"I can't predict it," Uchiha Madara admitted. "But one thing is certain: that Sengoku is a careful man. He won't just attack from the front—he'll have something prepared behind our backs. We'll walk into a trap and die."
Kronos hummed in agreement. He suspected the same—Sengoku would almost certainly lay a trap. What exactly it would be, only time would tell.
"Captain is wise!" Albedo blurted out suddenly, which left Kronos bewildered. He didn't know what Albedo meant.
The other crew members turned to look, curious why Albedo had spoken up.
Albedo answered earnestly, "Captain, I understand what you mean. You mean that in the presence of absolute power, all plots turn to smoke, right?"
Kronos frowned — when had he said anything like that? He had no memory of it. Still, Ackert and the other trainee crewmembers cheered Albedo on, clapping and shouting, "Kronos is wise!"
Uchiha Madara and the rest took Albedo's line seriously. After thinking over the idea, they couldn't help but be impressed.
"In the face of absolute power… haha, that's true," Bang-gu stroked his beard with a smile. "All I can say is—strength rules. In a world that respects the strong, strength is everything."
"Strategy is part of strength," Jiguo Yuanyi added, nodding. "If your level isn't there, no plan can save you. If you have no strength, no matter how clever you are, you can't change the outcome."
What none of them knew was that Kronos hadn't meant to suggest that line at all — it was Albedo's quick thinking that put the idea into the air. Seeing everyone agree, Kronos decided to roll with it.
"Cough, cough," Kronos said theatrically. "Albedo, you're getting sharper. Guessing my meaning that fast—I don't know what to say but well done."
Albedo beamed with pride. "Under your command, Kamui Pirates will bury every Marine who dares come here!"
Just then, the much-anticipated Marine fleet finally arrived.
One after another, Marine warships thundered in from every direction like a raging storm—a tornado of steel. Tens of thousands of Marine troops, hundreds of Rear Admirals, and ten Vice Admirals. Such an overwhelming lineup could shock even the Four Emperors.
As the proverb goes, even an elephant can be bitten by enough ants.
Uchiha Madara and the others steeled themselves. The Marines had chosen to come all out, and the Kamui Pirates had likewise resolved to fight to the last. No matter the cost, Kronos would be destroyed—no question.
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[Naruto: I Don't Want Recognition]
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