A hundred-strong team, most of them stained with blood, their weapons still wet with it. Though their faces showed exhaustion, their eyes burned with determination. Leading them was a tall and beautiful woman.
She didn't look much like a warrior—more like a refined and elegant professional. However, her cold gaze told a different story. A row of daggers hung from her waist, each made of different metals, their varying hues indicating their diverse compositions.
Rosen stepped out of the building with Lisa, taking one look at the woman. He could immediately sense that she was on an entirely different level of danger compared to Lisa.
At the same time, he couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled—Lantis Island seemed to be ruled mostly by women. Or perhaps, powerful men were simply too rare here.
However, he quickly let go of his doubts. It was likely an effect of admiration. After all, the strongest and most revered person in Lantis right now—the one almost regarded as a savior—was the Scarlet Queen, and she was a woman.
In such a leadership-driven environment, it was only natural that the women of Lantis would grow increasingly independent and powerful.
"Sis, has the Queen's enemy been repelled?" Lisa called out softly as she approached Alice.
They were sisters?! Rosen was momentarily stunned. They didn't look alike at all.
"The Marines claimed they came to negotiate, but in the end, nothing was settled, and a small skirmish broke out. We managed to repel them for now, but who knows what scheme they're plotting next? Our scouts have reported that the Marine forces landing this time are far greater than usual—too large in number. There are battles erupting all across Lantis Island. The Queen has ordered that unless outsiders enter the gathering zones, we do not need to take the initiative to engage." Alice spoke coldly.
When it came to outsiders, she held the same philosophy as the Queen—eliminate them without mercy, especially the Marines and government officials.
However, this recent negotiation was more complicated than expected. It was said that the person negotiating with their Queen was a Shichibukai, and he proposed an unconditional offer to hand over an island for the survivors. The Marines would even assist with their evacuation, but only those who were not in an infected state would be allowed to leave.
That in itself wasn't a major issue. After all, those infected either survived and became "warriors," received timely treatment and returned to normal, or had already turned into monsters.
Despite the general distrust toward the Marines and the government, the offer was too tempting. Even knowing it might be a trap, some would undoubtedly fall for it.
Who wouldn't want to leave this hell?
From what Alice knew, even in the Queen's most elite force—her own unit—there were high-ranking members who had been swayed.
Their loyalty to the Queen was absolute; they would even lay down their lives for her. But if evacuating all of Lantis Island to a safe place was an option, it would be remembered for generations as an achievement—the continuation of Lantis Island's legacy.
They, too, longed to live freely as they once did. That longing for a normal life was too enticing. Even if it meant rushing toward their doom, many would still take the chance.
Were it not for the well-known fact that the Marines had been systematically blocking them off for years, almost no one would hesitate at such an offer.
But like a spark igniting dry wood, this idea had already taken root in the minds of everyone in the Ninth Garden. Sooner or later, it would burst into flames.
—
Meanwhile, in Area A, at the Marines' temporary base, inside the conference room…
"These damned natives are utterly foolish. We lost hundreds, if not thousands, of our comrades just to land on Lantis Island, only to get kicked right back out." Base Commander Raiser spoke with a cold expression.
Thinking back to their recent diplomatic attempt, where they were literally driven away, he felt humiliated.
He had arrived alongside Bartholomew Kuma. Their forces had secured a section of Area A, where the monster population was relatively lower. Although the sheer number of creatures made it difficult, the Marines could still manage.
The worst losses had come from the Holy Sea, where they were suddenly ambushed by new marine-type monsters—the Sirens.
"Considering the Marines' history of enforcing a slow, suffocating blockade, their hostility is understandable. The seeds of our message have been planted. Given time, they will begin to waver, as long as we show enough sincerity and proof." Kuma sat with his legs crossed, towering over Base Commander Raiser even while seated.
"Every day we remain on this island, our casualties rise. Training a single Marine requires a significant investment of military funds. This is an enormous waste of the government's resources. From my perspective, the island is far too dangerous. If we want to resolve this in one decisive move, the Buster Call would be the best option."
Base Commander Raiser was a man who aligned with the World Nobles.
But from a rational standpoint, he saw the Buster Call as the perfect solution—whether it was to prevent the continued mutation of these monsters, to eradicate the unstable local forces of Lantis Island, or to bury the scandal surrounding the Celestial Dragons.
However, both Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Celestial Dragons opposed the idea, making the situation far more complicated.
"The Buster Call is only a last resort. And with Lantis Island's current topography, I doubt it would be very effective." Kuma shook his head indifferently.
"You underestimate the power of the Buster Call." Raiser shot him a glance but didn't elaborate further.
"Eric and Vice Admiral O'Neal have already established a fortified defensive line in Area E. The Science Division has begun capturing newly mutated creatures for sample extraction. Do we need to assist them?" Kuma changed the topic, steering it toward something that piqued his interest.
"No need. Commander Eric can handle it. Our primary focus should be on keeping that arrogant Queen in check, ensuring she doesn't stir up more trouble, and persuading her people as much as possible." Raiser didn't agree, as he didn't fully trust the Shichibukai in front of him.
"I will be meeting with her privately later to see if we can reach an agreement." Kuma rose to his feet.
"Alone?!" Raiser frowned.
"Yes. With my abilities, I can easily bypass their defenses. If we storm in again like today, it will only make our future efforts more difficult." Kuma nodded.
Raiser remained silent. What Kuma said was logical, but his instincts told him something was off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"I need to make some preparations." With that, Kuma left.
Just then, Raiser's Den Den Mushi rang, interrupting his thoughts. The call was from the Science Division's vice-captain, Ganos.
The phone was a private line, only used for CP0-related missions. The fact that it was ringing now meant something had happened.
"Base Commander Raiser, we've made progress on the mission you assigned. We've captured several creatures from the Great Rift, and based on our analysis, they are significantly stronger than those recorded before. This confirms that these monsters are capable of evolving. Furthermore, we've obtained information from the natives that suggests there is an unprecedentedly mutated entity within the Great Rift—one potentially linked to immortality." Ganos's voice trembled with excitement.
"Are you certain?!" Even Raiser was shaken.
The reason they had maintained a blockade on Lantis Island all these years was partly to contain the disaster.
But it was also to satisfy the whims of the Celestial Dragon.
More importantly, it was under the direct orders of one of the Five Elders to observe the mutations of the island's creatures.
Now, they finally had a breakthrough. How could he not be thrilled?
"Absolutely. The natives claim that for the past five years, the 'Demon' within the Great Rift has shown no signs of aging or decay. Given your previous reports, it's clear that some of these creatures, once they reach their ultimate evolution, do not deteriorate." Ganos confirmed.
"Good, good, good! Stay put. I will depart at dawn to meet with you. Keep the natives under control."
(End of Chapter)
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