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Gunfire erupted across the shore.
Pirates swarmed the beach, only to be cut down in droves. Only those clad in Armament Haki could weather the storm of rifle fire.
In the New World, Haki was standard issue for any elite pirate. If you couldn't use at least one form of it, could you even call yourself a pirate?
Wilson, Brogy, the Giant Brothers, and the elite Hannabal met the charge, clashing with the veterans of the New World.
The most ferocious of them all was Brogy, clad head to toe in a suit of alloy armor. With a colossal alloy axe in one hand and a matching shield in the other, he was an unstoppable bulldozer. The so-called elites of the New World were nothing before him.
Wilson, the Giant Brothers, and the others had all undergone Jin's special training regimen. Their strength was on a completely different level now—more than enough to go toe-to-toe with a standard pirate officer.
An hour later, the battle was over.
The forces brought by Smoothie and her siblings had been defeated. Two-thirds of them were dead. The rest, seeing that all was lost, threw down their weapons and surrendered.
"They... they won?"
"I don't believe it."
"It seems that not only the king, but his subordinates as well, have become a formidable force."
"A newly-appointed Warlord clashing with one of the Four Emperors? Unbelievable."
"He's got guts, I'll give him that..."
"I wonder how Big Mom will react."
"Get this report out, now!"
Hannabal was a melting pot, and it was crawling with spies from every major power—Cipher Pol, the Marines, the Revolutionary Army—all had outposts here, gathering intelligence.
On the streets of the island, many were cheering.
"Haha! That was awesome! That's our king for you! He doesn't care if you're a Yonko or not—he'll take you all down!"
"Damn right! This isn't the New World! What's a Yonko's crew doing, trying to throw their weight around in Paradise?"
"I heard Big Mom took a liking to our king and invited him to a tea party to be her... husband."
"In her dreams! Our king is young, handsome, wise, and powerful! Why would he ever go for an old hag like that?"
"No wonder a fight broke out."
But others were filled with a gnawing anxiety.
"Hey, are you all crazy? That's one of the Four Emperors! The most vicious woman on the seas! Her desire for revenge is legendary... You're all laughing now, but if a real war breaks out, Hannabal will be wiped off the map. We'll all be killed!"
Ever since Roger had kicked off the Great Pirate Era, the World Government had officially recognized Newgate, Kaido, and Linlin as the "Emperors" of the New World. And with the recent addition of the fourth, Shanks, they had become a force that struck fear into the hearts of nations worldwide—a name that could make children stop crying.
The Warlords were powerful, yes, but compared to the Four Emperors, they were nothing.
The pirates who had seen the true cruelty of the Grand Line had become realists. They had lost their courage. To them, Jin's actions were pure insanity.
They sat in the taverns, sighing, some even planning to leave, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.
"So we're just supposed to kneel?" someone shot back.
"Exactly! Peace isn't begged for—it's won through strength!"
"This is what a man's life is about—climbing to the peak, looking down on the world, a master of all he surveys. THAT'S TRUE GLORY."
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Marine Headquarters.
"That man..." Fleet Admiral Sengoku rubbed his temples. "He's reckless and lawless..."
A headache was blooming behind his eyes.
As a leader, he saw the world situation with a depth and foresight that few could comprehend. He knew what the Five Elders wanted: balance and stability.
Roger's last words had thrown the world into chaos. The "Four Emperors" and the "Seven Warlords" had been the result. But even so, the situation was still under the World Government's control.
Recruiting Jin had been a move to maintain that balance. But Jin was a wild card.
Was he really going to go head-to-head with a Yonko?
And the worst part was, if he did, he would inevitably drag the Marines and the other Warlords into it.
If Big Mom truly lost her temper and charged into Paradise, what were they supposed to do?
Jin's move was like pulling the pin on a grenade and rolling it into the middle of the room—now everyone had to scramble.
Vice Admiral Tsuru frowned and shook her head. "Let's just hope Big Mom doesn't overreact."
With two of the Admirals out hunting for Kuma, only Borsalino was left to guard Headquarters. Their top-tier forces were stretched thin.
If Big Mom really did invade Paradise...
Sengoku sighed. "Alright. Send Gion back to Hannabal. Have her lie in wait nearby. And put Garp and the G-3 base on standby. If Big Mom dares to come... then we'll just have to bury her there."
Worry was one thing. But Sengoku still had the resolve—and the power—to back it up.
With him, Garp, and Borsalino, plus Sakazuki and Kuzan on call, and the full force of the Warlords... they could annihilate the Big Mom Pirates.
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Gion had only just returned from Hannabal when she received the new orders. She was a bit exasperated.
Vice Admiral Tsuru came to deliver the orders personally. "There's one more thing," she said.
"What is it, Vice Admiral?" Gion replied.
"During the conflict, the soldiers of Hannabal used new-model rifles and cannons," Tsuru said, showing her a photograph of the battle. "They inflicted heavy casualties on Big Mom's pirates. I want you to find out where they came from. Discreetly."
Gion took the photograph. "Is there something special about them?"
Tsuru nodded. "The Happo Navy of the Kano Kingdom is equipped with similar weapons. They achieved a decisive victory in their latest war. The power of these rifles is several times that of a standard flintlock. In the hands of a sniper, they are a significant threat. Even a master of Observation Haki could be taken out by a specialized shot from several thousand meters away. I suspect they both came from the same source. The question is... is it Kaido, or someone else?"
Gion's eyes narrowed. "His conflict with Doflamingo on Jaya... was it over these new weapons?"
"We don't know yet," Tsuru said. "That's why I need you to investigate. And if you can, get your hands on one for the tech division to analyze."
"Understood."
Gion's interest was piqued. Another secret connected to him? She loved the process of unraveling a mystery, thread by thread, until the truth was laid bare.
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