In the Marshal's office.
Sakazuki looked at the massive strategic sand table on his desk.
He casually picked up the Navy's flag next to it and tossed it away...
Rustle—
With two soft sounds, two small flags landed precisely.
They were inserted into the center of islands on opposite sides of the sand table...
Soon after...
------
New World, Smir Port.
One of the islands closest to the Navy's sphere of influence, under the command of Hale Nork.
Despite being prepared, they hadn't expected the Navy's actions to be so swift and decisive.
Dozens of warships, spaced at intervals, bombarded Smir Port.
This lineup could be considered a "Buster Call," yet it was still relatively restrained, currently only targeting areas marked as pirate strongholds on the island.
Hiken as one of the Vice Admirals holding the rear, took a puff of his cigar on the central warship:
"Much faster than we imagined."
"We're already fighting upon entering the New World."
They had all received orders from Fleet Admiral Sakazuki not long ago and set sail.
No explicit orders were given, only to capture Smir Port, with the sole restriction being to keep the casualty rate below a certain percentage... The purpose was obvious: training.
Vice Admiral Shiteres smiled beside him:
"This is good."
"We can eradicate the pirates within our generation."
"What an honor."
"If I didn't have to command, I'd want to rush out right now..."
He said, clenching the sword at his waist, feeling a surge of passion.
Hiken also smiled, agreeing...
At this moment.
The pirates stationed at Smir Port, after the initial panic, had reacted.
They were organized and counterattacked in a disciplined manner. As the largest criminal syndicate in the world's underworld, Hale Nork's subordinates were a mix of gangsters and pirates...
They could quickly form combat power, coupled with their vast arsenal of weapons.
They could conquer a small country in a short time, and several pirate ships had already emerged from the port, returning fire with cannons.
This was where the Vice Admirals' roles became evident.
They not only commanded the naval battles but also tutored younger officers, imparting their experience.
If powerful pirates appeared, they could engage them individually.
Time slowly passed...
The deafening roar of cannons and the fiery explosions didn't cease until late into the night...
After a day of intense naval warfare, the Navy emerged superior. Although Smir Port wasn't captured, the more than ten hours of high-intensity naval combat had significantly accelerated the soldiers' growth.
Previously, they only pursued pirate ships; such a scenario was unheard of. Fleet battles, maritime coordination, long duration, high intensity... The targets were no longer small pirate ships, but entire islands and fleets...
This would become the norm in the future...
After the battle, the Navy soldiers who retreated to the distant sea to rest quickly ate a meal before falling into a deep sleep... Exhausted... truly exhausted...
The Vice Admirals gathered to debrief the day's combat.
Early morning.
WHOOSH—
A sharp steam whistle echoed through the heavens and earth, heading towards the Navy fleet.
"Enemy attack!!!"
The sentries sounded the alarm the moment the sound appeared.
But they couldn't locate the source of the attack, only that the piercing sound was getting closer, almost piercing their eardrums...
The Vice Admirals rushed out, their faces changing drastically upon scanning with Observation Haki:
"Hey, hey... is this real?!"
"Why is that guy here?!"
"It's just an island."
"Starting with a royal flush?!"
The soldiers couldn't see, but they could clearly sense the approaching steam rocket...
Swish!
A figure exuding a chilling aura suddenly appeared above the fleet.
The air instantly froze, and a massive semicircular ice shield formed in the sky, blocking the incoming steam rocket.
Kuzan's right hand turned to ice, and half his body became Logia, grabbing the steam rocket.
The fusion of steam and ice caused it to pulse with extreme instability, seemingly struggling to break free from his grasp:
"Hoo—"
He exhaled a cold breath.
The long steam rocket was instantly frozen solid.
Kuzan breathed a sigh of relief and looked into the distance:
"Ahaha... what an unexpected fellow has appeared."
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—
More piercing steam whistles charged forward.
Kuzan threw out the frozen steam spear in his hand. It collided with the incoming steam rockets.
The released energy melted the ice... BOOM!!!!
A massive shockwave and heatwave erupted, scattering the surrounding steam rockets and breaking them into pieces.
Some crashed into the sea, others hit the giant ice barrier behind Kuzan, but all were blocked.
Bang!
Two fists collided.
In the sky,
Hale Nork, half-vaporized and steaming, looked at Kuzan:
"Did Sakazuki send you here to die?"
"Marine Admiral, Aokiji..."
Kuzan's voice was indifferent:
"Don't speak too soon."
"But is it worth your personal involvement for something like this?"
"When did a Yonko become so cheap..."
It was like two nations at war... and the emperor of the opposing nation personally took the field when their first village was attacked...
What was going on?
Hale Nork sneered:
"Go to hell and find out!"
