The Rocket Corps.
If the Kingdom of Morass were to one day develop to a certain scale and possess such a force—no, even if it didn't reach that level—then he, Wilder, could threaten all corners of the world!
And Morass! It would become the most powerful nation in this world.
And it seems I can start working on this now, laying the groundwork for the future.
These thoughts flashed through Wilder's mind, and he decided to put this plan into action as soon as he returned.
The bombardment of the enemy ships didn't last long. With Kizaru and Wilder guarding the warship, amidst the brilliant light and surging swamp, the massive barrage of cannonballs that was about to hit the warship was shattered before it could even land.
Soon, the enemy fleet was completely annihilated. All six ships were reduced to fragments and sank to the bottom of the sea. Not a single person on board escaped. Having focused on a preemptive strike and being careless from the start, they didn't even have time to send a communication.
Furthermore, no one had initially realized that there were two powerhouses of this caliber on board.
The warship started up again, heading for Viksbyn!
"We're almost there, right?"
Wilder walked up to Kizaru's side, joining him in looking out at the sea and feeling the sea breeze.
"Well now, we're just about there."
Kizaru held a cup of tea with a leisurely expression, sipping it slowly.
"Tsk, Mr. Kizaru, you really don't act like a Marine at all."
Wilder pulled a bottle of wine from his body, popped the cork, and drank it down with several gulps.
"You too, Wilder-kun. This isn't the proper conduct for the king of a nation."
Kizaru wore a smarmy grin.
"Oh? Then what is the proper conduct for a king?"
Wilder put down the empty wine bottle and asked nonchalantly.
"Then what do you think is the proper conduct for a Marine, Wilder-kun?"
Kizaru shook his head, not answering but posing a question in return, his expression making one want to punch him.
Bypassing the topic, Wilder's gaze, fixed on the distance, suddenly sharpened. "We're here," he said softly. "They've certainly rolled out the red carpet for us."
...
At that moment, in Viksbyn, a former World Government affiliated nation, the country had been completely occupied by a group of fierce pirates. The king and the other members of the royal family were all bound and gathered in the kingdom's square, glaring with eyes full of anger and hatred at a man sitting on a sculpture.
The man was very tall, with a thick scarf wrapped around his neck, covering the lower half of his face. Only the upper part of his nose and his pair of incredibly cold eyes were visible.
He was the strongest of the Charlotte Family's Three Sweet Commanders, Big Mom's second son, Charlotte Katakuri!
Katakuri seemed oblivious to the royal family's glares; he didn't even spare them a glance.
To someone like him, royalty?
They were nothing more than livestock raised by the world, benefiting from their ancestors' legacy, waiting to be slaughtered. True strength was the only foundation for survival in this world!
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from a street off the square. Katakuri seemed to sense something and frowned.
The footsteps drew closer, and finally, the figure of one of his subordinates appeared. He ran up to Katakuri, his expression rushed and nervous, panting heavily.
"Report! Three warships have been spotted ahead! The one in the lead is… the one in the lead is Marine Admiral Kizaru, Borsalino!"
"What?" Katakuri's eyes instantly grew colder than before. His already tall frame seemed even more imposing as he stood up.
The subordinate who had come to report trembled, his teeth chattering. Facing Katakuri's cold gaze, he forced himself to calm down and said, "There's… there's another person. It… it seems to be Lucifer Wilder, who's on Mama's kill list…"
"I see…" Katakuri's eyes turned colder still. After saying this, he started walking toward the docks without another word.
A group of vicious pirates behind him immediately followed, and the crowd surged toward the docks.
"Leave a few men to watch the royal family."
"Yes, sir."
"The man who angered Mama… since you've come, then… I'll kill you here." Katakuri muttered to himself as he walked, his eyes so cold they showed no emotion.
It didn't take long for everyone to gather at the docks. Katakuri stared at the three small dots on the sea in the distance, his face calm. Even knowing that Kizaru had arrived, he showed no sign of retreat or panic.
