Countless screens around the world displayed eager audiences waiting until the flags of Hoenn appeared on the sea.
"They're here!"
"It's the Hoenn Grand Fleet!"
"Hiss—there are so many of them!"
At a glance, there were no fewer than a hundred warships, large and small.
The scale was immense!
"Where's the Navy?"
The audience waited anxiously, but fortunately, the broadcast didn't keep them waiting long. The camera shifted to another location, where the Marine Fleet could faintly be seen.
Their numbers were equally staggering!
On the Hoenn Navy's side, Gurd held up a telescope, scanning the Marine Fleet. He spotted many familiar figures, especially Aramaki.
"Two Admirals have come."
Gurd lowered the telescope.
As expected, the Marines wouldn't deploy their full force. Two Admirals leading the operation was already the highest level of response.
There was no helping it—the Marines' most important duty was to protect the Holy Land.
"Let's issue a warning first!"
Two warships broke away from the formation, sailing toward the left and right flanks, respectively. At regular intervals, they dropped Beacons into the sea.
One of the ships headed straight for the Marine Fleet, passing so close it nearly brushed past their front lines. The commanding officer aboard picked up a loudspeaker.
"Attention, Marines ahead! The waters within the Beacon markers have been designated as our Hoenn Navy's exercise zone. This matter has already been reported to the World Government!"
"If your warships enter our exercise zone, it will be considered interference with our operations, and we reserve the right to retaliate!"
"Please maintain a safe distance!"
"Over!"
After delivering the message, the officer quickly urged his crew to make a swift retreat. If the Marines decided to attack, their small warship wouldn't stand a chance.
The Marines fell into a brief silence.
Then, chaos erupted.
"These bastards aren't taking us seriously at all!"
"How dare they act so arrogantly!"
"Shoot them down!"
Most Marines didn't want war, but being taunted so brazenly still stoked their anger. The officers, in particular, were seething with frustration.
But without orders from the Admirals, no one could act recklessly.
"Lahaha, what a pain!"
Aramaki rubbed his temples in exasperation.
Having fought Gurd once before, he really didn't want a second round. The other man's ability to compress the earth was something he found nearly impossible to defend against.
If possible, he'd prefer to avoid conflict with the Hoenn Navy this time.
Aramaki glanced at the neighboring warship.
"What do you think, Issho?"
"I'd very much like to know what kind of justice this war represents."
Fujitora rolled his blind eyes.
Nearly everything he'd heard about the Hoenn Government was negative, especially regarding its leader, Calamity Gurd—a man branded as utterly wicked.
But he wasn't the type to blindly believe rumors. News outlets were, after all, the World Government's mouthpieces, and altering facts or slandering enemies was common practice.
He wouldn't easily trust them, either.
Right and wrong, good and evil—only by witnessing things firsthand could he judge accurately.
"Let's wait for now."
Fujitora shook his head.
"This time, we were indeed a step too slow."
The Hoenn Government had already given prior notice, securing the advantage. If the Marines recklessly entered their exercise zone, it would be unjustifiable.
After waiting for over half an hour, Hoenn's sea-encirclement operation finally concluded.
Aramaki's expression immediately darkened.
"Hey, hey, this isn't good."
"What happened?"
"The Hoenn Navy has included the waters near Reverse Mountain's entrance in their exercise zone. Our people are still over there!"
"..."
Fujitora looked slightly taken aback.
In that case, they couldn't just stand by and do nothing!
After pondering for a moment, Fujitora raised his sword.
"Aramaki, let's go check the situation together, just the two of us."
"Eh? Just us two?"
"Indeed. I don't wish to engage in large-scale conflict with the Hoenn Navy. There's no need to increase casualties on either side."
Before Aramaki could respond, Fujitora gave a light flick of his blade. The deck beneath his feet split apart, carrying him toward the entrance of Reverse Mountain.
"Honestly, wait for me!"
Seeing this, Aramaki sprouted small propeller flowers from his back and reluctantly followed, not forgetting to issue orders to his subordinates.
"All of you, stand by here! Don't make any rash moves without our orders!"
"Yes, Admiral Ryokugyu!"
At the entrance of Reverse Mountain, by the shore.
Several small and medium-sized naval vessels were docked along the coast.
The officers grew tense as they watched the approaching Groudon Ship.
Antelope held up a loudspeaker.
"Navy, this is within the exercise range of our Hoenn Navy. Leave immediately, or face the consequences!"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
Rear Admiral Tina snapped her cigarette in half and argued firmly, "This toll station is a facility of the World Government. You're the ones who should leave! Tina is very angry!"
"This is your final warning!"
The Groudon Ship turned its cannons, aiming directly at Tina's vessel.
The disparity in ship classes was stark. Even if the Navy had more ships, they would be at a severe disadvantage in an artillery exchange.
"What?!"
Tina sensed something and immediately turned to look at the toll station. A woman clad in high-tech gear appeared atop the structure, planting a skull-marked sign into the ground.
The next moment, she vanished.
Antelope bellowed again.
"You have ten minutes to evacuate. After that, our fleet will commence artillery exercises on the marked location!"
"Dammit!"
Tina was furious.
The other side had no intention of negotiating, and with multiple warships closing in, her small fleet could be obliterated in an instant if they opened fire.
"Order all personnel to evacuate immediately!"
"Understood!"
The urgent task now was to evacuate the toll station staff and regroup with the main fleet. What to do next would be up to the two Admirals.
Within just three minutes, the panicked staff had all boarded the naval ships and departed.
Only the reporters, who had rushed to the scene upon hearing the news, remained on the shore. Spotting Gurd disembarking, they immediately raised their Den Den Mushi to capture the moment.
Gurd stood on the shore, waiting, his gaze fixed on the two figures flying toward him.
Soon, the pair landed.
"Rahaha, Brother Gurd!"
Aramaki approached Gurd, complaining irritably, "You're making things very difficult for us with this!"
"What's so difficult about it?"
Gurd replied coolly, "The Hoenn Government will fully compensate the World Government for any losses caused by destroying this toll station. They won't suffer financially."
"That's not the point!"
A vein bulged on Aramaki's forehead. "This is a World Government facility! Destroying it—are you trying to start a war with us?"
"The World Government's?"
Gurd scoffed.
"Since the founding of the World Government, Reverse Mountain has always been a public zone, belonging to no single nation."
"Let me ask you this—what right does the World Government have to build a toll station here? What right do they have to collect passage tariffs?!"
"Well..."
Aramaki was left speechless.
That did sound somewhat reasonable.
Gurd pressed on.
"If we build a toll station here and claim it belongs to the World Government, then if I plant the Hoenn flag on the Red Line, does that mean the Red Line belongs to our Hoenn Government?"
"Of course not!"
Aramaki blurted out.
Claiming territory wasn't that simple.
The laws in this area were lacking, but common sense dictated that as long as the land wasn't already claimed, the World Government could seize it.
"Exactly, it's not allowed."
Gurd nodded.
"Currently, there are no laws defining ownership of public areas, including but not limited to uninhabited islands, international waters, and this place."
"There are over three hundred nations in the world. The World Government is merely an alliance of half of them—it doesn't represent the entire world. More than half are still non-Member Nations!"
"Therefore, the World Government has no right to build a toll station here, let alone collect tariffs from passing ships!"
Gurd sneered and pointed at the toll station.
"In other words, this toll station is undoubtedly an illegal facility!"
"Let me ask you two this—"
"What's wrong with demolishing an illegal facility?"
"..."
The two Admirals fell into deep thought.
It seemed... they couldn't refute that!
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