At the port in Paradise, a hundred-strong pirate crew lay screaming on the ground. Their captain, with a bounty over ninety million, stared in despair at the group of merchants before him. "Who… who are you people?"
"Can't you tell we're merchants?" Alice said coldly, frowning. Since it was only a minor conflict, she hadn't killed anyone.
"You're joking, right?" the pirate captain despaired.
Unable to control himself, he had tried to flirt when he saw Alice with only a dozen guards. In an instant, over a hundred pirates were thrown to the ground by enemies far outnumbering them.
It was as if they had appeared from nowhere.
Thousands of highly skilled merchant fighters? This woman, seemingly harmless, was the leader of this force.
Even sheer numbers alone left the pirates helpless. The captain, who had once dismissed human-wave tactics as ineffective against his strength, couldn't believe thirty subordinates had brought him down.
The coordination, the combat ability—these were skills honed only through long experience in battle.
Desperate, the captain was knocked unconscious by Alice's finishing kick.
"Hello, I'm Xia's steward, Alex. How many of you are there? I'll arrange lodging and meals," Alex said, approaching with several dozen guards.
Although Alice's group used the AKS Guild's name and their ships had been modified, the numbers were still enormous. Without swift organization, they would attract undue attention.
"Our Vanguard Legion is 120 strong, and the rest total 7,000 warriors," Alice reported, having brought over a substantial portion of Lantis' forces.
"Understood. I'll make arrangements. One request—keep your troops from being too disciplined; after all, we're merchants now," Alex said awkwardly. He understood why the pirate captain doubted their merchant status.
Have you ever seen merchants so disciplined that they maintain perfect spacing, wear cold expressions, and exude killing intent?
"Relax," Alice instructed the soldiers.
The soldiers glanced at each other. Relax? Aren't they already relaxed without fighting? They obeyed, weaving among each other, pretending to inspect the scenery.
Alex thought they looked more like scouts, but he let it slide. Ordinary people wouldn't notice them anyway.
High above, Morris was shocked. This force was clearly well-trained, with extensive combat experience—and over 7,000 strong.
Even nobles training a hundred elite soldiers would incur huge expenses. Lantis' high-quality forces numbered only three hundred. Where had Crocodile recruited such a strong army? He envied it.
This army alone could inflict heavy losses even on Morris' own forces. In the Grand Line, most nations couldn't withstand such a force, even if they mobilized their entire armies.
"Seems like a worthwhile investment," Morris muttered. He had been collecting intelligence for Rosen, manipulating public opinion, but such unilateral efforts would only pay off if they captured the kingdom.
Otherwise, Crocodile wouldn't honor his promise to secure a Shichibukai position.
In Paradise, Taizolo watched from the tallest building as Alice's group landed. Although distant, their movements showed a disciplined, trained force.
"The boss, that's the AKS Guild's new fleet. They came rather abruptly," the guild's manager noted.
"Doesn't matter. Crocodile didn't attend last night's party, which caused complications. I wanted to observe him first to decide if action was needed. For now, we wait," Taizolo said indifferently. A strong army answers to money and power—he could always hire one if needed.
Alice's group rested briefly in Paradise before hastening to Valos Barrier. The barrier now saw almost no new arrivals, and trade with other barriers had temporarily ceased.
Everyone watched, wondering if Valos Barrier would collapse or hold. This was critical for the kingdom.
"Report! A large force is at the port and has landed," a sentry running in from outside informed Vick.
"Impossible! The king's army is gathering in the capital. They couldn't have marched this fast. Prepare everyone for battle!" Vick was shocked. One or two strong individuals could travel this distance in two days, but an 80,000-strong army? Impossible.
Despite doubts, he gave the order and hurried to the walls to confirm.
"Up ahead is Valos Barrier," Alex reported, having already communicated with Xia.
Xia hadn't notified Vick, assuming Alice's group would rest in Paradise overnight. Instead, they arrived swiftly after a brief stop.
"What a massive wall. If only we had walls like this before, life would have been easier," Lisa, Alice's deputy, remarked. Hoddman and Morad remained on Flower Basket Island.
"It is impressive, but it doesn't look friendly. Perhaps it hasn't been captured, or it's testing us?" Alice signaled her Lantis soldiers to spread out while maintaining formation. Most could easily scale such walls.
"Alice arrived so quickly," Rosen said, arriving with Xia to intercept Vick's commander. Rosen's network monitored the entire barrier; key intelligence could not be ignored. He felt uneasy at the sight of Alice, hoping she wouldn't bring up the previous incident.
"Fast arrival, and they brought many people," Robin noted with a faint smile.
"So many?!" Xia was stunned. Though Rosen had promised a force, she hadn't expected over 7,000—comparable to a national army in this world. Their morale and appearance differed entirely from the city guards.
Vick, trained in military strategy, noted their rapid deployment and highly efficient formation. This was no ordinary army.
(End of chapter)