Naruto and everyone else in the group. 

The sacrifices have already been prepared.] 

Chapter 342: Reaper Death Seal! 

As Uchiha Hikari sent that message, the chat group fell silent for a moment. Then, it exploded. 

[Ogre Princess: Yay!] 

[Ogre Princess: We've been chatting in the group for so long, and I finally get to meet Mr. Minato in person!] 

[Hard-Headed One: Indeed. I've received Mr. Minato's care many times over the past two years, and I've always wanted to find an opportunity to thank him in person.] 

[Miko Yotsuya: +1] 

Compared to the simple excitement of others, Bulma, who had more information, was already considering the feasibility of Uchiha Hikari's proposed method. 

[Bulma: Speaking of which, can the combination of "Transfomation of the All Creation" and cloning technology really achieve perfect resurrection?] 

[Nameless: Not entirely sure, because we haven't tried it yet... but theoretically, it should be feasible. Even if not, don't we still have the almighty Dragon Balls?] 

Although they hadn't been to Planet Namek yet, judging by the Namekians' character traits shown in the Dragon Ball original series, "borrowing" the Dragon Balls from them shouldn't be too much of a problem. Even if they really couldn't borrow them, at least there was still Earth's Dragon Ball as a backup, though it had been less than a year since the last wish, so they'd have to wait another six months. 

"Speaking of which..." 

Didn't Kikyo have a body stored with her? Hikari suddenly remembered this. That body was obtained by her, Bulma, and others from the Four War Gods on Horai Island in the Inuyasha world. Originally, she planned to use it for Kikyo after her soul was complete, but now, it seemed these two matters could be combined and done at the same time. 

[Nameless: Bulma, I suddenly have an idea...] 

[Bulma: Tell me.] 

[Nameless: What if... when cloning Mr. Minato, we added some Saiyan cells?] 

[Bulma: Huh?] 

Uchiha Hikari wasn't joking. From what Miss Tamayo and Dr. Brief had described, the discovery of "S-Cells" should have happened within the past few months. Once these cells were confirmed, they definitely needed to be utilized for something. Directly experimenting on her own body would be too risky. 

So... 

Using the opportunity to clone a new body for Minato Namikaze and trying to implant "S-Cells" into a Naruto world human might be a good idea. If there was a rejection, it would only be the loss of an embryo and wouldn't affect further cloning. But if everything went smoothly... it would be a good thing for Minato Namikaze. After all, he could then experience the feeling of his spiky yellow hair standing on end... 

"Right, the research on the Dragon King's blood samples has also yielded results for several scientists..." 

"And from the One Piece world, the Kizaru blood sample collected last time can also be shown to Dr. Brief and his team... I'll try to incorporate it into Minato Namikaze later." If all these experiments succeeded... it might just result in a "Dimensional Crew version" of an android? 

Uchiha Hikari didn't mention the "new android" idea in the group chat. She planned to discuss it privately with Bulma and Minato Namikaze himself later. 

As for now... After a brief thought, Minato Namikaze agreed to the plan of being "revived" first using the Impure World Reincarnation. Following that, several requests appeared before Uchiha Hikari's eyes: 

[Bulma requests to enter Nameless's world] 

[Ice Queen requests to enter...] 

[Kikyo requests to enter...] 

[Miko Yotsuya...] 

With several flashes of white light, Bulma, Kikyo, and the others appeared one after another in the Sound Village of the Naruto world. Bulma, of course, was there to witness Minato Namikaze's resurrection firsthand. Yamato had also wanted to come, but considering that the One Piece world still needed one or two influential powerhouses stationed there, she reluctantly stayed behind at Uchiha Hikari's persuasion. Instead, she frequently asked questions in the chat group, trying to keep up with the developments in the Shinobi World. 

As for the arrival of Kikyo, Miko, and the others... it was for the purpose of dealing with the "Reaper." Although she had seen it many times in the manga, Uchiha Hikari wasn't entirely clear about the nature of the "Reaper" that appeared during the Reaper Death Seal, only roughly guessing it was a special spirit. Against such an entity, Kikyo, being a Miko and having even been to the underworld, was the most skilled. Hence, she was called over to deal with any unforeseen circumstances. 

