บท 113: [112] Arrival at Marineford
The Beginning of Volume Two: Rise Through Chaos.
[2500 Words]
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Nami was overjoyed. Why? Because her beloved captain had decided to take her with him to Marineford to participate in the war against the Whitebeard Pirates.
In the past, she would have been terrified, confused, and might have even refused to go. But the current Nami was very different. She was strong; the power of her Devil Fruit alone made her stronger than everyone in the first half of the Grand Line.
Moreover, she had a medium mastery of the Thunder Fruit, which multiplied her power several times over.
Her physical strength and skill in swordsmanship were also impressive. If Nami claimed to be the strongest person in the Sin Pirates crew after Ren, no one would argue.
Now, she was determined to dedicate her strength to her beloved captain. She would protect him, even though she knew she was weaker. She would sacrifice herself for him in a moment of crisis. That was the extent of her resolve.
Similarly, Mikita shared Nami's determination. She had decided to be Ren's sword and shield, not just in this war but for her entire life.
Ren looked at Alabasta, gradually disappearing from his sight, and sighed softly. He was now on his way to Marineford. The live broadcast of Ace's execution would begin in just a few hours.
Ren wouldn't have made it on time if he had taken the regular route, but the World Government had its shortcuts that made sailing much easier.
He realized the benefits of having a powerful organization backing you. Difficult tasks became easier, and the precious time one would otherwise waste sailing across the vast ocean was significantly reduced.
If Ren hadn't become a Warlord of the Sea, he wouldn't have had the right to access the Gates of Justice.
The Gate of Justice is a massive structure spanning specific areas of the Grand Line, connecting the main Navy headquarters to important locations like Enies Lobby, Impel Down, and Marineford. The World Government has three known main gates:
First, the Gate of Justice at Enies Lobby, located at the entrance to Enies Lobby, an important Navy base. Ships pass through this gate to reach Enies Lobby Island without facing the dangerous currents surrounding it, ensuring the safe arrival of prisoners and resources.
Second, the Gate of Justice at Impel Down, leading to Impel Down prison, one of the most heavily guarded prisons in the world. Ships passing through this gate avoid the strong currents and dangers surrounding the area, ensuring a smooth arrival.
Finally, the Gate of Justice at Marineford, which was Ren's current destination. This gate is located at the entrance to Marineford, the main Navy headquarters. Ships pass through it to reach the headquarters quickly and safely.
The Gates of Justice work in coordination with special sea currents to shorten the distances of sea journeys and expedite the safe arrival of ships to their destinations.
These special sea currents are well-known to the Navy. They travel at high speeds and provide shortcuts between important locations. The Navy controls these currents and uses them effectively to transport its ships at high speeds across the seas. There are several types of these currents:
Tidal currents, which rely on tidal movements and allow ships to move quickly in a specific direction during certain periods. Then there are deep ocean currents, which are stable and steady in the depths of the ocean and allow ships to travel at high speeds without being affected by surface waves that slow them down.
Additionally, there are marine wind currents. The Navy ingeniously exploits these currents to take advantage of strong winds that propel ships at high speed across the ocean.
By coordinating between the Gates of Justice and these special sea currents, the Navy maintains high speed and efficiency in its movements, ensuring a quick response to any sudden or planned event.
Ren analyzed the information stored in his photographic memory. After finishing, his mind drifted to the remaining crew members in Alabasta.
'I temporarily gave Robin the right to control Elsama so they could escape if something urgent happened, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about,' he thought aloud, then looked at Hina, who was staring at him with dagger-like eyes.
'It has been a while since I talked to Tashigi. Has it been five days?' He touched his chin in thought, then looked at Nami, who was watching the sea with a beautiful smile on her face. He couldn't help but feel curious and ask, "You seem to be in a good mood?"
"Yes... it's just that being almost alone with you feels like a date or something~" she said shyly. Ren faintly smiled while thinking, 'A date? It's a war against the strongest pirate group in the world...'
Seeing Nami's calm and indifferent attitude towards the war, Ren couldn't help but be moved by the character development she had undergone.
