Meanwhile—
On the deck of the lead warship, which had just sped past the floating restaurant Baratie, Gion, clad in the admiral's coat, briskly approached Xayuki with a Den Den Mushi in hand. She bowed slightly and reported, "Fleet Admiral, we've just received word: Captain Smoker and Captain Morgan have successfully completed their joint operation against the Arlong Pirates. The battle is over, and all members of the Arlong Pirates have been subdued!"
"Report!"
Before Xayuki could respond, Ain, wearing a vice admiral's coat, hurried over as well. "We've spotted pirate ships ahead—lots of them! At least thirty ships!"
"Thirty ships?" Xayuki turned his head toward Ain, his tone tinged with surprise.
Ain quickly pulled out a stack of records detailing wanted pirates from the East Blue. Flipping to one of the pages, she explained, "Judging by their Jolly Roger, they belong to the Krieg Pirates, the largest pirate force in the East Blue. Despite multiple attempts by the Marines to apprehend them, they've managed to evade capture every time. Over the years, they've continued to expand their crew. According to our records, the Krieg Pirates now boast over three thousand members..."
"Three thousand?"
A cold glint flashed in Xayuki's eyes as he spoke in a low voice, "All ships, accelerate. Crush them!"
"There's no need for such trouble."
A calm voice echoed from within the ship's cabin.
Moments later, Dracule Mihawk, the wielder of one of the Supreme Grade Blades, emerged onto the deck. "Surely the Fleet Admiral doesn't need to dirty his hands with such rabble. Leave them to me."
As he stepped in front of Xayuki, Mihawk paused briefly before asking, "Should I capture them, or eliminate them all?"
Xayuki's tone was devoid of emotion as he replied, "Leave no survivors."
Mihawk froze for a moment. "That's three thousand people!"
Seeing no response from Xayuki, Mihawk nodded slightly. "Understood."
Without another word, Mihawk leapt off the deck and disappeared from sight.
In the next instant, a coffin-shaped boat emerged from the right side of the warship, speeding toward the pirate fleet ahead with astonishing velocity.
On the deck of the warship, none of the officers, including Gion, showed any surprise at Xayuki's order to eliminate all the pirates. They stood tall and calm, their expressions unchanging as they gazed ahead.
In the past, they might have hesitated or even tried to dissuade such a command. After all, the Marines were an organization of justice, and while the most heinous pirates deserved death, not every pirate had committed unforgivable crimes. Some had been forced into piracy by circumstances, and for those willing to change, imprisonment and reform could offer a second chance.
But things were different now.
The death of Captain Stoke had sealed the fate of all pirates in the East Blue. A storm of retribution from Marine Headquarters was inevitable, and the region would face a sweeping purge.
More importantly, after serving under Xayuki, they had come to a stark realization: mercy toward pirates was cruelty toward the Marines and the defenseless civilians who suffered under pirate tyranny.
No one understood this better than the former admiral Zephyr, who had once been known as the "Admiral Who Doesn't Kill."
Zephyr had refused to kill even the most vile pirates, choosing instead to capture them alive. But the cost of his mercy was devastating: his wife and child were killed by pirates, and years later, an entire ship of Marine cadets under his command was slaughtered.
As one of only two survivors of that tragedy, Ain deeply resonated with Xayuki's philosophy. Setting aside the fact that Xayuki had publicly executed the pirate responsible for that attack shortly after becoming Fleet Admiral, his stance on justice alone was enough for her to follow him unwaveringly.
The warships did not slow down despite Mihawk's lone charge. In fact, they accelerated, following closely behind him.
Inside the flagship's cabin—
"Fuffuffuffuffu..."
Donquixote Doflamingo let out a laugh that grated on Jinbe's nerves. "So, Hawkeye's really treating himself like a Marine now, huh?"
He turned to the corner where Jinbe sat alone, his tone mocking. "Jinbe, did you hear? The Arlong Pirates have been completely subdued. If you don't make a move soon, you might find yourself implicated when we reach Cocoyasi Village."
"Why don't you join Mihawk in dealing with the pirates up ahead? Maybe if you kill more than him, you'll help ease Fleet Admiral Xayuki's anger a bit!"
Suddenly, a deafening hum reverberated through the air, growing louder and closer in an instant. The overwhelming sound swept across the warship, silencing the Seven Warlords of the Sea present in the cabin.
"What's going on?"
The brief silence was broken as Doflamingo abruptly stood, his hands on his hips as he strode out of the cabin.
The other Warlords followed him to the deck, only to be greeted by a shocking sight.
Ahead of the warship, a dazzling blade of light split the sky, carving a visible chasm into the sea. Several pirate ships in its path were cleaved in half, their wreckage scattering across the water.
Amidst the chaos, the air was filled with the anguished cries of pirates, who fell into the sea like dumplings dropped into boiling water.
Before the Warlords could fully process what they were witnessing, another radiant slash tore through the void, descending with the force of divine retribution.
In an instant, the deafening roar of explosions filled the air, and flames erupted across the sea.
Thick black smoke billowed upward as the screams of the dying pirates intertwined, forming a harrowing symphony of despair that echoed across the battlefield.
By the time the warships reached the area, the sea was a scene of utter devastation.
The surviving pirates, their ships destroyed, were left floundering in the water. Their eyes were filled with terror and confusion as they screamed for help.
"Damn it, what's going on?!"
"Who is that man? Why is he attacking us without warning?"
"Help me! Someone help me! My body's been cut in half... I'm dying!"
"Sob... sob... Is that man a demon? He destroyed all our ships! This is too terrifying!"
"Hey, hey, the Marines are here!"
One of the pirates was the first to notice the approaching warships. Upon seeing them, the pirates in the water began shouting desperately, as if grasping at their last hope.
"Marines, please save us! We surrender!"
"Yes, yes, we're turning ourselves in! Please, take us to prison!"
"Marines, we were wrong! We'll never be pirates again! Save us!"
Amidst the cacophony of pleas and sobs, the pirates in the water scrambled toward the warships, hoping to be rescued.
However—
As the warships entered the area, rows of fully armed Marine soldiers appeared on the decks, their rifles gleaming coldly in the sunlight.
In unison, they aimed their weapons at the pirates in the water.
The next moment, a barrage of gunfire erupted.
To Be Continued...
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