Chapter 651: Annihilation
Chapter 651: Annihilation
Chapter 651: Annihilation
The person had already teleported, their presence vanishing in the blink of an eye, slipping out of his perception.
With that troublesome ability, it was indeed difficult to catch anyone.
However, if they couldn't be caught, so be it. At their level, no one could stop them from escaping if they truly wanted to.
But life itself was a matter of perspective. Those who hadn't lived a full life, who hadn't found their true value, naturally clung to their existence, believing that life was more important than anything else.
But those who had lived a full life, who had found their true value and had a path they desperately wanted to follow, valued the journey of their life more than their own survival.
Cutting off Tee's pirate career was more painful than killing him.
Just like Sagel, who, in his pursuit of becoming a landlord, had continued to strive even when he had no food to eat. Forcing him to abandon his dream was more unbearable than death itself.
When one's life is cut short, their willpower fades.
To eliminate someone, such a sweeping attack was entirely feasible.
"Once I force you into a corner, the tide will come, and running alone will be futile. In the end, you'll just be insignificant remnants. Hahaha, hehehehe!"
Sagel's manic laughter echoed across the shattered half of the island, making the snow fall more fiercely and the temperature drop, just as the New World would soon be completely chilled.
...
"Ring ring ring!!"
At the Marine headquarters, the shrill ringing of alarms filled the air as a large number of Marines rushed through the corridors.
"Confirmed! The base of the [Four Emperors] 'Blackbeard' on Honeycomb Island has been destroyed by 'Worldslider'!"
"Yes! The surveillance ships have arrived. Honeycomb Island is completely gone, transformed into a cold climate with icebergs appearing!"
"The whereabouts of the Blackbeard Pirates are unknown, and we are confirming from multiple sources!"
"Intelligence! We need more information to determine if Blackbeard himself is still alive!"
Marines ran around, confirming communications and receiving new orders.
In the upper level of the massive keep at the center, Akainu sat at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on the image of Honeycomb Island projected by a Den Den Mushi, the cigar smoke obscuring his expression.
Kizaru, with a bandage still around his head, leaned against the edge of the desk, his hands in his pockets, watching the screen with interest.
On the sofa sat a middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle and dark sunglasses, his face stern.
And there were also Sengoku and the old woman, Crane.
"Honeycomb Island has been destroyed by Sagel."
Sengoku bowed his head slightly, a flash of white light reflecting off his glasses. "Garp wasn't found. Was he moved away?"
Crane pondered for a moment and said, "Koby has returned. They said Garp failed to hold the rear and was definitely captured. There's no sign of him now. The other side is likely planning to use Garp as a trump card."
"There are demands."
Sengoku sighed. "Recently, there have been so many of these pirates."
Worldslider had demands, and so did Blackbeard. They were different from the pirates they knew.
These demanding ones might be the most troublesome.
But from the Marines' perspective, this view was correct. However, from the World Government's perspective, it was entirely different.
"Old men just cause trouble."
Akainu snorted. "Why can't they just retire and do retired things? One Sagel is already enough to give us a headache!"
Apart from the scar on the right side of his neck and face, he now had a large new scar running down the center of his chest, still tender and red.
It was a wound inflicted by Sagel, a permanent mark that covered his entire chest.
"Oh~ such a fierce battle, how terrifying."
Kizaru puckered his lips in surprise and continued, "But it's also a good thing. Pirates fighting each other means fewer troubles for us, regardless of the outcome."
"Once that guy takes over the New World, he'll stop."
The man with the slicked-back hair added, then turned to Akainu. "Since Sagel has an agreement with the higher-ups, we can temporarily ignore him. Sakazuki, what's more important now are the rebellions breaking out around the world. We need to act quickly. As for Marineford, there's no need to investigate further. The Knights of the Divine have taken over and are already in action."
He paused and said, "Regarding Worldslider's bounty, we will reassess it. After all, he took down the base of another Four Emperor, so it should be increased."
The speaker was a Marine vice admiral, the head of the Marine Criminal Investigation Bureau, known as Tenno.
"Increase it again?"