"What about you, Mikita? Are you nervous?" Ren asked, turning his gaze to the smiling blonde. She shook her head lightly and laughed, "Kyahahaha~ Throughout my career as a bounty hunter, I've heard about the strength and ruthlessness of the Whitebeard Pirates. To think I'll be fighting them in just a few hours... destiny is truly unpredictable!"
"You're right," Ren said, patting her head before shifting his attention back to the newspaper he had read several hours earlier.
'Moria vanishes under mysterious circumstances, and Blackbeard takes his place as a Warlord... so he's following the same plan as in the original storyline.'
When Ren first read the news, he was thrilled because it meant there wouldn't be any variables disrupting his advantage of knowing the future. Blackbeard in this timeline still had the same intentions as his previous self.
'Jinbe is likely being held in Impel Down. Given his character and admiration for Whitebeard, he will try to stop the war just like before... but it's useless,' Ren thought about the fish-man currently in Impel Down.
'But Luffy is the biggest wildcard in the upcoming events. Since Garp took him away, he won't meet Hancock and go to Impel Down to free powerful prisoners who would help him rescue his brother.' Ever since Ren decided to act against Luffy, he had stopped caring about him. The only thing still valuable to Ren was Luffy's Devil Fruit. Garp would likely suppress Luffy and put him under strict guard, preventing him from going to sea again.
Ren pondered all of this as time passed. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours. The atmosphere on the Navy ship was calm. Ren occasionally spoke with Nami and Mikita. Nami loved staying close to Ren, which made Mikita jealous, while Hina watched them with a red face. No one knew if her face was red from embarrassment or anger.
••••
-Boa Hancock POV-
*Sigh...*
I have to leave the island and go to that filthy place filled with disgusting men.
I really didn't want to go, but the old woman Gloriosa kept urging me, saying that my participation in this war would save the Isle of Women.
I stood on the deck of my ship, the Kuja Pirates' vessel, looking at the calm sea filled with Sea Kings sleeping in the depths. Fortunately, my ship was pulled by Sea King serpents, so we wouldn't encounter any incidents.
We had set sail a few hours ago and were about to reach our destination: Marineford, the headquarters of the Navy, the World Government's dogs.
Tch! How I wish this war would destroy Marineford and everyone in it.
"Hibihime-sama! We've arrived!" I heard my subordinate's voice. I nodded calmly and looked coldly at the Gate of Justice opening before me.
"You must continue alone from here, Warlord Hancock."
I looked at the source of the voice. It was the disgusting Vice Admiral who had come to summon me.
He was on his ship, sailing alongside my Kuja Pirates' vessel. Naturally, I wouldn't board a ship full of filthy men.
"Hmph, I know."
I glared at him coldly and glanced at my subordinates, who started to head back to the Isle of Women after bidding me farewell.
In a few minutes, I was at Marineford, and the scene I witnessed was truly astonishing.
•••
-General POV-
"We've arrived!" Ren heard Hina's stern voice and looked at the Gate of Justice slowly opening. The Navy ship passed through the gate and entered Marineford.
He had finally set foot in the Navy headquarters, Marineford!
Ren looked at the soldiers filling Marineford's plaza. Their numbers were increasing every second, showing how prepared the Navy was for this war.
One hundred thousand Navy soldiers in total!
The Navy's formation consisted of elite soldiers from the Grand Line and the four seas, along with Rear Admirals and Vice Admirals, and finally, the highest combat power of the Navy: the three Admirals and the Fleet Admiral!
Of course, the Navy hero Garp, who was on par with an Admiral, could not be ignored.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea were also a strong and important addition to the Navy. The Navy had chosen to fight pirates with pirates. Even if one of the Warlords died in this battle, they wouldn't feel any remorse or sadness—they would simply find someone else.
"Wow..." Mikita gazed in awe at the massive crowd of Navy soldiers.
"So many..." Nami suppressed the tension in her body and gripped her sword tightly, determined not to let herself become overwhelmed.
At that moment, Hina looked at Ren, Nami, and Mikita and said, "Hina informed the Fleet Admiral of your arrival. He says your subordinates should stand with the rest of the soldiers while you stand alongside the other Warlords." Hina then turned to leave.
Upon hearing this, Ren understood why all these troublesome preparations were necessary. The execution scene would be broadcast worldwide, so the navy had to appear organized and strong to the public. As one of the warlords, he was responsible for this to some extent.
