Dark Night's Arrival

"Should we go back? The Night Sea Domain lies ahead, and besides, I don't think we can handle Whitebeard II."

Hina was somewhat uneasy; she didn't approve of the Navy's actions. However, at Smoker's invitation and influenced by Professor Zephyr's state, her thoughts were somewhat disordered, and she joined the operation.

Otherwise, given her meticulous work style, she would absolutely not have gotten involved.

Now, after a period of sailing, she has calmed down and feels a little regretful.

She simply couldn't fathom how, despite their considerable strength within the Navy, they could possibly contend with a monster like Edward Weevil. Their heads?

She discovered that after a period of training, Smoker's strength had increased, but his personality hadn't changed much; he remained stubborn and reckless.

Monsters can only be dealt with by monsters; this is an unspoken rule on the high seas.

A single shockwave unleashed by Edward Weevil could easily destroy this warship.

"No, we must defeat that guy, bring him back, and hand him over to Teacher Zephyr. You don't want to see Teacher Zephyr continue like this, do you?" Smoker wouldn't listen to advice and was very stubborn. Once he decided to do something, he would do it resolutely without considering his own strength at all.

Perhaps he had already resigned himself to death.

"Have you considered headquarters? If we act on our own and fail, what kind of impact will it have?" Hina helplessly, and the conversation between the two gradually heated up.

Hina understood Smoker's actions, but that didn't mean she agreed with them. In her view, the higher-ups had their own considerations, and this was not something they, the "weak," could get involved in.

"Stop talking. If we fail, you can just sail away in your warship." Smoker, a cigar dangling from his lips, turned and left.

Similarly, even if Smoker didn't see things as clearly as Hina, he understood some of it.

The most basic issue is strength; he's not arrogant enough to think he could defeat Whitebeard II.

But how could he bear to watch Professor Zephyr continue to sink into despair? If his sacrifice could bring about Professor Zephyr's recovery, it would all be worth it.

That's his persistence.

Watching Smoker's departing figure, Hina couldn't help but pause in surprise. It seemed that Smoker had always known that the operation was highly likely to fail.

He had already prepared for her to escape with the other marines, but what about himself?

Over the years, Hina seemed to have come to know Smoker all over again.

However, she still didn't approve of Smoker's actions; he was too naive. Did he really think he could just escape like that?

There was nothing she could do; things had come to this point, and with so many elite naval personnel on board, her influence was actually quite limited. Even if Smoker "realized his mistake and turned back," he couldn't stop it.

Now, their only hope is that headquarters will send someone over. Headquarters certainly won't give up on them, but Hina hopes it can be done as quickly as possible.

Otherwise, it will be too late.

Looking out at the sea, now that they had entered the Night Sea Domain, Hina wondered what the Night Pirates' attitude would be. Thinking this, she felt another headache coming on. If only she had reported this matter directly and cut it off at the source, the headquarters' handling of the situation would definitely have been better.

Smoker had already thrown the Den Den Mushi (snail Den Den Mushi) on the warship that could communicate with headquarters into the sea; she should have secretly kept one.

The warship had received a message from Edward Weevil and had just left one island, preparing to head to another.

"We're almost there. Their target is Whitebeard II. According to intelligence, we'll catch up soon." Behind them, another warship was in pursuit; it was the team sent by headquarters to bring Smoker and his men back.

The warships house the navy's top combat forces.

"Kuzan, to avoid any accidents, you go first," Tsuru said to Kuzan, who was standing to the side.

They encountered Kuzan on the way; the ice scooter they were on lost power and slowed down considerably.

"Okay, leave it to me." Kuzan nodded.

Soon, an ice path appeared on the sea, Kuzan sped off on his motorcycle into the distance, amidst the envious gazes of many naval soldiers.

The news that two naval warships entered the Night Sea Domain one after the other could not be kept secret from the various forces on the sea, let alone the Night Pirates.

It had already attracted attention along the way.

Will the Night Pirates stand idly by? They are very curious about what will happen next.

The incident stemmed from a group of junior marines who deserted without permission in an attempt to deal with Whitebeard II.

This news is absolutely hilarious.

"That Sengoku guy is getting worse and worse; he can't even control his own subordinates."

Kaido somewhat disdainful, surprised that this was actually an internal problem created by the Navy itself.

