"The third route will be entrusted to Marco, heading to Paradise and cooperating with many allied forces there, including the Revolutionary Army led by Dragon, to attack Marinfanto from the other side and block all gaps!"
He paused, looking at each face:
"This will be a war recorded in history, and it might be the last and the most dangerous battle for many of you. I ask once more, does anyone want to withdraw?"
Not a single person moved a step.
On the contrary, everyone stood straight, with a hotter fighting spirit burning in their eyes.
"Very good!"
Shano nodded with satisfaction, suddenly drawing the longsword from his back, the blade pointing straight to the sky, he shouted sternly:
"Then—"
"Charge with me! Break through Mary Geoise, overturn the World Government!!!"
"Break through Mary Geoise, overturn the World Government!!!"
Even more intense than before, tens of thousands of voices gathered together, soaring to the heavens!
Countless seagulls were startled into scattering and flying away, even the clouds in the sky were dispersed by this momentum.
In this inspiring tide of voices.
At the port, hundreds of ceremonial cannons fired simultaneously into the sky, deafening cannon roars echoed through the clouds;
On the deck, the sailors swiftly collected the ropes and raised the sails;
The gunners checked every heavy cannon, ensuring they were in optimal condition!
"Lift anchor!"
"Set sail!"
"Forward!"
Amidst the successive orders, large warships departed the port orderly, tracing white paths on the blue sea.
Looking around, there were indeed over a hundred ships!
Flags covering the sky, magnificent and grand, heading towards the Red Earth Continent!
........
Navy Headquarters, Marinfanto.
"Report! The Endgame Fleet has launched a massive operation, leaving Dawn Island!"
"Urgent report! Multiple fleets of the Revolutionary Army have been detected, rapidly gathering towards Shampodi Islands!"
"Latest news! The Neo Navy Fleet is merging with the Endgame, with an incoming force from the New World direction exceeding a total of one hundred thousand soldiers!"
Urgent messages flew like snowflakes into the Navy Headquarters command room, as staff scrambled to organize the intelligence, cold sweat appearing on their foreheads.
Kong sat behind the top desk, his face as dark as water, tapping lightly on the table with his fingers.
"Marshal!"
A staff member finished organizing the documents, palely reporting:
"According to the latest intelligence, the main fleet personally led by Shano has been advancing at full speed since yesterday, expected to arrive below the Red Earth Continent by tomorrow dusk!"
"Tomorrow dusk, huh..."
Kong murmured softly.
The pressure, it's really immense.
Facing such a vast scale of allied forces, even though the Navy Headquarters has been frantically drafting personnel from various branches since last week.
But the combat strength still feels insufficient.
"Currently, the naval forces dispatched to defend below the Holy Land have increased to sixty thousand after continuous reinforcement, while only twenty thousand remain stationed at the headquarters."
Another staff member swallowed, adding:
"In this situation, Mary Geoise keeps urging us to continue reinforcing and demands that you, Marshal, and Grand Admiral Borsalino, must all attend."
"I understand."
Kong replied coldly, "By comparison, naturally the Holy Land is much more important. Dispatch another twenty thousand troops over, Borsalino, you lead the team and depart immediately, I will follow shortly after. Although it only takes half a day to get to Mary Geoise from here, we always need to leave some time, it's about time to set off."
"Yes."
Kizaru, who had been silently staring out the window on the sofa, finally returned to reality, nodded.
Reinforce with another twenty thousand?
Both staff members were simultaneously stunned, thinking Kong hadn't heard clearly, instinctively reminding: "Marshal, we only have—"
"I'm not deaf, I mean to transfer them all!"
Kong interrupted grimly, "Trying to attend to both will only lead to losing both, the Holy Land cannot be compromised, we can only abandon Marinfanto!"
Times have changed.
The current Navy is no longer comparable to the peak period of strength when ten thousand elite soldiers could be assembled at any time.
Being from the navy himself, Kong still has some sentiment towards Marinfanto. If the navy's forces were in their prime, if Akainu and Ryokugyu were still alive, if Aokiji, Garp, and Zephyr hadn't left...