However, just because he wasn't afraid didn't mean his subordinates weren't. Soon, someone quietly reported the situation back to Whole Cake Island.
Among those accompanying him this time, besides Katakuri, the strongest combatant under Big Mom, there were many other powerful, infamous pirates of the high seas!
This force had the capital to challenge any powerhouse.
...
"They've certainly rolled out the red carpet to welcome us." At the bow of the ship, Wilder looked at the crowd of monsters gathered at the distant dock and spoke faintly.
"Don't be careless, Wilder-kun. Katakuri is a real monster," Kizaru reminded him from the side. But judging by his own appearance and tone, he seemed to not take it seriously at all.
However, Wilder knew this was just Kizaru's usual act. No matter what happened, he always had a leisurely demeanor. In reality, no one with a bounty over a billion was easy to deal with, and even a Marine Admiral wouldn't underestimate or be careless with them.
And Katakuri was a monster with a bounty of over a billion!
On the high seas, he could be considered one of the pinnacles of combat power.
While he might not be a match for an Admiral, at the very least, below the level of the Admirals and the Four Emperors, such a person already had the qualifications to challenge any opponent!
He was probably on par with the first and second division commanders of the former Whitebeard Pirates, a "Right-Hand Man" level existence!
Not to mention, besides Katakuri, there were many others this time with bounties of several hundred million. Any one of these individuals could exchange a blow or two with an Admiral.
Of course, it was limited to just a blow or two. Any more and they would be crushed.
But as the saying goes, many ants can bite an elephant to death, let alone a pack of wolves. Although their individual combat power was not comparable to an Admiral's, their numbers were not to be underestimated.
Imagine, what kind of destruction would ten Luffys with bounties of three hundred million cause? How terrifying would their combined combat power be?
Not enough?
What about five Luffys from right after the timeskip?
Probably even worse!
The threat and combat power formed by five or six pirates with bounties of four or five hundred million combined was extremely terrifying, enough to threaten the top-tier figures.
"However…"
Wilder was about to speak, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.
This time, he was just accompanying this old man. He didn't want to cause trouble right now. He would just leave all the trouble to the old man later.
Of course, Wilder had considered whether he would be targeted by Katakuri. After all, he was the one who had schemed against his mother. As a son, it would be unreasonable not to seek revenge for his mother.
Considering this possibility, Wilder decided to let the old man handle it. This was the Marines' own operation anyway; there was no need for him to be used as a pawn.
Naturally, if it was truly unavoidable, Wilder had no choice.
As the two sides drew closer, the news from here quickly reached Big Mom on Whole Cake Island.
Anger and killing intent erupted from the chateau. Big Mom's eyes instantly turned blood-red, and she let out a low growl like a wild beast, gritting her teeth. "Wilder! Kizaru!"
But she quickly calmed down. After pondering for a moment, a sinister smile appeared on her face. "Someone, inform Katakuri to come back. Tell him not to clash with Kizaru, and not to think about killing Wilder. That man will pay the price soon enough."
"Yes, ma'am."
...
Viksbyn. The three warships finally reached the coast. Then, under the tense and vigilant watch of the crowd at the docks, Kizaru and Wilder strolled down from the warship. Behind them, a group of equally vigilant Marines, armed with swords and guns, followed one after another.
They took their positions, and the two sides entered a silent standoff.
The scene became quiet enough to hear a pin drop. An atmosphere of tension and confrontation gradually spread through the crowd.
"Hey, hey… what's this? What are you all from the Big Mom Pirates planning to do?" Kizaru pursed his lips and took a step forward, his face a mask of confusion.
SHING!
Kizaru's slight movement instantly tensed up the people on the ground. They raised their guns and aimed them at him.
"Ooh…" Kizaru raised his hands with a look of surprise. "How scary."
After saying this, a hidden light flashed across the lenses of his glasses, and his tone deepened. "Everyone, would you like to know what it feels like to be kicked at the speed of light?"