"Tell Morgans to hurry up, or I'll pluck all his feathers," Kaido urged, not wanting to miss this opportunity.

In his view, the Night Pirates were bound to clash with the Navy. The Navy had trespassed into his territory at will, and no matter what, they couldn't just ignore it.

If it were him, he would have already dispatched a large army to annihilate these navies on his own territory.

Since the Night Pirates are highly likely to intervene, Kaido naturally wants to see what their Night Pirates strength is like.

The Night Pirates have rarely made a move in recent years; previously, only Slada done so.

In a short period of time, since the battle between the Night Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates, and after the Dark Emperor became Emperor, the Night Pirates have not shown their true power for more than four years.

The Night Pirates' sequence of battles was not announced, but although many people watched it, no battle footage was recorded.

Slada's attack was completely unpredictable, especially since Slada hadn't used his full strength.

The Flying Pirates' annihilation and the annexation of the Sky Kingdom were incredibly easy, and happened without anyone else's knowledge.

Over the past few years, the members of the Night Pirates could not have stagnated, as they were all relatively young and in their prime.

The less we act, the more unknown things become, and there are many others who share this curiosity.

"The Night Pirates are now the rulers of the seas, the strongest pirate crew. They need to demonstrate their power, you baboons! Just watch. Only with sufficient strength can they surpass the other sea kings."

Doflamingo knew the strength of the Night Pirates because he had witnessed their Night Pirates firsthand and knew that Night Pirates power was comprehensive.

Each of the Seven Demon Kings is a monster capable of standing alone and establishing a hegemonic force in their own right.

However, many people are unaware of, or rather, while acknowledging the strength of the Night Pirates, they do not recognize that the Night Pirates are independent of the Emperors and superior to all the other Sea Emperors, thus holding the title of Emperor.

Five Emperors? Or Four Emperors and One Emperor?

In many people's eyes, Red-Haired Shanks is already the king of the sea. His current lack of foundation will soon be made up for, and he only needs an opportunity to officially become the Sea Emperor.

Whether the Dark Emperor is an emperor or a more special kind of emperor, he needs to demonstrate great power to distinguish himself from other sea emperors.

Doflamingo had a clear understanding of the situation at sea; he knew the Night Pirates would definitely make a move, using this opportunity to show their stance.

No one can ignore reputation, and Doflamingo knew all too well just how arrogant the Dark Emperor Teach and the Night Pirates were.

This wasn't just superficial arrogance; it came from the heart, especially after overwhelmingly defeating the Whitebeard Pirates.

From that time on, the Night Pirates became the second-best pirate crew Flying Pirates.

Since the destruction of the Flying Pirates, the Night Pirates have officially taken their place, and the Sequence Battle has showcased the true strength of the Night Pirates.

With their alliance with the Big Mom Pirates, the Night Pirates' influence has spread throughout the entire Underworld, making them undoubtedly the uncrowned kings.

At his level, he clearly understood just how terrifying the absolute power and influence of the Night Pirates truly were.

They have long since widened the gap with other royal forces, and this gap continues to widen.

Some ignorant pirates only speculate with their narrow-minded perspectives, refusing to acknowledge the terrifying gap that can instill despair.

That kind of terrifying power and influence is something that small-time pirates cannot even comprehend.

"Found it! There it is!" a navy officer shouted excitedly, holding binoculars and pointing in a direction.

These words invigorated the entire warship, though some wore somber expressions, for they were about to face a formidable enemy.

But they were all prepared for the worst.

"Chase after them! Quickly!"

"Mom! There's a whale over there!" Edward Weevil stared wide-eyed at the distant view of a small sailboat sailing on the sea, pointing with curiosity.

"Idiot, that's a naval warship." Bakin stared intently, then angrily tapped Weevil's thin leg with his cane.

"Looks like they've come looking for trouble. But this is the Night Sea Domain, how dare they come looking for us?" The appearance of the naval warships really surprised Bakin.

"If they come up with something big, just sink that warship. But be careful not to damage the small boats."

If Weevil were to act without restraint, the small boat beneath him wouldn't last long.

This ship cost Bakin a considerable amount of Beli due to its special materials.

She didn't want to get too entangled with the Navy; there might be some monsters up there, after all, Weevil's actions had made him a mortal enemy of the Navy.