At present, Kikyo first pulled out some talismans from her robes and, with Miko, set up a sealed barrier around the experimental grounds. After that, she took out her Azusa Bow and carefully counted her arrows. 

"It's ready, Miss Hikari." 

"Okay," Uchiha Hikari nodded, then glanced at Orochimaru, who was discreetly eyeing Kikyo and the others. "Start." 

"...Alright," Orochimaru responded, picking out a mask from a row and putting it on his face, then forming hand signs. "Reaper Death Seal!" 

Whoosh— 

A cold, crisp wind swept through. At this moment, Hikari and the others' vision blurred slightly. Then, they saw a faint cross-shaped phantom appear behind Orochimaru, and behind that, an even larger phantom, clad in white robes with flowing hair and two horns, like a demon or Asura from a mural. 

"...Is that this world's 'Reaper'?" Kikyo narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the phantom. 

Miko beside her paused. "Huh, that person... looks a bit like Miss Yamato..." 

"Probably because they both have two horns on their heads," Uchiha Hikari casually replied, then glanced at Kikyo. "So, Miss Kikyo, can you tell its origin?" 

"...Hard to say," Kikyo paused. "But from my feeling, it doesn't seem to be a single soul entity, but rather a 'channel' constructed using Yin-Yang Release." 

"A channel?" 

"Yes, a channel leading to a different dimension, similar to the underworld, much like Monk Miroku's 'Wind Tunnel' or, in that manga, the 'Tailed Beast Ball Rasenshuriken' that Inuyasha and his friends later learned." 

"..." 

Uchiha Hikari remained silent. This was unexpected information. She had originally thought that this "Reaper" might be a being similar to the Sage of Six Paths, like the Shinobi World's local "King of Hell," or perhaps the lingering soul of some ancient Otsutsuki clan member. But now it seemed... its form of existence was more unique. 

—It wasn't an individual, but a concretization of a "netherworld rule"! 

Chapter 343 

It's a shame. I was really hoping to try and capture that guy, make him into a 'Shinigami Jinchuriki' or something." 

That was the first thought that popped into Uchiha Hikaru's head. 

And then... 

"Since the 'Reaper Death Seal' technique works by using Yin-Yang Release to create a 'path to the underworld,' could I use 'Yachiguma' to break down its principles and develop a move similar to the 'Celestial Moon Slice'?" 

That was the second thought. 

As the idea took hold, Hikaru's eyes widened, pushing his Mangekyo Sharingan to its limits as he stared intently at the "Shinigami" phantom hovering in the air. At the same time, he used the chat group to talk to Kikyo, who was right there, and they both started discussing the 'Reaper Death Seal's' inner workings. 

As for Minato Namikaze... 

Perhaps because the jutsu was interfering, he had gone silent in the group the moment the "Shinigami" appeared. He didn't respond at all, even when they tagged him. 

Since Minato was eventually freed from the Shinigami's stomach in the original timeline, they figured he was probably fine and just couldn't talk because of his state. So, Hikaru and the others didn't dwell on it. 

Meanwhile, on the other side, Orochimaru was still working. 

The whole process of slicing open the Shinigami's stomach and releasing the souls was similar to what he did during the Fourth Great Ninja War in the original timeline with the past Hokage. The only difference was that this was seven or eight years earlier, and Orochimaru hadn't had his arms sealed by his sensei. Because of this, his research into the 'Reaper Death Seal' wasn't as deep, so his movements were a bit rusty. 

However... 

With Uchiha Hikaru and Kikyo watching over everything, it was pretty difficult for anything to go wrong. 

"Here it comes..." 

Hikaru narrowed his eyes, clearly seeing a transparent soul being pulled out from the Shinigami's stomach. It looked disoriented and sluggish. From its outline, you could just make out that it was the Fourth Hokage. 

