On the deck of the warship.
"Vice Admiral Vergo was taken out too?!"
Momonga's expression grew increasingly grim.
The situation was spiraling out of control. All three Warlords of the Sea were tied up in battle, and even Hawkeye, the Navy's greatest hope, couldn't break free from his fight against Crocodile.
Of the five vice admirals dispatched, he was the commander and hadn't gone to the front lines. Now, only one of the other four remained.
Vice Admiral Vergo had been defeated by Trafalgar Law, while Fire Fist and Tsucha, along with the landing troops, had all been turned to stone. Only he and Bastille were left.
It was time to unleash the trump card.
"Deploy the Seraphim!"
"Understood!"
Seraphim-Hawk, Seraphim-Crocodile, Seraphim-Shark!
Two handsome young men with black wings and flames on their backs appeared at the center of the battlefield.
Along with a chubby shark.
"Hawk, take out Buggy!"
"Crocodile, Shark, assist the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
Momonga issued his commands.
Hawk was the strongest, possessing not only the modified body of the Lunarian Tribe but also the swordsmanship of Hawkeye.
Sending him against the enemy leader was the most fitting choice.
The orders were confirmed.
The three youngsters surveyed the battlefield and quickly located their targets.
Little Hawkeye fixed his gaze on Buggy atop the circus tent platform, drew his ornate greatsword from his back, and swung with all his might!
A massive Slashing Wave tore across the battlefield, splitting the Cross Guild's headquarters—and Buggy—in two before continuing onward to cleave the mountain behind!
BOOM!!!
The towering peak split down the middle!
The sheer terror of that strike instantly brought the war to a halt.
"This is..."
Hawkeye stared in shock at Little Hawkeye.
That slash was eerily familiar—as if he himself had delivered it!
Who was this kid?
Why did he look so much like him?
"See that? That's the World Government's secret weapon—artificial humans modeled after us!"
Crocodile was equally stunned.
He knew the World Government had been developing weapons based on them, but he never imagined they'd achieved this level of completion.
They could even replicate Hawkeye's swordsmanship!
And those bizarre bodies...
The legendary Lunarian Tribe!
"The Lunarian Tribe?! How can there be so many?!"
Moria gasped in disbelief.
He had once fought Kaido, and his comrades had all been slaughtered by the Beasts' officers—one of whom was a member of the Lunarian Tribe!
"Flame Disaster" King!
Because of that, he could never mistake them.
Rumors claimed the Lunarian Tribe had gone extinct, with King likely being the last survivor. Yet now, three of them stood before him.
Unbelievable!
He wanted them—desperately!
Moria's eyes burned with greed.
He wanted their corpses!
The Lunarian Tribe's greatest strength was their invincible bodies, capable of adapting to any environment. If he could turn them into zombies, they'd become his ultimate trump cards!
"Lunarians?"
Jimbei, noticing Moria's distraction, didn't seize the chance to attack. Instead, he followed his gaze and froze when he saw Seraphim-Shark, who bore an uncanny resemblance to himself.
He didn't have any children!
Aside from the skin tone, everything else was identical to him!
Was this the World Government's secret weapon?
With the three Seraphim joining the fray, the tides of battle shifted once more.
Meanwhile, on the Grand Line...
In the Kingdom of Lulusia.
The war had raged for days, with neither side gaining the upper hand.
At the Navy outpost...
Kizaru picked up a steaming bowl of noodles.
"The Revolutionary Army is stalling for time."
"For now, that seems to be the case."
Fujitora nodded in agreement.
They had clashed with the Revolutionary Army's Commanders several times, but each engagement ended inconclusively. The Commanders would retreat once their time was up—clearly, their only goal was to delay the Marines and buy time for revolutions in other nations.
On several occasions, they had cornered the Commanders, only for Dragon to appear and help them escape.
Then, two days later, they would return.
It was an almost shameless tactic, and the Marines had no real counter for it.
That said, they had their own reasons as well.
After a brief silence...
Kizaru and Fujitora picked up their chopsticks and slurped their noodles.
Eat up, eat up!
One of them was slacking off, while the other held sympathies for the Revolutionary Army. During battles, they were far from giving their all—simply not holding back already counted as professionalism.
Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Army had deployed their full elite force this time, their overall strength no weaker than an Emperor Crew. Naturally, they weren't so easily repelled.
"Report!"
While the two were eating, a lieutenant colonel rushed over, drenched in sweat.
"Admirals Kizaru and Fujitora! Headquarters just issued an order—Fleet Admiral Akainu demands your immediate return!"
"Hmm?"
Both men looked up at the same time.
They were being recalled?
The lieutenant colonel glanced around before leaning in and lowering his voice. "Fleet Admiral Akainu said... the God's Knights have mobilized!"
"..."
Kizaru loudly slurped another mouthful of noodles.
If the God's Knights were involved, then there really was nothing left for them to do. Those Celestial Dragons despised fighting alongside the Marines.
"Well, in that case, I suppose I have no choice but to return."
Kizaru muttered the words half-heartedly.
"What about you, Issho?"
"I think I'll stay a little longer."
Fujitora shook his head.
In this war, he could sense no trace of justice. The only voices he heard were the despair and fury of the people.
He wanted to stay—to help those in need, even if his efforts were meager. It was still better than standing idly by.
"Tch."
Kizaru sighed softly and stood to leave.
After spending some time with Fujitora, he had come to understand the man's nature. It was just a shame the world wasn't so kind.
The more one struggled, the more one suffered.
Ah, well. He was just a wage slave—who was he to lecture others about justice?
The next morning.
Revolutionary Army's temporary command post.
The Commanders huddled together, all of them wrapped in bandages.
Fighting against Admirals was no easy task.
"Kizaru left?!"
"That's right!"
"Fujitora also withdrew from the frontlines. He took some Marines with him to help civilians who lost their homes rebuild."
"..."
The group exchanged puzzled looks.
Two Admirals suddenly retreating from the battlefield—something was definitely off.
"Could it be a trap?"
"Doesn't seem like it!"
"Fujitora wouldn't do that."
"He genuinely wants to help the people!"
Though Fujitora was an enemy who had pummeled them with meteors until they howled in pain, they deeply respected the man's character.
On the battlefield, Fujitora had spared them more than once to save lives. To him, the people's safety came first.
That sense of justice was no act.
The wind howled as Dragon arrived at the temporary command post.
"Dragon?"
"I've heard the news."
Beads of sweat glistened on Dragon's face.
"If the Marine Admirals have withdrawn from the frontlines, there's only one explanation!"
"The God's Knights have been deployed!"
"Everyone... the real war is about to begin!"
The enemy of the Revolutionary Army has never been the Navy, but rather the World Government—especially God's Knights. When they enter the fray, the true war begins.
"Everyone, are you prepared?"
"Of course!"
The crowd responded in unison!
Even if it costs them everything, they will fight the World Government to the very end!
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