Boom!
Kaido's mace slammed into the water, sending a massive water column hundreds of meters high into the air.
Thunder and lightning exploded along the current, quickly spreading across the sea, covering an area as large as an island.
Tiny blue lightning bolts darted across the water's surface, moving like swift thunder snakes.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The lightning triggered the underwater mines, setting off explosions one after another.
Tens of thousands of mines detonated almost simultaneously, sending columns of water soaring tens of meters high at each explosion.
The water splashes flew thousands of meters, and the sea seemed to rise in altitude, creating rows of stunning water curtains that separated the West Blue army from the pirate alliance.
"This kid! How many bombs has he planted?!"
Kaido cursed, realizing he had miscalculated. He never expected the enemy to be so reckless, planting so many mines right in front of their base.
The combined explosions were so powerful, it felt like a natural disaster.
The force of the blasts reshaped the terrain, forming a towering wall of waves.
The waves kept rising, reaching over three hundred meters high!
The West Blue fleet, farther from the explosion, was safe, relying on the improved "Pluton" battleships to remain steady against the waves.
But the pirate alliance was not as fortunate.
In a world where technology was uneven, the pirates still relied on ancient, sail-powered ships, while artificial humans had already been created.
Compared to the steel forces in West Blue, the pirate ships seemed outdated, like relics from another era.
The pirate fleet was the closest to the explosion, and they were quickly engulfed by the waves.
Many of the ships that managed to survive were shattered by the waves crashing against the Red Line.
Because of Kaido's attack, the 40,000 to 50,000 pirates who had just descended from Upside Down Mountain were almost entirely wiped out.
But overall, it wasn't a loss. The minefield was gone, and Lynch gained a huge advantage. The mines had cost him little, while Kaido had lost 100,000 subordinates, a significant blow.
Both sides felt they had made gains.
"Worororo~" Kaido's laughter echoed as he floated on the "flame cloud," staring at Lynch from a distance.
"Kid, are you ready to die?"
Lynch wasn't intimidated. "That line should be for you, after losing hundreds of thousands of your subordinates."
"Hmph, sharp-tongued brat." Kaido snorted angrily, then turned to Doflamingo, his voice full of menace.
"Doflamingo, you know the consequences of betraying me, right?"
Before Doflamingo could respond, Moria, who had been watching Kaido with envy, spoke up.
"Shishishishishi~ Kaido, Doflamingo is already with Lynch. You should stop calling him. Doflamingo is afraid Lynch might misunderstand."
Moria never missed an opportunity to get back at Kaido, even if it was just with words.
The timid Perona quietly hid behind Lynch.
Doflamingo, taking off his sunglasses, showed a hint of joy.
"Kaido, Moria's right. You don't need to contact me anymore. Unrequited love never pays off."
For years, Doflamingo had been forced to cooperate with Kaido, but now, all the anger he had been holding in was finally released. He felt a great sense of relief and happiness.
Pika, surprised by Doflamingo's boldness, remembered something Lynch had once said:
Leaning against a big tree is the best way to enjoy the shade.
Maybe the pressure on Doflamingo had been too much in the past.
In response to the change in his master, Pika muttered in broken word, "He who knows the current affairs is a hero."
Kaido let out two gusts of cold air, his anger rising. Big Mom was too much of a bully!
That fat idiot Moria made him furious just by being there, and now Doflamingo, who had once obeyed him, was daring to resist.
It was all Lynch's fault—there was no one good around him!
Kaido's face twisted in rage, and without saying another word, he flew off. In his mind, he had already condemned several people to death.
Normally, Kaido would be reckless, but in this crucial battle, he knew he had to keep his cool.
Charging in headfirst would only lead to a stalemate between him and Lynch, both of them Mythical beasts with strong recovery abilities.
It could drag on for days without a clear winner.
There were more important matters to attend to first.
Without the minefield to hinder them, more and more pirates descended from Upside Down Mountain.
Fifty thousand... one hundred thousand... two hundred thousand…
The pirate ships seemed endless, and Lynch's eyes narrowed as he observed the massive fleet.
Kaido and Big Mom's coalition of one million pirates was manageable, two million was possible, but three million? That would be pushing it.
There were so many ships that it was hard to track the exact numbers, so they could only estimate.
"Please inform us that the first round of artillery bombardment can begin."
"I understand," Shikamaru replied respectfully.
"The emperor has ordered to cover the enemy with artillery fire!" The order was quickly passed down the chain of command, reaching the entire army.
There were six Marine legions present, each with 100,000 soldiers, totaling 600,000 troops.
Each legion had the same configuration:
One super large Pluton battleship, with a capacity of 10,000 people.
50 large Pluton battleships, each holding 1,000 people.
50 medium-sized Pluton battleships, each holding 500 people.
250 light and small Pluton battleships, and assault multi-purpose Pluton battleships, each carrying 60 to 80 people.
The light and small Pluton battleships, as well as the assault-type Plutons, are not equipped with heavy weapons or designed for ultra-long-range attacks.
Instead, they GOOD in maneuverability, allowing them to penetrate enemy lines or protect large ships during critical moments.
The total number of ships present in West Blue is the combined strength of six Marine legions, each with their own fleet configuration.
Each warship is equipped with various weapons, ensuring seamless cooperation in battle.
A single super-large Pluton battleship is armed with a range of powerful weapons: the Pluton main gun, naval guns, long-range ground-attack missiles, anti-ship missiles, close-range defense guns, long-range defense guns, small-caliber artillery, machine guns, light machine guns, electromagnetic guns, capture nets, and dozens of other weapons.
By inheriting the Pluton battleship blueprint, Lynch unlocked advanced technologies like steam power, brass engineering, Enel's moon technology, and various World Government technologies, many of which were provided by Teacher Zephyr.
Through years of development, West Blue's battleships have far surpassed the World Government's fleet in terms of capability, with Lynch playing a crucial role in this progress.
Lynch's advancements were built upon the ideas and technologies of those who came before him.
Meanwhile, Quinn, though capable of transforming his body to spit bullets and launch missiles, failed to think of modifying the Beasts Pirates' ships.
In contrast, modifying ships was something simple to Lynch, but most had never considered it.
They were stuck in the era of sailboats, with no thought of adapting their ships for battle.
Who would have guessed that they would eventually face Lynch, whose ingenuity surpassed all expectations?
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TO BE CONTINUED
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