"I understand!" Cyborg Empty responded solemnly before hanging up the phone. From the tone of the Five Elders, he could sense their unprecedented concern for Lin Xuan, Uchiha Madara, Hashirama Senju, and their group—a level of attention that surpassed even the Four Emperors. With that, Cyborg Empty knew exactly how he needed to approach the situation moving forward.
Finally, the fleet came to a halt just over a hundred nautical miles from the Sabaody Archipelago.
"All forces, take aim!" Cyborg Empty's cold command echoed across the command warship.
The soldiers on the warships snapped into action, every cannon trained on the Sabaody Archipelago. But at that moment, a golden streak of light shot toward them from the distance. In the blink of an eye, it hovered in the air not far away, gazing down at them like a blazing sun.
"Lin Xuan?!"
Cyborg Empty, Sengoku, and the other navy officers who had faced him before felt their expressions darken. The golden light was none other than Lin Xuan's Golden Susanoo. His overwhelming power had left a deep scar on their psyche from their previous encounter. Even though his Golden Susanoo now stood at just over a hundred meters tall—far less imposing than the thousand-meter giant they'd seen before—the sight of that terrifying figure still drained the color from many faces, some trembling so badly they could barely stand.
"Tch, quite the impressive fleet you've got there!" Lin Xuan's voice rang out from the head of the Golden Susanoo as he looked down at the hundreds of warships below, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Cyborg Empty and Sengoku's faces twitched at the sound. They hadn't expected their massive armada to intimidate someone bold enough to kill a Celestial Dragon, but Lin Xuan's calm demeanor—his cryptic smile—was beyond comprehension.
"How is this guy so composed? Does he have some kind of trump card?" Cyborg Empty muttered, uncertainty gnawing at him. He couldn't tell if Lin Xuan genuinely had a plan or was just bluffing.
What shocked Cyborg Empty even more was the sight of several figures standing on one of the Golden Susanoo's massive hands—the very people who had been broadcasting the events live.
"That bastard!" Cyborg Empty roared, his face twisting with fury.
For this Demon-Slaying Order, the World Government had deployed its elite forces, yet here was Lin Xuan, brazenly allowing the broadcast to continue. It was as if he didn't take them seriously at all! Cyborg Empty was on the verge of ordering an immediate attack.
Meanwhile, the scene was being broadcast worldwide through the Den Den Mushi, displayed on massive screens across the globe. Though the navy had destroyed many of these screens in various regions, the ones controlled by major powers remained untouchable. Everyone watching saw the hundreds of warships encircling the Sabaody Archipelago, their jaws dropping in awe.
In the New World, the Beast Pirates were watching the live feed from the Sabaody Archipelago.
"The World Government has this many warships?" Ember, the user of the Ancient Zoan Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Pteranodon Form, said with a heavy tone.
"Is this the true strength of the World Government?" Quinn, user of the Ancient Zoan Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Brachiosaurus Form, remarked as he took a deep drag on his cigar.
"Hmph, if it weren't for this, we'd never have known the World Government was hiding such power!" Jack, user of the Ancient Zoan Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Mammoth Form, growled.
The three turned to Kaido, their leader, who for once wasn't off seeking his own demise. His eyes were fixed on the screen, silent, his thoughts unreadable.
At the same time, the Whitebeard Pirates, Red Hair Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, the Revolutionary Army, and other major forces were equally stunned by the World Government's display of hidden strength. After the initial shock, they began to strategize, considering how to approach the World Government with greater caution in the future. Some dismissed it, others took it seriously, and a few were already devising countermeasures.
But one question united them all: How would Lin Xuan and his group face this overwhelming force?
As that thought crossed their minds, Lin Xuan's voice suddenly boomed through the broadcast. "Listen up! You have one minute to retreat, or you'll all sink to the bottom of the sea!"
The world fell silent.
Whether it was the World Government's forces outside the Sabaody Archipelago or the global powers watching the broadcast, everyone was dumbfounded. No one could believe Lin Xuan's audacity in the face of such a terrifying armada. Did he have a death wish?
Outside the Sabaody Archipelago, the elite soldiers on the warships snapped out of their shock, their anger erupting.
"That bastard dares to mock us like this?!"
"I can't take it anymore! Commander, give the order to attack!"
"We'll flatten him and the Sabaody Archipelago!"
"Commander, order the attack! Show this arrogant fool the consequences of his ignorance!"
The furious voices of the warship commanders flooded through the Den Den Mushi to Cyborg Empty, Sengoku, Garp, and Vice Admiral Tsuru on the command ship. Truth be told, they were just as enraged. The humiliation Lin Xuan had inflicted on them in their previous battle made Cyborg Empty itch to order an immediate assault.
But Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke up, her voice calm but firm. "He's this bold even now. Could he have another trick up his sleeve?"
Sengoku countered, "Or he could be bluffing to throw us off."
Her words gave Cyborg Empty pause, forcing him to cool his head and weigh the possibilities. Was Lin Xuan genuinely confident, or was this all a façade?
As Cyborg Empty hesitated, Lin Xuan's patience seemed to wear thin. His voice rang out again. "Time's up! If you won't retreat, don't blame me for what comes next!"
Every heart skipped a beat, all eyes locking onto Lin Xuan. In the next moment, their jaws dropped, faces frozen in disbelief.
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T/N:
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