Chapter 187: Sink Enies Lobby!

"According to Vice Admiral Garp, the only ones left on Enies Lobby are Rear Admiral Momousagi and that Navy traitor, Wood?" the CP0 commander asked, narrowing his eyes. "What about Fisher Tiger and the other Fish-Men? Have they escaped the island?"

The CP0 commander had intended to send scouts to assess the situation, but with Garp freshly returned from the island, asking him directly was faster.

"As far as I know, that girl Gion is still locked in battle with the traitor Wood. As for whether the Fish-Men have fled the island, I couldn't say," Garp replied, nonchalantly picking his nose. Despite the commander's high rank, Garp's casual demeanor made it clear that he didn't care much for the authority of the World Government.

The CP0 commander, aware of Garp's notorious attitude, didn't take offense. Instead, he quickly summoned a messenger. "Order all ships to prepare for an all-out bombardment of Enies Lobby in one minute!"

The messenger hesitated briefly, stunned by the order, but quickly regained his composure and rushed to relay the command to the other ships.

"You're planning to launch a Buster Call on Enies Lobby? Are you insane? This is a World Government stronghold! What about the soldiers still on the island? And the Buster Call requires authorization from a Navy Admiral or the Fleet Admiral!" Garp's usually calm demeanor cracked as he glared at the CP0 commander, clearly disturbed by the extreme order.

"Garp, I think you're mistaken about something," the CP0 commander replied coolly. "The so-called Buster Call, usually carried out by ten warships and five Vice Admirals along with elite Navy forces, is only under the Navy's jurisdiction because the World Government allows it. As the highest intelligence agency of the World Government, we don't need the Navy's approval to initiate such a strike."

"As for the soldiers on the island, if they couldn't stop a few hundred Fish-Men, they're of no value to us. The greatest failure would be letting Fisher Tiger and the other Fish-Men escape. Once they reach the sea, they'll be nearly impossible to catch. So, destroying the entire island and burying them with it is the best course of action. Rear Admiral Momousagi is strong enough to escape on her own, so the only ones who will die are useless soldiers and the Fish-Men."

The CP0 commander's words were delivered without a hint of emotion, as if wiping out thousands of lives was a trivial matter. Garp's eyes burned with rage, and he almost lashed out, but the CP0 operatives around him were quick to intervene, preventing an all-out confrontation.

While Garp held a revered position within the Navy, a direct conflict with the CP0 commander would have serious repercussions. Garp wasn't worried about himself, but his actions could have severe consequences for the entire Navy.

A standard Buster Call, consisting of ten warships, five Vice Admirals, and elite forces, was capable of annihilating a small to medium-sized island within minutes through relentless bombardment. But this time, the World Government had deployed thirty warships, along with the elite CP0 agents, effectively tripling the power of a regular Buster Call.

With such overwhelming firepower, Enies Lobby could be obliterated in mere minutes.

As the first shell from the lead ship exploded on the island, it acted like a signal flare. The remaining twenty-nine warships simultaneously opened fire, unleashing a devastating barrage on Enies Lobby. The sky was filled with the roar of cannon fire, and the island was soon engulfed in flames and smoke as explosions rocked the ground.

Wood and Gion, who had been engaging in a mock battle on the main island, were initially confused by the sudden disturbance. However, they quickly realized what was happening as they saw countless shells arcing through the sky toward them.

Wood swiftly swung his sword, Tenku, detonating dozens of shells mid-air before they could reach him. The acrid smell of gunpowder and smoke filled the air as the blasts echoed across the island.

"We were supposed to put on a show to clear your name," Wood remarked, smirking bitterly. "But it seems the World Government doesn't have the patience for that. They're not even bothering to set foot on the island—they're just going to obliterate it along with us."

Wood wasn't surprised by the World Government's ruthlessness. However, Gion seemed shaken by the cold reality. "How could they…? There are still so many soldiers on the island. They didn't even give them a warning or time to evacuate. Enies Lobby is a government facility—are they really willing to destroy their own people?"

"'Their own people'? The higher-ups in the World Government don't see you as their own," Wood replied with a scoff. "To them, you're just disposable tools. Destroying the island without giving the soldiers time to evacuate also means not giving Tiger and his crew more time to escape."

"Gion, you need to get out of here. I have to figure out my own way to escape now," Wood added, his tone serious.

Gion was clearly struggling to process the situation, but Wood's words seemed to hit her hard. The reality of the World Government's priorities was a harsh wake-up call.

Wood wasn't worried about Gion's ability to survive the bombardment. As a skilled swordsman capable of using Moonwalk, she could easily escape even if the island were completely destroyed. However, Wood knew that dealing with the bombardment was the least of his concerns—the real threat was the CP0 agents surrounding the island.

"You should go first," Wood urged. "Even if the island sinks, I can survive."

Gion hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded, realizing the gravity of the situation. She still intended to try and save as many of the stranded Navy soldiers as possible, but Wood didn't stop her. He knew her well enough to understand that she wouldn't be dissuaded, and he trusted in her abilities.

As Gion prepared to leave, Wood steeled himself for what lay ahead. The bombardment was only the beginning—the real challenge would be facing the CP0 agents who were closing in on him.

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 320+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a