How could he possibly hand it over so easily?
It's a humiliating disgrace.
But there's no choice, it's out of helpless necessity!
"Yes, Marshal, we will notify them right away."
The two staff members exchanged a glance and left with a sorrowful expression.
"It's not just the lower-ranking soldiers, even the middle and upper-level staff, the officers now have very low morale."
Kizaru again gazed out the window for a while, then slowly stood up, looking steadily at Kong:
"Given the current situation… Marshal, do you think we will win?"
"We will win."
Kong answered resolutely:
"In terms of military strength, indeed we are at a disadvantage, but do not forget, the reason the World Government has stood for nearly eight hundred years is because we still have the final trump card!"
"That esteemed figure, due to certain reasons, is temporarily unable to leave the Holy Land, but now the Endgame is arrogant to the extreme, daring to attack the Holy Land directly. Hmph..."
Kong suddenly stood up, walked to the window, looking towards the direction of the Red Earth Continent, and laughed coldly:
"Perhaps in this battle, the Navy's casualties will be significantly high, but none of that matters, as long as we can hold on until that esteemed figure makes a move, until Shano is dealt with, the ultimate victory will certainly still belong to the World Government! Belong to the Navy!"
Really?
Kizaru remained silent, he very much wanted to make himself as optimistic as Kong, believing in that mysterious figure.
But, for some unknown reason.
Perhaps it's due to the numerous times he has faced that man, understanding him so well, or perhaps witnessing firsthand the falling of the avatar of that mysterious figure last time.
Kizaru's heart remained uneasy, with a faint sense of impending doom...
It shouldn't come to that, right?
........
Meanwhile, Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Within the Flowers Room, Imu stood silently by the window, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through layers of mist, staring into the distance.
Three Five Elders knelt respectfully on the ground.
"Master."
Mercury Warcury Saint said in a low voice, "The Navy Headquarters has acted according to our orders, mobilizing all forces to defend the Holy Land, but given their capabilities, I'm afraid they will ultimately struggle to fend off these rebels' attacks."
"No matter."
Imu spoke coldly, the genderless voice echoing like a valley ripple:
"The navy is merely a consumable, I never expected much from them. Mmu only needs these mortals to delay for a moment, that's sufficient."
Delay for a moment?
The three quickly exchanged glances, all realizing something.
"You mean, perhaps..." Saint Warcury cautiously tested the waters.
"Indeed."
Imu slowly turned, his ripple-like eyes fixing on the three Five Elders below:
"Since Mmu has summoned you here, then the retreat during this period has not been in vain. The progress of the chessboard is faster than Mmu anticipated, probably by tomorrow nightfall, Mmu's 'World' will be completed."
Indeed!
The three Five Elders gleefully raised their heads.
"According to the intelligence reported by the Navy, the Endgame fleet is estimated to arrive by tomorrow dusk, from there to nightfall, at most, a two-hour difference..."
Saint Ju Peter spoke.
A mere two hours!
All of the Navy, along with them the Five Elders, coupled with the newly developed war weapons, and the reconstructed Divine Knight Order...
It's enough!
Relying on the Red Earth Continent's insurmountable natural barrier, ensuring this rebel fleet is held off for two hours is certainly achievable!
"Dismiss, prepare deployments, don't let Mmu be disappointed again."
"Yes, Master!"
The three Five Elders dared not lift their heads as they left.
Once the Flowers Room returned to silence, Imu turned back, quietly gazing at the wall, where a wanted poster photo of "Shano" with a bounty as high as seventy-three billion Belly hung.
"When night falls, Mmu will be able to step out of the Holy Land. By then, all rebels will be utterly erased."
Imu spoke solemnly:
"You are indeed strong, and since you dare come here of your own accord this time, you have likely grown stronger than last time..."
"But, it doesn't matter."
"Mmu will let you know the gap between us, exactly how vast it is. And ultimately, who is the sole god of this world."