Julian ran while shouting at the top of his lungs, "Too many Marines! The Marines are too fierce! The Marines are too strong!" George cooperated perfectly, shouting, "Captain, run! The Marines are catching up!" Julian and the others ran toward where the crew had set up their ambush.
Rear Admiral Gilmi of the Naval Branch put on the look of a man who believed killing Julian was justice and chased after them madly. At the same time, he shouted wildly to raise the Marines' morale. "Soldiers, today is the day to earn glory and merit! For justice!" Julian and the others had already reached the ambush site.
Did Julian have any moral integrity? Of course not. He immediately transformed into a trap master and activated his Earth-Earth Fruit ability, turning the entire area into swampy ground. Everything within five miles became a muddy swamp filled with wet earth and water. Once someone went in, they could forget about getting out without Geppo. This was a swallowing swamp of yellow mud, and Julian waited at the ambush site for the Marines.
As more than six hundred Marines frantically pursued the Mud Dragon Pirates, with Rear Admiral Gilmi leading the charge, the whole group ran straight into the swamp. Even Rear Admiral Gilmi sank in. The Marines behind them saw the people ahead falling into the swamp and shouted, "Stop! It's a trap!" But the Mud Dragon Pirates directly blocked the path, forcing all those Marines into the swamp. Seeing where Rear Admiral Gilmi had fallen, Julian immediately activated his Earth-Earth Fruit ability. Several streams of earth wrapped around Rear Admiral Gilmi, leaving only his small head exposed above the surface. It was the red earth of Gravity Mud.
A two-meter-thick layer of mud wrapped around Rear Admiral Gilmi's entire body, but Julian still was not reassured. He thickened it to four meters of Gravity Mud, completely encasing Rear Admiral Gilmi. Julian named the move Super Earth Layer Burial. He continued activating his Devil Fruit ability, using Swamp Mud to seize all the Marines behind him. Just like that, all six hundred-plus Marines were swallowed by the swamp. However, Julian left each of them with a head above the ground so they would not die from lack of oxygen.
Julian looked at Rear Admiral Gilmi before him and said, "You wanted to kill me just now, but I don't want to kill you. How about I give you a chance to live? How about letting all your soldiers survive?" Julian stared at Gilmi with an evil grin.
Rear Admiral Gilmi said indignantly, "You despicable, shameless bastard!" Allison, standing beside Julian, walked up to Gilmi with an annoyed expression and gave him two hard slaps. He cursed, "Our captain is kind-hearted enough not to kill you, and you still dare insult him? Do you not want to live?"
Meanwhile, several field-grade Marine officers were still trying to crawl out of the swamp pits. Julian directly sealed off the way with earth, packing them up together. Most of the people in the swamp were relatively capable Marines; otherwise, they would not have been able to run so fast. They simply had not expected such a massive mud swamp, nor had they expected an Earth-Earth Fruit ability user to be so underhanded. Julian quickly activated his Devil Fruit ability again to seal the openings of the pits, making sure they could not escape. It would be troublesome if something unexpected happened. This was the best time to negotiate terms.
Julian looked at the Marine officers below the swamp pit. They would not run out of oxygen anytime soon since he had left a small gap. Julian said to the Marines, "I can let all of you live. It depends on how you choose." Looking at the unwilling Rear Admiral Gilmi, Julian added, "Rear Admiral Gilmi, you don't want these Marine soldiers to die like this, do you? Look at them. They all have children and parents. Do you want their parents to grow old without sons to support them? Do you want these Marine soldiers' children to become orphans?"
Julian knew that this Rear Admiral Gilmi would still be a vice admiral during the Summit War. He had not seen Gilmi fight many times, but Gilmi was undoubtedly very powerful. This time, Julian had taken him down with a dirty trick. Rear Admiral Gilmi definitely knew Marine Rokushiki and Armament Haki. He was also a Dove Faction Marine, not a Hawk Faction Marine like Akainu, and he cared deeply about the Marines under his command.
