Inside the Fleet Admiral's office.
Sakazuki stared at the massive strategic sand table on the desk.
He casually picked up the small flag representing the Marines and tossed it out.
Shash. Shash.
With two soft sounds, two small flags landed perfectly. Each one pierced the center of an island on opposite sides of the sand table.
Not long after…
* * *
The New World, Smear Port.
One of the islands under Knox's control that lay closest to the Marines' sphere of influence.
They had prepared for trouble, but no one expected the Marines to act so cleanly and decisively.
Dozens of warships kept their distance and bombarded Smear Port.
This lineup was already close to a Buster Call, though still restrained. For now, they only targeted areas marked as pirate strongholds on the island.
Vice Admiral Yamakaji, one of those overseeing the operation, stood on the central warship and took a drag from his cigar.
"This is much faster than expected. They started fighting the moment they entered the New World."
They had all received Sakazuki's orders not long ago and immediately led their fleets out.
There were no detailed instructions. Just take Smear Port.
The only restriction was to keep casualties within a certain range. The purpose was obvious. Training.
Vice Admiral Stainless laughed beside him.
"This is better. Wiping out pirates within our generation. What an honor. If I didn't have to command, I'd already be charging in."
As he spoke, he gripped the sword at his waist, blood boiling.
Yamakaji smiled. He had a point.
By now, the pirates stationed at Smear Port had recovered from their initial panic.
They organized counterattacks with practiced efficiency.
As the largest dark force in the underground world, Knox's subordinates were half gangsters and half pirates.
They could quickly form combat units. Combined with massive stockpiles of weapons, they could wipe out a small country in short order.
Several pirate ships had already rushed out of the harbor, cannons blazing in retaliation.
This was where the vice admirals proved their worth.
They commanded naval battles while teaching younger officers and passing on experience. If powerful pirates appeared, they could engage them directly.
Time passed slowly.
The deafening roar of cannons and firelight did not stop until deep into the night.
After a full day of fierce combat, the Marines still held the advantage.
They did not capture Smear Port, but more than ten hours of high intensity fighting pushed the soldiers' growth at a shocking pace.
In the past, they mostly chased pirate ships. When had they ever seen battles like this?
Fleet warfare. Naval coordination. Long duration. High intensity.
The targets were no longer small pirate ships, but entire islands and fleets.
This would become the new normal.
After the battle ended, the soldiers withdrew to distant waters.
They ate hastily and fell straight asleep.
They were exhausted. Truly exhausted.
Meanwhile, the vice admirals gathered to review the day's battle.
At dawn.
Whooo!
A sharp steam whistle tore through the air and rushed toward the Marines fleet.
"Enemy attack!!!"
The sentries sounded the alarm the instant the noise rang out, yet they could not find the source.
The piercing sound drew closer, enough to rupture eardrums.
The vice admirals rushed out. With Observation Haki, their faces changed instantly.
"Hey… are you serious?"
"How did that guy end up here!"
"It's just an island. And he starts with a trump card?"
The soldiers could not see it, but the vice admirals clearly sensed it.
A steam spear was diving straight toward them.
Shua!
A figure wreathed in cold air suddenly appeared above the fleet.
The air froze at once.
A massive semicircular ice dome formed in the sky, pressing against the side where the steam spear charged in.
Kuzan's right arm turned to ice. His body partially transformed as he grabbed the steam spear.
Steam and ice clashed violently. It thrashed as if about to break free from his grip.
"Hah…"
He exhaled cold air and the long steam spear froze solid in an instant.
Kuzan relaxed slightly and looked toward the distance.
"Oh my… an unexpected guest indeed."
Whooo, whooo, whooo….
More piercing steam whistles came rushing in.
He hurled the frozen steam spear in his hand. It collided head on with the incoming ones.
Boom!!!!
The explosion melted the ice, sending shockwaves and heat surging outward.
Nearby steam spears were blasted apart, scattering in all directions.
Some crashed into the sea. Others slammed into the massive ice barrier behind him.
All of them were stopped.
Bang!
Two fists collided.
In the sky.
Knox, his upper body wreathed in steam and half vaporized, stared at Kuzan.
"Did Sakazuki send you here to die? Marine Admiral, Aokiji."
Kuzan replied calmly, "Don't be so confident. But is something this small really worth you stepping in personally? Since when were Four Emperors so cheap?"
It was like two nations at war, and the enemy emperor personally charging into battle when only the first village was attacked.
What kind of madness was that?
Knox let out a savage grin. "Go to hell and figure it out!"
"Pressure Kill: Steam Burst!!!"
Almost instantly, his body swelled to several hundred meters in size.
Kuzan's pupils shrank. His body fully transformed into ice.
"Ice Age!"
Boom!!!!
A massive mushroom cloud rose into the sky. Suffocating heat swept outward.
Half of the mushroom cloud froze solid, then melted, only to be filled again by spreading ice.
Steam and ice locked in a stalemate, beautiful and deadly from afar.
Below, the Marines did not stay idle.
They could not grasp the full situation, but combat at this level was far too dangerous for ordinary soldiers.
They withdrew while calling for reinforcements.
Not long after the fleet pulled back, a massive armada of giant snail ships entered the area.
After briefly stopping at Smear Port, it sailed deeper into the sea.
* * *
The New World, New Marineford.
Sakazuki received the report and skimmed through it.
He then called Borsalino.
Soon after, a beam of golden light cut across the ocean toward Kuzan's position.
After hanging up, Sakazuki frowned slightly, tapping the desk with his index finger.
That Knox was not at death's door yet. Why did he step in personally?
"Carlo, go check Knox's territory. Find out what exactly is going on."
* * *
On the other side of the New World, Rasse Island.
Unlike Knox's territory, where subordinates were gangsters with vast weapons and ships. The islands under Red-Haired Shanks were like those of Kaido and Big Mom.
They were all governed by powerful pirate crews. There were few people, but every one of them was elite.
Under his banner were also many cannon fodder pirates, similar to large fleet groups.
However, this loose structure with chaotic organization struggled against marine fleets.
They collapsed quickly.
Powerful pirates tried to break through and join the fight, only to be stopped by elite vice admirals.
Lower level pirates were surrounded, cut off, and gradually wiped out by fleets formed of regular soldiers.
While Smear Port was still locked in battle, the fighting here had already ended.
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!