The moment Tengetsu Ares's bounty poster appeared on the screen, the expressions of the Navy's heavy hitters visibly hardened.
Especially "Black Arm" Zephyr and Garp both of whom had crossed fists with Ares before.
Fleet Admiral Kong treated it with the utmost seriousness. His voice sank, heavy as iron.
"Ares is, after Rocks, yet another monster capable of making the entire sea tremble."
He swept his gaze across the room and saw a few officers wearing faintly dismissive looks. Kong's eyes sharpened at once, and he barked:
"Some of you surely think I'm exaggerating. Let me make this crystal clear Ares's strength is not inferior to Whitebeard or Golden Lion in the slightest. In fact, when it comes to how difficult he is to capture, he's far above both of them!"
"Even the Navy's strongest combat power has failed to defeat him."
At that
Garp stared up at the ceiling like the remark had nothing to do with him, while Zephyr turned his head away, pretending he hadn't heard a single word.
The others, however, all changed color.
They knew exactly what "the Navy's strongest combat power" meant. Everyone here lived in the same era. They understood the weight of those words.
Seeing the room finally shed its complacency, Kong continued, tone stern:
"This Ares joined the Rocks Pirates only three years ago. He is a Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon. His body is a nightmare: blades, flames, and cannonfire struggle to hurt him."
"And he possesses power like a natural disaster."
"..."
Kong laid out every scrap of intelligence the Navy and World Government had managed to collect.
Once war began, Ares would be a prime target because his destructive capacity and killing potential were simply too terrifying. If no one stopped him, he could massacre ordinary Marines almost unopposed.
Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes were deep and unreadable as she stared at Ares's bounty poster without blinking, as though she'd fallen into thought.
Behind her, Gion couldn't help clicking her tongue inwardly.
"The intel says Ares isn't even twenty yet… about my age," she thought, stunned. "But his strength has already surpassed most of the Rocks Pirates' officers… even reaching the level of the Navy's top monsters."
"Why are there so many freaks in the Rocks Pirates?"
The Navy had monsters too but the younger generation still hadn't matured.
And compared to Ares…
It was like fireflies trying to compete with the moon.
Gion turned it over and over in her mind but couldn't come up with anyone in the Navy who could truly match Ares right now. As for Garp, Zephyr, Sengoku those men were already in their thirties.
Just then
"Fleet Admiral Kong, I have a question," a Vice Admiral spoke up.
"Speak."
The Vice Admiral asked, "If the Rocks Pirates have so many top-tier fighters, do we truly have enough elite power on our side?"
His question was the question on many faces in the room.
Kong answered evenly, "This battle won't be fought by the Navy alone. Don't be naive. The Navy is part of the World Government and the World Government isn't made up of only the Navy."
He didn't elaborate further.
But the meaning was obvious.
The officer nodded and shut his mouth, satisfied with the answer.
The brief interruption didn't derail the meeting. If anything, Kong's response steadied everyone's nerves.
...
Meanwhile Hachinosu, Skull Castle
Rocks stood by the window, gazing out at the endless blue sea. A cold smile tugged at his lips.
"The Navy should be laying trap after trap at G-1 Base right about now."
"Using a fake Devil Fruit to lure me…"
"What a shame."
"You don't know that I've already seen through it."
His eyes gleamed with sinister satisfaction.
"And I have Kurozumi Higurashi to thank for that. As a user of the Mane Mane no Mi, she can mimic CP0… and that's how she learned about the World Government's scheme."
The cruel curve of Rocks's smile widened.
"Ares… I won't give you the chance to surpass me."
"This time, once you fall into the World Government's trap, even if you had ten lives, it still wouldn't be enough."
Rocks's gaze sharpened, calculating every angle.
"G-1 Base is close to the Red Line."
"And above the Red Line… sits the Holy Land, Mary Geoise."
"Ares, you'll draw the Navy and the World Government's attention perfectly how could I not take advantage of such an opportunity?"
"I've heard God Valley is where the Celestial Dragons gather. The treasure there must be beyond counting."
"And God Valley has countless slaves."
"Those slaves will make the best soldiers for the Rocks Pirates."
Money meant recruits.
Money meant ships, cannons, weapons.
While weakening the World Government, he could also strengthen his own empire.
And at the same time, he could remove Golden Lion and Ares ensuring that within the Rocks Pirates, there would only ever be one voice.
His voice.
A flawless plan that killed many birds with one stone.
...
One Week Later
Time passed in a blink.
And within that short stretch, the Rocks Pirates expanded explosively.
A huge wave of new pirates was absorbed, split into different divisions some even organized into fleets under their banner.
A massive pirate empire was taking shape.
At the port of Hachinosu
Pirate ships of every style imaginable crowded the bay. Some flew realistic Jolly Rogers, others bizarre abstract symbols. Even the ships themselves were built into strange, unique shapes reflecting each captain's personality.
But now, without exception, every ship bore the flag of the Rocks Pirates.
They had all become part of Rocks's machine.
On a colossal flagship
Rocks stood on the deck, visibly pleased.
"The Navy will assume the Rocks Pirates are going all out for G-1 Base."
"And they'll assume Golden Lion Shiki's force is the vanguard…"
"That'll make it easier for me to lead the rest to God Valley."
He looked toward the distant mast, where Shiki stood in the sea wind, and called out:
"If you're ready, then set sail. This time, you must completely destroy Marine G-1 Base!"
"Shurorororo no," Shiki's laughter boomed instead, arrogant and wild. "Shiki's not failing a job like this!"
"Captain, don't worry. It's only G-1. With me, Golden Lion, it'll be easy!"
Rocks smiled too though his thoughts were darker than the ocean's depths.
"Let's see if you can still laugh like that after you walk into the World Government's trap."
Shiki led part of the fleet out of the harbor twenty or thirty pirate ships forming a battle group as they sailed away.
Then Rocks gave his own order.
The remaining mass of ships surged out toward open sea.
...
Marine G-1 Base
Lookouts gripped their telescopes with white-knuckled hands, scanning the horizon for the first sign of movement.
Vice Admiral Prodi dressed in a perfectly tailored suit beneath his Justice coat asked his adjutant:
"Have the artillery shells and ammunition been distributed properly?"
"There can't be even a single mistake. If artillery explodes by accident, the consequences will be catastrophic."
"All distributed," the adjutant replied. "Once the Rocks Pirates arrive, they'll be baptized in cannonfire."
"Good," Prodi said grimly. "The forces we've gathered are elite but remind them of discipline. No fear. No hesitation. And absolutely no thought of retreat."
In a battle of this scale, a single collapse in morale could shift the entire outcome.
He would not allow it.
On the other side
Vice Admiral Tsuru said calmly, "Gion, don't be so tense. The more tense you are, the easier it is to lose focus in battle and that affects your performance."
"Big sister," Gion replied, one hand resting on the hilt of her blade, Konpira, as if ready to draw at any second. "It's my first time in a war like this… but I'm not afraid."
"I'll defend justice with my sword."
"Little Gion," Garp's voice rumbled, low and steady. He no longer looked carefree or unreliable as usual.
Instead, his face was solemn carrying a strange, heavy dignity. His presence swelled, pressure rolling off him in waves.
Nearby Marines felt their breathing tighten under it
Not because he meant to crush them, but because he wanted them to feel it.
To believe.
To have courage.
And behind him, even Dragon wore a hard, serious expression.
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