At the port of Spring Queen City, the sound of wind and thunder surged from the silver-haired naval youth.
Rorschach stood before two hundred naval soldiers. With a wave of his hand, he conjured thumb-sized thunder orbs wrapped in thin transparent air membranes. They floated to each soldier's front.
"These thunder orbs are meant to stimulate your heart, allowing you to temporarily boost your physical strength by several degrees. Each of you take one and keep it for emergencies."
"Remember, the thunder orbs stimulate the heart to accelerate blood flow and enhance body activity, but the effect won't last long. Once the stimulation ends, your body will become exhausted—that's when it gets dangerous. So use them with caution."
"They're easy to use. Just slap them onto your chest and break the air membrane."
"Yes, Rear Admiral Rorschach!"
The soldiers immediately showed expressions of joy and carefully picked up the thunder orbs, placing them close to their bodies.
They were already familiar with Rorschach's methods.
Back on the way from Impel Down, they had seen Rorschach use this very technique on Law, triggering a burst of strength from his body.
These things could truly save lives at a critical moment.
The soldiers stored the thunder orbs and looked toward Rorschach with faces full of gratitude.
Rorschach stood solemnly, watching each upright soldier, then glanced at Hibari, Law, Bepo, and Pamela standing at the front of the group.
"Everyone, be cautious. Help your comrades if they're in danger."
Then he turned to Hibari and Law.
"Hibari, Law—you two are a bit stronger. Protect yourselves, but also look after the others."
"Don't worry, Brother Rorschach! I'll protect everyone!" Hibari's little face was full of resolve, her eyes firm.
Law didn't speak, only nodded silently as he drew the Kikoku long blade.
Rorschach's gaze finally landed on Lucci, who stood off to the side.
"Lucci, your job is to protect my people. If anyone gets killed, I'll hold you personally responsible."
"Hmph! I'm not the Navy's babysitter." Lucci snorted coldly.
But when he met Rorschach's icy eyes, he fell silent and said no more.
In truth, the reason Rorschach brought Lucci here in the first place was because he didn't fully trust him around Hibari and Law back in Water 7.
Rob Lucci wasn't like Kaku and the others.
He upheld a version of absolute justice similar to Akainu's…
But at the same time, he was completely obedient to the World Government.
He was an extremely dangerous man.
Once Rorschach had finished instructing the Navy soldiers, Jonathan was also issuing final orders to the Hunters and the royal guards.
Come to think of it, the royal family of the Holy Poplar Kingdom really had no presence at all.
Just as Rorschach had joked with Jonathan in the treasury—not without truth—it truly seemed like Jonathan and his Hunter Guild were the actual rulers of the kingdom.
All the royal guards combined numbered only two to three thousand.
A third of them were stationed outside the royal city. The rest stood behind the Hunters, gripping spears, their faces unable to hide their nervousness.
"Hey! You… be careful."
As Rorschach passed by Jonathan, a crisp female voice sounded beside his ear.
He turned to see Sera, holding two short blades, staring at him with a blazing gaze.
He couldn't help but smile and wave to her. "You too—be careful. Don't die, alright?"
"I won't die, hmph! You could at least say something nice for once." Sera snorted lightly.
Whooosh…
Invisible gales swept over the harbor sky. With a step, Rorschach vanished from where he stood and shot into the sky, dashing toward the sea.
His snow-white cloak billowed fiercely in the wind.
The large word "Justice" emblazoned on the cloak fluttered like a soaring dragon!
At the far edge of the sea—where ocean met sky—dark spots had appeared at some point, rapidly growing larger.
"All units, attention! The enemy has arrived! Prepare for battle!"
Andre's thunderous voice boomed above the port.
Clang!
Blades were drawn with a metallic chorus, reflecting faces filled with tension, excitement, and restlessness.
On the far end of the island behind Spring Queen City, opposite the harbor, Fujitora drew his cane-sword and slashed into the void.
"Gravity Blade! Gravity Barrier!"
An invisible arc of gravity burst from the cane-sword, swiftly spreading across the island's edge. It expanded, surrounding half the island and forming a distorted gravitational field in the shape of an arc.
The unseen gravity twisted air, seawater, and coastline into chaotic lines, full of tension—like a Van Gogh painting come to life.
He opened his scar-riddled, fierce eyes, and with his pale pupils, looked in the direction Rorschach had flown.
"Let this old man see... whether the Marines of this era are still worthy of the hope placed on them—to change this decaying world."
Dozens of miles out at sea, hundreds of pirate ships of varying sizes dotted the water like stars scattered across the sky, covering almost the entire visible ocean.
Pirate flags and sails, billowed taut with wind, pushed the ships to their top speeds.
Each deck was packed with pirates wielding swords and spears.
At this moment, the pirates were at peak excitement, waving their weapons and shouting with unrestrained laughter and cries.
"Charge, boys! Break into Spring Queen City and loot everything inside!"
"With Guild Leader Goliath and the legendary pirate Chinjao here, does that pitiful bounty hunter guild really think they can stop us?"
"Ready the cannons! Let's finish this before nightfall! I want to enjoy the wine offered by the princesses and queens in the palace of this Holy Poplar Kingdom! Hahaha!"
While the pirates laughed wildly, the two massive ships at the front—sailing side by side—carried the towering figures of Goliath and Chinjao, who both, without needing to speak, turned their gazes to the sky in the distance.
There, a vague silhouette was streaking toward them at an astonishing, lightning-like speed.
A bloodthirsty aura, like that of a wild beast, surged from the figure—boiling and about to erupt like a volcano.
A powerful force was approaching!
Goliath remained steady.
But Chinjao's hair and beard bristled. He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes fixed on the incoming blur.
From that white figure, he could already sense an incredibly familiar aura.
It was the aura of Haki, soaked into the Heavenly Dragon Trident over centuries.
That national treasure weapon of the Flower Country—Chinjao had once infused his own Armament Haki into it.
The very trident taken by Akainu from Wang Zhi in the New World... was now in the hands of this Marine Goliath spoke of!
Just as Chinjao was about to unleash his ancestral Eight Impact Fist from the Eight Treasures Navy—
The white figure hurtled in from the distance like a meteor, trailing a blazing arc of lightning through the sky.
In an instant, he streaked over the heads of Chinjao and Goliath's ships, plunging directly into the center of the massive fleet behind them.
As pirates raised their heads in shock, a tall figure draped in a snow-white cloak suddenly came to a dead stop in mid-air, dozens of meters above.
Facing downward, he spread his arms wide—ten fingers clawing at the invisible air—and yanked fiercely downward!
With that motion, the air within hundreds of meters compressed layer by layer, like an invisible mountain collapsing downward.
(End of Chapter)
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