Chapter 653: We Will Fight Anywhere!
Chapter 653: We Will Fight Anywhere!
In a devastated town, Hawkins sat on a corpse and answered the microphone, "Yes, I understand. We’ll take care of it as soon as possible."
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Hawkins handed the receiver to one of his subordinates and surveyed the surroundings.
The town was littered with signs of battle, and bodies were scattered everywhere—soldiers, armed civilians, and their own pirates.
This town wasn’t far from the port, and from a distance, the smoke-filled landing beach was visible.
Their pirate ship had been sunk.
"Pirates without a ship are just trapped on an island, no matter how smart they are."
Hawkins pulled out his Tarot Cards, shuffled them, and drew a few. After a glance, he said calmly, "Sylvia can mobilize everything on this island to fight against us, whether it’s people or resources. We won’t get anything from here."
"If we forcibly plunder the civilians, we’ll lose our foothold here. She wants to spark a full-scale war. But if we rely on continuous supplies from our base, the costs will be enormous, especially in a prolonged conflict. They can mobilize a lot, and the most troublesome thing is the sudden display of Haki by these people."
Hawkins’s eyes revealed a thoughtful expression.
The front lines weren’t just advancing slowly; they were completely stuck. They couldn’t establish a foothold on an island to use as a front line.
Destroying the Helar Kingdom and killing the king would have been easy. Theoretically, they could have destroyed the country, as the common people were generally neutral toward them.
But a woman named Sylvia stood out on the battlefield. Despite having no royal blood or significant ties to the kingdom, she rallied the soldiers and some civilians under the banner of defending the country.
If it were just these people, they could have handled it. They knew the Helar Kingdom was stronger than weaker nations, with a standing army of around 20,000. This time, they deployed 30,000 troops, led by Morria, with himself and Ulchi, two of the Seven Stars, and several other high-bounty fighters.
Morria was a strategic genius, and at first, their forces were overwhelming, quickly breaking through the defenses with their superior strength and effective command.
Then a wave of defeated troops from other islands and seemingly awakened armed civilians emerged.
The most shocking part was that these people all possessed Haki!
In the New World, Haki users were indeed numerous, but it depended on who they were. Long-term front-line Marines and pirates had their willpower tested by harsh climates and fierce battles, making them elite.
As Marines, they would be at least sergeants or lieutenants in the Paradise region. As pirates, they would have bounties starting in the tens of millions in Paradise.
In the broader population, however, things were different. Kingdom soldiers who hadn’t sailed the seas and hadn’t faced the dangers and wonders of the ocean couldn’t have their willpower tempered, let alone civilians.
Even in the Governor’s hometown, the renowned Scholar Island of Ohara in the West Blue, ordinary people still viewed Power Holders as monsters.
But now, the number of these Haki users, more than the kingdom’s army, had suddenly appeared.
With Haki, they were on equal footing to some extent. The only difference was the power level, but with such numbers, even a small amount of power could be significant. A knife could still kill.
So the battle quickly became a stalemate.
If that were the only issue, their goal wasn’t to destroy, but to decapitate the opposition and cripple their resistance. However, the enemy’s command was also strong, holding Ulchi at the front lines and luring Morria away to chase a troublesome opponent. Hawkins himself led the pursuit.
Then they were lured into this trap.
The enemy sent a large force, including several formidable fighters who fought with reckless abandon, as if they were there to die. Despite Hawkins’s forces maintaining the upper hand in battle, he sensed something was off halfway through.
But it was too late to back out. When the enemy attacks, you can’t just ignore them.
They won the battle, and the enemy’s force was completely wiped out. But just as the fighting ended, he received news that their ships at the port had been destroyed.
It was clearly a trap.
Hawkins kept shuffling and drawing cards, saying, "Let’s do a divination. The probability of coincidence is 0.5%. So it was planned, just as I suspected. They lured the main force and then attacked our ships and supplies."
...
Inside a military tent, several knights stood straight, their expressions filled with admiration as they gazed at a girl on the stage, holding a flag.
"Our plan has succeeded!"