"Wi Cheng Zheng Sha!!!" (威乘蒸杀 - a powerful vapor-based attack name, transliterated as per rules)
Almost instantly, Hale Nork swelled to hundreds of meters in size...
Kuzan's pupils contracted, and his entire body became Logia:
"Ice Age!"
BOOM!!!!
A giant mushroom cloud surged upwards, and a suffocating heatwave swept across.
Half of the massive mushroom cloud in the sky was frozen, then melted, but it was continuously replenished by the spreading ice...
The clashing steam and ice, viewed from afar, were both exceptionally beautiful and dangerous...
The Marines below were not idle. While they couldn't grasp the situation, combat at this level was too dangerous for ordinary soldiers...
They could only retreat temporarily and call for reinforcements...
Shortly after the Navy fleet retreated...
A fleet composed of massive, giant snails entered the sea area. After a brief stop at Smir Port, they sailed deeper into the ocean...
--------
New World, Neo Marineford.
Sakazuki received the communication and, after a brief understanding,
He called Borsalino.
Soon after, a golden light streaked across the ocean and flew in Kuzan's direction.
Hanging up the phone.
Sakazuki was also a little puzzled, tapping his index finger on the desk...
Why did Hale Nork, who hadn't run out of steam yet, personally intervene...
"Carole."
"Go to Hale Nork's territory and investigate what happened."
-------
Meanwhile.
On the other side of the New World, in Rase Port.
Unlike Hale Nork's territory, where his subordinates were gangsters with a large supply of weapons and ships.
The islands under the jurisdiction of Red-Haired Shanks, like those of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, were all managed by powerful pirate crews. Although not many in number, each one was an elite.
Beneath them were many cannon-fodder pirates, forming a structure similar to a Grand Fleet.
However, this loosely organized, chaotic structure was no match for the Navy's fleet and was quickly routed...
Powerful pirates attempting to break through and engage were intercepted by the Navy's elite Vice Admirals.
The lower-ranking pirates were surrounded, cut off, and gradually consumed and eliminated by fleets composed of the Navy's basic soldiers...
While Smir Port was still in fierce battle, the fighting here had already concluded.
At the port.
Luo used his ability to create a field that could envelop half the island.
He flickered constantly, appearing beside injured soldiers, his hands moving so fast they became afterimages as he healed their wounds.
Drake organized his "SWORD" members, quickly clearing the battlefield.
In the distance, a massive fleet appeared in the sky.
Sott commanded the floating fleet to descend slowly, and he himself drifted down, landing beside the commanding Enel:
"How is it, Brother Enel."
"Are there many who wish to leave?"
Enel shook his head and said:
"Not too many, about half and half."
"They still have some sense."
Sott's brow furrowed:
"Why so few..."
On other islands, there were only the elderly who had lived their entire lives there and were reluctant to leave.
Enel looked at the island and said:
"This is not Navy territory, after all."
"They were brutally oppressed by those chaotic pirates before."
"Later, when Red-Haired became Emperor and established some rules, he restrained these pirates."
"When the oppression lessened, the residents here saw Red-Haired as a savior."
"And we, by eliminating his subordinates here, have become villains."
Sott was also taken aback:
"This..."
Enel sighed softly:
"Let's take as many as we can."
"As for those unwilling to leave, it's up to their luck whether they live or die."
"This is not the time for pity."
"The battle between the Navy and pirates has entered its final stage."
"If we win, it's one thing, but if we fail..."
"Everyone in the entire New World will go to hell with those sea scum..."
Sott took a deep breath:
"I know..."
He prepared to leave. Those who had hurriedly packed were already beginning to board the warships, eager to escape this land of suffering...
And the news of his subordinate islands being attacked also reached Red-Haired.
--------
New World, a certain deserted island.
The wandering Red Force docked at the shore.
The crew sat in the forest, resting, with fragrant roasted meat on the campfire.
Shanks' expression was solemn as he held the intelligence in his hand:
"They're not here to play nice..."
"We just received news of Sakazuki entering the New World."
"And the Navy has already begun its actions."
Ben Beckman, holding a cigarette, also looked at a piece of intelligence:
"It's not just us."
"Hale Nork's side was also attacked."
"The Navy's high-end combat power hasn't been deployed."
"They're mainly using fleets for encirclement and attack."
"It seems they're training and preparing already..."
"But for some reason, Hale Nork suddenly appeared on his side."
"He tried to attack the Navy fleet but was intercepted by the suddenly appearing Marine Admiral Aokiji."
"They're still fighting."
"So we can infer that these Navy fleets have Admirals escorting them..."
Shanks nodded slightly:
"Enel..."
They had learned about this Admiral candidate before.
