"So," Rayleigh said, "Kid, what are you trying to say?"
"Help me," Ian said, "Help the Kingdom of Amazon Lily willingly accept our protection."
"It might not be easy to convince the Kuja Pirates with just my empty words, but with the help of the former empress of Amazon Lily, it should be much simpler."
Both of them paused for a moment.
"You brat," Rayleigh couldn't help but exclaim, "You really have some nerve!"
To actually come seeking his help?
Sakazuki's feet landed on the shores of Amazon Lily.
Before him, the Marine soldiers had already surged forward like a tide, charging deep into the island.
Behind them, Marine warships were roaring, using scorching cannonballs to clear the path for the soldiers.
Cannonballs whistled through the air, crashing down on the forest like raindrops, and many even hit the massive mountain walls of Amazon Lily, creating a series of huge explosions that shook the earth.
In just a few minutes, the forests on Amazon Lily were engulfed in blazing flames, and the devouring tongues of fire seemed to spread, threatening to burn the entire island to the ground.
The scorching heat did not cause any discomfort to Sakazuki; rather, it made this cold-hearted man slightly raise the corner of his mouth.
This is how it should be—evil should be burned to ashes by flames!
He raised his head, his gaze cutting through the treetops of the forest, falling onto a distant mountain, where the giant words "Kujas" were visible.
With the hottest of abilities and the coldest of hearts, Vice-Admiral Sakazuki sneered as he raised his right hand.
In an instant, his entire right arm melted, turning into a flowing mass of dark magma, emitting thick black smoke.
With a swing of his right arm, a massive magma fist, as large as a small mountain, shot out, accompanied by a roaring thunderous sound, crashing toward the mountain.
The next moment, the two collided—earth-shaking, the sky trembling from the deafening sound, and the ground shaking from the violent impact.
The magma fist struck the mountain, and the terrifying shockwave instantly shattered the surface of the mountain. As magma splattered, the mountain peak began to collapse.
The Kuja-shaped sculptures symbolizing the Kingdom of Kujas were immediately destroyed, and the upper half of the mountain collapsed with a thunderous crash. Dust flew into the air, and the sound reverberated through the land.
"Dammit! What have you done?!"
An angry roar echoed from the depths of the dense forest.
Sakazuki raised his head, and in the distance, countless arrows shot into the sky, covering the Marine soldiers like a storm.
Sakazuki raised his hand and caught one of the arrows. The slender shaft was wrapped in Armament Haki.
This was the response of another arrow landing on a large tree nearby, causing a huge hole to explode in the tree's surface.
All these arrows were wrapped in Haki, far more powerful than firearms, almost comparable to cannons.
Marine soldiers struck by the arrows were instantly reduced to nothing but bones. Even those unlucky enough to be grazed by the Haki explosion were sent flying, their bodies ripped apart by the force.
In just the blink of an eye, the landing Navy soldiers had already suffered heavy losses.
"Onigumo! What are you hesitating for! Get your men and push forward!"
Sakazuki stood firm, raising both hands toward the sky. "I'll come and support you!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
It was like fireworks going off, one after another—huge magma bombs shot into the sky, dyeing the entire sky a brilliant red.
Among the Navy ranks ahead, a man with swords in both hands, his black hair seeming to grip six swords as if they were part of his arms, shouted loudly, "Charge with me!"
The Navy began to charge.
At the same time, deep within the forest...
The captain of the Kuja Pirates, Tritoma, a woman holding a longbow made of snakes, looked up at the sky in shock.
The sky had turned dark red, as if it was boiling from being scorched.
Then, meteors began to fall!
One after another, huge magma bombs fell from the sky, trailing long tails of fire as they descended!
The former Emperor, Gloriosa, screamed, "Sakazuki, the Admiral candidate of the Navy Headquarters! The Navy actually sent this monster here!"
"Dodge! Everyone, dodge!!"
This was not a move that the warriors of the Kuja Pirates could simply withstand with their Armament Haki.
But fortunately, the warriors of the Kuja Pirates were skilled in more than just Armament Haki—they also possessed Observation Haki, which was their strength.
A group of female warriors displayed incredible agility, dashing through the forest, avoiding the falling meteors from the sky.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the meteors crashed, the depths of the forest were instantly shattered, the splashing magma setting the dense forest ablaze. The thick poisonous smoke was so overwhelming that everyone dared not breathe.
Tritoma shouted loudly, "Kuja Pirates, follow me to stop Sakazuki! The Warriors of the Nation will block the other invading Navy forces!"
The "Guardian Warriors" were essentially a lower-tier division of the Kuja Pirates, tasked with maintaining the island's security. However, only warriors who had mastered Haki could hold such a position.
Tritoma lowered her head, looking at former empress of Amazon Lily, "Gloriosa, it's time!"
"What more is there to say now?"
Gloriosa took a deep breath, and her previously small frame seemed to grow slightly larger.
Kuja Pirates, charge!
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