Chapter 10
Tian Chen thought about it for a moment.
Then he couldn't help but laugh silently.
Esdeath really was domineering to the core.
Even though he had completely crushed her in terms of raw power… In other aspects, she clearly still wanted to compete and come out on top!
But fine— He'd see who had the better skills when the time came!
"Ding! The system has detected that the Host has added one beloved concubine. Reward: +1 Free Point."
Tian Chen froze. He had almost forgotten about this reward task.
So he quietly used the Free Point in his mind.
Instantly, he felt a surge of excitement. He felt… stronger!
Snapping back to reality, Tian Chen felt a little embarrassed.
The system really knew him too well. But it was way too direct—made him lose all face.
Luckily, no one else knew.
Still… He didn't want to go too overboard. Just double the original size would be enough.
That way… His beloved concubines would definitely have an unforgettable experience!
A moment later, Tian Chen refocused. He pulled the intoxicating Esdeath into his arms and headed toward the inner chambers.
But Esdeath suddenly stood up.
"Husband, let me. You mustn't be nervous or scared, okay?"
Tian Chen blinked. Who's nervous? Who's scared?
He put on a calm smile. "Come on then—'a night of spring is worth a thousand gold'!"
...
At this moment outside…
The sky was filled with endless cannon fire. Every second, thousands upon thousands of shells rained down, exploding against the barrier above Sabaody.
The countless residents inside the islands couldn't sleep from the deafening noise. They all came out to watch.
The barrier overhead was completely swallowed in a sea of flames and smoke— Like the apocalypse itself was unfolding.
Fortunately… The protective barrier around Sabaody remained utterly unbreakable.
"So this is what a Buster Call looks like—endless, dense bombardment!"
"But if all these shells actually landed inside Sabaody, it really would be indiscriminate annihilation."
"The Marines are ruthless. They genuinely planned to wipe every single one of us out!"
"Hmph! Good thing we have Tian Chen the Great Emperor's protection—turning their so-called Buster Call into a spectacular fireworks show we can safely enjoy."
"Exactly! And honestly… this is the first time I've thought Marine Headquarters' thousands of cannon shells look this beautiful when they explode."
The people inside were bursting with pride. They had never felt this safe before. Never felt this much satisfaction from making the Marines look like fools.
This was true accomplishment.
Rayleigh and Shakky had also stepped outside. They stood side by side, relaxed and leisurely, watching the fireworks beyond the barrier.
"Shakky, isn't it pretty? Like fireworks we haven't seen in years?"
Rayleigh took a sip of wine and smiled faintly.
Shakky propped her chin on one hand, touching her lips thoughtfully. She ignored Rayleigh's comment and continued thinking aloud.
"I suddenly feel like… your earlier suggestion might be worth considering." "Maybe having Amazon Lily join the Giant Empire really could change things for the better." "But I still need to see what kind of person Tian Chen the Great Emperor really is." "If he's just paying lip service to 'freedom and equality' while being no different from the Celestial Dragons, then we can't take the risk."
...
Outside Sabaody Archipelago…
Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the others watched with cold faces. But the colder they looked on the outside… The more speechless and frustrated they felt inside.
This was ridiculous. They had dominated the seas for decades, yet they had never encountered such an absurd, unbreakable barrier.
To figure out why this resin-based barrier was so indestructible… Sengoku summoned Momousagi and Sentomaru.
Both had witnessed the entire process of the barrier's creation on Sabaody. Perhaps they had missed some crucial detail— Some key power component!
"Fleet Admiral, the material of this barrier really was extracted by Tian Chen the Great Emperor with a casual lift of his hand from the mangroves." "After that… we don't know how he managed to form the dome in an instant." "But this subordinate believes… it's not the toughness of the resin itself." "It's the faint golden light coating the barrier—that's the real reason it's indestructible."
Momousagi spoke seriously.
"Exactly, Fleet Admiral. I noticed the same thing." Sentomaru added from the side. "When that golden aura enveloped the people inside Sabaody, I saw countless individuals forced to their knees, unable to resist."
Sengoku's brows furrowed deeply.
What kind of monster had they encountered?
Or… Was this barrier's power some kind of black technology left behind by the ancient Great Kingdom?
The reason Sengoku couldn't help but think this way… Was because Tian Chen had named his empire the Giant Empire.
Could there be a connection between the Giant Empire and the ancient Great Kingdom…?
Just then, a call came through the Den Den Mushi from Commander-in-Chief Kong in Mary Geoise.
"Sengoku, what's the situation over there?" "Why did you activate the Buster Call so quickly?" "Wait… don't tell me—even with the full might of Marine Headquarters, you still can't break through that turtle-shell barrier?"
Kong asked in shock.
Sengoku sighed helplessly. "Don't even ask—it's infuriating." "This is the first time I've encountered something so troublesome and absurd." "I'm afraid even if we bombard non-stop until dawn—ten-plus hours of full-scale fire—we still might not break that indestructible shell."
"What?!"
Kong was utterly incredulous on the other end.
The largest Buster Call in history… Ten-plus hours of bombardment… And they still thought it wouldn't be enough?
"I'm honestly starting to question my life choices!" "And now those idiot pirates inside are treating the Buster Call like a beautiful fireworks display!"
Sengoku suppressed his rage.
The mighty Marines… Had never been mocked and humiliated like this before!
The worst part? The ones mocking them were the scum of society— Criminals and pirates. How many innocent people could there even be on that island?
"Understood." "Don't worry—I'll explain the situation to the higher-ups." "At least this time, you won't take the blame."
Kong could only offer this comfort.
From the current situation… It really wasn't Marine Headquarters' fault. The enemy's methods were simply too strong.
At the same time…
The Five Elders were gathered in a small dark room, constantly monitoring Sabaody through live feeds.
All five old men stared at the screen with extremely ugly expressions.
"Hmph. To think even mobilizing the top brass of Marine Headquarters couldn't destroy that barrier—it's unacceptable!"
"Are the Marines not giving it their all?"
"How can a mere resin dome be this hard?!"
"Are those cannon shells made with substandard materials?"
"What happened to today's firepower?!"
"Why has hours of bombardment shown zero progress?!"
The Five Elders vented their powerless rage nonstop.
Deep down, they all knew… The barrier was ridiculously strong.
But they refused to accept reality. They preferred to dump the failure on Marine Headquarters— Blaming them for incompetence and failure to execute.
Meanwhile…
Imu was also watching Sabaody closely.
Her eyes were filled with disbelief. She wanted to go to Sabaody herself and see exactly what kind of monster this Tian Chen the Great Emperor really was— How could he possess such terrifying methods?
She was beginning to feel that Tian Chen posed a serious threat. He needed to be eliminated as soon as possible.
Then, she took a pen, found Sabaody Archipelago on a map… And coldly drew a circle around it—crossing it out.
In her heart… The next step of the elimination plan had already been decided.