After all, Sakazuki had publicly announced Enel as the Navy's overall commander for their side.
And he was Sakazuki's trusted subordinate. This information was not difficult to find, and he was a Devil Fruit user with both speed and attack power...
Thinking of speed...
It reminded him of the current Navy Grand Admiral, Barrett... very troublesome... impossible to catch...
Shanks stood up and put away the intelligence:
"We can't let this continue."
"Gather all the captains and set up defenses centered around Sbubi Island."
"At the same time, warn the Navy to cease their provocative actions."
"Everyone, pack up and set sail."
"Target... Rase Port."
"Let's see how much of that fellow's speed this Navy Admiral candidate possesses..."
Regarding Enel, a peer of his,
Shanks was somewhat interested...
---------
South Blue, Kingdom of Soba.
In the royal palace, Dowager Queen Kony hung up the phone with a headache.
Shortly after Bartholomew Kuma departed, rumors began to spread from somewhere that Kuma had become a pirate and engaged in evil deeds, described with vivid detail.
Even many of her friends called to inquire... and she had to explain one by one...
The call she just hung up was the twenty-seventh explanation call. Was it necessary... the Government...
Her dry fists clenched, trembling slightly, showing her inner turmoil...
Brrr~ Brrr~
Dowager Queen Kony sighed and picked up the Den Den Mushi:
"Hello..."
Unexpectedly, the Den Den Mushi on the other end wasn't asking about Kuma's situation... but brought dire news...
Beads of sweat dripped from Dowager Queen Kony's forehead, her breathing grew rapid, and her head spun...
Thump—
She fell to the ground, enveloped in darkness... and fainted.
"My child..."
---------
Kingdom of Soba, inside the royal palace.
Dowager Queen Kony lay unconscious. Princess Bonney, having heard the dire news, rushed over and confirmed her grandmother's safety.
She then stormed out of the palace... wanting revenge...
Fortunately, Dragon discovered her in time, knocked her out, and brought her back. However, the newly awakened Bonney threatened to kill herself...
Dragon reluctantly let her go and ordered for Sabo to be summoned...
A short while later, Sabo arrived with a somber expression and red-rimmed eyes:
"Commander-in-Chief."
Dragon sighed:
"Bonney wants to seek revenge on Sakazuki."
"You go protect Bonney for a while."
"Be sure to hide yourself well so she doesn't find you."
Sabo took a deep breath:
"I know."
"I will not let Kuma's daughter be in any more danger."
Dragon nodded slightly and then produced a Devil Fruit:
"Eat this, it will make things more convenient."
Sabo took the Devil Fruit:
"This is..."
Dragon said:
"Logia-type Yuki Yuki no Mi (Snow-Snow Fruit)."
"The previous user was a great pirate under Shiki's command, Blizzard Frank."
"He later died during Shiki's destruction of Marine Headquarters..."
The incident, publicly advertised as Sakazuki destroying Shiki's fleet with zero casualties, was not known to the outside world, but those within the Navy knew bits and pieces.
After Shiki, tricked and defeated, lost an arm and fled.
The remaining pirate leaders were hunted down by Sengoku and Garp... not a single one survived... including Blizzard Frank...
The Yuki Yuki no Mi had regenerated somewhere in the ocean, and it was only recently discovered by the Revolutionary Army in the North Blue, who then sent it to Revolutionary Army Headquarters.
Sabo nodded heavily...
He took a bite... his expression becoming extremely complex...
"..."
"..."
"GACK!!!!!"
---------
New World, Smir Port.
Far above in the sky, the clash of steam and ice continued.
The alternating hot and cold sensations caused people on distant islands to fall ill one after another...
However, the Navy fleet that had retreated far away and called for reinforcements was not affected.
Although Kuzan was young and vigorous, Hale Nork was experienced and had Conqueror's Haki, having roamed the seas for much longer than Kuzan...
After a prolonged struggle, Kuzan was gradually falling into a disadvantage.
However, it would not result in a fatal injury...
This was the nature of Logia-type battles: large-scale attacks that couldn't hit the actual body were like hitting air with air... it was a battle of attrition...
Even though Hale Nork's Wi Cheng Zheng Sha was several times stronger than when he fought Sakazuki, thanks to years of training, it was still not enough...
Only when one side's power far surpassed the other could a one-hit kill occur... like when Hale Nork instantly vaporized Smoker Logia user Langfello.
But with Kuzan's strength, Hale Nork couldn't vaporize all the ice instantly... a stalemate ensued...
Hummm—
A strange sound echoed in the sky.
Although imperceptible, both parties noticed it...
Immediately after, waves of light bullets swept through the clashing steam and ice, separating and scattering them...
Borsalino's leisurely voice followed:
"Yasakani no Magatama~"