"I understand," he said calmly, then looked at Nami and Mikita, who jumped off the navy ship that continued sailing to dock at a distant port.
"We will part ways here and regroup when the war begins, girls." Ren held them tightly and kissed them quickly, not caring about the embarrassed expression on Mikita's face, then turned to find his place.
It didn't take long to find four people lined up. Although the line didn't have many people, it was clearly special.
After all, the warlords were gathered here: Pirate Empress Boa Hancock, Heavenly Demon Donquixote Doflamingo, Hawk-Eye Dracule Mihawk, and Tyrant Bartholomew Kuma.
Including Ren, there were a total of five warlords at Marineford, with only Jinbei and the newly appointed Teach missing.
On the high execution platform, Sengoku frowned when he saw that Teach had not yet arrived. Was he ignoring the summons, or did he no longer want his title as a warlord? This was illogical since he had only just received it a day ago.
Sengoku looked at Ren, finally meeting this mysterious pirate face to face. He glanced at his friend Garp, whose expression was grim as he stared at Ren...
Sengoku sighed slightly in worry. He had to prevent Garp from doing anything reckless.
With this thought in mind, he went to talk to his subordinates to coordinate the war.
Back to Ren, when he saw the four warlords lined up in front of him, he didn't lose his composure and calmly walked past them.
'Seeing the characters I watched and loved in my past life standing in front of me is still a bit strange... hehe.' Ren smiled inwardly and walked silently. He could see Doflamingo looking at him with a malicious smile and a gaze filled with hostility and resentment.
When he looked at Hancock, he was internally shocked. Staring at the beautiful woman in front of him for a long time made him feel as if he was unconsciously attracted to her.
'Is this the power of the Love-Love Fruit?' he thought to himself, becoming fully alert inside.
In the next moment, he activated the < Cold Heart > skill, and the coldness on his face intensified, causing the warlords, except for Kuma, to look at him with a hint of surprise.
When Ren is in the < Cold Heart > state, he doesn't care about the expressions and feelings of the people in front of him. He quickly found his place in the line and stood quietly, the third tallest person in the group after Kuma and Doflamingo.
His weapon < Versa >, in sword form, was hanging at his waist, emanating a demonic aura. Mihawk looked at Ren's sword with interest and then said in a powerful voice, "Are you a swordsman?"
Ren's expression didn't change, but he replied in a cold voice, "Yes."
"I See."
Mihawk nodded and stopped talking.
'What the hell is wrong with this man? Why doesn't he show any sign of amazement upon seeing my beauty?' Hancock screamed in her heart. The Love-Love Fruit she had eaten enhanced her attractiveness, making people who saw her for the first time unable to resist looking again. But this person gave her one look before his expression turned cold and he ignored her.
'Is he perhaps using Haki to cancel the effect of my Devil Fruit's power? No, that's not possible... It requires a terrifying level of Haki mastery.'
While Hancock was engrossed in her thoughts, Doflamingo laughed maliciously and looked at Ren, then said in a voice carrying a hint of hostility, "Did you kill my toys that were on Jaya Island?"
Ren looked at him with the same cold expression, knowing he was talking about Bellamy the Hyena. He said, "So what if I did?"
The cold tone made Doflamingo narrow his eyes under his glasses and say, "I'm afraid you'll have to compensate me for that, fufufu~."
"Make me."
Ren's statement made Doflamingo's veins bulge on his forehead in anger. Hancock looked at the two with an arrogant expression, not bothering to watch their dispute, while Mihawk seemed interested in seeing Ren's swordsmanship.
"Fufufu... the newcomers are fierce these days." Doflamingo smiled but wasn't happy at all. He raised his hand, looking ready.
"You can confirm it yourself." Under Doflamingo's aggressive movement, Ren's expression didn't change, making the Heavenly Demon's face even uglier. He gritted his teeth and...
"Fufufu, forget it." Doflamingo laughed and relaxed his hands, looking at Ren and thinking to himself, 'We'll see what happens after this war!'
Sengoku, who was about to intervene and reprimand the two, was speechless. These two were about to fight just a moment ago, so what the hell happened?
What about his plan to display his authority in front of 100,000 soldiers?
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