Barrett sneered:
"Pirates are not uncommon."
"It seems the South Blue will be fun."
Enel chuckled:
"Indeed, we meet such foolish pirates as soon as we arrive."
"Hahahahaha."
The ten massive warships, cutting through the waves, finally entered the domain of the South Blue.
----
The Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders, having received the king's plea for aid, couldn't help but be taken aback. Pirates had managed to reach the royal palace?
The burly, w-shaped bearded Gorosei was clearly angered:
"When did the standards of affiliated nations fall to such a state?"
"A bunch of trash."
The sword-wielding Gorosei closed his eyes and took a deep breath:
"Let's send the CP organization to resolve it first."
"If a World Government affiliated nation is destroyed by pirates."
"That would be a colossal joke."
"We'll deal with them after this incident is concluded."
"It is indeed necessary to re-screen them."
"Truly..."
----
The Grand Line, East Blue.
Tahama Kingdom, at the port.
The port was engulfed in flames. A colossal pirate ship was docked there, accompanied by several smaller boats.
Taking advantage of the Great Pirate Era initiated by Roger, the pirate captain returned to his homeland to recruit and plunder.
He had built a pirate crew of roughly a thousand men. While lacking powerful individuals, they were all ordinary people.
However, their sheer numbers, coupled with large firearms like cannons and mortars, proved formidable.
For Tahama Kingdom, an agrarian nation, they were on the brink of extinction.
Innumerable kingdom soldiers clashed with these pirates.
Lances, swords, blood, and corpses littered the entire port.
A grinning pirate sub-commander directed his subordinates, shouting:
"My lads! Don't hold back!"
"Kill to your heart's content!"
"Slaughter anyone who resists!!!"
"This country will be ours soon!"
"Hahahahaha!!!"
A kingdom guard, hearing these words, roared:
"Do not falter!"
"Drive these pirates out of our country!"
"Charge!!!"
But it was futile.
After half a day of battle.
Despite the desperate resistance of the kingdom's guard, they were steadily pushed back by the cruel and vicious pirates, until they retreated to the palace gates.
The pirates slowly encircled the royal palace.
At this moment, the pirate captain, who stood a head and a half taller than the others, emerged.
With a wave of his hand, several mortars were aimed at the kingdom's flag atop the castle.
BOOM BOOM BOOM—
The national flag was destroyed, and the top of the castle vanished.
Then, they targeted the resisting soldiers, and countless soldiers were blown away, their fates unknown.
The pirate captain looked at the now silent battlefield and smiled in satisfaction.
He shouted to the surviving royal guards:
"Hahahahaha!"
"It ends here, you scoundrels!"
"Those who wish to live, surrender obediently!"
"Those who resist will be blown away by these mortars!!!"
"Hurry and tell your king!"
"To issue a decree of abdication!"
"Otherwise, you will all die!!!"
Seeing the ferocious pirates, someone unknown began it... With a clatter, weapons dropped to the ground, and the sound continued to echo.
The captain of the guard was enraged by the surrendering soldiers but felt helpless.
Reluctantly, he went to report to the royal palace hall.
These surrendering soldiers were then rounded up by the pirates and locked in a large warehouse, precisely five hundred men.
----
The New World, a secret realm reaching into the clouds.
A figure with golden hair and a golden cloak stood at the edge of a cliff, observing the giant beasts.
The aura of Golden Lion Shiki was no longer as sharp as before.
The wounds to his mind and body were the most effective at wearing a person down.
Golden Lion Shiki exuded an air of twilight...
He wore 'Kogarasu' at his waist, and his legs were made from two famous swords.
However, combined with his expressionless face, he appeared even more terrifying and unfathomable than before.
Thump thump thump—
With a strange shuffling sound, Dr. Indigo, who resembled a clown, approached:
"What is it, boss?"
Golden Lion Shiki's voice was calm:
"What is the progress of the research? Can it be mass-produced yet?"
Dr. Indigo replied:
"The experiments have been successful."
"However, the serum can still be optimized."
"The current success rate is only around forty percent."
"All failures have turned into rampaging giant beasts, completely uncontrollable."
"We still need to optim..."
Golden Lion Shiki suddenly interrupted:
"Enough."
"Mass-produce it immediately."
"Regardless of success or failure, as long as they are alive."
"There are only six months left until the five-year mark."
"Use these six months to create all the giant beasts."
"I can no longer wait."
Dr. Indigo paused, then said:
"Yes."
He slowly retreated.
Golden Lion Shiki stood silently by the cliff.
He was no longer the lion king who once aspired to conquer the world.
The decline of his body and functions made him constantly feel the torment of his diminishing strength.
For a schemer like Golden Lion Shiki, this was more unbearable than death.
He only wished to do something world-shaking in the final moments of his life.
To let the world feel what cruelty is, and to show those starry-eyed followers of the sea what true pirates are.
As if finding peace, his calm voice echoed by the cliff:
"Roger..."
----
The Grand Line, East Blue, Tahama Kingdom.
Compared to its opulent exterior, the interior of the royal palace was rather spartan.
The king's throne was made of stone, and the empty great hall was devoid of any decorations.
The white-haired king, holding his forehead, contemplated with some distress.
A thinner minister below spoke:
"Your Majesty, for the sake of your people, you should firmly reject the pirates' despicable demands."
A slightly fatter minister beside him said:
"Yes."
"With the combined strength of the kingdom's army and the guard."
"We have no need to fear those pirates."
The king looked up, as if having made a decision:
"But if we fight with our lives on the line."
"What about the soldiers who have become hostages?"
"They are also my subjects, and I cannot watch them die."
"Even if the throne is lost, there's a chance to reclaim it."
"But human lives are not."
The slightly fatter minister was somewhat unconvinced:
"But even if we agree to their demands."
"I doubt they will honestly release the hostages!"
Thump thump—
At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard, followed by the voice of a running guard shouting:
"Your Majesty!!!"
"An envoy from the World Government has just arrived!!!"