"Brannew, why did you do this?"
Master Sergeant Brannew looked up at his close friend, his eyes losing their usual sparkle, and said in a low voice:
"I'm sorry."
The young man with green hair, though young, seemed to have aged decades in an instant, his back hunched and dejected, filled with a somber mood.
Damon and Momousagi Gion stood together, watching the seven naval officers and soldiers walk away into the distance, and thought to themselves with deep emotion:
"Justice is only a pursuit for some in the navy. For most junior naval officers and soldiers, what they seek is not some vague justice, but a stable and respectable job that can improve the quality of life for their families. That is all they hope for."
"Hope is so fragile that when it is shattered, it leaves only endless despair and struggle."
The New World, waters near Dressrosa.
The navy, which had been searching for the real Flamingo, had already shaken off the naval surveillance ships and quietly arrived in the vicinity. From a distance, they could see the massive outline of the Dressrosa Colosseum through binoculars.
A rebellious figure sat cross-legged on the bow of the Flamingo, gazing intently at the distant island, lost in thought.
Trebol silently approached the blond youth from behind, bowed slightly, and said:
"Young Master, all the spies we planted on Vice Admiral Tsuru's ship have been eliminated."
"In addition, Vice Admiral Tsuru also sent her regards to you through an intelligence agent. She is looking forward to seeing you imprisoned."
Doflamingo stood up, spreading his arms to the sides as if to embrace the Dressrosa Kingdom that was about to be his.
His thick knuckles cracked, his eyes behind his sunglasses flashed with a fierce light, and the corners of his mouth gradually turned up into a wicked laugh.
"Our plan is nearing completion, and we've reached the most critical moment. We absolutely cannot afford to fail."
"Inform Vergo to keep a close eye on the situation at Marine Headquarters and report any unusual activity immediately."
Under Doflamingo's planning and manipulation, the sea began to stir with undercurrents, ready to unleash a raging storm at any moment.
Perhaps, by the time the world realized what was happening, the Dressrosa Kingdom would have already changed drastically.
A warship was en route to the Sobel Kingdom in the South Blue. A cloud hovered above the warship, and every now and then a bolt of lightning the thickness of a chopstick would strike the boy sitting cross-legged on the deck.
This was not because the boy had offended the heavens and thus incurred divine punishment, but rather because of the reward Damon had previously received from the system.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, host, for reciting a classic line from Wu Geng Ji. You have been awarded one chance to draw a prize. Would you like to start the prize wheel?"
The lottery wheel slowly rose, offering only two types of prizes: abilities and weapons/equipment.
Abilities: Divine strength, energy cultivation techniques, soul power, spells...
Weapons and Equipment: King Zhou's Armor, Eternal Night, Purple Jade Sword...
[Divine Power of the Myriad Realms - Power of Wind and Thunder]: Allows one to control all things in heaven and earth for one's own use, utilize the power of nature in battle, and awaken the power of thunder.
The Divine Power of the Myriad Realms - Power of Wind and Thunder was similar to the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, both possessing the power to control lightning.
The difference was that Damon was not afraid of water, nor was he afraid of sea stone.
If one were to eat the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, one could quickly gain the power of thunder.
The Divine Power of the Myriad Realms, specifically the Power of Wind and Thunder, was different. Damon needed to meditate quietly to comprehend the nature of this world and gradually master the power of thunder.
Initially, Damon was unable to meditate or enter a state of deep concentration, let alone perceive nature.
After two months at sea, Damon had successfully meditated and comprehended nature. He was now able to draw down a bolt of lightning as thick as a chopstick from the sky, or wrap electric arcs around his body to enhance the lethality of his attacks.
It was remarkable that Damon had achieved such results on his own without any guidance.
The moment the lightning bolt as thick as a chopstick struck the boy, Damon trembled violently in pain. Fine electric currents spread throughout his limbs and bones, causing a large number of cells in his body to die. This, in turn, activated the ferocity of his superhuman cells and gourmet cells, which began to move undeterred, subtly enhancing Damon's strength at the cellular level.
Tempering the body with lightning sounded easy, but only when you actually started training would you realize how painful the process was.
The pain in one's fingers was like a needle prick. When one finger was stabbed by a sharp object, all ten fingers would feel a needle-like pain. How much more so now that his whole body was being stimulated and cleansed by electric current. Even Damon's hair was affected, standing up like a broom shape.
Without a doubt, the method of tempering the body with lightning was an extreme test of a person's willpower.
During this process, Damon's physical body frequently switched between injury and self-healing. With a large supply of meat, his physical strength grew considerably.
Damon vaguely sensed that his mastery of Iron Body, one of the Six Powers of the Navy, had reached its limit. If he took another step forward, he would be able to transform it into Armament Haki.
This step, though seemingly simple, had hindered countless naval officers and caused many self-proclaimed geniuses to waste half their lives.
Standing on the edge of the deck, Master Sergeant Shu occasionally saw bolts of lightning as thick as chopsticks striking down, and he gasped repeatedly.
"Hiss!"
"Talented, capable, and trains even harder than others—is that why the captain is so strong?"
The scene before him seemed to ignite Shu's fighting spirit, and he quickly picked up the heavy dumbbell that Damon usually used and began to lift it up and down rhythmically.
Any being who awakened King's Haki could subtly influence those around them through their words and actions.
The reason why King's Haki was called the quality of a king was not only because of the power it possessed, but also because of its ability to subtly subdue others and win their hearts and minds.
Damon's relentless training methods sparked a training frenzy on the warship, with all the soldiers putting in their best effort and full of enthusiasm!
"Huff! Huff! Huff!"
During breaks from duty, the soldiers stood side by side on the deck, feet shoulder-width apart, fingers clenched into fists. With a loud shout, they threw a punch into the air.