Rear Admiral Gilmi said with a defeated expression, "Mud Dragon brat, tell me what you want. But you must promise not to harm my brothers, or I swear I will never let you go." Julian knew he could slowly negotiate now. First, he would name an outrageous price, then bargain it down.
Julian shamelessly said, "I want you to join our Mud Dragon Pirates. Our pirate crew is sorely lacking upright and selfless people like you. What do you think?" After saying that, Julian looked at Gilmi expectantly. Gilmi immediately roared, "In your dreams! I will never join pirates! Kill me!" Julian's expression instantly changed. He said to Gilmi, "Fine. I'll kill all your subordinates first, then slowly kill you." Gilmi looked at his subordinates trapped in the swamp with a pained expression, then fell into despair.
Julian had merely planned to start with an unreasonable demand, then make a reasonable one afterward. Wouldn't Gilmi obediently agree then and hand over the Marine Rokushiki training methods? Julian also knew the man before him would never join pirates. He then said awkwardly, "You're right, asking you to join me really is inappropriate. How could Marines possibly join pirates? Unless it's Diez Barrels, Drake's father, of course."
Julian continued, "Then let me make another request. Hand over your South Blue Naval Branch to me. I'll be a local tyrant there. What do you think of that condition?" Gilmi roared again in grief and fury, "Mud Dragon Julian, you've gone too far! Either you want this old man to become a pirate, or you want our South Blue Naval Base! Justice will not let you off! Marine Headquarters will avenge us! Do it!" After saying that, he closed his eyes with the air of someone ready to die.
At that point, Julian knew he had to play the emotional card with Gilmi's subordinates again. He said, "Rear Admiral Jimiel, you're all alone. If you die, that's the end of it. But ask them. Many of them are still young. Some are only eighteen, practically children. They joined your Marines for their dreams, and you're going to lead them into hell? Many of them are the future of the Marines. Are you going to lead them to their deaths?" Seeing Gilmi's expression soften, Julian continued, "Just teach me Marine Rokushiki, along with your Armament Haki training method and your Observation Haki. Just those things, in exchange for the lives of over six hundred brothers under your command. How about it?"
Julian knew Gilmi had already been moved. The scales in his heart had begun to tip. Julian continued, "Don't worry. I swear on my identity as captain of the Mud Dragon Pirates that if I fail to keep my promise, I will be ruined and become a pirate with no credibility on the Sea. What do you say?"
Seeing Gilmi wavering again, Julian continued, "Give me the Marine Rokushiki manual, then write down the training methods for Two-Color Haki. Not a single one of your Marine soldiers will be harmed." As he spoke, Julian used his Devil Fruit ability to loosen some of the earth binding the colonels and lieutenant colonels, making them more comfortable.
Seeing Rear Admiral Gilmi hesitate again, Julian intensified his pressure. "I'll turn today's events into news and let the entire Sea know that the South Blue Naval Branch doesn't treat other Marine soldiers like human beings. Rear Admiral Gilmi watched his soldiers lose their lives right before his eyes. Who would dare join the Marines afterward? Any future chaos on the Sea will be caused by your actions today, Rear Admiral Gilmi." Gilmi struggled once more. Julian secretly said, "Tell me where your Rokushiki manual is by blinking. Then I can go get it, and it won't count as you leaking classified information, right?"
Julian continued to tempt him. "Rear Admiral Gilmi, your Marine soldiers can keep their lives, and my Mud Dragon Pirates can even protect your Marines' reputation. We can announce that you, Rear Admiral Gilmi, drove us away and forced us to abandon the island. What do you think? Marine Headquarters' reputation will only improve, and more people will join the Marines in the future. Don't you want the Marines to grow bigger and stronger? Don't you want more righteous Marines?" Julian tempted Rear Admiral Gilmi like a devil.