If it were Garp who sent her, she wouldn't have enough lives.

"Okay, Mom!" Upon hearing Bakin's words, a fierce glint appeared on Weevil's somewhat foolish face.

He used Geppo to fly into the air, maintaining this posture, holding a child's sword, his arm muscles bulging suddenly, though they were so fat that hardly any muscles could be seen.

Weevil was gathering power; terrifying force was coalescing on the young blade, and transparent energy was being compressed.

Morgans was incredibly efficient; Reporter Bird had already arrived and live video streaming had begun.

Seeing Edward Weevil's move, countless people were watching with amusement at the Navy's predicament.

Some relatively unknown navy personnel, without even a Vice Admiral, dare to cause trouble for Whitebeard II.?

Over the course of more than a year, Edward Weevil, like a god of destruction, wielded terrifying power, annihilating numerous pirate crews.

Even a notorious Great Pirate once tried to take action, but ultimately failed and fled, with the entire pirate crew almost completely wiped out.

Although he was just a newcomer, with his monstrous strength and amazing record, Weevil had established himself firmly in the New World, and there were very few who dared to provoke him.

"Ah! Die!" There were no special moves, just sheer power. With a roar, Weevil swung his child's sword with tremendous force.

The terrifying blow caused the sea beneath them to surge and become turbulent.

A terrifying shockwave rushed rapidly toward the naval warship.

Faced with this sudden attack, the warships and the navy fell silent, feeling genuine fear.

This power made them realize that what they thought was a joke was something they couldn't possibly stop.

Now, in Edward Weevil's presence, they are no different from their fellow disciples who were slaughtered.

They couldn't even put up a fight; there was no doubt that the entire warship would be easily destroyed. They couldn't even escape; they had no way to avoid it.

It was too fast; my body was so frightened I couldn't move, and the powerful impact caused violent air vibrations.

True powerlessness!

Smoker clenched his fists. This blow shattered his confidence. He had thought he could hold off Whitebeard II. for a while, buying time for the other marines to leave.

But reality told him that this was just his own imagination. There was still a world of difference between him and those monsters, and he was simply not capable of dealing with them since he had not yet mastered the Two types of Haki.

Death seemed to be right before my eyes.

As the shockwave swept across a kilometer and came within a hundred meters of the warship, a figure appeared on the sea surface in an instant.

The newcomer was none other than Admiral Aokiji, who stood in front of the warship on the sea, radiating an astonishing chill. He placed his hands on the sea surface and lifted them upwards.

As Kuzan moved, an entire Iceberg rose from the ground, blocking the terrifying impact.

The hard ice began to shatter upon contact with the shockwave; its immense power seemed poised to shatter the entire Iceberg in the next instant.

The cold air continued to spread, restoring the Iceberg and further eroding it, weakening the impact and seemingly freezing it.

The two forces collided continuously, causing huge waves to rise in the sea and even causing ripples in the sky thousands of meters high.

Compared to the overwhelming force of the shockwave, Kuzan's power was inexhaustible, making it impossible to break through his defenses after the initial attack.

"Damn it, it's Admiral Kuzan!" Upon seeing this, Bakin's eyes widened in horror. "My precious son, we have to go! If we don't leave now, we won't be able to escape."

She hadn't expected that at this crucial moment, the warship would be boarded by Admiral Aokiji (she didn't know that Kuzan had just arrived).

Bakin knew that no matter how talented Weevil was, he was only twenty-five years old. Even with his powerful abilities, it was still somewhat questionable that he could defeat the Navy's Chief Instructor, Zephyr. If Zephyr hadn't suddenly fallen ill, Weevil would have been the one to lose if the fight had continued.

This one is one of the Three Admirals, a true monster at the peak, not an old man like Zephyr who is somewhat aging and no longer at his peak.

The Chill-Chill Fruit's power alone is troublesome, making it difficult for them to escape.

Turning his head, Bakin's eyes lit up. "Great! We're saved! The navy can't do anything to us. Let's go!"

Bakin spotted the shadow of the Night Pirates' warship from afar.

During the rescue in the crisis, Kuzan's figure exuded a strong sense of security, making people breathe a sigh of relief, and by the time they came to their senses, they were already sweating profusely.

