"Marshal, there are naval warships approaching."
"It seems they're coming for us."
A special forces soldier noticed the pursuing naval warships and alerted them.
Benedict, upon hearing this, was slightly surprised, then quickly understood.
The Wolf Hunting Pirates had robbed a warship and killed its crew, inevitably angering the East Blue Navy. Now, by capturing members of the Wolf Hunting Pirates and keeping them for himself, and being seen alongside pirate ships by those who didn't know better, he had naturally become a target of the East Blue Navy's condemnation.
Benedict glanced at the four East Blue Navy ships charging towards them, then turned to Kenshiro and smiled, "If you were to handle this, how would you do it?"
"One punch is enough," Kenshiro replied calmly.
Kenshiro, with S-rank strength, was Admiral-level.
Were there Admirals in the East Blue? Typically, Admirals stayed in the Grand Line and wouldn't be found in a place like the East Blue. However, it wasn't impossible for an Admiral to appear in the East Blue, especially as it hadn't been long since the Pirate King Roger's death.
"Just a show of force will suffice," Benedict reminded him.
The Genbu Navy was still in its nascent stages, its foundations too shallow. The only pillar of strength they had was Kenshiro, an Admiral-level expert. However, Benedict was not worried about the number or quality of his subordinates. After all, summoning one hundred special forces soldiers every day for the past three years was no small feat.
Kenshiro, upon hearing this, moved to the stern of the ship, his gaze sharp as he looked at the approaching naval warships. He suddenly clenched his right fist, and a powerful aura erupted, surging towards the closing warships.
Bastille, who had confidently declared his intention to eliminate Benedict and his crew, was suddenly enveloped by this formidable aura, an inexpressible fear continuously assailing his nerves.
"Stop!"
"All ships, halt."
At a distance of about five hundred meters, Bastille's scalp tingled, and he shouted in alarm. Although he didn't know why his superior was suddenly ordering them to stop, at that moment, he couldn't afford to hesitate. He relayed the order, controlling the warships to stop.
After over a decade of hard work, Bastille had earned his current position as a Rear Admiral through military merit. The path he had taken was fraught with challenges and battles, hundreds of them. He had faced near-death experiences countless times. He was all too familiar with the feeling of imminent danger. Bastille was certain that if they continued to advance, lives would be lost.
"Turn around, retreat!"
Bastille shivered, as if struck by a sudden realization, and roared in panic. "Damn it, if we don't leave now, what are we waiting for?" To wait for death?
The other sailors, once again in a flurry, hurriedly turned their ships around and accelerated away.
Meanwhile.
Watching the East Blue Navy frantically retreating, Kenshiro's lips curled into a slight smile. Was it too late to leave now?
"Hah!"
With a fierce roar, Kenshiro unleashed his massive fist. Instantly, a powerful air pressure, as if compressed to its limit, was unleashed by Kenshiro's punch.
As the warships were rapidly turning, Bastille's gaze remained fixed on Kenshiro. The moment Kenshiro unleashed his attack, the terrifying sensation that accompanied it, the feeling of death drawing near, had already arrived.
Boom!
The sea surface erupted, and the immense force generated massive waves. The turbulent water created huge swells, and the four warships, in the midst of their turn, were capsized by the crashing waves. Seawater poured in, forcing Bastille to use Geppo to narrowly escape and then continuously use Geppo in mid-air to keep himself from falling into the water. Looking at the pursuing warships, Bastille's expression turned grim.
"Let's go."
Seeing that the East Blue Navy was no longer capable of pursuing, Benedict ordered them to leave. It was not yet time to clash head-on with the East Blue Navy. At least, not until his subordinates were all gathered and he could control the East Blue, he needed to exercise some restraint. However, Kenshiro's single punch, possessing such power, made Benedict quite satisfied. Benedict was certain that this punch hadn't even utilized half of Kenshiro's true strength.
Bastille watched the retreating warships and pirate ship, his expression extremely grim. However, it also made him profoundly realize that Kenshiro's punch alone was beyond his capability to apprehend. He had to report this immediately.
The East Blue, while not vast, was not small either. However, certain pieces of intelligence could spread rapidly throughout the East Blue, and even to other seas. The news that a naval warship in the East Blue had been annihilated, its vessel stolen, and that Rear Admiral Bastille, leading four warships in pursuit, had been attacked by a joint force of the Wolf Hunting Pirates and the Black Poker Pirates, nearly resulting in their complete destruction, created a stir across the East Blue once it began to circulate.
Although the Navy remained the undisputed ruler of the seas, with its mission to suppress pirates and uphold justice, Roger's words had ignited the Great Pirate Era, leading more and more people to yearn for the sea and become pirates. The current incident, as it fermented, gave pirates even greater confidence and courage. The Navy wasn't something to be feared. In the following period, numerous pirate crews emerged in the East Blue and roamed the seas. Consequently, many islands suffered, and a significant number of civilians were killed or injured. The East Blue Navy was overwhelmed, with tens of thousands of soldiers deployed and engaged in constant battles.
Marine Base in Loguetown.
As the largest naval base in the East Blue, it was also the final stop before entering the Grand Line. Currently, the East Blue was garrisoned by a Rear Admiral, Momonga. Dressed in a light purple striped suit with a dark blue shirt and tie, sporting a mohawk and a mustache, his demeanor was serious and diligent. Though young, he possessed formidable strength and extensive combat experience. Momonga had just finished a conversation via Den Den Mushi with Bastille. The current state of the East Blue, or rather, the entire world, was in chaos. More and more pirates were appearing, and the Navy was facing unprecedented pressure. Despite the Navy's valiant efforts and the capture of many pirates, numerous Navy personnel had been attacked by pirates, suffering immense casualties, and an untold number of warships had been stolen or destroyed. In short, pirates were becoming increasingly brazen. They not only avoided the Navy but dared to confront them directly.
"Notify all East Blue Marines to hunt down pirates with full force."
"Kill any one you find, no mercy."
The destruction and harm caused by pirates left him no room for leniency.
Meanwhile.
Genbu Navy Base.
With Benedict's return, over a thousand special forces soldiers were waiting outside the base. These were special forces scattered across various parts of the East Blue, and they represented only a portion of the total. Many more were still on their way. Furthermore, due to the chaos in various sea regions, it would take considerable time for special forces soldiers to report to the Genbu Navy Base. Even so, these thousand special forces soldiers were more than enough for the Genbu Navy to establish a foothold in the East Blue. After all, these special forces soldiers were all elites.