Immediately, Hikaru raised his hand and used "Innate Change" to pull Minato's soul over. 

At the same time, Kikyo manipulated the talismans around them, creating invisible spiritual ropes that bound the "body" of the Shinigami, which was made of Yin-Yang Release. The Shinigami lost its ability to reap souls for a while. During this time, Orochimaru calmly completed his "Living Corpse Reincarnation" and was successfully revived in a new body he had prepared beforehand. 

After that, Uchiha Hikaru performed a single hand sign and activated "Impure World Reincarnation." 

Immediately, a surge of chakra energy flowed, and the summoning formation on the ground began to glow with an eerie light. A large amount of dust emerged from thin air, wrapping around the pre-prepared "sacrifice." Its appearance was then rapidly altered before their very eyes. 

In just a short moment, the "sacrifice" transformed into a handsome, blond-haired young man. He was wearing a dark green jonin vest and a white Hokage cloak. 

With the final step of injecting the soul, the body became lifelike, as if it were waking up from a long sleep. 

"Wow..." 

Yotsuya Miko, seeing the jutsu for the first time, covered her mouth in shock, her face filled with disbelief. 

Uchiha Hikaru, on the other hand, let out a sigh of relief and lowered his eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you, and... welcome back to the land of the living, Mr. Fourth Hokage." 

"..." 

Minato Namikaze opened his eyes, first taking in his surroundings before his gaze settled on Hikaru and the others. He smiled, too. "You're too kind, Miss Hikaru. With your status and seniority, you should just call me by my name. Also... Miss Hikaru, Miss Bulma, Miss Kikyo, and Miko, it's a pleasure to meet you all. Please, take care of me." 

Kikyo and Yotsuya Miko, whose names were called, bowed politely to Minato and exchanged pleasantries. 

During the introductions, Minato didn't forget to nod at Orochimaru, who had just been revived through "Living Corpse Reincarnation." "Lord Orochimaru." 

"Heh... It's been a while, Lord Fourth." 

Orochimaru's lips curled into a mysterious smile. 

He and Minato were old acquaintances; after all, when he was one of the Legendary Sannin, he had "watched" Minato grow up. They had fought side by side in the Third Great Ninja War, and he had personally witnessed Minato's rise to fame. Afterwards, they had been in a not-so-secret competition for the title of "Fourth Hokage" until Orochimaru's eventual defection... In a way, Orochimaru had a certain level of respect for Minato. 

After all, a ninja who was so exemplary in every way was a rare sight. 

However, at this moment... 

Orochimaru was trying to figure out the relationship between everyone there. 

What in the world was going on? 

He had heard through some channels that "Uchiha Hikaru knew Minato Namikaze" and had even made some guesses as to why. But Kikyo and Miko were people he had never seen before, and it seemed they were meeting Minato for the first time as well. Despite this, these strangers were acting as if they were all close friends. This strange situation left Orochimaru quite baffled. 

Well... given the current state of information in the shinobi world, it would be pretty hard for Orochimaru to understand what a "meetup" with people from an online group was. But he seemed to be getting a vague idea... 

After some pleasantries, Uchiha Hikaru glanced at Orochimaru, who was discreetly listening in nearby, and cleared her throat. "Mr. Minato, how do you feel? Do you want to go see Naruto first? 

And what about Yamato? She's been wanting to meet you for months now." 

"...Miss Yamato is just curious. Maybe after she meets me, she won't have to talk about it anymore." 

Minato shook his head and chuckled. He first tagged Yamato in the group and then tried to send her a request to enter the One Piece world. 

Unsurprisingly, she replied instantly. 

With that, Minato's figure blurred and gradually disappeared from the spot. 

[No Name: So, what's the verdict, Fourth Hokage?] 

[The Yellow Flash: It's different from when I was stuck in the Shinigami's stomach. This time, when I tried to use the teleportation feature, it didn't warn me about any unknown risks... It seems that when a body from the Impure World Reincarnation is used to travel, it's considered a single, unified entity.] 

[No Name: Is that so... that's good.] 