The girl declared loudly, "This is how we fight. It’s an undeniable fact that the enemy is stronger than us, but it’s also a fact that we are fighting on our home turf. By using guerrilla warfare to drag the Pirates here, we can wear them down. They are Pirates, and they don’t have the patience for prolonged conflict. As long as we make them suffer losses, they will retreat on their own!"
...
"This strategy will likely take a long time. Given their familiarity with this island, we will face a lot of harassment. Make sure everyone is prepared. We need someone to guard at night, and don’t slack off. Pay special attention to the civilians."
Hawkins shuffled the cards again and instructed his subordinate standing beside him.
Beside him stood a towering man with a rugged face, bloodstains still not wiped off his body, clearly having just come from a fierce battle. This was 'Double Axe' Barron, one of the captains in the Worldslider Pirate crew, with a bounty of 190 million. He was originally the main officer stationed on the island, but due to this mobilization, he was chosen to join the expedition to conquer Ohara.
His name was often mentioned by Lily. The island he was stationed on almost suffered ecological destruction because of him, making him a typical case of chaos when released and order when restrained.
But there was no choice; talent was scarce.
Only those who could maintain order had the right to manage. If they couldn’t control the situation, they were useless. In emergencies, they were essential, so he had to be used.
"Lord Hawkins",
Barron, puzzled, said, "If we need to protect the civilians, why not just drive them away? If that doesn’t work, we could—"
Before he could finish, Hawkins shook his head. "If we do that, it won’t be called ruling, but destroying a nation. The captain’s order is to rule, and what you suggested is the last resort. But I don’t want to lose face."
Other battlefronts might face difficulties, but they would eventually complete their missions. He knew it was tough here, and nearly half of the forces were committed, all Pirates. If they found it too tough and gave up, directly destroying it would be a loss of face.
"According to the intelligence we have, the Helar Kingdom has a population comparable to Wano, roughly a million. We didn’t take action before because we couldn’t manage such a large population, and most of our efforts would be tied up here. Now, things are different. We must conquer them."
"However, we can predict that they intend to drag us into a prolonged conflict, especially with their commander, Sylvia, who is very clever. She attacks us from the smallest details, avoiding a decisive battle, almost cutting us apart and using relatively superior forces to engage us. Even if she fails, she can achieve her strategic goals, such as destroying our supplies."
Hawkins said calmly, "It’s indeed a tough nut to crack, but—"
...
"Pirates are all profit-driven, and the Worldslider’s reputation is no different. If they see no profit, they won’t do it! As for the people of the kingdom, if the Worldslider attacks them, it will only add to our strength, giving us more manpower! They will be caught between all the Helar people and those who resist the Worldslider, leading to even stronger resistance!"
The girl exclaimed, "We are not slaves to the Pirates, nor are we servants of the king! We belong to Helar, to all the people of Helar! What we do is to uphold our freedom, to live in this country without being controlled by anyone!"
"This has always been our home! Our ancestors have lived here for generations, and we don’t need outsiders to interfere with what we want to do! Those people are invaders, and we must defeat the invaders to protect our homeland! All Helar people, all those whose homes are invaded, need not fear. I will lead you in battle, in any place!"
"In the beaches, in the plains, in the mountains, in the villages, in the towns, in the royal palace! For our homeland, for our land! We will not let anyone set foot in Helar!"
The girl raised the flag and clenched her fist, pounding it heavily against her chest. The sound seemed to resonate through the hearts of everyone in the tent, like a drumbeat that echoed beyond, reaching the soldiers who were originally somewhat weary.
Boom! Boom!
The drumbeat stirred everyone’s hearts, igniting a great courage that made everyone stand up, their eyes filled with fervor as they looked towards the tent.
"Great Lady, we will always follow you!"
Someone shouted first, and everyone raised their weapons, shouting loudly, as if causing an earthquake.
High above, the eagle-man had arrived at some point, listening to the tumult below. He clenched the spear in his hand, determination flickering in his eyes.
...
“We’re not just any pirates.”
Hawkins flipped over a tarot card and said, “The Emperor in the upright position. This isn’t about overcoming obstacles like The Chariot. The quagmire of a local battlefield won’t affect the bigger picture. No matter how hard they try, they’ll only end up with a slow death.”