"Admiral, you're here just in time! Don't let that guy who hurt Professor Zephyr get away!" Smoker shouted excitedly. He was quite familiar with Kuzan; after graduation, he had worked under Kuzan for a while.

Kuzan's expression was grave. "Go back now!" His unquestionable tone made Smoker pause in surprise.

"But."

"Don't make me say it a second time. How could you do something so stupid and leave Headquarters to clean up this mess?" Smoker was interrupted before he could finish speaking, and it was clear that Kuzan was genuinely angry.

He had high hopes for Smoker, but that didn't mean he could ignore the mistakes Smoker had made. The matter had escalated to such an extent that no one person could handle it alone.

Now, Kuzan could sense a malevolent aura approaching.

According to intelligence, only Catwoman Pito in the Night Pirates possesses such perception.

But this also means that the Night Pirates have arrived.

A deep-seated malice and a strange life force field evoke unease and fear in people's hearts.

Smoker was about to say something, but the next moment, his heart skipped a beat, sweat beaded on his brow, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably. He didn't know what was happening.

Behind them, some sailors collapsed to the ground in fear, as if all their strength had been drained away. Only a few with strong wills could hold on.

"Wash away, purify your soul!" A calm voice rang out, and a colorful, invisible light swept across, directly dispelling the fear in the hearts of many sailors.

Behind them, a warship slowly approached, with staff officer Tsuru, Kake, and Gion standing at the bow.

That astonishing collision, on the high seas, served as a landmark, guiding them to easily locate Kuzan's position.

"Looks like trouble is brewing!"

Crane sighed inwardly. Sure enough, the worst-case scenario was that a major battle was inevitable.

The sailors were panting heavily, some as if they had been freed from hell.

"The Observation Haki that can crush one's mind truly lives up to its reputation." Gion's hand was already on the hilt of the sword at her waist. She closed her eyes, and in the darkness, she could almost see an abyss with countless eerie tentacles reaching out, constantly approaching.

That was merely the Catwoman's Observation Haki, or rather, the astonishing force field emanating along with the spread of her Observation Haki.

The massive Iceberg shifted, revealing the sea ahead, a dark flag fluttering, a menacing double-headed dragon prow, and the blood-red letter "DICKE".

In the time it took for the Iceberg to shift, the Night Pirates had already reached a position 300 meters away from them.

This distance is considered very close at sea.

Now, no one cares about Whitebeard II. or Bakin, and they are happy about it. Weevil paddles frantically, moving away from the battlefield amidst Bakin's shouts.

As expected, the Night Pirates made their move, but what was somewhat surprising was that, apart from some members of the Night Pirates, there were only six people on the bow of the ship.

Shiryu of the Rain, one of the Seven Demon Kings, has a bounty of 1.63 billion Beli.

Enel, also a Demon King, has a bounty of 1.34 billion Beli.

The Demon General "Muscle Monk" Clemons has a bounty of 980 million Beli.

The bounty for the core member, "Devil Patrolman" Lafitte, is $870 million.

Neferpitou, nicknamed "Catwoman," has a bounty of 400 million Beli.

Another well-known rising star in the night, Esdeath, has no bounty whatsoever.

Although there are only six people, a closer look reveals that the bounties of five of them are terrifyingly high, totaling a staggering five billion Beli.

"The Dark Night Pirates!" The marines on the warship realized who they were facing, and they were all shocked and dared not make a move.

"Navy, you've crossed the line!" Enel sat cross-legged in the air, his eyes filled with disdain, a golden dragon staff slung over his shoulder, looking down at the Navy below.

The air was unusually heavy, with dark clouds gathering high in the sky and thunderclouds rolling in, as if an explosion could occur at any moment.

Before the Marines could say anything, Enel had no intention of even asking them for an answer.

He raised the dragon-patterned staff, pointed it at the thunderclouds in the sky, and swung it downwards.

"God's Judgment!"

The next moment, "Boom!"

A terrifying pillar of lightning descended from the sky, flashing an eerie red light, instantly turning the sea and sky red.

To deal with Devil Fruit User like Kuzan, red plasma containing extreme high temperatures is naturally the most effective weapon.

At least visually, it's shockingly terrifying.

A terrifying pillar of lightning struck directly at Admiral Aokiji, engulfing nearly half of the warship.