[No Name@Oni Princess: Yamato, get ready to open the gate. We're coming in!] 

Chapter 344: Father and Son Reunited 

With a few flashes of white light, Uchiha Hikari and her group vanished from the little house in the Sound Village, only to reappear together on Kuja Island. 

By this time, the other group members, apart from the host Yamato, had also gathered from various parts of the island. Naruto and Nezuko were notably among them, each held by Tanjiro. 

Upon seeing Uchiha Hikari, the spiky-haired blonde (Naruto) broke free from Tanjiro's hand and ran up to her, greeting her excitedly: "Hikari Onee-san, and Bulma, Kikyo Onee-san... You're back!" 

During this time, Naruto had truly been enjoying himself in the world of One Piece. Kuja Island's environment was quite remarkable in this world. It was a beautiful place with pleasant weather and surrounded by the sea – completely different from an inland city like Konoha Village. For Naruto, who had never seen the outside world since birth, it was incredibly appealing. 

Plus, he had Tanjiro and Nezuko, who were around his age, to keep him company. Well, Nezuko was sort of his age, as her body and mind had stopped developing for several years after becoming a demon. Tanjiro was a bit older, but his gentle nature made it easy for him to get along with children. 

Because of all this, Naruto had been having a blast these past few days. He hadn't even bothered to think about a certain broad-foreheaded pink-haired girl or the black-haired boy who always tried to outshine him in Ninjutsu class. 

But today... 

"Huh?" 

As Naruto eagerly ran up to Uchiha Hikari, he noticed Minato Namikaze standing nearby. Though it was his first time seeing him, the man's golden spiky hair and gentle face gave him an inexplicable sense of familiarity. 

"You are..." 

"..." 

Minato was also looking at Naruto, his expression shifting a few times, seemingly unsure of what to say at first. 

Finally, Uchiha Hikari broke the silence: "Allow me to introduce you. This is the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, Minato Namikaze, the one you've seen on the Hokage Rock. And also... he's your biological father." 

"!!" 

Naruto's eyes widened. He stared at Minato, seemingly wanting to say something, but no sound came out. 

It wasn't until Minato crouched down and tentatively placed a hand on his shoulder: "I'm sorry, Naruto. Kushina and I decided to bring you into this world, but we couldn't fulfill our responsibilities as parents. You lived all alone in this world and suffered so much. It's truly..." 

"Don't say it!" 

Naruto suddenly pulled away from Minato's hand and shouted, "Why... Why did you make such a decision without asking me?! Do you know what I've been through all these years? Everyone in the village called me 'Demon Fox,' 'Bad Luck Charm,' 'Bastard'... Before Hikari Onee-san showed up, no one in all of Konoha wanted to talk to me!" 

"..." 

Uchiha Hikari thought to herself that if Hiruzen Sarutobi heard that, the old man would probably be heartbroken for a while. And then there's a certain white-eyed girl who wishes to remain anonymous... Well, Hinata might not have actually talked to Naruto much, given her personality. She probably just mumbled to herself. 

On the other side, after hearing Naruto's outburst, Minato's expression softened even further: "I'm sorry, Naruto. These are all your mom and dad's mistakes..." 

"Wahhh..." 

The spiky-haired blonde's mouth trembled, and he finally burst into tears. 

At that moment, Uchiha Hikari exchanged glances with Bulma and Kikyo nearby, then quietly stepped away from the father and son. 

Yamato originally wanted to stay, to join this family as "Minato Namikaze's eldest son" and connect with his "father" and "younger brother." However, he was dragged away by the two women. 

Honestly, Minato had truly fallen short as a father, especially with how much he owed Naruto. And Naruto, after enduring so many lonely years in Konoha, genuinely needed a way to release all the pent-up frustration he'd accumulated. 

This kind of father-son moment wasn't really suitable for outsiders to butt in. It would be better for them to talk things out and reconcile first, and then meet up and catch up later. 

As Uchiha Hikari expected, by that evening, Minato and Naruto had pretty much sorted things out. 

