Chapter 630
The overall strength of a force does not need to be fully revealed; it can be glimpsed through indirect methods.
On the contrary, this way of showing parts is more ambiguous and makes people more wary.
This battle fully demonstrated the strength of the Night Pirates, even though both sides only deployed a portion of their forces.
The even more powerful Esdeath disrupted the balance; her breakthrough in swordsmanship increased her threat level once again.
These naval officers were not numerous, only a little over fifty, and now half of them have fallen and lost their fighting ability, many of whom have already died.
In addition, there were the five hundred naval personnel on the warship led by Staff Officer Tsuru.
Unable to withstand Esdeath's threat, they charged forward relentlessly, hoping to exhaust Esdeath strength.
He gasped for breath, repeatedly swinging his sword, his figure constantly shifting.
After a series of battles, Esdeath's condition was clearly declining, and she had sustained numerous injuries.
As the battle continued, Esdeath's weaknesses became more apparent, and Shigan, punches, sword marks, and other attacks rained down on her.
Even her powerful Armament Haki couldn't completely block it, and with the use of Haki, her stamina was rapidly depleted.
The battle continued for some time, Esdeath was no longer as unharmed as she had been at the beginning.
Once they fall into a disadvantageous position, they will face even fiercer attacks from the navy.
But this was achieved at the cost of considerable casualties.
Esdeath's attacks became even more ferocious, and her cold gaze turned crazed. Despite the injuries and bloodstains on her body, she did not look disheveled.
No one can emerge unscathed from her.
Esdeath's speed has slowed down, which is normal due to various reasons.
Since the offensive was unavoidable, Esdeath's idea was to withstand it head-on, trading injury for injury.
His physical condition was declining, but the sword in his hand was becoming increasingly fierce.
Monsters are constantly seeking progress through battles, and pressure is continuously transformed by Esdeath into a driving force for improvement.
They threw themselves wholeheartedly into the battle, dancing on the edge of a knife, attacking and dodging. Their Observation Haki was used to its fullest potential in this critical moment, constantly improving under immense pressure.
"It seems our objective has been fully achieved." Lafitte smiled as he looked down at the battlefield not far away.
Esdeath's stunning performance was truly amazing. This was Esdeath's debut facing the sea. Although she already had considerable fame, she was ultimately trapped in the Combat Pyramid.
Nothing convinces others more than a proven track record.
Even without this opportunity, Esdeath would have used a Great Pirate as a stepping stone in the future.
On the other side, the Marine Headquarters fell silent at the sight. Marines kept falling, but they would only suffer losses because Esdeath would never be harmed.
"Devil Cop" Lafitte didn't lift a finger; he just watched from the sidelines.
"Borsalino should have arrived by now, why hasn't he shown up yet?"
Yes, in order to support Kuzan and his group, the Marine Headquarters dispatched Admiral Kizaru, who was stationed at the Department of Naval Science. Only someone with his speed could reach the Night Sea Domain in such a short time.
The fewer the losses, the better. These naval forces still have greater potential; they cannot all be sacrificed in the Night Sea Domain.
Moreover, the threat to the lives of the four high-end combatants should not be underestimated. On the surface, the navy is still at a disadvantage.
The crane can still hold on, Gion is unknown; it goes without saying that it's terrible.
Now they actually hope the blood mist doesn't dissipate, because they fear that once it does, what will remain is a scene they can't accept.
Moreover, with Lafitte yet to make a move and countless members of the Night Pirates still silent, the stalemate could be broken at any moment.
Rather than relying on the Night Pirates to intervene, they have more faith in themselves.
"Maybe someone blocked it."
"The Night Pirates prefer to use contingency plans; their decision to send out a strong member is quite deliberate."
Just as he said, thousands of meters in the air, Borsalino looked helplessly at the figure in front of him that exuded terrifying pressure.
"I never expected that the Dark Emperor would personally take action."
