bookbashuk Chapter 212 deviates from the original story again; Zephyr and Sengoku become admirals? Garp, still
Chapter 212 deviates from the original story again; Zephyr and Sengoku become admirals? Garp, still
Chapter 212 deviates from the original story again; Zephyr and Sengoku become admirals? Garp, still as ruthless as ever.
"There's no other way—" Nasujuro Sei slowly drew the First Generation Kitetsu from his waist, its sword gleaming coldly. "Since they refuse to retreat, then let's fill the Valley of the Gods with their corpses!"
"Issue the top-secret order: First, order all members of the Knights of God to enter Level 1 combat readiness. Even if God Valley sinks, those useless bastards must be saved! Second, dispatch all CP0 elites and directly subordinate secret assassination units under the government's command to immediately airdrop into God Valley! Third, order the Marine Headquarters—"
A glint of malice flashed in Satan's eyes. "Order Fleet Admiral Kong, forget about the New World defense line! Send every able-bodied marine, regardless of rank, to God Valley! Use lives to exhaust Rocks' strength!"
Just as the navy initiated its death mobilization, a secret order from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise instantly crossed the ocean and arrived at the Valley of the Gods via a special signal wave.
In the heart of that island, considered paradise, Figalando Garin received another secret order.
He casually wiped the blood of a slave from his longsword, a cruel smile curving his lips. "Oh? Lox is coming? That bastard who 'deluded to be the king of the world,' finally decided to come and rescue his woman and child?"
He turned his head and looked at the woman and the small figure not far away, who were imprisoned in an iron cage, covered in blood but with a stubborn look in their eyes.
"Lord Garin, the Five Elders request that the purification process be initiated immediately." A CP0 member dressed in a white suit knelt down to report.
"What's the rush?" Garin Saint grinned maliciously, his eyes filled with a morbid excitement. "Tell those five old men that I will turn God Valley into the most magnificent trap. I want Rocks to watch with his own eyes how his obsession gradually turns into nothingness in that abyss of despair."
"Pass on my orders!"
"All members of the Knights of God, assemble! Lay all the landmines and explosive rocks on the island at the landing site! Also, activate that 'experimental subject'—since Rocks is causing trouble, let's give him a true divine baptism!"
Meanwhile, Marineford, the headquarters of the Navy, is experiencing the highest level of turmoil in its history.
drop--!
drop!
drop--!
In the Fleet Admiral's office, the middle-aged Air Admiral roared, his voice echoing through the building: "Damn it! What kind of hornet's nest have those Celestial Dragons, who just sit in Mary Geoise and eat their fill, stirred up?!"
"These damned old fogies, they're making soldiers fill in the sea!"
Marshal Kong angrily overturned his desk, his tiger-like eyes bloodshot. He had just received the final order from the Five Elders: "Order the main force of the navy to hold Blood Moon Fortress to the death! Regardless of the cost, regardless of casualties, even if the entire force is annihilated, hold off the Rocks Fleet! At the same time, the follow-up forces must reach the outer waters of God Valley within three hours!"
Kong Yuanshi was well aware of the cold-bloodedness behind this order. The Five Elders didn't care about the lives of these tens of thousands of elite naval soldiers; they just needed time, time to set up the devastating trap in God Valley.
Originally, in order to deal with the growing threat of Rocks, the Navy conducted an unprecedented "global recruitment drive" over the past six months. Countless passionate young men and skilled civilians were swept into the Navy's furnace, causing its forces to swell to an unprecedented peak! Kong's original plan was to set the battlefield in the New World, using overwhelming military superiority to completely bury Rocks there.
However, everything was ruined by the so-called "God's Hunt" by the Celestial Dragons!
"The battlefield is being dragged to the first half of the Grand Line? If we fight here, half the world will be shattered!" Sora smashed a specially made desk with his fist, sending splinters flying. He had cursed those arrogant Celestial Dragons a thousand times in his mind. They were trash, idiots, the most hopeless parasites in the world!
But he was ultimately a Marine Division Commander, and under the shackles of "absolute justice," he had no choice but to carry out his orders.
But he had no choice. For the sake of that damned "absolute justice," he had to order a desperate defense.
With the Five Elders issuing their various cold-blooded orders, the massive machine of the entire world government began to operate at full speed.
Countless dark, secret government ships set sail from behind Mary Geoise, carrying upgraded versions of the "Buster Call" weapons capable of destroying the island, and surrounded God Valley from all sides.
It's a big gamble.
The stakes are the lives of tens of thousands of marines, the Celestial Dragons' nearly thousand-year-old dignity, and the future of this world.
