High above the sea, four female soldiers of the Jinghai Army flew through the air using jet propulsion devices.
Their faces were etched with shock, and the live broadcast transponder snails in their hands were frozen, aimed rigidly at the sea below.
Within their field of vision, the ocean had been sliced in two!
Before Luo Chen, a bottomless, pitch-black abyss had appeared in the water. This chasm extended to the very edge of the horizon without vanishing. To the naked eye, it was impossible to discern just how long this oceanic trench truly was.
Seawater from both sides cascaded into the void with a thunderous roar, yet it seemed unable to fill the gap even after a long time.
The golden light sword in Luo Chen's hand dissolved into flecks of gold, dissipating into the air.
Whitebeard, Roger, Akainu, and the others slowly climbed out from the water on the left side of the abyss, lying exhausted and disheveled upon a wooden plank.
Those brought back by the Impure World Reincarnation had shattered bodies that were currently self-repairing. Meanwhile, the living—such as Garp, Dragon, and Fujitora—were covered in wounds, their clothes stained red with blood.
Luo Chen raised his hand and waved; a massive surge of green light surged into the bodies of Garp and the others. Their injuries healed at an incredible speed, and their weakened auras began to stabilize.
"Alright, the martial arts competition concludes here."
"From now on, this will be held once a year to re-determine the rankings. I hope you all cultivate diligently and improve your strength."
As Luo Chen finished speaking with a smile, the indigo energy cloak surrounding him vanished, and his eyes returned to their normal black color. With a flicker of his silhouette, he disappeared.
Whitebeard, Garp, and the others eventually rendezvoused with the numerous ships that had come to receive them on the surface.
On the ship where Zephyr was stationed:
Ain's lips were slightly parted, her beautiful face still bearing traces of lingering shock as she stared at that pitch-black sea trench.
"That kind of power... can he really still be considered human?"
It was impossible for an Admiral or a member of the Four Emperors to launch an attack of such magnitude. To split the entire ocean as far as the eye could see was simply too terrifying.
Hina brushed her pink hair behind her ear and sighed with emotion. "Hina still can't imagine how you fought Luo Chen back then, Smoker."
Binz, the user of the Lush-Lush Fruit, couldn't help but add, "Mr. Smoker can be proud of that for a lifetime."
To have fought Luo Chen twice in the East Blue—especially the first time, where Smoker escaped unscathed—was a feat that even twelve Jinghai Army Admirals working together could not achieve.
Smoker's forehead broke out in black lines, but he didn't offer a rebuttal.
Not far away, Roger returned to Red-Haired Shanks' ship. He rubbed his head and laughed loudly. "The gap is truly vast! But this puts my mind at ease. Luo Chen should be able to defeat the World Government."
The combat power Luo Chen displayed today had genuinely stunned Roger. He was clearly a level above Rocks or Imu. The only uncertainty left was the Dark God.
In Joy Boy's memories, there were very few descriptions of the Dark God. It only mentioned that the Nika Fruit awakener of the future era must be the one to defeat him.
Originally, Roger was worried because Luo Chen was not the user of the Nika Fruit. But today, his confidence had grown significantly. Even Nika might not necessarily possess Luo Chen's level of strength.
Garp, Sengoku, Akainu, and the other former Marines returned to Tsuru's ship. They were the first to depart, preparing to deploy troops to the four seas. Having prepared for seven days, their manpower and supplies were all in order. They could delay no longer; the four seas were becoming increasingly chaotic with pirates and bandits running rampant, and order had to be restored as quickly as possible.
The rest of the crowd also began to disperse.
...
Inside the Tianyun Pavilion, Luo Chen sat in the conference room, waiting quietly. Shortly after, Robin, Baccara, and Kalifa walked in.
Robin was the first to report on the situation.
The Jinghai Army would mobilize at 3:00 PM.
Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji, and Ryokugyu would each lead an army toward the East, South, West, and North Blues, respectively. Each army consisted of approximately 30,000 soldiers. Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals of the Jinghai Army would be embedded within these ranks.
The mobile support unit—composed of Garp, Gion, and Tokikake—would also command 30,000 soldiers and remain on standby in Totto Land. If any army in the four seas required backup, they would deploy immediately.
Robin had also assigned Issho, whose code name was "Fujitora" and who had recently joined the Jinghai Army, to the mobile support unit. His gravity powers could effectively enhance the military's mobility, allowing for aerial maneuvers.
Luo Chen nodded and instructed, "Currently, the most important task for the Jinghai Army is to purge the pirates of the four seas."
"The Marines now exist in name only; we must shoulder this responsibility."
When the Jinghai Army entered the four seas, they would do three things: purge pirates, incorporate the remaining Marines, and provide relief to the commoners.
The first two points went without saying. Providing relief to the commoners was a matter of extreme urgency. According to the feedback from the Jinghai Army intelligence system established by Kalifa, the four seas were currently plagued by pirates and bandits who were burning, killing, and looting. Countless victims were displaced and homeless. While purging the pirates, the Jinghai Army would distribute disaster relief and stabilize order.
Baccara added, "Mr. Tesoro is already prepared. The supply fleet can depart at any time."
The materials and funds for the relief were arranged by Tesoro. Baccara was responsible for coordinating this matter, and everything was ready.
Hearing that they had arranged everything so well, Luo Chen nodded with a smile. He stood up and said, "The Jinghai Army is on the right track. With you all here, I am at ease."
"I will be leaving tonight to find a place for secluded cultivation."
"If the World Government attacks, protect yourselves. I will return at maximum speed."
Now that the internal conflicts between the Admirals of the Jinghai Army were resolved, Luo Chen needed to head out to find the Rainbow Mist. Even if Akainu and the others were away on campaign, there were enough powerhouses in Totto Land. Red-Haired Shanks, Roger, and their many old friends wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. Luo Chen had intentionally invited them to stay.
With these people present alongside the remaining Jinghai Army Admirals, even if Imu and the Dark God attacked, they could hold them off for a while. Meanwhile, Luo Chen could use his Tenseigan to open a spatial portal and rush back from afar at any moment. There was no need to worry about Imu raiding his home base.
Kalifa and the other two were well aware of Luo Chen's plan. Previously, Luo Chen had asked them to help gather intelligence regarding the Rainbow Mist. However, according to Luo Chen, he might not return for half a year or even a year.
Kalifa stepped forward proactively and gave Luo Chen a reluctant hug. She even went so far as to kiss him, disregarding the presence of the others.
Seeing the intimacy between the two, Baccara and Robin's expressions became slightly unnatural. Their relationships with Luo Chen were nowhere near as close as Kalifa's. At this moment, they couldn't help but feel a bit awkward.
However, after Kalifa stepped back, Baccara took the initiative to offer a hug as well. She smiled and said, "I will miss the Fleet Admiral if I don't see him for such a long time." After speaking, she stepped back with a smile, her movements perfectly measured.
Luo Chen's gaze imperceptibly swept across her chest. Was this woman teasing me just now? On the surface, it looked like a normal hug, but she had definitely brushed against him.
Luo Chen suppressed his suspicions and looked at Robin with a slight smile. They both gave me a hug; would it be appropriate if you didn't?
Robin read his gaze, pursed her lips in a smile, and stepped forward with elegant grace to take the initiative for a hug.
Kalifa adjusted the glasses on the bridge of her nose, her smile teasing. From her angle, she clearly noticed that Robin's earlobes had turned red; it was just that her expression was very well-masked.
A moment later, Luo Chen released the woman in his arms and laughed.
"I'm off. I'll bring you all gifts when I get back."
As he spoke, his figure vanished from the room.
Robin stared at the now-empty room, her smile gradually fading. For some reason, she felt a sense of loss.
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