He scratched his head, unsure of what to do next. A pressure had locked onto him, as if his body had been stripped bare.
Having received orders from headquarters, Borsalino rushed over at full speed, only to be spotted by Dark Emperor Teach, who had been waiting there for some time.
The two faced each other, Borsalino standing in the air. Neither of them made a move, silently watching each other and observing the war on the battlefield below.
Borsalino had no intention of fighting Teach. The Dark Emperor's immense strength was extremely dangerous, and one wrong move could lead to dire consequences.
With Teach watching over him, Borsalino simply abandoned any attempt to provide support to the battlefield below.
Of course, Borsalino was also very powerful, and if he really wanted to leave, Teach couldn't stop him.
Teach's appearance caused Borsalino to give up the struggle. He wouldn't easily make a move unless a strong member of the Navy was in mortal danger.
Otherwise, in a battle, he would be the one to suffer losses, and headquarters would find it difficult to send reinforcements.
This is the Night Pirates' home turf. The Navy was in the wrong first, intruding into the Night Sea Domain and constantly sending people. The war will only escalate, which is something Borsalino doesn't want to see.
Feeling the terror of the Dark Emperor, it's safe to say that if the Night Pirates wanted to, everyone, including Kuzan, would be left behind in a short time.
After all, the power of the Night Pirates was too terrifying. They didn't even use their full strength in the war that defeated the Whitebeard Pirates, let alone the Shadow Dragon Rediat and "Fierce God" Ares.
Fortunately, Dark Emperor Teach did not reveal any murderous intent, or perhaps he never intended to eliminate the invading navy in this battle.
Otherwise, given the Night Pirates' consistent style, they wouldn't have only a few powerful fighters; their numbers would be far greater and more terrifying.
Judging from the lineup sent by the Night Pirates from the very beginning, it was clear that they had planned this all along, and that it was essentially a countermeasure to the forces sent by the Navy, so they were quite clear about it.
If there are truly special ideas, two, three, or even more combat forces can be deployed directly.
It now appears that the Night Pirates' goal was not what they feared, but merely to hone the newcomer Esdeath.
The loss of face for the navy is still much better than the loss of high-end combat power.
Therefore, Borsalino didn't care about the sacrifice of these naval officers; people at different levels have different considerations.
Saying I don't care might sound heartless, but that's the truth. One must know how to make choices; that's how I've learned over the years.
The casualties over the years have been enormous. Even among the naval officers and colonels, who are considered upper-middle rank in the Marine Headquarters, the recorded number of deaths is in the hundreds or thousands. So, a few dozen people are unlikely to cause any significant impact on Borsalino's mind.
Belonging to two different camps, observing the great battle below, the two even began a friendly exchange.
"Borsalino, do you want to join the Night Pirates? You should know the Night Pirates' strength. It's just a change of job; you won't need to plunder like other pirates."
Seeing Borsalino's somewhat intense gaze, Teach stood up out of thin air and extended his hand.
Is this how you invite people?
Borsalino was taken aback, quite surprised. He had to admit that Dark Emperor Teach was audacious, considering that the two were completely opposed to each other.
Even if he agrees, aren't you afraid he might have ulterior motives?
"I'm very sorry, but I'm quite satisfied with my current job." He refused decisively, at least the Navy's situation wasn't bad enough for him to want to leave.
As for military spending and wrangling with the World Government, these things are none of his concern as long as he continues to slack off.
It has to be said that Borsalino was genuinely tempted by the Dark Emperor's invitation.
In the past, pirates simply plundered and fought, without engaging in any productive activities.
The current pirate group is more of a vast kingdom led by pirates than a group of pirates.
The threat level has increased significantly. The Night Pirates are the most representative example. They don't even need to resort to ordinary plundering methods. Their huge economic profits are the envy of even the Navy.
"Although the navy has undergone internal reforms and is showing some signs of resurgence, it has lost the four seas and needs a considerable period of stable development, which will be many years from now."
