At the coastline of Mock Town, a multitude of ships had already gathered. Pirate flags of various designs and colors fluttered in the wind, clearly marking their owners as pirates.
But amidst them, Young and his crew spotted a warship flying a uniform flag.
"It's Qin's Nation!" Young's pupils contracted. He instantly recognized the warship, none other than the recently infamous Qin's Nation spreading across the first half of the Grand Line.
Qin's Nation had originally been the country of Alabasta. But not long ago, a powerful army had seized control and renamed it "Qin." Even more shocking was that this nation possessed two Experts whose strength could rival top-tier Great Pirates.
For pirates in the first half of the Grand Line, the name Qin's Nation invoked a mix of awe and dread.
A bounty of 1.8 billion, for them, that was an unimaginable level of power.
"What are they doing?"
Standing at the bow, Young and the others saw a group of solemn, disciplined soldiers in sharp military uniforms carefully inspecting something at the coast.
"Captain, what should we do?"
The crew was clearly intimidated by the presence of Qin's Nation's military. To them, these figures were completely beyond reach, people they'd never even dreamed of crossing paths with.
"Move in closer. There doesn't seem to be any major disturbances on the island; it should be fine."
Young frowned in thought for a moment before replying in a low voice. In truth, they didn't have much of a choice. Their supplies were almost exhausted, and they'd come to Mock Town to restock essential food and clothing.
After some hesitation, the pirate ship slowly approached the shore.
Once they landed, the crew disembarked.
At the port, teams of Qin's Nation soldiers stood at attention, their faces grim, issuing cold warnings in low voices.
"Mock Town is now under the jurisdiction of Qin's Nation. All visiting pirates, be mindful of your behavior; don't go overboard. Otherwise, Qin's Nation will not tolerate troublemakers. For now, all merchant ships and pirate crews must register here."
The one leading them was an officer who shouted with his hands behind his back, his voice carrying far and wide.
Captain Young and his crew instantly froze, eyes wide in shock.
Mock Town had always been a chaotic, lawless place. Even the Marines avoided it. Rumor had it that the underground forces here were connected to major powers from the New World, and hardly anyone dared to mess with them.
But now, from the looks of it, Qin's Nation had taken full control of this island.
They were even enforcing regulations here.
What shocked Captain Young and the others even more was that pirates arriving at the port, including those with bounties of 50 million, even 80 million, despite their odd expressions and shifty eyes, actually obeyed the officer's orders and were lining up to register their identities.
It was unbelievable!
Unruly pirates, behaving like obedient schoolchildren? It was practically impossible!
"Hey, kid, don't just stand there staring. Look over there." Suddenly, an old pirate beside them grinned and spoke in a low voice.
The old pirate's bad breath made Captain Young and the others frown, but they still followed his pointing finger. Instantly, their pupils shrank.
"That's…?!"
"That's right. That's the King of Qin's Nation, the man with a terrifying bounty of 1.6 Billion. He's not a pirate, but the Marines have labeled him the 'Usurper King'! With him here, who would dare cause trouble?" The old pirate chuckled darkly while speaking.
He licked his lips and continued to speak…
"You know, kid," The old pirate said, "This man named Ying Zheng, the King, from the moment he returned after that battle with the Marines, it's like he went mad. He started sending his army out to wage war and conquer left and right."
"He's been expanding outward from the first half of the Grand Line, toward Twin Cape, attacking, subjugating; he's already brought seven nations under his rule."
Captain Young and the others widened their eyes. "No way! What is he trying to do?"
"What is he trying to do? Hah! That so-called King of Thieves clearly has grand ambitions. He's even more insane than the revolutionary Dragon. And unlike Dragon, he's blatant, shameless, he doesn't hide his desire for this world at all."
"Mock Town was taken by this king just this morning."
As the old pirate spoke, he seemed increasingly worked up.
It had been years, decades, since anything like this had happened. Qin's Nation had become the hottest topic in recent times. From its founding, to the Tenryuubito incident, to now these ongoing conquests, ever since Ying Zheng emerged, the world has been in a constant state of upheaval. It felt like living in a serialized novel, thrilling and addictive. Everyone was speculating about what this King would do next.
"It's obvious," The old pirate said, smacking his lips. "Qin's Nation knows it can't rely on its own strength alone, so it's racing against time, devouring and expanding its forces. It's preparing to go head-to-head with the World Government and the Marines!"
Captain Young's eyes bulged. "But... the Marines, are they just sitting back doing nothing?"
"How could they be?" The old pirate scoffed. "Marine divisions have already clashed with Qin's Nation forces. But what's shocking, though not really surprising, is that the Marines suffered a crushing defeat!"
"They tried to block Qin's Nation from receiving reinforcements, stationed a heavily armed fleet in the seas near Alabasta. Fifty warships, a solid wall at sea... But it didn't work."
"Why not? Because among Qin's forces is the Asura of the Blood Eyes, Uchiha Madara, with a bounty of 1.8 Billion!"
"This time, Qin's Nation is about to shake the world to its core!"
Captain Young trembled from head to toe, overwhelmed by the torrent of shocking information. "Then what about the pirates? They're not doing anything?"
"Of course they are! Pirates are rebellious by nature; they're not going to sit quietly!"
"Some of the ambitious ones have pledged allegiance to Qin's Nation, becoming its people."
"Some dared to challenge the King himself... but none survived. See that bloodstain on the street? Among the dead were Great Pirates with bounties over 100 million."
Captain Young's whole body shook. He looked at the still-wet pool of blood and felt a deep chill.
But alongside the creeping fear came another feeling, excitement. A storm was coming.
Qin's Nation wasn't pulling any punches; it was rolling up its sleeves, ready to confront the Marines head-on. Even more terrifying, they were outright undermining the foundations of the World Government!
Such boldness. Such arrogance. Such... awe-inspiring might!
Captain Young stared hard at the silhouette standing in the street. He was overcome with admiration and shock at this king's courage and presence.
To carry out such a grand and ambitious feat, how many people in this world would even dare try?
At this very moment, countless people like Captain Young were feeling the same indescribable excitement about Qin's Nation's moves.
But Qin Yi, standing silently on the street of Mock Town, was deep in thought.
"The name has spread, the fame is enough. But the power... it still falls short of the Yonkō level."
"Also, I must fully master all three types of Haki."
"And then... Enel."
(End of Chapter)
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