Oath-Swearing Ceremony: The Prelude
Since the Night Pirates obtained intelligence from the Tiresfa Kingdom that day, nearly a month has passed, and the war between the two powerful kingdoms of the West Blue Kraken Kingdom and the Tiresfa Kingdom, has attracted much attention.
Both of these are among the most powerful nations in the West Blue. The Kraken Kingdom is notorious in the West Blue for its frequent wars and for using its powerful military strength to plunder wealth from other countries.
These riches naturally belonged to the West Blue nations, primarily those surrounding the Karnosfa Island and close to the Kraken Kingdom.
For years, these countries have lived in the shadow of the Kraken Kingdom. Its powerful military strength has made it impossible for them to resist, and they have to pay tribute to the Kraken Kingdom every year, as if it were Heavenly Gold.
At the same time, the sheer size of the two countries means this is a war between millions, even tens of millions of people. Compared to the wars fought by other countries at sea involving thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands of people, these are just small-scale skirmishes.
Such a large-scale war is a rare sight in many years, attracting much attention both openly and secretly. However, the current battle between the New World Navy and the pirates is at its most intense, drawing most of the attention on the high seas. In comparison, the war between these two kingdoms pales in comparison.
After all, the fighting power is on a completely different level. The New World is a battle between the strongest, a battle between the pirates and the Navy, the two poles of this world. Can the Navy maintain its position as the overlord of the sea?
This is a massive war that will determine the future of the world.
In contrast, the war between the Tiresfa Kingdom and the Kraken Kingdom had a much smaller impact, having little effect on the overall situation in the West Blue, at most affecting the waters surrounding the Karnosfa Island.
The date for the oath-taking ceremony had already been set, and on this day, in the Kraken Kingdom Palace...
To avoid large crowds, the oath-taking ceremony was attended by very few people, mainly leading figures from various industries across the country, who were also supporters of the Kraken Kingdom's war.
However, it wasn't just the front lines; the entire population of the Kraken Kingdom was already waiting in the streets.
The streets of all the cities and towns in the Kraken Kingdom were already densely packed with people.
As is customary, the rally will be broadcast simultaneously throughout the kingdom. It's not just about boosting the morale of the frontline warriors; it also serves to brainwash the kingdom's citizens, instilling hostility towards the Tiresfa Kingdom.
Such methods are not very effective, and many adults would not fall for them. However, they are effective for the royal family of the Kraken Kingdom. As long as they are effective, there will be a continuous source of soldiers. His main targets are underage children, who are highly malleable. Once some ideas are implanted in their minds, they are very likely to take root.
That morning, the sky was covered with dark clouds, as if bad weather was about to arrive, and it seemed to symbolize the shadow of war.
The residents on the street, sensing the heavy atmosphere and anticipating what might happen next, all consciously carried umbrellas and raincoats.
The rally begins at 9:00 AM. This time is not fixed and varies each time, but once the time is set, it will not be changed, regardless of wind or rain.
Mixed in among the dense crowd were reporters carrying cameras and video cameras, eager to get firsthand information.
As the king of the Kraken Kingdom, he would not grant interviews to these reporters. Some people had tried to sneak in, thinking that even if they were discovered, Pande wouldn't do anything to them, but they all ended up dying a terrible death.
Pande can be considered the most powerful and assertive king in the history of the Kraken Kingdom. His numerous wars have enabled the Kraken Kingdom to grow rapidly stronger.
The all-out war launched against the Tiresfa Kingdom has already consumed a large amount of money from the Kraken Kingdom, with the support of the Black Brown Tree Merchant Association.
The Black Brown Tree Merchant Association's support for the Kraken Kingdom is multifaceted, encompassing not only resources and money, but also domestic stability. The Black Brown Tree Merchant Association's ample supplies ensure the stability of the Kraken Kingdom's domestic economy and order, preventing a situation of resource shortages and disorder.
But this is only on the surface. There are many opposing forces within the kingdom, but they have all been suppressed by the Kraken Kingdom's army and the royal family.
There were over four million troops at the front, 100,000 guards protecting the royal city, and the rest were scattered throughout the Kraken kingdom and on the sea.
On the battlefield between the Tiresfa Kingdom and the Kraken Kingdom, in the main camp, Kraken Kingdom soldiers sat on the ground, looking up at the large screen that was still black.
Among them were some people sitting in chairs, calmly seated, with a hint of expectation in their eyes. They were all high-ranking officers in the Kraken Kingdom's army, not only powerful but also of high status.
They were all close confidants of the royal family, in charge of the kingdom's army, while the Kraken Kingdom family controlled them; the army had always been a primary focus for the Kraken royal family.
These soldiers were all full of vigor and fighting spirit. In the army, if you wanted to rise in rank, you had to rely on military merit, and military merit depended on war.
Finally, the rally began. On the large screen in the royal palace, the screen lit up, and then the image of King Pande of the Kraken Kingdom appeared on it.
"Thump!" "Thump!"
The heavy footsteps could be heard clearly.
Pande's figure was already very tall, reaching a full four meters. Moreover, unlike usual, Pande was wearing a suit of armor, a sturdy suit of armor that completely covered his body.
Only his face was visible above.
He was covered in black armor, with a red cloak hanging on his back. Although the air was stuffy, the wind was very strong, and the red cloak fluttered in the wind.
He held a large sword in his hand, looking very majestic and Haki.
As can be seen at the scene, on that weathered high platform, the city was heavily guarded, with members of the city guard standing guard. Behind Pande on both sides were two burly men, whose identities were Osk, the captain of the Central Guard, and Haocheng, the deputy captain of the Central Guard.
The 20,000-strong army was dispersed inside and outside the palace, forming a Heavenly Net to prevent any intruders from entering.
