"Hmph, as expected from the western seas—nothing but cheap swill. There's not a decent vintage to be found in this backwater."
The man who held titles as king, scientist, and mercenary slammed his wine glass onto the table, grateful he hadn't brought his family to witness this sorry display.
King Mogwa... That fool thinks everything can be solved with money.
The obese figure with his unkempt beard—really, that scraggly mess was about the only memorable thing about him—shook off any semblance of royal dignity and gestured impatiently for his servant to refill his cup.
"No wonder they call it a nation of pirates. Such a vulgar man for a king..."
The man—Vinsmoke Judge—ruled a kingdom without land, a nation that existed only in movement. The only ground beneath his feet was the deck of a warship. The only territory he could claim was whatever battlefield he currently occupied.
This was precisely why he had to fulfill his ancestors' centuries-old dream: the restoration of the Germa Kingdom that had ruled these seas three hundred years ago.
"Perhaps even common pirates have better taste than this..."
Scattered beside his wine cup lay intelligence reports on his target—"Captain" Kuro—gathered since his arrival in these waters. What particularly caught Judge's attention were the development records from the uninhabited island where Kuro's crew had established their base.
Such detailed information should have been impossible to obtain, yet through his connections within the Navy, he'd managed to extract comprehensive data on their operations.
For pirates, they show surprising skill in construction and fortification...
The ruins of the base where Kuro's crew had sheltered the Marines they'd rescued during a certain incident told a remarkable story. Though the base had been abandoned shortly after the regional headquarters battle, it had been equipped well enough to qualify as a small village.
Proper sleeping quarters had been constructed. While the crops had been harvested and removed, the cultivated fields remained sizable and well-maintained. A sturdy infirmary stood ready to house the wounded and sick. Bathing facilities built from stone and timber. A processing workshop for butchering game, drying meat, and tanning hides. Even primitive but functional woodworking equipment for preparing ship repair materials.
"More like settlers than pirates... no, like adventurers. First-rate ones at that."
They must have created quite the comfortable living situation. According to the records, many of the Marines brought to investigate the site—some of whom had temporarily lived alongside Kuro's crew—broke down in tears upon seeing the abandoned base. A significant number resigned from service afterward.
"Your Majesty."
One of his command-type clone soldiers approached—the kind he considered worth keeping close for critical operations.
"An armed fleet is blocking our advance."
"Those pirates again?"
"Affirmative. We count five ships bearing the mark of a three-clawed black cat directly ahead, plus one heavily armed vessel flying different colors. Two more on each side of our starboard flank."
"Ten ships total?"
Judge donned his helmet and took up his spear, rising from his seat.
"If possible, take the officers alive. They could prove useful as personnel, and even if not, keeping them breathing would make valuable gifts for the World Government—"
Just as he stood to get a better view of the enemy fleet and issue further orders, his ship—which had never so much as trembled before—suddenly lurched violently with a thunderous roar.
***
"...Hmm."
Observing the distant fleet—this bizarre enemy formation of massive ships carried by enormous electric insects—the world's greatest swordsman sheathed his drawn blade and muttered thoughtfully.
"Even at this range, I thought I could slice through living tissue, but... surprisingly durable. I only managed to halt its movement. A scientific army... interesting."
"THAT'S WHY I TOLD YOU TO SAY SOMETHING BEFORE ATTACKING!"
You bastard! I knew you were going to do something the moment you headed for the bow!
Mihawk, currently being kicked in the back by Hancock, tilted his head in genuine confusion. You really need to learn at least one of the basic principles of 'report, consult, discuss' by now!
"Well, never mind that! Mihawk, what's your assessment?"
"With that level of durability, even direct cannon hits won't sink them easily. Certainly not with just a few shots. If this becomes an artillery duel, we're looking at a prolonged engagement."
"...I see."
Cannon battles are indeed our specialty as the Black Cat Pirates, but there's a critical problem: it's a war of attrition. Cannonballs, gunpowder—even the cannons themselves are essentially consumables.
Thanks to all the weapons we've captured recently, we're not short on ammunition, and we've been firing freely to demonstrate our strength... but against a truly powerful enemy, we need to end this as quickly as possible.
"Captain, it seems the enemy hasn't experienced attacks strong enough to rock their ships before. Their response is sluggish."
Hancock, satisfied after delivering several solid kicks, pointed toward the enemy fleet with a bow crafted by master artisans.
"Alright, Perona, prepare both Negative Hollows and Mini-Hollows. Depending on how effective your abilities prove, we'll charge with this flagship as the spearhead and use your power for support to take down one ship first."
Our plan is to exploit the large ships' poor maneuverability and fight dirty, but the numerical disadvantage is obvious. Without our fully automated combat systems and elite trained crews, we'd be forced into a prolonged battle we'd eventually lose.
"Will my abilities even work on them?"
"I heard Germa soldiers are conditioned to feel no fear. If it works, that would be enormous help... but prepare for the worst-case scenario."
While I no longer overestimate our capabilities since learning about Haki, our area-suppression specialist is still frustrated with the limitations of her powers. However, when it comes to explosive chaos, she could excel in confused battles.
Excluding monster-class combatants like Mihawk, Perona is undoubtedly our most dangerous in terms of raw firepower.
"Listen carefully: first priority is one ship. Secure one ship. Mihawk."
"Understood."
"Whether the ghosts work or not, you and I lead the assault. Clear?"
Our strongest piece smirked and replied with a single word: "Naturally."
"After that, under artillery support from Bege's ship plus the sixth and seventh vessels, all combat personnel from ships one through five will board and secure the target. Then, using that captured ship as our main platform, we'll move on to taking the others. Mihawk and I will rampage freely to reduce enemy pressure."
Germa's greatest weapon is their soldiers—the sheer number of troops combined with equipment quality that can withstand serious attacks creates overwhelming pressure.
Conversely, if you can overwhelm their numbers with superior personnel and wear them down systematically, dealing with them becomes significantly easier.
And here, we have swordsmen at the absolute peak of power.
There's no choice but to charge in and grind them down.
"During that phase, use the captured ship as your primary battlefield. Amis and the other elite guards will hold off enemy forces attempting to reclaim their vessel."
We'll concentrate the enemy's attacks in one location to prevent them from spreading their forces effectively. It'll be a brutal fight, but our current personal guard should be able to handle it.
They've been tested by Mihawk and proven capable of fighting through any duration and any harsh conditions. After all, besides Amis, several others have earned recognition as "interesting opponents" from Mihawk himself.
"This time, Perona will focus primarily on supporting our boarding parties, so Robin will handle enemy observation and intelligence."
Robin nodded firmly while Amis and the others smiled despite the approaching battle. Thanks to Perona's attention and interventions, Robin is well-liked by everyone, especially the personal guard.
"Hack and the fishmen, I'm sorry, but please assist with movement and rescuing fallen crew members."
"Understood."
"And—Daz."
"Yeah."
"This time, I'm going to focus on reducing their numbers. If we don't, we'll be overwhelmed."
"Makes sense."
"Exactly. So, here's your order."
"Take down the enemy commander, Vinsmoke Judge."
"...Captain."
"Yes?"
"We've been through a lot since we started this pirate crew together—"
"I've been waiting for this order."
Wow, he's really fired up... No, everyone's morale is running high. The ships from the second vessel onward have gained real combat experience, so there's no disorder in our fleet movements.
"Alright then, let's do this! We can win this!"
"BATTLE COMMENCES!"
***
10 Advanced Chapters Available on my Patreon!
https://patreon.com/Well_being