Crane frowned. "The seas are already comparing Worldslider to Roger. You know, at this level, the higher the bounty, the greater the fame, and they don't care about the number of people aiming for their heads. Increasing it further will only add to his renown."
"There's nothing wrong with it. The goal is to boost his reputation. If he can replace Gol D. Roger, that would be even better", Tensho said casually.
The evaluation of pirate bounties also comes from his department. He has a deeper understanding of pirates, whether famous or unknown, compared to his colleagues.
Sagel's bounty, after being passed up from the lower departments, has been closely monitored by him.
Including the crimes committed, he personally verified everything.
He is more aware of Sagel's threat than anyone else.
However, compared to this threat, the current rebellion that is shaking the foundations of the World Government is the top priority.
People at sea, due to their isolation, don't really feel the impact of rising prices, otherwise, they wouldn't be comparing the deceased Gol D. Roger with Sagel.
In reality, they are completely different. A bounty of 5.5 billion twenty years ago and a current bounty of 5.2 billion are not on the same level, and the level of danger is vastly different.
Back then, the average bounty for major pirates did not exceed 1 billion. The most dangerous was Rocks, who treated Shimizu as nothing and attacked Shimizu everywhere. His bounty was the highest at the time, but the danger was also there.
Gol D. Roger didn't stand out at the time because he eventually found the Great Treasure, which led to his 5.5 billion bounty. This also successfully replaced Rocks' reputation, making people gradually forget him.
Increasing Sagel's bounty would reduce Gol D. Roger's reputation at sea, until he is completely forgotten. Once Sagel is eliminated, pirates would no longer be a threat.
"There's nothing wrong with building him up."
Tensho continued, "I think we can even give him the Final Treasure. What do sea-goers care about the world's truth? They want treasure, power, and authority. Worldslider has it all. So, we might as well spread a rumor."
"The Final Treasure is everything Sagel owns. Whoever defeats Sagel can have it all, including Ohara."
He leaned back and said, "In a world without law, it can be used as a weapon. If he can eliminate all the law in a country, others can do the same. Let the New World become the most chaotic place, and throw all the evil in there."
"Oh~ No wonder, Tensho, your mind is sharp."
Kizaru chuckled, "But if we do this, our agreement will be over."
"Not now, at least not until we have the time. Things are tense upstairs. I've already submitted this proposal, but when to use it is up to them", Tensho said.
He's not a fool. Using this strategy against Sagel now would cause that guy to abandon all his plans and create chaos for them.
They need to wait until they have the time and resources to set this up.
"You decide when to do it."
Akainu said, then looked at the island that was almost destroyed and was starting to turn into an iceberg, clenching his fists, "Is Kuzan still up to his old tricks?"
Hearing this, everyone fell silent.
"Vice Admiral Kuzan", Tensho paused for a moment, about to say something, but was immediately interrupted by Akainu.
"He's not a vice admiral anymore! That bastard quit the Navy!"
Akainu said angrily, "What should his bounty be now?"
Tensho shook his head, "It wouldn't be good. After all, only a few people know that Kuzan joined the Blackbeard Pirates. If we don't issue a bounty, the public won't know about it. A bounty is what truly makes the world recognize someone. We don't know what Kuzan wants, so let's hold off for now."
His bounty order has been delayed and can't be issued.
From a perspective of both collegiality and influence, announcing that a vice admiral has become a pirate would only damage their own reputation.
Especially with the current widespread rebellions.
Similarly, the bounty for Doflamingo, who was claimed by Sagel, won't be issued lightly.
However, the latter is a bit easier. He was recruited through the World Military Draft and has been in the Navy for less than two years, with no deep roots within the Navy. He is not a traditional Navy officer.
Many people in the world don't even know about this vice admiral. If he does something dangerous, they can issue a bounty then.
"As for Mr. Garp",
Tensho thought for a moment, his voice darkening, "My suggestion is to sacrifice him."
...
New World.
Providence Kingdom.
Unlike Donquixote, which is a single island, this kingdom is spread across three islands, with a significant area, similar to Ohara's main island, featuring plains and mountains.
