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In all the intelligence he had received, there was always one recurring theme: Qin's Nation harbored insatiable greed for islands and nations.
The king of this country was like an ambitious man who would never be satisfied, no matter how small the piece of meat, he wanted to consume it.
Yet at this very moment, he witnessed something so strange and unexpected… why was this happening?
Warships sailed one after another. When they reached the center, Iceberg's pupils suddenly shrank to a pinpoint.
"What is that?!"
"Qin's Nation King, Ying Zheng!"
Through his telescope, he saw a flagship far larger than the others. On this ship, atop an ornate throne carved with dragons, sat a young man with his eyes closed, resting.
At a glance, Iceberg immediately recognized him as Ying Zheng.
Even with his eyes closed, he exuded a powerful aura of kingship. Iceberg, having served as mayor for many years, knew well that this was the natural aura of someone who had occupied high office for a long time.
Some might call it official authority, but this young man… he was likely the embodiment of King's Might.
Suddenly, Iceberg's heart skipped a beat.
He saw that the young man with closed eyes had somehow opened them, and at this moment, his gaze was directed straight at him.
"Impossible… can he really see me from this distance?" Iceberg murmured in disbelief, his expression one of shock.
From where he stood, using only the naked eye, the young man would appear as nothing more than a black dot, indistinct and far away. The reverse would naturally be the same.
Yet Iceberg could clearly feel that the young man was staring directly at him.
"This is the big shot with a 1.6 billion Beli bounty?"
He took a deep breath, deeply shaken, unable to calm his emotions for a long while.
After three breaths, the young man closed his eyes, no longer looking at him, allowing Iceberg to exhale in relief.
Even from a great distance, being stared at by this young man made him feel uneasy all over.
Minutes later, the massive fleet disappeared completely from the Water Seven harbor, none of the ships stayed.
"The target… it really isn't us!"
Only then did Iceberg breathe a long sigh of relief. But soon, his entire body tensed as realization hit him.
"They're going to fight the Marines to the death!"
"Water Seven… in their eyes, it's nothing more than an insignificant place!"
A complicated emotion filled Iceberg's heart, should he feel relieved or saddened?
The greatest humiliation, it seemed, was not being conquered, but being ignored, completely, utterly, from start to finish.
Between Water Seven and Enies Lobby lay a stretch of sea. Though not large, it connected three key locations: Water Seven, the Sabaody Archipelago, and Enies Lobby. It was a necessary passage to all three places and a point the Marines had always strictly guarded.
Within this sea lay a fortress called the Horten Fortress. The surrounding waters were known as Satela.
At this moment, the massive gates of Horten Fortress were wide open, countless black cannon barrels aimed outward. Behind each cannon stood a Marine, expression serious, exuding the iron resolve of a soldier.
In a decisive war, the Marines naturally called upon the finest soldiers from around the world.
Those present here were true elites, one in a hundred, by any standard.
Outside the fortress gates, warships lined up in dense formation, extending the battle line far and wide. On each warship stood an officer draped in the cloak of justice, face stern, eyes sharp and fixed forward.
Behind them, hundred-meter-tall giants of the Marine Vice-Admiral rank stood firmly, like small mountains rising in the sea.
On the foremost row of warships, solid wooden chairs had been placed in neat rows.
Sengoku sat in the center, legs placed firmly, eyes serious, frowning in deep thought.
Behind him, the three Admirals stood in formation, each with their left foot resting on their right knee, cloaked in their mantles of justice, eyes fixed ahead, expressions varying.
On the side of this warship were five Shichibukai of special status. On a warship to the right, King Yuanli had arranged a dragon throne for himself and was now half-reclining on it, radiating a powerful aura.
On the other ships were members of various World Government organizations. Among them, the most conspicuous was a ship carrying Rob Lucci and his group, with a pigeon perched on his shoulder.
"What an extravagant lineup… Shichibukai, World Government, Marines, all here. Are we heading for a world war?"
A long-nosed man behind Lucci laughed.
"It's not a world war, but this battle…"
"Could decide the world!"
Rob Lucci said indifferently.
His gaze flickered, clearly plotting something.
"Oh? Lucci, what's on your mind?"
"Wait. Whatever thoughts there are, they must wait until this battle is over," Lucci replied, closing his eyes.
Those behind him exchanged awkward glances, chuckled nervously, and then lapsed into silence, occasionally chatting idly.
The number of Marines gathered this time was so vast that the Satela Sea could barely contain them. The battle line stretched nearly 20,000 meters.
It was a staggering sight; if a ship approached at this moment, one could not see the end of the warship line in a single glance.
At this moment, all Marines waited silently.
When the sun reached its zenith, Sengoku suddenly noticed a tiny black dot on the horizon.
"Bring the telescope!"
Instantly, Sengoku shouted.
A Marine ran over immediately, handing him the telescope.
Sengoku glanced through it, his entire body shaking. He gently lowered the telescope, exhaled deeply, and his gaze became grave and commanding.
"It has finally arrived!"
The words sent waves of excitement through the Marines.
The three Admirals' eyes sharpened, their bodies tensing, and they instinctively leaned forward.
The five Shichibukai exchanged looks, some sneered, some were greedy, some intrigued.
Marine officers of all ranks drew rapid breaths, tense but brimming with battle intent.
Gradually, when the first black dot fully emerged above the horizon, revealing a warship flying the Qin's Nation flag, the next moment, countless black dots erupted across the sea.
"The great battle begins!"
A fierce wind suddenly swept over the surface of the water. The previously calm sea erupted in ripples, shattering the long-held stillness.
On the Qin's Nation fleet flagship:
Eyes closed in soul-nurturing meditation, Qin Yi suddenly opened his eyes, staring straight ahead, a smile playing on his lips.
"Then, let's have a proper showdown!"
"The world!"
(End of chapter)