At the entrance to the Plaza of Fate, William studied the new mission that had materialized following Golden Lion Shiki's appearance.
[Turning the Tide]: Stand firm amidst the storm, uphold the crumbling edifice, and refuse to bow to others. Faced with recruitment attempts from the legendary pirate Golden Lion Shiki, you choose to resist to the end, defeat him, and thwart his plans.
Mission Reward: Special Feat [Heart of Iron]
The skies above the Plaza of Fate teemed with countless Threads of Fate. Since William had published his exposé of Shiki's plans and issued his call to arms—positioning himself as the lone leader against the legendary pirate—the threads had multiplied at an unprecedented rate.
William understood this phenomenon intimately—it represented the power of human will. Sometimes crucial, sometimes seemingly insignificant, but when confronting a superior enemy with limited forces, a wise strategist would never overlook even the smallest advantage.
His consciousness swiftly returned from the Plaza of Fate to reality. In his study, Sherlock reported on recent developments, weariness evident on his face:
"Over a hundred pirate crews have assembled in White Pine Town to support our operation. Combat personnel have been selected, and ammunition and supplies fully replenished. The influx of pirates from across the East Blue has significantly decreased. Given how rapidly news travels, any pirates intending to join our cause should have arrived by now. We need not wait any longer."
William nodded decisively. "Begin deploying the airships."
Beside him, Selkirk added, "Seven hundred elite militia members have also assembled. However..."
Selkirk hesitated, his expression troubled.
"Deserters?" William inquired with remarkable composure.
Under William's leadership, the militia had evolved into a force comparable to the Seven Warlords of the Sea under the World Government. Criminals and immigrants served in the militia in exchange for the Navia Kingdom's protection. Unlike the World Government's tenuous control over the Warlords, William maintained firmer authority over his militia. Though not as individually powerful as the Warlords, the militia nonetheless harbored exceptional talents who had emerged through the crucible of adversity.
Creek exemplified this—possessing strength, intelligence, and ambition, he had boldly aligned himself with William, an ostensibly minor figure in the East Blue, against a legendary pirate like Shiki. But not everyone shared Creek's resolve. Many lacked genuine loyalty to William or the Navia Kingdom, driven instead by self-interest. During this genuine crisis, it was hardly surprising that some would abandon what they perceived as William's doomed forces.
William's primary concern, however, was not the deserters themselves but the potential chaos they might sow. These former criminals, aware of both Shiki's invasion and the impending aerial battle, might exploit the situation to disrupt local order. This was precisely why William had chosen to confront Shiki's floating islands directly—to minimize damage to his territory.
For this operation, William had meticulously selected elite forces, leaving local garrisons and most of the Royal Guard intact. The main combat force comprised volunteers from White Pine Town's pirate crews, militia warriors, and select members of the Morgan Pirates. In the world of pirates, quality of fighters often mattered more than sheer numbers.
The remaining personnel served two critical functions: preparing for post-victory reactions from the Marines and World Government, and maintaining territorial order to prevent domestic unrest during William's absence.
The limited number of airships also influenced his strategy. Given his forces' current technological capabilities, they couldn't produce massive airships weighing tens or hundreds of tons. The textile factories could only construct smaller vessels, each accommodating perhaps a few dozen people at maximum capacity. Considering Shiki's Devil Fruit powers and aerial combat advantage, building excessively large airships would be strategically unsound—equivalent to placing all eggs in a single basket.
In less than a month, despite round-the-clock production and utilizing airships initially constructed for unrelated purposes, they had managed to produce only sixty vessels, capable of transporting approximately three thousand personnel.
This force included:
Edmond and Diego, commanding 1,100 elite pirates from the East Blue—carefully selected captains, vice-captains, and officers from various volunteer crews. While Edmond possessed exceptional combat skills, he lacked expertise in command and coordination, prompting William to assign the steady and experienced Diego, former helmsman of the Red-Beard Pirates, as his deputy. Other veteran pirates like the hard-drinking Hatcheson were also deployed to provide support.
Selkirk, leading 700 militia warriors alongside core members of the Morgan Pirates.
Aramis, commanding 1,200 members of the Royal Guard from Kalmar City, including notable figures like Oliver, who had once saved Edmond's life and trained at the Isshin Dojo, and Ropita Rolle, William's diligent former bodyguard with formal military experience.
A specialized chemical unit of 200 soldiers distributed across several airships, experts in deploying toxic gases.
Finally, three exceptional students from Neustria Academy—Mickey Malone, Sabo, and Abram—had received William's special permission to participate in the battle.
These students, particularly Sabo and Abram, were remarkably fortunate in their timing. Having joined the academy after its establishment, they benefited from a well-structured curriculum. Unlike the earliest students who graduated after merely a few months of study with incomplete foundations, these later enrollees had ample time to solidify their knowledge base. Moreover, William's mastery of techniques such as Rokushiki, Life Return, Fish-Man Karate, and Yushinryu Swordsmanship had significantly advanced, allowing the academy to offer specialized training in these disciplines.
Consequently, students like Sabo and Abram not only had opportunities to build strong foundational knowledge but also received personal attention from William himself, ensuring they would be heavily utilized in future operations.
After careful deliberation, William had approved their request to join the battle, selecting only these three outstanding students whose abilities, despite their youth, rivaled those of seasoned adults.
Meanwhile, Dampier, William's trusted advisor, was not assigned to the combat force. Instead, he was tasked with overseeing operations at headquarters during William's absence.
With William away, the base risked falling into disarray. Given the scale of the operation against Shiki's territory, the reactions from East Blue locals, the Marines, and the World Government remained unpredictable. A sharp mind was essential to manage the situation in William's absence, and Dampier—with his intelligence and considerable combat skills—was the ideal candidate. He would be further supported by the equally astute Sherlock.
Harden, who harbored profound hatred for Shiki, was unfortunately too severely injured to participate in the battle. William could only console him with promises of vengeance.
After finalizing all arrangements, William turned his attention to Yasopp, who had been sitting silently in his chair throughout the meeting.
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