The empty streets, the ruined town, and the suffocating silence weighed heavily on Yoriichi's heart.
He retracted his Observation Haki and slowly turned back the way he had co.
Was this hellish scene caused solely by the Beasts Pirates? Not entirely. They were the trigger, yes, but the root cause lay deeper, in human nature itself, in the brutal logic that governed this world's lowest rung. Kaido's crew had set the disaster in motion, but the instinctive savagery awakened in famine was the true executioner.
Yoriichi's senses were sharp. Within minutes, he had mapped the city, piecing together the truth of what had happened. The acrid stench in the air was not just burned wood, it was flesh and fat, protein turned to smoke. A sll he had known more than once since stepping into this world.
As he withdrew, Issho, Mihawk, and a detachnt of Marines approached from the edge of town. They prepared to search the ruins, but Yoriichi raised his hand to stop them.
"No need. I've already checked. No survivors. The culprits… without doubt, the Beasts Pirates. Issho, build a grave for the dead."
He stood before the Marines, voice steady.
Issho lifted his pale eyes toward him, lingering for a mont as if searching Yoriichi's expression. Then, with a long sigh, he nodded. "Alright."
He drew his blade and swung lightly. Rubble, shattered beams, and stone fragnts rose into the air. Even earth and rock from the island's mountains tore free, swirling together high above the town. Before long, a massive teor of stone and soil ford, then slowly descended, burying the entire town beneath a single mound.
When it was done, Issho bowed toward the makeshift grave. The Marines, hearts heavy, followed suit, bowing as grief and guilt pressed into them.
Yoriichi watched for a while, then turned and walked toward the warship. Mihawk lingered, watching Issho's quiet act, and muttered under his breath, "You truly are a gentle man." Then he, too, followed Yoriichi.
Both Mihawk and Issho knew the truth. Yoriichi had not spoken it aloud, sparing the Marines a crueler reality: only a fraction of the townsfolk had died at the pirates' hands. Most had starved or slain one another when the food ran dry. By laying bla fully on the Beasts Pirates, Yoriichi left the victims a asure of dignity.
The Marines withdrew soon after. A town of thousands was erased in a single day. Now, Lodestar Island was truly deserted. Only clouds and sea winds remained to bear witness to its sins.
Within a week, Yoriichi's fleet returned to Migo Town. Kaido and King had escaped, and with flight as their weapon, searching the seas blindly was futile. Instead, Yoriichi turned his attention back to the future of Migo itself.
The Marines held three great bases in the New World.
G-10 Branch, in the kingdom of Neil at the entry point of the New World, commanded by veteran Rear Admiral Loka.
The Dawn, Yoriichi's fortress in the mid-seas.
The ICE Branch, far in the New World's final stretch, commanded by Rear Admiral Kuzan.
Together, they spanned the New World, gathering intelligence and resisting pirates. But now Kuzan's ICE Branch lay in ruins. With its loss, the Marines had no eyes or arms in the farthest seas. Without intelligence, even strength was powerless. The final stretch of the New World would slip beyond Marine reach.
Back in Migo, Yoriichi visited Kuzan's sickbed with Issho, Mihawk, and his closest n. When he learned Sengoku intended to summon Kuzan back to Marineford, his brow furrowed.
It wasn't a wrong decision. Headquarters needed Kuzan's strength. But without him, the New World's rear would fall into chaos, the islands once protected now left to suffer far worse under pirate rule.
Yet Kuzan had no choice. Without Marineford's support, ICE could never be rebuilt, its n were dead, its foundations broken. Strength alone could not fill those ranks.
Lying in bed, Kuzan turned his head to the sunlight outside. "Don't worry, Yoriichi. The Dawn has its hands full already. You can't stretch to cover this place too. I'll answer the summons. Once I'm back at HQ, I'll keep close watch on Kaido. If I hear anything, you'll know. I get it, you hate letting a pirate like that slip through your fingers."
The small room was crowded with Marines: Yoriichi's lieutenants, as well as Kuzan's own, like Dalmatian and Xiuen.
Yoriichi sat beside the bed, arms folded. "You're right, I can't guard this place. But your strength… that worries . Dalmatian and Xiuen are promising, but still young."
He paused, then said, "I'll lend you a vice officer."
Kuzan blinked. "You? Lend one of your n? Since when are you so generous?"
He had heard the stories. Yoriichi never let go of those he chose. Even Borsalino, Sengoku had tried to recall, but Yoriichi held him fast under The Dawn's banner. Not even the Fleet Admiral could force his hand.
"Who? Kyros? You wouldn't. Mihawk? Issho?"
Yoriichi rose, stepped to Issho's side, and patted his arm. "Issho. I'll transfer him to your command."
Shock rippled through the room. Even Mihawk arched a brow. Issho himself flinched only for a mont before nodding calmly.
"You, what? Does Issho agree to this?" Kuzan asked, incredulous.
Before Yoriichi could answer, Issho spoke: "Whether I agree or not doesn't matter. I am a Marine. If Vice Admiral Yoriichi orders it, I obey."
Yoriichi smiled faintly, hand firm on his shoulder. "See? It's settled."
Kuzan frowned. "Why him? I admire Issho, all of you, for your strength and your integrity. You don't just echo orders, you act with principle. That's rare. Why give him up?"
"Because of talent," Yoriichi answered. "Kyros is still young, and much of Dressrosa depends on him. Mihawk… well, you see how he is." Mihawk scoffed and turned aside, pride bristling.
"Only Issho has the maturity, the strength, and the understanding of justice needed. He's already a Captain. Under , he might rise to Rear Admiral, maybe Vice Admiral. But that's not enough. I believe he can be an Admiral, Kuzan. He has that within him. The Dawn cannot be allowed to chain him down. Others might envy him, block his path. But you, I trust you not to."
He turned to Issho. "And you, I trust to walk your own justice without compromise."
The room fell silent. At last, Issho bowed. "Vice Admiral… thank you."
"Don't thank ," Yoriichi said warmly, thumping his chest. "We're still partners. The Dawn will always be your ho. Go, do what you must. If it weighs on you, co back."
He turned to Kuzan. "So? Will you take him?"
Kuzan's answer was swift. "Gladly. If I'd had him when the Beasts Pirates ca, ICE wouldn't have fallen. With him, I'll be ready next ti."
Yoriichi clasped Issho's arm one last ti, then rose. The decision was made.
Yoriichi soon led The Dawn's fleet away from Migo Town. He knew what would co of it, the town, unguarded, would again fall prey to the sea. But he could not help it. All he could do was build strength until one day his justice could stretch across the New World entire.
Ten days later, Kuzan too departed, leading his ragged n away.
Not long after both fleets had vanished, a whale-prowed ship appeared offshore. A skull flag flew.
"The Whitebeard Pirates!!" townsfolk cried in terror.
From the deck, a young man sprouted wings of fla and leapt aloft. Marco landed atop the bell tower, planted a Whitebeard flag at its peak, and shouted across the streets:
"From this day forward, Migo Town belongs to the Whitebeard Pirates! Touch this flag, and we'll crush you! Pirate or Marine, whoever dares, faces Whitebeard himself!"
He lifted his chin, pleased with his own speech, then strutted down the tower, chest swelling with pride.
Halfway down the street, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi, snagged a young man peeking from a doorway, and shoved it into his hands.
"Oi, brat! Hold this! That's our contact line. If anyone dares cause trouble here, you call us, got it?!"
Leaving the stunned youth behind, Marco walked off with the swagger of a man certain he had just carved his na into the world.
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