The entire warship was bustling with activity, a stark contrast to two months ago.
Perhaps the capture of seven spies, including Master Sergeant Brannew, also contributed to the shock and impact of this event.
Practice makes perfect.
Although no one said it out loud, when a colleague who had fought alongside them for many years was taken away, it was psychologically difficult to bear. Through selfless training, they could always relieve their distress and sorrow.
Looking at the figure bathed in lightning, Momousagi Gion asked the knowledgeable Vice Admiral Tsuru beside her:
"Damon is really strange. He hasn't eaten any Devil Fruit, yet he possesses the power of fire and lightning. How is that possible?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru appeared quite calm, as if she had long been accustomed to such sights.
"This world is vast, and there are always some unique races that possess powers that humans do not have."
Upon hearing this, Momousagi Gion seemed to be deep in thought.
It seemed that in the minds of Vice Admiral Tsuru and Momousagi Gion, Damon had already been labeled as non-human.
Days passed quietly, and after overcoming numerous difficulties, the warship finally arrived at the Sobel Kingdom in the South Blue.
After training as usual, Master Sergeant Shu was on guard duty on the mast lookout tower. Looking around through binoculars, he soon discovered that a raging fire was burning on the island where the Sobel Kingdom was located, with thick smoke billowing out.
After careful observation, Master Sergeant Shu immediately reported the military situation:
"Report!"
"A group of unknown pirates is attacking the Sobel Kingdom!"
Upon hearing this, Damon finally stopped training, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he opened and closed them.
As Damon stood up, his stiff bones rubbed and collided with each other, making a series of crackling sounds, like popping beans.
With the enemy's situation unclear, Damon did not rashly leave the team to act alone.
When the warships approached the Sobel Kingdom, they discovered that the fire in the city was extremely fierce, and the hot wind could be felt even from the harbor.
The Sobel Kingdom in the South Blue was a winter island that remained at a low temperature year-round. Now, in late autumn, heavy snow had fallen. Logically speaking, even though the kingdom consisted of brick and wood structures that could easily catch fire, it was unlikely that such a terrible fire could have occurred.
Unless, it was the work of a Devil Fruit user!
What Damon could think of, Vice Admiral Tsuru, known as a wise strategist, could naturally think of as well.
As the army commander, Vice Admiral Tsuru immediately issued orders.
"The First Squadron will remain stationed to guard against pirate attacks on the warships."
"The Second and Third Squadrons will enter the city to extinguish the fire and search for and rescue the affected people."
"The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Squadrons will follow me to wipe out the pirates!"
On the warship, twenty men formed a squad, fifty men formed a company, and one hundred men formed a battalion.
Vice Admiral Tsuru's flagship could accommodate up to 560 naval soldiers, divided into six squadrons. One of these squadrons was not fully staffed and was used for logistics and support in peacetime.
The five rear admirals under Vice Admiral Tsuru did not hold leadership positions. Instead, they served as Vice Admiral Tsuru's deputies, handling official duties on a daily basis and acting as the highest combat force to deal with powerful enemy opponents during battles.
Vice Admiral Tsuru took out a map and quickly scanned the city layout and terrain of the Sobel Kingdom. She was already confident and divided the three battalions into three groups, each led by a rear admiral.
"The Fourth Squadron will head straight for the warehouses and logistics facilities, especially the granaries, which are of utmost importance. We must not let the pirates destroy the granaries, otherwise the residents of the Sobel Kingdom will have no food to eat after the disaster."
"The Fifth Squadron will head straight for the royal city; we must rescue the royal family of the Sobel Kingdom!"
"The Sixth Squadron will wipe out the pirates along the main road. Any pirate who disobeys orders will be killed on the spot without mercy!"
With a clear mind, Vice Admiral Tsuru issued orders, and the entire army began to operate like a tightly wound machine.
Despite her kind and gentle demeanor, Vice Admiral Tsuru's final words were filled with murderous intent.
Damon, as the squadron leader, belonged to the Fifth Squadron.
Because of Damon's special status and powerful background, the captain of the Fifth Squadron basically turned a blind eye and never interfered in the management of Damon's squadron. This made Damon's squadron very special and gave it a strong degree of autonomy.
Of course, unless necessary, Damon would not show off his special status and usually followed the collective command.
Damon led 50 soldiers under his command, following Rear Admiral Momousagi Gion, straight toward the royal city.
South Blue, Sobel Kingdom.
This was originally just an obscure winter island in the South Blue, but it became famous because of Kuma the Tyrant.
Like many winter islands, it was snowy all year round, with thick snow covering the ground. The coniferous forests stubbornly survived in the biting cold winds, and occasionally carnivorous wild animals such as white-furred bears and wolves could be seen.
The people of the Sobel Kingdom had lived here for generations and had become accustomed to the climate of the winter island, resulting in buildings with distinctive local characteristics. The buildings were generally gray in color, and the architectural style was mostly tower-shaped structures with large sloping facades and dusty roofs, giving people a quiet, solemn, and gloomy feeling.
Thick walls could block the cold wind and air, tower-shaped houses could make full use of land area to accommodate more people, and when the fireplace burned wood for heating, the heat could be locked inside the house to the maximum extent, while carbon dioxide was released from the roof through special exhaust pipes.
"Da-da! Da-da! Da-da!"
When the clock hands reached noon, the clock tower emitted a rapid chime.
_________________
Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 50: The Sobel Kingdom's crisis
Chapter 51: Kid Pirates
Chapter 52: The Death of Eustass Kid!!
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
---
Chapter 50: The Sobel Kingdom's crisis
Chapter 51: Kid Pirates
Chapter 52: The Death of Eustass Kid!!
---
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