The king wears armor and military uniform, a tradition that signifies that he too is fighting, standing shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers on the front lines.
Meanwhile, many people were also watching this place from the shadows. In the Tiresfa Kingdom, at Sanssouci Palace, there were fewer people than before. First of all, Admiral Hindenburg was not there; he needed to stay at the front line and had already arrived at the front line of the battlefield in the Tiresfa Kingdom.
Minister of State for the Defense, Black, was also absent. As an intelligence officer, he was responsible for arranging personnel for this operation due to his important position.
In addition, there is the Minister of Information.
Rediat and Meinz were not there either; they had an important secret mission to complete.
Through various means, they were also watching the Kraken Kingdom's oath-taking ceremony at the same time. "It should be starting soon, hopefully it will be successful." A minister took a deep breath; he knew the operation was about to begin and felt somewhat nervous.
"Don't worry, everything has been planned. We can only trust them now. We just need to be prepared to take over the Kraken Kingdom." Another minister sighed, comforting his colleague and urging him to cheer up and relax.
King William, seated in his throne, had his fists clenched under the table, revealing that William was not as calm as he appeared on the surface, and that he became increasingly nervous as the final moment approached.
On the other side, in a coastal city of the Kraken Kingdom, the Black Brown Tree Merchant Association's headquarters were located. Through the city's port, the Black Brown Tree Merchant Association transported all sorts of goods to the island.
And here are Rediat and Meinz; according to their intelligence, Zoro is hiding here.
Their first priority was to deal with the CP0 members hiding in the shadows. They wouldn't feel at ease if they didn't eliminate Zoro immediately, to avoid any unforeseen complications. Therefore, the two of them took action personally.
Only they have the ability to deal with him quickly, and then rapidly reach the capital to proceed to their next objective.
"It's about to begin. Have you found Zoro yet?" In a corner, Meinz looked at the screen in the distance. He knew their plan was about to start. Sensing the figure that suddenly appeared beside him, emerging from the shadows, Meinz couldn't help but ask.
The visitor was none other than Rediat. Rediat's ability is imperceptible to those with Observation Haki, and his Observation Haki makes it easier to gather intelligence. Just now, Rediat went to gather information about Zoro.
Meinz, on the other hand, is Logia Void-Void Devil Fruit User, an Air Man who can transform into air and hide within it, possessing powerful stealth abilities. However, if his opponent's Observation Haki is strong enough, they are very likely to detect his presence.
"Hmm, it seems he hasn't discovered anything wrong yet and is staying at the Black Brown Tree Merchant Association headquarters." Rediat looked at Meinz and couldn't help but laugh. "Good luck, he caught a CP spy. From his memories, we learned that besides Zoro, there were several other CP spies. Although their strength is decent, they are far inferior to Zoro. They should be members of other CPs, working with Zoro to complete missions."
"Then we'll solve it all at once." Meinz nodded in agreement.
Seemingly realizing something, Meinz couldn't help but ask, "So, the Night Pirates are ready?"
"Yes, no problem. The members of the Night Pirates entered the Kraken Kingdom several days ago and are now in the capital Kraken Kingdom." Rediat nodded and answered with a smile.
"Are you that confident in them?" Meinz couldn't help but wonder. He had never met the members of the Night Pirates and had always been curious about them.
"Trust them. I've fought them all. With their strength, there won't be any problems," Rediat said confidently, his gaze fixed on the distance, towards the direction of the royal city.
Meanwhile, the members of the Night Pirates were all ready to go.
They were scattered throughout the royal city, near the palace, wearing large raincoats that concealed their weapons, so no one noticed the sharp weapons in their hands.
At that moment, they were also watching the live broadcast on the screen, watching the king giving a passionate speech, and a cruel smile involuntarily appeared on their faces, as if they could see the scene of Pande's head being ripped off by Teach.
To prevent any unforeseen events from occurring during the oath-taking ceremony, the guards originally stationed at the four corners of the royal city were moved to the four corners of the royal palace before the ceremony began. Thus, the 100,000-strong army gathered around the royal palace and in its center.
This range is closer, the area is smaller, and their positions are more closely intertwined.
Teach had initially worried whether his full-force Conqueror's Haki would be enough to completely cover the 100,000-strong army, but now he was no longer worried.
He was absolutely confident that his Haki could extend throughout the entire palace, and he wouldn't care about the innocent people who might be affected.
Teach was located just outside the east gate of the palace, because the site of the rally held by King Joseph Pande of the Kraken Kingdom was on the east side of the palace, and it could be seen at a glance as soon as you entered the east gate.
Among those with Teach were Pito, Kaguya, and Gari. Pito and Kaguya's target was the captain of the Eastern Guard, while Gari's target was the two captains of the Central Guard. They wanted to shield Teach from all obstacles.
Rumble!
A sudden clap of thunder flashed across the sky, a silver arc of lightning streaking across the heavens, followed by a deafening roar.
It was like a bugle call; the entire sky was filled with a torrential downpour.
Far off on the coast of the Kraken Kingdom, Zoro, who was in his room, suddenly looked up and shouted, "Who's there?"
As an elite member of CP0, he possessed extremely keen intuition. The fact that there was no sound around him, as if he were the only person there, was what made him feel strange.
The silence gave him a sense of foreboding.
His Observation Haki release was somewhat strange, causing him to frown. The surrounding air seemed to become denser, and he could vaguely sense a powerful air pressure.
He could already sense that someone's presence was hidden in the shadows, so subtle it seemed to be dissolved in the air.
Meanwhile, within their Black Brown Tree headquarters, seven people had silently vanished. He knew all seven of them; they were his direct subordinates, members of CP just like him, and now they had all disappeared without a trace.
This turn of events made him realize that his identity had been discovered. Although he didn't know how it happened, he knew he couldn't stay in this place any longer.