Chapter 468: Fighting Big Mom? No, Fighting Mary Joa!
Chapter 468: Fighting Big Mom? No, Fighting Mary Joa!
Storm City.
The gala came to an end after a lively night, and the following afternoon, Crocodile gazed at Sage, who had just hung up a call, and frowned.
"So, Bake does have a crew suitable for scouting. But everything hinges on your victory; if you lose, I can't guarantee anything."
"Lose? I won't die even if I lose! I've prepared for this; if I die, then so be it!" Sage couldn't care less.
Becoming a pirate means embracing death. This mindset has been shared by Crocodile and others since the old days.
Especially after regaining his will, he became even more fearless.
"Hmph, I'd rather you were dead."
Crocodile puffed on his cigar, exhaling smoke, "Such a vast place, perfectly fitting my ideal."
Whether it was a mockery or something else, the one who fulfilled Crocodile's ideal was not him but a very similar pirate.
He glanced at Sage, turned, and walked out of the office, "If you die, I'll gladly take this place."
An ideal nation with formidable military might and immense wealth, undisturbed by anyone. The current Ohara is a perfect match, already renowned worldwide as a 'powerful nation'.
"Then I'll give it to you! Hohohoho!"
Sage threw his head back and laughed heartily.
Once dead, who cares about anything else? No matter how chaotic the sea becomes, it has nothing to do with the dead.
Two days later.
The morning sun bathed the sparkling sea with golden light, and the sea breeze carried a salty-humid scent, gently brushing past the port.
Ohara's port and the surrounding ocean were filled with numerous fleets, all uniformly flying the starry skull flag that fluttered in the sea breeze.
The avenue from the palace to the port was packed with people, divided into two rows, leaving a central path. Down this path, officials continuously emerged from the palace, heading to the port amid the crowd's cheers, and boarded their ships.
The people's faces were filled with anticipation, but also a hint of worry.
Ever since the Boss started gathering people, not once had a storm hit.
Storms were terrifying, but occasionally, a little rain represented peace during Sage's long reign.
No rain meant a greater danger loomed!
They were about to clash with Big Mom!
"Boss, may your martial prowess bring you good fortune!"
"The Boss is invincible!"
"If we win this time, we can eat as many sweets as we want! Boss, you must win!"
Whether out of sincerity or self-interest, Sage, who brought them prosperity, had not a single person wishing for his defeat.
Amid the crowd's cheers, Sage strode towards the port, boarded the massive black ship docked there, glanced back at the expectant crowd, and burst into laughter:
"Set sail!!!"
One by one, the ships entered the vast ocean, the blue waves creating white foam against their hulls. It was a colossal fleet sailing into the open sea.
...
"Brrr, brrr, brrr."
The Talking Crickets at various Navy bases were ringing frantically. Numerous Navy personnel hurried through the corridors, relaying messages that eventually reached Navy Headquarters.
Inside a massive warship at sea, a giant crimson hand hung up a call, then clenched into a fist and slammed onto the table, creating a huge dent.
Red Fang bit his cigar, raising his head, the veins on his forehead bulging, "They've really mobilized!"
"And they've emptied their nest; it's truly terrifying."
"The usually carefree Yellow Ape, with his untrimmed nails and pouting mouth, stared out the window at the turbulent ocean, his demeanor unusually solemn.
For some time now, the atmosphere on the high seas had been tense, with orders from above to closely monitor the movements of the Cataclysm Pirates, one of the Four Emperors.
According with the reports from the surveillance ships, all the high-ranking members of the Cataclysm Pirates, including Moriah, who had been secluding himself in the sub-island castle, had gathered in Ohara—a rare occurrence.
While it was known that something big was brewing, and intelligence from the World Government suggested that they might be using the opportunity of Big Mom's tea party to launch an attack on her, the idea of a full-scale assault seemed far-fetched.
For a Four Emperor to mobilize their entire force to eliminate another Four Emperor who happened to be gathering their family members for a tea party was highly unlikely.
No matter how you looked at it, even if they were going to fight, they should have chosen a better time.
But the continuous gathering of pirates kept the Navy on edge.
Just moments ago, Red Fang received definitive news, and before that, he and Yellow Ape had already boarded a ship bound for Red Harbor.
"Twenty-three thousand," he said, struggling to contain his anger. "All their officers and every available ship are on the move. He's pulling out all his troops. What the hell is he planning?"
Attack Big Mom?
He somewhat believed that, but the higher-ups didn't.
They thought that attacking Big Mom might just be a decoy, and it was more likely that they were coming for Mary Joa!
After all, every World Summit caused unrest on the high seas.
And this time, the disturbance seemed more severe.
Otherwise, the higher-ups wouldn't have pulled all their forces back to Red Harbor beneath Mary Joa.
They were even willing to abandon the Navy Headquarters to protect Mary Joa.
Other pirates might not warrant such a response, but the Cataclysm Pirates had committed too many heinous acts.
Killing nobles, kings, and even Dragon Men—the very beings that the World Summit attracted in abundance.
Who wouldn't feel apprehensive? The Cataclysm Pirates possessed the destructive power of the Momo Fruit, capable of wiping out an entire island with a single blow. If they managed to eliminate the fifty kingdom kings eligible to attend the summit, it would plunge the world into chaos.
Even with numerous intelligence reports indicating that they were heading to confront Big Mom, Red Fang couldn't afford to take any risks at this critical juncture. He was summoned to defend Mary Joa.
Even Yellow Ape, renowned for his agility, was pulled away to join him.
"Why now, of all times? Is it a plan to render us immobile? Impressive."
Yellow Ape shrugged, "Is it a deliberate choice of timing, or mere coincidence?"
"If they're going after Big Mom, this is the perfect opportunity!" Red Fang exclaimed, his breath hot with rage. He clenched his fist tightly, "We could even disrupt the current Four Emperor's balance of power!"
"But the higher-ups won't allow it," Yellow Ape said, his smile returning. "Relax. If a war breaks out, no matter who wins, it's good for us. One less troublesome enemy."
Red Fang fell silent for a moment, then lowered his head again. On the desk lay the bounty poster of Norton Sage, his eyes hidden beneath the brim of his hat, concealing his expression.
"But it will also create a new Four Emperor, one with even greater power," he added."
(End of Chapter)
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