A Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral—that is a height countless pirates could never reach in their lifetime.
And now, such combat power was being mass-produced.
"What's more crucial..."
"They have fused with Gecko Moria's bloodline factor, gaining a small portion of the power of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
Their bodies can transform into shadows, allowing them to move swiftly across the ground or walls."
"This is also why they are called the 'Shadow Corps.'"
As for how Moria's bloodline factor was obtained, of course, Raiver went to borrow it from him.
On the screen, the bioreactor emitted a soft "beep."
The liquid in the container slowly drained, revealing a pitch-black body standing silently inside.
It slowly opened its eyes, a dark red light flashing briefly in its pupils.
The 1,000th Shadow Soldier was officially completed.
Three days later.
In the central square of the imperial capital, one thousand Shadow Soldiers stood in neat formation.
They were identical in height, build, and even their posture.
Their pitch-black metallic bodies gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the sun.
Surrounding the square were crowds of imperial officials and residents who had come to witness the spectacle.
"Is this the legendary Shadow Corps?"
"I heard just one of them can fight a thousand pirates..."
"It's terrifying, these things..."
Raiver stood on the high platform, looking down at this silent army.
Xingmian and Xingwan stood on either side behind him, one in white and one in green, like fairies stepping out of a painting.
"Your Majesty," Xingmian reported softly:
"The first batch of one thousand Shadow Soldiers is fully prepared. As per your instructions, they will be deployed to various key locations across the empire."
Raiver nodded.
"How many for Fish-Man Island?"
"One hundred," Xingwan replied. "It is the main passage to the New World, with the highest pirate traffic.
Additionally, ten will be stationed at Ohara, and ten to twenty each will be assigned to other vassal states and institutions."
Raiver let out a satisfied "Hmm."
The Shadow Corps had no human emotions, never tired, never decayed, and could not be bribed.
They were the best guards and the most loyal overseers.
"Continue mass production. I want to see ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million."
Vegapunk stood nearby, nodding respectfully:
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Raiver's gaze drifted into the distance.
It traversed the skies of the imperial capital, crossed the territories of the Fengtian Empire, and spanned the boundless seas, finally settling in the direction of the Red Line.
The World Government.
Imu.
One day, he would use this army to trample that Holy Land.
But for now—
It was not yet time.
In the square, the one thousand Shadow Soldiers turned simultaneously and marched in unison toward their respective teleportation arrays.
They would disperse to every corner of the empire.
To begin fulfilling their duties.
...
Fish-Man Island.
Within the massive bubble membrane, coral castles stood row upon row, with mermaids and fish-men moving through the streets in a scene of peace and tranquility.
But this tranquility was being shattered.
Since the dawn of the Great Pirate Era, the number of pirates had grown exponentially.
More and more pirate crews were passing through Fish-Man Island on their way to the New World.
Although everyone knew that Fish-Man Island was now under the protection of the Fengtian Empire, there were always those who were unafraid of death.
Some refused to pay the entry fee and forced their way into Fish-Man Island.
Others obediently paid on the surface, but once inside Fish-Man Island, they secretly kidnapped mermaids, planning to return to the surface and sell them for high prices.
Over the past four years, the garrison of the Fengtian Empire and the guards of Fish-Man Island had engaged in countless fierce battles with these pirate crews.
Although they ultimately eliminated all the pirates, they also suffered significant casualties.
Until today—
All garrison troops on Fish-Man Island withdrew to the Fengtian Empire through the Space Gate.
In their place, one hundred Shadow Soldiers stood guard.
At first, King Neptune was worried.
Could these pitch-black things really fend off those brutal pirate crews?
But soon—
The performance of the Shadow Soldiers far exceeded his imagination.
...
Fish-Man Island, Entry Inspection Station.
A pirate ship was slowly approaching.
It was a medium-sized sailing ship, somewhat worn and old, but the emblem painted on its sail was particularly eye-catching.
Crossed blades—the Swift Slash Pirate Crew.
A fish-man soldier stood before the inspection station, raising his spear:
"Halt for inspection! Each person must pay one million Belly as an entry fee!"
The pirates on board erupted in coarse laughter.
