319. It's All About Tactics

Above the vast blue ocean.

The enormous Ryu-Sen plowed through the waves. Its sheer size allowed it to bulldoze through any regular sea creatures that crossed its path.

Now that you've grown accustomed to soaring through the skies from time to time, it's refreshing to descend and embrace the seafaring lifestyle.

Sengoku hadn't assigned any additional crew members, and the Marine Headquarters hadn't reinforced its forces since the Summit War.

Without the bolstering of high-level combat strength, the Marines might struggle to withstand the turbulence of this era.

"Hey~ Smoker, are you still dwelling on what went down yesterday?"

Atlas glanced at Smoker, who seemed a bit perplexed, shook his head, and teased.

He had already grasped the main gist from Kyros.

Technically, Smoker didn't really lose. Considering they were both Logia users, when the gap in strength isn't substantial, ending up in a draw isn't too shabby.

Yet, with the overwhelming destructive force of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, it was clear Smoker couldn't uphold a favorable image.

"No way!! Brother Atlas."

Smoker's expression stiffened, and then he shook his head vigorously.

"I've been pondering, is this so-called World Destroyer truly that formidable? And why allow a Shichibukai to tail us?"

Smoker glanced over at the blue silhouette seated not far away, his face displaying a mix of confusion.

While the World Economy News highlights this guy's astonishing destructive power and penchant for chaos, is it truly necessary for the Marines to be so astonishing?

Byrnndi World was apprehended and imprisoned in Impel Down long before the onset of the Great Pirate Age, approximately twenty-two years ago.

He belongs to the same era as Roger and Whitebeard.

However, his exit from the historical stage occurred so early that hardly anyone present had a vivid recollection of this pirate.

"Now, that's my take too – he's just an old guy whose time has come," Atlas sighed. "It's a shame that Sengoku and the others completely ignored my perspective. They're overly cautious about Byrnndi World."

"Byrnndi World, a user of the More-More fruit ability, can enhance the speed and size of objects, up to a hundred times," Kyros retrieved a crumpled information sheet from somewhere and recited it verbatim.

"This thing... seems familiar?"

"Admiral, I stumbled upon this in the trash can in your office. If it weren't for the attention-grabbing photo, the order would've discarded it as mere rubbish."

Kyros struggled to flatten the information book in his hand, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Ahaha~~ Is that so? It probably slipped from my desk by accident. Thank you so much, Kyros. I wonder why I couldn't find it."

Atlas stroked his chin thoughtfully, as if unintentionally overlooking the information.

Kyros gazed at Atlas with a stern expression, then glanced at the crumpled newspaper.

He believes in... shit!!! 

'You clearly tossed this thing in the trash!!!'

"However, Lord Admiral, that guy seems to be behaving a bit oddly."

As Kyros read attentively, a sense of unease crept into his thoughts.

"What's wrong?"

"The photos sent in the intelligence seem to differ a bit from the description. While the exterior of the hull appears identical, I can't shake the feeling that it looks much smaller, perhaps due to the distance."

Kyros pondered carefully.

"Tch——!! Are you suggesting that the guy claiming to head for Amazon Lily was just a decoy, and his true target is Marine Headquarters or Mariejois?" Enel, crossing his arms and leaning against the ship's side, sneered. (T/N: Flag alert!!)

How could a pirate like him have such a strategic mindset?

Judging by his past actions, he's nothing more than a reckless individual.

"Yeah~ It seems to make sense, but..."

Atlas suddenly turned around and fixed his gaze on the empty sea ahead.

Crash-! ! !

The previously calm sea erupted into enormous waves, and a colossal Sea King emerged, fixing its intense gaze on those aboard the Ryu-Sen with two fierce eyes.

With its immense size, it could almost rival the Ryu-Sen.

"What's been happening lately? It feels like Sea Kings' activities are becoming more and more frequent, and they're not even confined to the Calm Belt."

"Roar--!!!"

The colossal fangs parted, and a pungent fishy odor assailed their faces. Riding the salty sea breeze, everyone present was blown away!! 

"It's truly astonishing to witness such a colossal creature outside the Calm Belt."

At some point, Jinbei, who had remained seated in the distance, quietly approached a few individuals with a grave expression.

'Could it be that Shirahoshi's power awakened prematurely, resulting in some unforeseen alterations?'

Atlas speculated quietly.

but...

Clang——! ! !

Kaminari unsheathed instantly, and a blood-red slash burst forth, enveloped in a robust armament. The crimson arc was distinctly visible, and it appeared incredibly fierce.

Swish——! ! !

The vertical slash soared over the massive Sea Kings, and a thin bloodline sliced from the head's center, extending to the tail.

The gargantuan body was cleaved in an instant, and the thick internal organs scattered across the sea. The evenly divided sections of the body slapped into the seawater, painting the surroundings in a vivid scarlet hue.

...

Calm Belt.

A ship with a substantial gun port at its bow sailed swiftly. On the partially exposed deck stood a tall figure. Ahead of them were three peculiar individuals with deferential expressions.

"Hey, Byojack, does your method really work?"

The towering figure inquired of the slender old man perched on his shoulder.

"Cough cough cough——!! Based on how terrified the Marines are of you, once they catch wind that your destination is Amazon Lily, they'll undoubtedly deploy the most formidable combat force in our division to apprehend you."

"According to my intel, the current strongest individual in the world - Admiral Hakuryu, is still stationed in Naval Headquarters. As long as the Marines wholeheartedly believe this information, we can seamlessly distance ourselves from Hakuryu. Ahem~~ By then, our assault on Mariejois will become much more straightforward."

The diminutive old man analyzed with composed eyes.

"The strongest man in the world? That guy Whitebeard is really old. He actually had his head taken off by a kid!! Hahahaha!!"

"World, don't underestimate that guy!!"

The little old man called Byojack cautioned.

He was the one who had witnessed that entire battle!

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I will upload the bonus chapter for reaching 100 power stones afterwards

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