“The Emperor represents power, victory, control, and solitude. For a mere village girl to rally so many people, it’s already a crime in the eyes of some, even if her status isn’t high enough and she doesn’t want to rebel.”
He put the tarot card away and said to Barron, “Contact Morria and Urgi. Tell them I suggest we stop the attack. In three days, we’ll create a spectacle. The other side will fall into internal strife on their own.”
“Yes, Sir Hawkins!” Barron nodded seriously, holding the Den Den Mushi to make the call.
“Wait.”
Hawkins had a thought and called him back. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “Give me the Den Den Mushi. I’ll contact Ohara. I can handle this, but I’m afraid the captain might not agree. I need to consult with him.”
“Huh? But you just said it’s embarrassing—”
Barron was confused and not entirely willing. He was here to earn merit, to serve the governor. But now, after all this effort, they still had to consult the governor?
Barron also had his pride.
“Compared to our pride, the captain’s pride is more important.”
Hawkins said, “If I’m embarrassed, it’s the will of fate. If the captain is embarrassed, fate itself will be trampled underfoot.”
...
“Damn it, am I being trampled underfoot by fate!”
On the cliffs near the coast of Ohara, in a small indentation, Sagel stood on the edge, his fishing line stretching far out over the sea, watching the schools of fish swimming by. He couldn’t help but curse:
“How long has it been since I fished! I finally felt the urge to do it, so why don’t you bite the hook? Is my bait any less appealing than others?”
After destroying Honeycomb Island, Sagel had returned and let the plan proceed smoothly. As for himself, he was resting in Ohara. There was no way a landowner would do everything personally; he left it to his subordinates. With this large force, it was the perfect opportunity to train them, so they could take on more responsibility and help him rule and make money in the future.
The Royal Palace wasn’t yet rebuilt, mainly because he wanted to wait until he caught Tee and Red-Hair to use their heads as foundation stakes, to vent his anger.
Now, thinking it had been a long time since he last fished, he found a spot to indulge himself.
“Sir Sagel, shall I use my ability?”
Perona, holding an umbrella, floated in the air, looking down at the fish. “If I can make the fish jump out and then make them weak, it will be easier to catch them.”
She had been staying at the castle on the secondary island, but with Morria on the campaign and her being bored, she decided to come to the main castle for some fun. Now, with the officers all busy, she felt out of place as a freeloader, so she came to keep Sagel company.
“Make them sink to the bottom? No way. I finally see some fish, and if you use your ability, I might as well use mine.”
Sagel said, “What’s the point in that?”
“But you’ve been here for two days.”
Perona said, “There’s been no movement at all. Shouldn’t you catch a fish first to comfort yourself?”
“You don’t understand. Fishing is a way to cultivate the mind! Is the fish the important part? No, it’s the process!”
Sagel took a deep breath and patiently explained, “Waiting quietly on the water for the fish to bite is a way to hone the mind. Why is my ‘Life Return’ so strong? Because my willpower has transcended my body, giving me such power.”
Perona nodded thoughtfully, “I guess I can’t do that. I can catch fish, but I can’t cultivate.”
“...”
“Go play with your ghosts if you have nothing better to do. Don’t be a nuisance!”
Sagel glared at her irritably.
“Buru buru buru.”
As if on cue, the Den Den Mushi in Perona’s arms started ringing. She answered the call, and Lily’s voice immediately came through.
“Connect me to Sagel. There’s a new situation in the Helar Kingdom.”
Perona, hearing this, floated over to Sagel and handed the receiver to his mouth.
“Speak.”
“This is what happened. Morria’s team in the Helar Kingdom has run into problems and can’t advance. The strategic goals can’t be achieved. A formidable person has appeared on their side, with excellent command skills, and has destroyed a lot of our supplies. Hawkins suggests—”
“Hold on.”
Sagel interrupted Lily, pondering for a moment, then asked, “What exactly is the Helar Kingdom?”
The sea was vast, and he couldn’t remember every detail; Lily was the one managing all that.
(End of Chapter)
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