If it were in the New World, then a High-Level Official would need to accompany the ship. The flag of the Hundred Beasts can avoid most troubles, but once trouble arises, it is a big trouble. Mandefish's ability is not strong enough in the New World.
However, in the First Half of the Grand Line, his ability is sufficient. The iron-hard scale armor of the Magikarp gives him strong resistance to attacks from ordinary swords and guns once he activates his abilities.
To injure him, Steel Cutting is the most basic requirement. In the First Half of the Grand Line, there are not many swordsmen or opponents of the same level who can perform Steel Cutting, and it's usually a long time before encountering one.
Unexpectedly, in the West Kael Kingdom, he encountered such a person. After a brief exchange, Mandefish felt that he was different from those kingdom soldiers before.
Looking at that unfamiliar swordsman and his well-equipped team behind him, Mandefish's expression turned grim.
At the same time, a thought appeared in Mandefish's mind.
"Could it be that luck is truly conserved?"
Feeling the weight of the Plate on his back, Mandefish suddenly remembered the long-standing mystical theory within the Arceus Sect - Arthur's Theorem of Luck Conservation.
It suggests that a person's luck has a total amount. He was definitely lucky to find this Plate, but it was immediately followed by a series of unfortunate events. It seemed similar when he gained his abilities last time. This was not the first time such a thing happened to him.
With the support of the Imperial Guard led by Fifth of West Kael, the gap that Mandefish and his group had torn open was quickly blocked, and the surrounding people continued to close in.
The swordsman was particularly troublesome for Mandefish. He wielded a medieval two-handed greatsword, and every swing posed a significant problem for Mandefish.
As the leader of the scouting team, Mandefish had basic knowledge of Armament and Observation Haki. At first, he didn't use Haki against the ordinary bullets because there was no need.
But with this new enemy, he naturally used Haki. With the Haki-enhanced scale armor, it became even harder, and the opponent's blade could no longer break his defense easily.
However, the impact from swinging that greatsword still affected him, and he noticed that the swordsman didn't use Armament, but he had some talent in Observation Haki.
Due to his abilities, his developmental path was also focused on Body Techniques, but his attacks never landed on the opponent. The swordsman maintained a safe distance using the length of his blade, and whenever Mandefish tried to advance to the opponent's inside, it was always anticipated.
"You... your Observation Haki is pretty good..."
"This is the heart eye of a swordsman; someone with abilities like yours could never understand. Compared to the power brought by external tools like yours, the body is the most fundamental power."
"Ha, you ignorant folks always provide others with plenty of amusement, yet you have no idea what you're doing. We are not allied with those Rebel Army, but you have no idea what kind of disaster you're courting by provoking us."
"I don't understand, I'm just following the orders of His Majesty the Fifth. Surrender now; you can't break through. This is the most elite Imperial Guard of the West Kael Kingdom."
Mandefish ignored him and instead instructed his followers behind him: "Pierman, contact the people staying on the ship and use the ship's cannons to carve a path. You lead them back to the ship."
"What about you, Mandefish boss?"
"I'll handle this old guy. You're not his match. Don't worry, I have a plan to get out."
The most troublesome person among these people in front of him was this swordsman. His subordinates were no match for him, and exposing their backs to him would result in them being slashed one by one. However, if they didn't charge out, they would eventually be defeated under the encirclement of the Imperial Guard.
At this moment, the people remaining on the ship became their additional reinforcements.
And that so-called firepower support was also a classic infantry tactic - artillery coordination, a tactic only practiced by the Hundred Beasts after entering Wano Kuni and starting to recruit troops.
Besides the high-level confrontations between officials, their fights could determine the outcome of some battles. Artillery coordination imposed significant demands on both infantry and artillery.
The cannons forged by Wano Kuni far exceeded the range and accuracy of previous cannons, and it was under such conditions that the tactic of artillery coordination started to spread within the Hundred Beasts.
However, it was a tactic used only in large-scale siege battles. On Mandefish's ship, only two main cannons could reach this position, and given the shooting interval, they needed to follow closely behind the cannonballs to charge out.
"Understood..."
Taking out a signal pistol from his chest, Pierman fired four signal flares into the sky, which was their pre-arranged signal, indicating an encounter with an encirclement and opening a path with cannon fire.
They couldn't always ensure communication through the Radio Snails, so this way of signaling was necessary.
Seeing the signal flares from the ship, the pirates began calculating the distance with draft paper and special binoculars.
Aiming cannons accurately was also a skill, and these elite gunners had been tormented by a heap of formulas for quite a while before they graduated.
"Adjust the cannon elevation by three degrees, fire one round for test shooting."
In less than a minute, a cannonball landed in the encirclement of the kingdom army. Seeing the position was roughly correct, Pierman fired another signal. During this time, the swordsman tried to stop them but was held back by Mandefish.
This signal indicated the position was correct, and then the cannonballs started falling continuously, gradually creating a retreat path.
"Mandefish boss, you must make it out alive."
Having said that, Pierman used Rollout to rush towards the encirclement of the kingdom army, granting his identity as the one responsible for opening the path by Mandefish.
"Quickly go, my goal is to retire smoothly, but not to retire all alone."
He could choose to retreat first himself; if it were just him and Pierman, these people couldn't really stop them. Even against that swordsman, it would just result in some injuries.
However, for his subordinates to retreat as much as possible, he made this choice.
Then he charged towards the man who was dressed differently from the others. From the way he was surrounded by everyone in the center, he was obviously the so-called Fifth of West Kael.
Doing this forced the swordsman to have no time to care for the others, and then he charged in another direction. The frightened Fifth of West Kael was also very angry, issuing an order to hunt down Mandefish.
Eventually, on the cliff by the coast elsewhere, Mandefish was surrounded there.
"You have nowhere to retreat; as an ability user, you are despised by the sea. Surrender?"
"Surrender? I would advise you to cherish the present moments. After all, your days are numbered; you have touched the forbidden powers of those two lords at the same time!"