The Five Elders stood atop their lofty pinnacle of power, coldly surveying the naval charts. In their eyes, the tragedy at Blood Moon Fortress (which they had already foreseen the Navy's demise) was nothing more than a series of numbers; any sacrifice was worthwhile as long as the scourge of Rocks' era could be eradicated.
"The Valley of Gods — will become the final resting place for the name D."
Satan coldly closed the dossier and walked to the huge French windows. In the distance, dark red clouds were rolling in, a harbinger of destruction and the stirrings of a new era.
Previously, due to the unusual activities of the Rocks Pirates, the Navy had already made some preparations, and the large number of recruits gathered over the past six months were divided into two parts.
One group headed to Mary Geoise (now heading towards God Valley on the orders of the Five Elders), while the other group, led by about a dozen vice admirals, was stationed on the only route between the New World and the first half of the Grand Line, where the naval fortress was known as the "Blood Moon Fortress".
The sea wind howled, violently pounding against the thick stone walls of Blood Moon Fortress, bringing with it an unsettling salty smell.
This salty, fishy smell didn't just come from the sea; it was more like the aura of death drifting in from a distant abyss, frantically seeping into every crevice of the fortress and stirring up bursts of wailing sounds.
The towering cliffs on both sides, bathed in the cold moonlight, resembled two enormous guillotines hanging over the throat of the world, attempting to block this only shipping route to the Western Sea. Between the cliffs, a dense array of heavy coastal defense guns stood like awakened steel behemoths, their muzzles pointing skyward, reflecting a chilling death ray.
At the top of the highest and most precipitous command tower, a man with short purple hair stood like an unyielding monument, his cloak fluttering in the gale. His terrifying aura suppressed even the raging winds of the sea.
Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr!
At this time, Zephyr was at the peak of his life, at the height of his confidence. His promotion to Admiral was not the routine advancement depicted in the original story, but rather a reluctant move by the World Government amidst the crucible of blood and fire.
The year 1484 of the Sea Calendar marked the darkest and most turbulent prelude to the Great Pirate Era.
In previous clashes, and even humiliating wars, the Rocks Pirates' "Four High-Ranking Officers"—Brian of the Beasts, Newgate of the Whitebeard, Shiki the Golden Lion, and Big Mom Linlin—demonstrated a dominance that chilled the World Government.
In that brutal naval battle, two elderly veteran admirals from the Marine Headquarters, who had upheld justice for forty years, were easily killed by Shiki and Linlin. Even Sengoku, whose strength was no less than that of an admiral, was defeated by Brian in that battle, leaving behind a shadow of inner demons.
In that battle, the sea was stained crimson with blood, and two tattered banners of justice turned to ashes in the smoke of battle.
The balance of naval power was instantly thrown off balance, and the panic caused by the power vacuum swept across Mary Geoise. In order to fill this terrifying gap, Marshal Kong, with the authorization of the Five Elders, resolutely initiated an unprecedented "wartime promotion".
I still remember a month ago on the medal-awarding platform at Marineford, the Air Admiral's voice, hoarse and solemn with an undeniable air of authority: "Sengoku, Zephyr, from this day forward, you are the highest-ranking admirals of the Marine Headquarters!"
The Warring States period was draped in a robe inscribed with "Justice that reigns supreme," and the golden light reflected off his stern face.
Zephyr, however, clenched his arms tightly, which had been tempered to the extreme by Armament Haki and even had a purplish-black metallic sheen. What he felt was not the pleasure of power, but the heavy burden of blood debt.
As for Garp—unsurprisingly, he still chose the "tough guy" approach. In front of everyone, he pushed aside the gold-trimmed epaulettes that symbolized his admiral status, picked his nose, and said, "I'm quite content being a vice admiral. It saves me from being ordered around by those useless Celestial Dragons every day and having to wear those cumbersome cloaks."
This statement instantly shocked the entire Navy Headquarters. If the central authority hadn't intervened to stop the spread of the news, Garp would probably have become the Celestial Dragons' number one troublemaker.
Of course, Garp had long been a thorn in the side of the Celestial Dragons, simply because of the "D" in his surname. If it weren't for Garp's truly great strength, his intricate connections with the entire central command of the Navy, and his ever-growing influence within the Navy, he would have been a formidable opponent.
For various reasons, even though the Five Elders did not choose to eliminate Garp, this "heretic," they continued to tolerate his rebellious behavior. This can be seen as a result of the somewhat abnormal development of this era and this world.