"But no one will give the navy the opportunity to grow stronger; its strength has been constantly being depleted over the years."
Teach analyzed the situation for a moment, then smiled as he looked at the Marine Admiral. His ambiguous sense of justice made it difficult to discern the true thoughts of this current leader of the naval neutral faction.
If Borsalino could join the Night Pirates, that would be perfect; he wouldn't need to care about what the world thinks.
However, the chances are slim. Borsalino is neither pressured by the World Government nor will he face the ideological conflict between Akainu and Aokiji in the future. Why would someone who wants a peaceful life give up his status Marine Admiral to become a pirate?
Many people are aware of the navy's development strategy, but in recent years, it has not had the opportunity to develop steadily; on the contrary, its overall strength has slightly declined.
The reforms were successful; they increased cohesion and reduced the emergence of internal problems.
Of course, there are still instances of collusion with various forces, but these are more covert, since there are always countermeasures to policies from above.
The intelligence capabilities of the Inspection Department are merely a covert surveillance of the Navy; they simply don't have that many personnel.
"So, the Navy still has a bright future, doesn't it?" Borsalino wasn't surprised by Teach's understanding of the Navy; being in the Navy himself, he could feel that it was improving.
At least for now, leaving the navy is simply an unrealistic idea.
Borsalino still values his reputation, and he doesn't want to be branded a traitor for no reason, especially at his level where the size of the gain isn't that important.
Moreover, the Navy is no less powerful than the Night Pirates.
"You know the state of the World Government; it's gradually being phased out by the times. How much better can the Navy be? Unless, of course, the Navy can break free from the World Government's control and become an independent force."
"That way, we won't need to worry about the Revolutionary Army, and we can focus on dealing with the pirates, right? Even if the World Government is overthrown, it won't affect the world order, let alone the Navy."
"The World Government can collect Heavenly Gold, and the Navy can similarly collect military expenses from Affiliated Nation. This would allow it to go even further and replace the role of the World Government."
This is Teach really wanted to say, and I'm looking forward to it.
Borsalino's eyes widened in surprise, startled by what Teach had said.
"What a dangerous idea," Borsalino remarked.
"Is it the World Government that will not tolerate it, or the Navy? This is a decision made primarily in the Navy's interests."
Teach couldn't deny that the idea was dangerous, but it was only in relation to the World Government. As for the Navy, it wouldn't do any harm. The existence of the Celestial Dragons was always a thorn in the Navy's side, so how could they truly submit to the World Government?
This applies to both the current Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the future Marshal Sakazuki.
Compared to the World Government, the Navy stands more on the side of justice and its own position, only sometimes having to yield to the World Government.
Today, the power and influence of World Government have greatly diminished, and internal naval reforms have also led to a decline in their influence over navies.
As long as a decision is made to break free from the control of the World Government, then trouble is no longer trouble.
As Teach said, collecting military expenditures from the Affiliated Nation under their protection would certainly result in much more military expenditures than before.
At that time, the Marine Headquarters should be transformed into a military government.
Teach was pleased to see this change in the Navy, because ultimately, it was to weaken the World Government's power.
What can the Navy do? It won't affect the Night Pirates' dominance in the Night Sea Domain.
Even if you become the King of the World, you can't directly control the entire world. It's meaningless. As long as pirates exist, the Navy will exist.
The game between the Navy and pirates existed in the past, exists now, and will continue to exist in the future.
This is something that cannot be changed by the current state of the ocean; in this world, the ocean is the dominant theme.
The largest continent, Red Line, is too high in altitude and has hard soil, making it difficult for most plants to survive unless the entire Red Line is modified and people are relocated there.
It's impossible to imagine how much effort this would take. In the past eight hundred years, the World Government has only managed to transform one piece of land, which is less than one-tenth of the entire Red Line.
How can the Red Line, with its various shortages, compare to the vast and magnificent ocean?