"One million per person?" A bearded pirate stood at the prow, holding a flintlock pistol, his face full of disdain:
"I've been sailing the Grand Line for so many years, and I've never heard of paying a fee!"
"That's right!" another pirate chimed in beside him:
"There are nearly a hundred of us on this ship. Wouldn't that mean paying a hundred million Belly?"
"A hundred million? Hahaha!"
"With that kind of money, we might as well just rob them!"
From inside the cabin, a low voice rang out:
"Just charge through. And while we're at it, grab a few mermaid girls. Selling them to the Celestial Dragons will earn us a fortune."
That was the captain's voice.
"Aye!"
The pirates responded in unison.
The sails were raised, and the pirate ship bypassed the inspection station, heading deeper into Fish-Man Island.
What they didn't know was—
In the shadows not far from the inspection station, a black figure was slowly rising.
A Shadow Soldier.
It stared at the receding pirate ship, its dark red eyes faintly glowing.
In the next instant, it vanished from its spot.
On the pirate ship, the pirates were still laughing recklessly.
"What do you think mermaid girls look like?"
"I heard they're gorgeous! Human upper body, fish tail lower body!"
"How do you even have fun with that? Hahahaha!"
Vulgar laughter echoed across the deck.
Suddenly—
"What's that?"
A sharp-eyed pirate pointed behind the ship.
Everyone turned to look.
A black figure was rapidly closing in!
"Who cares, open fire!"
The bearded pirate raised his flintlock pistol, aiming at the figure.
Bang, bang, bang, bang—!
Dozens of flintlock pistols fired simultaneously!
Bullets whistled toward the black figure!
The figure didn't dodge.
It didn't even slow down.
The bullets struck its body, producing sharp clanging sounds, then bounced off entirely!
As the smoke cleared, not a single dent remained on the black figure!
"What?!"
The pirates' eyes widened in shock.
The Shadow Soldier had already reached the side of the ship.
With a light leap, it landed on the deck.
Only then did the pirates get a clear view of its full form.
A two-meter-tall black metallic body, dark red eyes, and an expressionless face.
"What... what kind of monster is this?!"
The bearded pirate raised his sword and swung it at its head!
Clang—!!
The sword broke.
Shattered into two pieces.
The bearded pirate stood frozen in place, clutching the broken half of his sword.
The Shadow Soldier raised its right hand, clenched its five fingers into a fist, and smashed it into the bearded man's chest.
Boom!!
The bearded man's chest instantly caved in, and his entire body flew out like a cannonball, crashing through the ship's railing and plunging into the sea.
Blood spread through the water, staining a patch of the ocean red.
"Monster—!"
Another pirate raised his sword and slashed at the Shadow Soldier's back!
Clang—!!
The sword shattered once again.
The Shadow Soldier turned its head, its dark red eyes fixed on the pirate.
The pirate gripped the broken half of his sword, his legs trembling, his pants already soaked.
The Shadow Soldier raised its hand and threw a punch, blowing his head apart.
The pirate's headless corpse swayed for a moment before collapsing onto the deck.
Blood gushed out, splattering across the wooden planks.
What followed was a massacre.
The Shadow Soldier darted across the deck, each punch claiming a life!
Its speed was too fast—so fast that the pirates couldn't even see its movements!
Its strength was too great—so great that a single punch could tear through a person!
Its defense was too hard—so hard that all attacks felt like mere tickles!
Three seconds.
Just three seconds.
Every pirate on the deck had turned into a corpse.
Blood stained the entire deck, with severed limbs and broken bodies scattered everywhere.
"Damn it—!!"
A furious roar echoed from the cabin.
Immediately after, a powerfully built man charged out.
He was in his thirties, with a face full of rough, menacing features and fierce eyes.
What stood out most were his arms.
From his shoulders to his fingertips, they had transformed into two sharp blades.
Pierce.
Captain of the Slash-Slash Pirate Crew, a Paramecia Type Devil Fruit user with the Slash-Slash Fruit Ability, with a Bounty of 130 million Belly.
He rushed out of the cabin, saw the carnage on the deck, and his eyes instantly turned bloodshot.