Though the spiky-haired blonde's expression was still a bit awkward, he was already willing to hold Minato's hand and sit with him, greeting the others. 

Yamato, Brand, and the others were seeing Minato in person for the first time, so a round of greetings and pleasantries was inevitable. 

Brand even coughed a few times, inviting Minato to discuss "revolution" whenever he had time. They had discussed this topic quite a bit in their group chats, but it was never comprehensive or in-depth enough. Now that they were all in the world of One Piece, they could properly analyze and discuss the situation based on the information they had gathered. 

Of course... 

Minato didn't forget to thank Uchiha Hikari: "For the past two years, I truly owe you, Hikari-san, for taking care of Naruto and even finding a way to break the 'Reaper Death Seal,' allowing Naruto and me to reunite. This drink is for you, Hikari-san." 

"You're too kind, Minato-sensei. I've also learned a lot from you." 

Uchiha Hikari raised her cup, tapping it lightly in response, then casually asked, "Speaking of which, Orochimaru should still have samples of Kushina's tissue. If you wish, I can help you Edo Tensei her as well. Then, once we complete her clone, we can revive her together." 

"...Is that possible?" 

Minato's expression shifted. Compared to himself, he was actually more concerned about Kushina's life. He had just thought it might be inappropriate to bring it up. 

"Of course, it's possible, as long as she hasn't reincarnated yet." 

Though she said that, Uchiha Hikari knew very well that Kushina's soul had always remained in the Pure Land of the Naruto world. Theoretically, she could be summoned with just an "Edo Tensei." If it came to a full revival, it would be even easier than for Minato. There were no technical issues. 

The only potential problem was... this action would be disrupting the rules of the Pure Land. So she wasn't sure if the Sage of Six Paths would react... 

"If you go by Eastern beliefs, both the Fourth Hokage and his wife died prematurely... Besides, there are other revival jutsu in the Naruto world. As long as it doesn't involve Kaguya Otsutsuki, that old geezer probably won't interfere, right?" Uchiha Hikari mused to herself. 

Chapter 345: The Decision to Execute Ace 

For the next half month or so, Uchiha Hikari was constantly traveling to the Dragon Ball world. She was there to discuss cloning Minato and Kushina, and researching S-cells with Dr. Brief and Dr. Gero. Esdeath tagged along, but since Hikari was too busy to spar with her, Esdeath ended up training with Master Roshi, Kami, and even young Goku, who was now training under Kami. 

As for Minato Namikaze... 

He stayed in the One Piece world for the time being, trying his best to mend his relationship with Naruto. 

He also took the opportunity to look after Yamato, his newly adopted "daughter." 

Age-wise, Yamato and Minato were actually pretty close since Minato passed away at 24. But in terms of mental maturity, Yamato probably wasn't even half as mature as Minato, and likely less mature than even 15-year-old Tanjiro. In fact, she definitely was less mature; Tanjiro's mindset was more mature than many adults. 

So, this "father-daughter" relationship could theoretically work out. 

Given that the four "Emperors" of the Dimensional Group were currently occupied, the "Dimensional Pirate Crew's" large-scale operations in the One Piece world had quieted down. 

The World Government, utterly overwhelmed, finally got a moment to breathe. 

However... 

The impact of the "Mary Geoise Sinking Event" wouldn't be so easily erased. One direct consequence was a nearly 30% increase in pirate activity in the New World recently. Even naval bases in various parts of the Four Seas were being attacked by nearby pirates. Additionally, the Revolutionary Army seemed to be stirring. 

— The latter was partly due to the activities of Brand, Akame, and others. 

With their intentional push, the "Dimensional Group" had practically become a symbol of rebellion against the World Government in some smaller nations, igniting sparks of revolution. 

And when Edward Newgate announced that the Whitebeard Pirates had formed an alliance with the Dimensional Pirate Crew... 

These sparks seemed to be suddenly fanned by a strong wind, burning fiercely and showing signs of connecting, as if to set the entire sea ablaze! 

--- 

"...Those hateful 'Dimensional Pirate Crew'!" 