Could they possibly rebuild a new World Government? Leaving aside whether the West Blue Alliance would agree, the Night Pirates don't have the energy for it. Instead, they'd lose their freedom and be trapped in a cage of their own making.
What would we do then? Eliminate the pirates? That's impossible.
Teach's current goal is to destroy the World Government, then become the King of the World, and make the Night Sea Domain the center of the world.
Where else is there more interesting than exploring the Starry Sky? There is life in the universe.
Over a long period of time, the Night Pirates were able to exert economic influence and control over the entire world.
At that time, there was simply no force capable of rivaling the Night Pirates.
A seed has undoubtedly been planted in Borsalino's heart, waiting to sprout and be activated.
It's impossible for him to bring up such a thing; he's not the kind of person who would even consider such a matter.
At the same time, he also had some concerns: what kind of scheme might the Dark Emperor have? To split the Navy and the World Government?
While the Navy is powerful, its overall strength is far inferior to that of pirates. Only when combined with the World Government do they truly possess the power to suppress the world.
Besides the Gorosei, CP0 has three other top-tier fighters, making a total of at least eight. If we include the one in Impel Down and those who might be hiding, the number would be even greater, and their strength should not be underestimated.
Borsalino quickly stopped thinking about it. He was just an employee; what mattered to him were the other high-ranking naval officers. He only needed to subtly mention this potentially beneficial idea to the navy; whether it was implemented or not was none of his concern.
If the World Government were still the same as before, it would never have such an idea, because it would divide the Affiliated Nation, cause conflict between the Navy and the World Government, cause world turmoil, and disrupt order.
The Navy wouldn't do something like that, and besides, the World Government represents the world.
But now, World Government are no longer like that.
Borsalino also harbored some peculiar thoughts.
"Burp burp!" The Den Den Mushi rang. Borsalino glanced at Teach, took a Den Den Mushi out of his pocket, and turned it on.
"Moshi Moshi, I am Kizaru."
"Borsalino, what are you doing right now?" Sengoku's voice rang out.
"What are you doing? I'm watching." Borsalino said calmly.
Upon hearing this, the Den Den Mushi, mimicking the Sengoku, was completely speechless.
"You have someone with you, right?"
Sengoku knew that Borsalino couldn't have just been watching; he must have been blocked, just as they suspected.
"Hmm! It's the Dark Emperor."
"How's the battle going? Are you alright?"
Upon hearing those two words, Sengoku hurriedly spoke, and the other marines in the conference room also pricked up their ears, already imagining the scene of Borsalino and Dark Emperor Teach's great battle.
"You'll probably be disappointed, we're quite peaceful. We were watching the game, even chatting for a while, all that's missing is peanuts."
"The Dark Emperor even offered me a high salary to join the Night Pirates, but I upheld my principles of justice and refused his offer."
The word "high salary" was emphasized, and Borsalino subtly hinted to Sengoku that he could raise his salary.
Upon hearing this, Sengoku Meng coughed violently, not expecting it to be like this. He suddenly felt an urge to teach Borsalino a lesson.
His heart skipped a beat when he heard the news that the Dark Emperor had invited Borsalino.
"Then you can continue." With that, Sengoku hung up the phone.
During the call, the intelligent ones had already discerned the Night Pirates' intentions: nothing they wanted to see would happen, which was a good thing for them, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief.
Esdeath's battle was nearing its end. After a long battle and defeating 90% of the Marines, she finally exhausted herself, collapsed from severe injuries, and lost her ability to fight.
He was taken away by Lafitte the moment he fell, which also marked the end of this battle.
"I'll let you go this time." Even as he left, Enel remained arrogant.
As the blood mist dissipated, Gion, her hands gripping her sword and covered in blood, watched Shiryu's departing figure, finally unable to hold on any longer, and collapsed to the ground.
Tsuru breathed a sigh of relief, having sustained numerous injuries herself, and ran towards Gion with Kake.
The navy eventually left on warships.