Gilmi struggled as he said, "Will you really keep your promise?" Julian replied, "I guarantee it with my reputation. I will never betray my word. You can ask about the rules of our Mud Dragon Pirates." Gilmi said, "The Marine Rokushiki manual is on my warship, in my room. Have my attendant fetch it. I'm not very proficient in Armament Haki, but I'll write down everything I know. I haven't trained Observation Haki yet. As for the technique, I can tell you: blindfold your eyes with black cloth and sense the scene before you." Julian had seen Rayleigh teach Luffy that way. Sure enough, it was more or less the same. He had to cover his eyes and sense things. Julian had George retrieve the Marine Rokushiki manual, then released Gilmi's right hand so he could write down the Armament Haki training method.
Julian looked over the many training methods, such as constantly strengthening one's physical fitness and bodily strength, using strength to mobilize the Armament Haki within the body, and so on. He had already gotten the idea. Once he got the Rokushiki manual in hand, everything would be complete. George held the Marine Rokushiki training manual in his hands and said happily, "Captain, I got it."
Julian said to Gilmi, "I've gotten what I wanted. Let me give your Marines a piece of advice." As he spoke, Julian activated the Earth-Earth Fruit ability at maximum power toward a point two hundred meters ahead. Julian shouted, "Earthburst Heavenly Star!" The earth beyond that area flew into the sky and instantly formed a massive ball of earth over two hundred meters wide at an altitude of five hundred meters. Then it fell from the sky more than five hundred meters above. With a bang, a small hill was smashed flat. The range was enormous, as though Fujitora had pulled down a meteor. A blast wave swept over them in an instant, sending everyone's hair flying.
The members of the Mud Dragon Pirates looked at Julian with worshipful expressions. George said, "The captain's strength and wisdom are truly unfathomable." The other Division Captains nodded in agreement. "As expected of the captain, this is the strength he built through two and a half years of training."
Julian turned to look at the stunned Rear Admiral Gilmi and the Marine soldiers before him. Smiling, he said, "Rear Admiral Gilmi, I'll be setting sail shortly. I'll also announce that the Marines defeated us and forced us to abandon the island and flee. But let's make this clear first: neither side can make a move, or you might all be wiped out here." With that, Julian led the crew toward the beach upstream. He released the earth binding the Marines, and the Marine soldiers climbed out of the swamp one after another, watching Julian and the others leave.
A lieutenant colonel said to Gilmi, "Rear Admiral, are we still going after them?" Gilmi said painfully, "No need to chase them. Return to the Naval Branch and report everything that happened today to Marine Headquarters. Let Fleet Admiral Kong decide." After saying that, he waved to everyone. "Let's go back." Gilmi led his men back to the Marine warship and set sail. Julian and the others also returned to their ship, and the navigator began sailing.
Julian had all crew members who could write gather on the third floor. Looking at the assembled group, there were roughly one hundred and twenty people. Julian had each of them copy two copies of the Marine Rokushiki manual. He emphasized that their handwriting had to be neat. The manual had more than two thousand characters, and copying a few hundred copies would be enough.
Julian was truly delighted. He laughed inwardly, Now the crew's basic combat power is in place. Julian looked at Alice and Beatrice, who were writing in front of him, and said, "You two are responsible for supervising them. This must remain confidential and cannot be spread around. Each person can only copy two manuals, and every manual must be handed over to me. It won't be a good thing if this stuff reaches the common people." Alice said, "Got it, Julian."
If every pirate learned Marine Rokushiki, it would be a disaster for civilians and a disaster for the Marines. If pirates knew Marine Rokushiki, what would the Marines use to fight them? The biggest issue was that if all pirates became equally strong, how could Julian grow bigger and stronger? How could he become one of the Four Emperors or an even greater force?
Julian did not intend to open everything up to Rookie Pirates and ordinary crew members either. He would first teach those ordinary crew members one move: Soru. After they mastered Soru, they could learn the next move, Finger Pistol. Julian planned to give every Division Captain one manual first, then every Squadron Captain one manual. Each division would have four manuals. Julian could have the Division Captains supervise them. Whoever lost one would get paddled.
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