On the boundless sea, Roya and Kalifa stood on the deck of the Admiral-class Battleship.
Behind them, Roya's hundred Phantoms operated the ship with disciplined precision.
Kalifa held a bounty poster and reported to Roya, "Roya, it's confirmed. The fleet of fifty pirate ships ahead belongs to the most notorious crew in the East Blue—the Krieg Pirates!"
"Self-proclaimed 'Admiral' and hailed as the 'Ruler of the East Blue,' their crew is estimated to number around four thousand five hundred."
"Based on current intel, they must have just entered the Grand Line."
As Kalifa delivered her report, Roya's Justice Coat billowed loudly in the sea breeze.
Gazing at the fifty ships in the distance, he murmured softly, "A mere seventeen million berry bounty, and they dare to enter the Grand Line? They should think again."
At this, Kalifa allowed a sly smirk to curl her lips.
"Krieg is actually quite lucky. To encounter an Admiral the moment he enters the Grand Line—this is an honor beyond what most could ever dream of!"
After speaking, Kalifa stared in disbelief at the Krieg Pirates' fleet ahead.
"What are they trying to do? Surround us?"
She watched as the Krieg Pirates' ships scattered and began closing in, leaving her torn between laughter and exasperation.
Did they not realize what this battleship represented?
It meant the presence of at least one Admiral-level combatant!
And what did an Admiral-level combatant signify? One of the Navy's highest-tier forces!
"Don't be surprised. They're just frogs at the bottom of a well."
At that moment, Krieg's voice boomed from afar.
Using an Amplifying Den Den Mushi, he shouted at Roya, "Battleship ahead! You're about to be surrounded by the mighty Krieg Pirates! Kneel now, and I might grant you the mercy of a whole corpse! Hahahaha!The arrogant laughter made Roya's brow furrow slightly. "Noisy."
In the next instant, the hundred Phantoms aboard the battleship shattered.
Before Krieg and his crew could react, Roya had already risen into the air above the sea.
"How is he flying?!"
"How did he do that?!"
"This can't be real—how can a human fly?!"
"Is he some kind of monster in human skin?!"
...Hearing his subordinates shouting in panic below, Krieg bellowed angrily, "It's just a Devil Fruit user! Look how scared you've become!"
A sinister expression crossed Krieg's face as he sneered, "It's not like I haven't killed Devil Fruit users before! It's just—"
Before Krieg could finish his sentence, everyone saw a massive shadow engulf their own.
"Susanoo!"
A terrifying, giant-like entity appeared before their eyes.
Roya stood with arms crossed between the giant's brows, enveloped by a violet-black Phantom.
With Armament Haki at its peak wrapped around the Phantom, Roya's voice drifted into the pirates' ears: "If you're this weak, don't embarrass yourselves in the Grand Line!"
As Roya's words faded, the hundreds-meter-long fist, under his control, mercilessly descended upon them.
Watching the enormous fist in the sky grow larger in their pupils, they felt boundless despair rising in their hearts.
"Is this the monster of the Grand Line?"
"Is everyone in the Grand Line this strong?!"
"This is too terrifying!"
"Save me! Someone save me!"
"Captain! Captain, save us!"
"Wait... where's the captain?"
...
Krieg, who had been standing on the deck moments ago, had suddenly vanished without a trace.
The pirates exchanged bleak glances, wanting to say something, but it was already too late.
The Susanoo's fist crashed heavily onto the sea's surface.
The sea instantly cracked like dry land, forming a massive "crater."
Then, due to the nature of seawater, it violently collided back together, creating towering waves that soared hundreds of meters high!
In an instant, the pirate ships were swallowed whole.
Countless pirates plunged into the water as the "crater" transformed into a whirlpool, mercilessly devouring them like a ravenous beast.
On the marine warship, Kalifa was drenched in cold sweat.
She had rushed to the helm, struggling to steer the ship away from the enormous whirlpool.
There was no helping it—the power behind that single punch was simply overwhelming.
With just one strike, nearly five thousand pirates from the massive fleet were annihilated!
Countless were swallowed by the whirlpool, and the pirate ships were shattered by the waves.
The one responsible for all this was the young man hovering in the sky, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with cold indifference—the youngest Admiral in history, White Dove.
As the pirates were consumed by the whirlpool, Roya murmured softly, "Finally, some peace."
The Susanoo's Phantom dissipated, and Roya landed gracefully on the warship.
Then, he whispered, "Hundredfold Phantom."
In an instant, a hundred Phantoms materialized, taking over the ship's operations.
Seeing Kalifa emerge from the helm, her fair forehead glistening with sweat, Roya smiled gently at her. "You've worked hard."
Kalifa, who had seemed ready to complain, instantly softened at Roya's warm smile. "It's nothing. Just doing my duty."As time passed, the sea gradually calmed.
Looking out, the vast expanse of ocean now held only Roya's battleship sailing across the waters.
"Kalifa, how many days have we been out?"
"It's been five days already."
Kalifa adjusted her glasses with one hand while consulting the small notebook she carried, reporting to Roya: "We've eliminated seven pirate crews so far, with the combined bounties of all the pirates reaching billions."
"That'll do for now. Let's see which islands are nearby to resupply."
Kalifa acted like a proper secretary as she replied: "The nearest islands are Cocoyasi Village and Drum Island in East Blue. However, Drum Island is currently closed to all foreign vessels due to Wapol's upcoming coronation, allowing only local ships to dock."
Hearing Kalifa's report, Roya's lips curled slightly as he said softly: "Then we'll head to Cocoyasi Village for supplies."
After leaving Marineford, Roya hadn't made straight for Cocoyasi Village. Instead, he'd spent the journey systematically hunting pirates, carefully controlling their course until they arrived near Cocoyasi.
Everything was proceeding exactly as Roya had planned.