Inside the World Government office. 

Saint Saturn slammed his fist on the table, his face filled with rage. "These guys, who knows where they were hiding before, never showing themselves. Now, as soon as they appear, they cause such an uproar! Truly a cunning group of villains, just like Joy Boy back in the day!" 

"There's nothing we can do. After all, the world is too vast, and even the current Marines can't spread their intelligence network to every corner of the sea. Wasn't 'Fire Fist' Ace also hiding right under our noses for over a decade before he was found out to be Roger's posthumous child?" 

It was Saint Mars who spoke. 

Saint Saturn snorted. "That's all because of Garp. As a Marine, to actually help a pirate hide his offspring, it's ridiculous! If you ask me, he and Ace should be thrown into Impel Down together!" 

"...Don't forget, he's a Marine hero who participated in the God Valley Incident. And he has a son who holds a high position in the Revolutionary Army. Now is not the time to dig up old grudges." 

Another Gorosei chimed in. 

After they had all vented their frustrations... 

It was the usually calm Saint Nusjuro, from Jupiter, who finally spoke. "Let's stop with these emotional outbursts and focus on how we should deal with this situation. 

"While we had already considered this possibility, the situation has now been fully confirmed. The Dimensional Group and the Whitebeard Pirates must have had prior contact, and both know Ace. Therefore, it's highly likely that Marshall D. Teach, the Warlord who went missing in the Calm Belt a few days ago, fell into their trap. 

"However, the Calm Belt isn't a place where ordinary ships can easily enter. Pinpointing the location of a fleet and carrying out a precise assassination on the vast sea is also no easy feat. The Warlord on Amazon Lily probably knows something. I suggest we summon her and question her thoroughly. 

"Furthermore... 

"The fourth Emperor-level powerhouse of the Dimensional Group is likely a remnant of the Onis from the Beast Pirates. This aligns with the theory that they came from Wano Country. So, we also need to confirm intelligence with Kaido, to avoid being attacked from behind by him during Fire Fist Ace's execution." 

At this moment... 

As Saint Nusjuro analyzed and explained, event after event that had occurred in the Grand Line over the past few months were meticulously unraveled and connected by a single thread. 

And behind all these events, the shadow of the "Dimensional Group" seemed to loom. 

This situation made the Gorosei instinctively feel a sense of unease, as if a vast web of conspiracy was slowly closing in on them. 

"We can't delay any longer. It's time to execute Im-sama's plan." 

"We will execute Portgas D. Ace, the Pirate King's son, at Marineford on a chosen day, and make arrangements beforehand to capture all the pirates who come to rescue him... Only then can we uphold the World Government's prestige and let the people of this sea know what they can and cannot do! 

"The authority of the Celestial Dragons will absolutely not be violated by those lowly commoners!" 

To be precise... 

The plan to "execute Ace" was something the World Government had considered for a long time. 

They just hadn't finalized the specific time and plan because the sudden emergence of the "Dimensional Pirate Crew" had grabbed their attention, leaving them preoccupied. 

However, the alliance between the Dimensional Group and the Whitebeard Pirates still made the Gorosei feel uneasy. 

After all, their original intention was merely to use Ace to bait and kill Whitebeard. If the Dimensional Group also decided to join, then counting Whitebeard himself, it would mean a total of five "Emperors of the Sea" coming to rescue Ace. Such a formidable lineup would be difficult for Marineford to handle, especially after having already suffered losses and with two Admirals injured. 

"...Send out the orders. Begin deploying personnel." 

Saint Nusjuro, from Jupiter, spoke in a deep voice. "For the Marines, try to gather as many Vice Admirals as possible; as for the God's Knights, Saint Mercury and I will visit them shortly to discuss the specific battle formations with Saint Figarland Garling. At that time, all five of us, and even Im-sama, may have to participate in this battle. 

"This battle might be the most severe challenge we've faced since the God Valley Incident. I urge all of you to give your utmost, just as we did when dealing with Rocks, and bury this group of pirates... 

"Right here!"