Mary Geoise, the Holy Land.
The Five Elders gathered together.
"The Ward Pirates have really done a good job."
"One Admiral, one Vice-Admiral, and the elite from fifteen warships. That's no small force."
"The Momo Momo no Mi is a very excellent Paramecia-type Devil Fruit."
"Bondyvald has enormous ambition. According to intelligence analysis, he has thoughts of subverting the Navy and the World Government. This is extremely wicked."
"But he is merely a pawn to obstruct the Xuanwu Navy."
"A mere piece on the board, it's fine for him to cause trouble in the South Blue, but in the Grand Line, he's not enough."
"Let him continue his rampage. For us, there is no loss."
The Five Elders, one after another, made their judgment on the events involving the Ward Pirates in the South Blue.
...
Marineford, Navy Headquarters.
Sakazuki looked at the newspaper and confirmed that the Xuanwu Navy had lost an Admiral and a Vice-Admiral, and their fleet had been destroyed. He then burst into laughter.
His laughter was so loud that the entire office building could hear it.
Kuzan heard Sakazuki's voice and let out a cold breath. While somewhat surprised, he also felt a sense of satisfaction.
His previous encounters with the Xuanwu Navy had been quite embarrassing for him.
"What a dangerous person."
"It's better to confine such pirates to Impel Down," Borsalino said, putting down the newspaper, his mouth crooked as he uttered a few lascivious sounds before murmuring.
Fleet Admiral's Office.
Sengoku stood before Kong, discussing the matters in the South Blue.
"Fleet Admiral, I heard that the World Government has dispatched a force that will permanently join the Navy. Is that true?" Sengoku inquired.
Kong did not conceal it and nodded, "Yes, it is a combat unit codenamed 'Guardians'."
"Where is this unit located?" Sengoku asked curiously. "Is it a secret operation?"
"You will know soon enough," Kong replied with a faint smile.
Sengoku felt a bit perplexed.
However, since Kong was not saying more, he could not press further and could only await news.
North Blue.
If one were to discuss the strongest force in the North Blue, it would undoubtedly be Germa 66.
Germa 66 is a colossal organization known as 'War Experts,' whose rulers are the Vinsmoke family.
The head of the Vinsmoke family is Judge, who was once a genius scientist researching Bloodline Factors alongside the foremost scientific mind, Vegapunk, and had made considerable achievements in the field.
Later, due to certain matters, they parted ways. Judge then utilized Bloodline Factors to create wave after wave of emotionless, pain-immune artificial humans and establish a scientific force.
With the scientific force under his command, Judge became invincible in the North Blue, defeating numerous factions and striking fear into the hearts of many.
However, the North Blue falls under the jurisdiction of the World Government. No matter how powerful the Vinsmoke family was, they were still like an egg hitting a rock before the World Government. Thus, Judge chose to pay tribute and join the World Government.
The World Government, coveting the strength of the Vinsmoke family, also wished to use their power to absorb pressure from the World Government, so they agreed to protect the Vinsmoke family.
It was from this point onwards that the Vinsmoke family became the rulers of the North Blue.
Many strong individuals emerged from the North Blue, but few remained there.
Without these strong individuals, the Vinsmoke family continued to reign supreme.
However, starting two months ago, with the appearance of the Xuanwu Navy, the Vinsmoke family's status began to face severe challenges.
The Xuanwu Navy forces led by Sakata Gintoki were extremely effective in their crackdown on pirates.
Almost no pirate they encountered could escape, and they were relentlessly pursued.
They were also very effective in their crackdown on gangster forces in local islands and kingdoms, responding to the pleas of the common people.
This led these local factions to place great trust in the Xuanwu Navy and to seek their protection.
As a result, they no longer wished to pay the protection fees that were originally due to the Vinsmoke family each year.
They even confiscated or destroyed some of the Vinsmoke family's businesses.
As a feudal lord-like power, no such entity is completely clean, and the Xuanwu Navy, even in the future, will be no exception.
However, the research conducted by the Vinsmoke family's scientific force also involved human trafficking and human experimentation.
As individual research bases were unearthed, the calls to crack down on the Vinsmoke family grew louder.
Especially the kings of the various kingdoms, they vehemently denounced these actions and then offered substantial gold and resources, seeking the Xuanwu Navy's assistance to eliminate the Vinsmoke family.
Sakata Gintoki accepted this mission, and thus, for some time, the crackdown on pirate forces, particularly those under the Vinsmoke family's rule, and the scientific force's attacks have not ceased.
"The Vinsmoke family is very strong. In our encounters with them, their scientific force has been the most troublesome.
"They are all suicide troops, unafraid of pain or death. They would sacrifice ten men to kill one opponent.
"They even have human bombs.
"And yet, the Vinsmoke family has an abundance of such death-seekers.
"Admiral, we need to change our strategy. If we continue fighting like this, our soldiers, even if they can fight a hundred to one, will suffer heavy losses."
Yelitski's expression was solemn and helpless.
Over time, the North Blue pirate factions, primarily the Vinsmoke family, have launched attacks against them five times, including sieges and remote ambushes. If you dared to pursue, they would immediately scatter or launch other forms of artillery attacks.
Even if pursued and caught, the enemy would fight recklessly without fear of death, and even if their own men were in the way, they would fire a cannon, killing both their comrades and the Xuanwu Navy soldiers.
Sakata Gintoki scratched his head, also troubled.
With his personal strength, he naturally had no fear.
In fact, he had inflicted significant losses upon them.
However, his soldiers could not.
On a vast battlefield, he could not attend to everyone.
Furthermore, there were also many hidden pirate experts in the North Blue.
Among them was a short man codenamed Silver Fox, whose Dazzle-Dazzle Fruit allowed him to release light rays that had caused him trouble on several occasions and restricted his speed.
If he did not possess the Sword-Sword Fruit, which allowed him to create and control numerous sword energies at will, he might have fallen in the North Blue.
Just as Sakata Gintoki was deeply troubled about how to resolve the alliance with the Vinsmoke family, his powerful Observation Haki instantly sensed approaching danger.
His gaze then shifted to the distance behind him.
"Good heavens, what is that?"
"They can actually run on the sea, and their speed is incredibly fast."
"What is that, light rays?"
"Quick, dodge!"