And so, "Black Arm" Zephyr, who was appointed to the mission in a time of crisis, led his army to the place known as the entrance to hell—Blood Moon Fortress, with his passion and the dignity of a newly promoted general.
"I wonder how things are going with Garp and Sengoku. They said they were going to fight the Rocks Pirates, but they're heading to Mary Geoise. I hope there won't be any conflict." Zephyr was unaware of the numerous orders the Five Elders had given to the Navy, and even less aware that Garp and Sengoku had already set sail for the Valley of the Sea God.
"Teacher Zephyr————"
Lieutenant General Bogu's voice interrupted Zefa's thoughts. He lowered his head, his voice so deep it seemed to drip water, "The Five Elders' emergency evacuation order has been issued. Those adults say the fortress cannot be held, and they demand that we immediately evacuate to the Valley of the Gods to defend the Holy Land—"
Bogu's hands trembled, not from fear of death, but from a sense of humiliation at being abandoned. Beside him, Lieutenant General "Gale" Aaron and Lieutenant General "Hammer" Mord also wore grim expressions.
"retreat?"
Zefa slowly turned around, his eyes behind his sunglasses gleaming with an extremely sharp light, and he clenched his fists, which gleamed with a purplish-black metallic luster.
"Bang!"
A loud boom, caused by the excessive condensation of domineering energy, resounded in the air, and the aftershocks even cracked several gaps in the surrounding solid city walls.
"Bogu, how many years have you been with me?" Zephyr stared at him, his voice like rolling thunder. "If we just retreat like this, what will happen to the tens of thousands of civilians along this route? If we retreat and let those lunatics like Rocks run rampant, what will those two words behind the Navy—'Justice'—be worth?"
"But—" Lieutenant General Aaron pointed to the distant horizon, his voice almost swallowed by the wind, "Rocks has launched a full-scale attack this time. He's a demon god feared even by the gods." Professor Zephyr, intelligence indicates that Rocks himself is on that flagship.
The distant sky was no longer the normal darkness of night. A dark red, like thick ink smeared with blood, was frantically devouring the moonlight. Beneath the red and black intertwined clouds, countless streaks of jet-black lightning flashed, as if an ancient demon god was overlooking this tiny fortress from the clouds.
"So what?"
Zefa let out a cold snort, stretched out his huge hand, and slowly put on his signature sunglasses, concealing the resolute look in his eyes that seemed ready to die.
"This flag behind me wasn't hung up to serve as a watchdog for the Celestial Dragons. It's to protect the peaceful sleep of the weak! Fleet Admiral Kong's orders to hold it to the death, and I will hold it until my heart stops beating!"
"Prepare for battle!" Zephyr roared, his voice echoing across the land. "Let those trembling cowards in Mary Geoise see this: as long as the Navy has a breath left, pirates will never rule this world!"
Aaron and Maud exchanged a glance, their fear gradually replaced by a frenzied fervor. Yes, following this man, even venturing into hell didn't seem so terrible anymore.
"Heavy Hammer Squad, load Seastone shot! Target: Enemy forward lane!" Lieutenant General Mord roared as he charged toward the gun emplacement.
"Wind Force, prepare for the assault! We'll show those bastards just how tough Blood Moon Fortress is!" Aaron drew his command sword from his waist, the tip pointing at the already boiling red sea.
At this moment, at the edge of the sea, the menacing "Sword of Gibbeck" had torn through the sea fog, revealing its keel covered with fangs.
Standing at the bow, even across the sea several kilometers away, Zephyr could feel the nauseating, violent aura emanating from Lockes. It was an absolute violence that sought to utterly crush all laws and civilization.
"You're here!"
Zefa unbuttoned his shirt and casually tossed his general's cloak to a nearby orderly. His massive, mountain-like muscles gleamed a purplish-black in the moonlight, and his crossed arms produced a metallic clanging sound.
"No one is allowed to retreat, not even to the last soldier!"
"For justice—!!!"
At that moment, tens of thousands of elite naval troops roared in unison, their voices drowning out the roar of the waves and echoing for a long time between the cliffs.
On this day, Blood Moon Fortress will no longer be just a geographical term; it will become the final resting place for countless naval heroes, and it will also witness the earth-shattering, awe-inspiring brilliance that will erupt when a pinnacle admiral of an era decides to fight to the death.
Zephyr stood atop the tower, taking a deep breath, his lungs pounding like bellows. He watched the pirate fleet surge towards him like a tidal wave, a sinister and gleeful smile creeping across his lips.
"Lox, I've been waiting here for a long time!"