The kingdom is rich in lead and iron ore, and its people revere strength and honor. Regular martial arts tournaments are held to celebrate these values.
However, the three neighboring kingdoms have recently fallen into war over resource distribution, a conflict that has turned into a chaotic mess. Otherwise, the king wouldn't have personally participated in the tournament in Dressrosa, hoping to secure the Mera Mera no Mi.
Failing to obtain the fruit, King Ilizarabello II returned to lead his troops into battle again. If the initial conflict was a chaotic mess, the current situation is a bloodbath.
This is because Sagel has upgraded his weapons.
Not in the sense of selling them to the kingdoms, but in the sense of improving their quality.
From the beginning, even before Doflamingo's downfall, Sagel's weapons business had already reached these lands. Initially, Doflamingo was the one smuggling weapons, but later, Sagel took over the operation.
In Sagel's eyes, these kingdoms should have been fully utilized for business first, and only once they were no longer useful would he consider conquering them.
But now, with a larger market in sight, these three kingdoms are no longer in Sagel's focus, and he has decided to conquer them.
After all, they are already worn down.
At the border where the three kingdoms meet, soldiers from all sides are mixed together, their cries of battle mingling with the sound of gunfire. Explosions and the collapse of buildings echo throughout the area, and the ground is littered with fallen bodies, while medical personnel drag the wounded back to safety.
"Your Majesty, are you going to take action yourself?"
Dagama, holding twin blades, guarded King Ilizarabello II as he prepared to warm up. He smiled and said, "If you take action, I'm sure the enemy will be so frightened that they'll retreat."
Their king is known for his ability to destroy a fortress with a single punch.
Using his innate physical strength, he can unleash a powerful blow called the "King's Fist", which can instantly breach an enemy's fortifications. This feat has been demonstrated once, and it can be repeated.
"We have no choice. Our national strength is inferior to theirs."
Ilizarabello II stretched his legs and began to warm up, but he gritted his teeth in frustration. "That damn Worldslider has escalated the war!"
He wanted the Mera Mera no Mi to avoid a prolonged conflict. With the power of a Logia fruit, he believed it would force the other two kingdoms to surrender, reducing casualties.
But now, not only has it failed, the situation has worsened.
The weapons of the other two kingdoms have clearly improved, initially causing them to suffer repeated defeats. He had no choice but to join the battle himself and acquire a batch of weapons to maintain the balance.
The critical issue is that the weapons he bought are nowhere near the quantity the other two kingdoms have.
The war hasn't ended; it has only intensified!
It's all because of the Worldslider!
He looked up at the sky, where he could faintly see an invisible hand covering the area.
He knows, and the other kings and nobles know, but they can't stop.
If others buy weapons, can you afford not to?
As a king, he cannot rely on the enemy for his country's safety; that would mean the end of his kingdom.
But buying weapons means being controlled by someone else, with casualties and military strength constantly changing under that unseen hand.
If not for the Worldslider's bad reputation, he would have joined forces to protect his people.
What good is a status as an allied nation if everyone is dead?
"This time, we will completely annihilate them!"
Ilizarabello II resolved, "We can't keep fighting like this! We must destroy these two kingdoms. Dagama, protect—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, a bullet from afar hit Dagama in the head, causing him to fall to the ground, bleeding.
"Dagama!!"
Ilizarabello II roared and turned to the source of the gunshot. He saw a group of motorcycle riders approaching quickly, leaving a trail of dust.
The leader, with a sinister grin, licked his lips, his golden hair flying in the wind. Beside him, a sniper's gun still smoked.
"Belamy!!"
Ilizarabello II quickly recognized the pirate who had also appeared in Dressrosa. As they approached and stopped, he asked in a stern voice:
"How did you get here?"
"Of course, I landed through your port. Don't worry."
Belamy grinned, cracking his neck. "All resistance has been eliminated before reaching you. Only this battlefield remains!"
As he spoke, more motorcycle groups emerged from the rear of the other two kingdoms' armies, raising more dust.
"This time, we've deployed ten thousand troops to surround you. We will annihilate you here."
Belamy laughed. "The governor no longer needs you. Everyone will be under our command!"
(End of Chapter)
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