CLANG!
The battle began without warning! A foot shimmering with golden light collided with a fist wrapped in thick Armament Haki. A terrifying shockwave erupted from the point of impact, instantly sending the surrounding people flying.
"Great Swamp Heaven!"
At the same time, a deep, excited shout came from the side. A shadow had already cast itself over them. The men Katakuri had brought with him looked up, their pupils instantly shrinking, their faces filled with horror!
BOOM!
A loud, muffled sound. The crowd quickly retreated. A large patch of swamp slammed onto the ground, instantly swallowing some of the lower-ranking soldiers before they could even react.
Although Wilder had said he didn't want to get involved, he hadn't expected Kizaru to attack right away. He had originally thought the old man would leisurely try to persuade Katakuri and his men to leave peacefully, and only attack if they refused. He hadn't expected the old man to be so direct this time.
And he had gone straight for Katakuri from the start, aiming to take out the leader first, striking at the heart of the enemy.
But this was in line with the old man's usual style. Back in the Summit War, he had the same idea of going straight for the leader, attacking Whitebeard right from the get-go.
Wilder thought for a moment and understood. In the end, Kizaru was a Marine, and the other side were pirates. How could Kizaru possibly say something like letting them go? So, it wasn't surprising that he attacked directly.
While Kizaru's direct attack surprised Wilder slightly, it also stirred some excitement in him. Besides, since Katakuri had already been chosen by Kizaru, it was no longer his business. He was more than willing to take care of small fry.
As for fighting Katakuri? Wilder wasn't stupid. He would rather not be used as a pawn. Perhaps Kizaru also knew he wouldn't fight Katakuri, which was why he had gone for him directly.
Furthermore, even if Wilder were willing, he had no intention of fighting Katakuri right now. Not for any other reason than it would be extremely strenuous! Wilder wasn't even confident he could defeat Katakuri.
The most likely outcome would be him, Wilder, being seriously injured, while Katakuri might not necessarily lose.
In short, if Wilder fought him, Katakuri gave him an extremely dangerous feeling. The outcome was uncertain, and the result would definitely be tragic.
The battle ignited in an instant, plunging the entire dock into chaos from the very beginning. All this was because of Kizaru's unannounced attack, and more importantly, because of the massive, heavy swamp that Wilder had dropped from the sky, instantly throwing everything into disarray.
BANG BANG BANG!
Sparks flew as bullets accidentally hit the hard ground. More bullets followed their pre-calculated trajectories through the air, searching for enemy bodies, or had already pierced through them.
The lowest-ranking soldiers were always the first to die in a chaotic battle. Soldiers fell in droves, their bodies trampled by the living.
And flames were always an indispensable backdrop in battle. When a beam of golden light struck a building, flames mixed with thick smoke began to burn.
Kizaru and Katakuri had truly engaged.
Of course, as the one who was initially on the defensive, Katakuri's face was ugly. He also hadn't expected Kizaru to attack suddenly. That kick just now wasn't aimed at him, but at one of his subordinates. However, if he hadn't blocked that blow, the man wouldn't have had time to react and would probably be seriously injured, if not dead, by now.
And after blocking it, it was difficult to disengage. He had to keep blocking, or fight back.
This would have been fine, but Wilder's sudden attack completely darkened his face. Rage burned in his chest!
But he himself was tied up by Kizaru. Light bloomed, and the Ama no Murakumo Sword appeared in Kizaru's hands.
He lowered his head slightly, holding the hilt with both hands. His mouth twisted into a smarmy angle as he closed in on Katakuri with extreme speed and swung his sword down!
BAM! A highly viscous substance emerged from Katakuri's body, instantly hardening into mochi. Covered in Armament Haki, it blocked the sword strike!
BOOM!
The shockwave from their battle radiated outward, forcing the surrounding people to raise their hands to shield themselves.
And at this moment, Wilder, having made his move, was standing alone in the swamp. Now, he too had been targeted.