The battle in the West Sea had essentially concluded.
Sengoku, Tsuru, and other Vice Admirals retreated, and Kenshiro and his men also withdrew.
However, the World Government and Marine Headquarters were clearly not going to easily abandon the West Sea, allowing the Genbu Navy to unify the entire region.
Therefore, despite the withdrawal, they remained in the West Sea, continuing to consolidate their forces.
But overall, the Genbu Navy still held the advantage.
Most islands had a police station, now staffed with basic hundred-man squadrons.
These individuals, when gathered, constituted a formidable force.
During this large-scale battle, Benedict did not fully mobilize them, keeping most of their strength to guard local safety and maintain order.
During such a large-scale conflict, other local factions, either aligning with the World Government and Marine Headquarters, or dissatisfied with the Genbu Navy and the police system, whose rights and status were clearly impacted, did not hesitate to launch counterattacks at this time.
Consequently, while fierce battles raged at sea, intense fighting also erupted on many islands.
In terms of the outcome, while they might have been caught off guard initially, they would ultimately face righteous judgment.
Even in some areas, the leaders of the police system were prepared, thus delivering devastating blows to those factions that counterattacked and ambushed them.
Interference in local governance, even if stated otherwise, would, when status, power, and interests were challenged, lead to local regimes' resistance, or even destruction, of the police system, moving from initial tolerance to outright opposition.
This was inevitable.
Therefore, at this juncture, Benedict's policy to his subordinates was to fight when necessary.
However, for civilians, a gentle approach should be employed as much as possible.
For the Genbu Navy to rule the seas long-term, military strength was essential, and paramount.
Secondly, reputation and the people's livelihood were also very important.
This was crucial for the Genbu Navy's long-term peace and stability.
The Genbu Navy was not an empire; it possessed no royal authority.
The Genbu Navy dedicated itself to protecting justice.
Wherever justice needed to be upheld, the Genbu Navy, the Genbu police, would be present.
It is said that where justice is needed, darkness inevitably exists.
Justice and darkness are simultaneous, balanced sides.
Therefore, Benedict was well aware that there was no true utopia.
Nor was there absolute justice.
The West Sea war had ended, while the South Sea battles raged on.
The combat of Berserker Olaf was filled with passion, charging at the forefront. Single-handedly, he inflicted successive blows on Sakazuki and Borsalino.
Of course, Olaf's injuries were not minor.
Yet, Olaf remained undeterred; his intense fighting spirit only made him braver.
In the end, when he could no longer persist, he could still consume a Senzu Bean, restoring his peak strength, which was also the beginning of Sakazuki and Borsalino's setbacks.
The battles between the Genbu Navy and the World Government, particularly in the South Sea, resulted in massive casualties, with the World Government suffering the most. Among these casualties, the controlled pirate forces sustained the heaviest losses.
Sakazuki, who already disliked the pirates controlled by the World Government's intelligence organizations, showed no mercy, sending them to the front lines to endure heavy artillery fire.
Compared to the South Sea battles, the World Government suffered even greater losses in the North Sea, especially among CP members.
For the North Sea conflict, the World Government had deployed over a thousand members of secret intelligence agencies, from CP9 to CP0.
The immense combat power contained within this gathered force was sufficient to overwhelm most pirate factions at sea.
However, to their despair, the target they were hunting, Sakata Gintoki, was far more terrifying than they had imagined.
Possessing the Sword-Sword Fruit, Sakata Gintoki's strength had surged after his Devil Fruit awakened and his Kenbunshoku and Busoshoku Haki were reinforced to their peak states by Benedict.
Coupled with Sakata Gintoki's swordsmanship, killing him was an absolute challenge.
Even Garp had to intervene repeatedly, allowing six hidden top-tier CP0 powerhouses to surround Sakata Gintoki, but it was still futile.
Garp ultimately gave up on dealing with Sakata Gintoki, leaving it to CP0, while he engaged in a passionate physical confrontation with Hanma Yujiro.
Hanma Yujiro had also encountered an opponent who, after Benedict, filled him with dread.
Being abused by Benedict was one thing, but being abused by Garp made Hanma Yujiro incredibly enraged.
Thus, Hanma Yujiro grew more frenzied as he fought, cooperating with the Golden-Golden Fruit's abilities, unleashing devastating attacks. Relying on the defense granted by the fruit, he almost brute-forced his way through Garp's attacks to retaliate.
Garp was also fighting with fierce determination, his power akin to what he used against Rocks.
"Ten Thousand Swords Returning to Heart!"
Sakata Gintoki bore many wounds, inflicted by the constant ambushes of the top-tier CP0 powerhouses.
Two of these wounds were from sniper shots.
For someone like him who flew through the air, top snipers were invisible, incredibly dangerous hunters.
Currently, no less than three hundred CP members had fallen to Sakata Gintoki's sword.
Those still surrounding Sakata Gintoki included CP members skilled in the Six Powers of Marines, as well as some CP members who possessed Devil Fruit abilities and the capacity for flight.
When these individuals appeared, Sakata Gintoki knew they were the hidden forces specifically assembled to deal with him.
"Heh!"
Thousands of sword energies swirled around, transforming into a rain of blades. With Sakata Gintoki's swings, he once again unleashed a rampage.
In moments, several CP members who couldn't withstand it were cut down.
Usually, CP members would quickly dodge, but this resulted in those behind them being swiftly killed.
Now, they had nowhere to escape.
Because there were no longer many sacrificial lambs left.
"Whoosh hah~"
Sakata Gintoki panted heavily.
The fierce battle was depleting Sakata Gintoki's physical strength.
Until absolutely necessary, Sakata Gintoki was still reluctant to consume a Senzu Bean.
It was a life-saving elixir.
From a distance.
On a warship at the edge of the battlefield, Blackbeard led his crew, watching Sakata Gintoki's intense battle with smiles on their faces.
Although they had heeded the call and participated in the assigned operations, Blackbeard had his own plans and had therefore concealed himself aboard a warship heading to the North Sea.
"What a magnificent battle."
"So many people have died."
The somewhat sickly Doku Q, looking at the fallen, revealed a sinister smile and said, "Captain, after waiting for so long, our plan should also begin, shouldn't it?"
"Jiehahahaha." Blackbeard laughed heartily upon hearing this and said, "Then let it begin."
"Capture the Sword Saint Admiral, Sakata Gintoki, alive."