Warning and Threat from a Great Power in the East Blue

Off the coast of Cocoyasi Village, Konomi Kingdom.

An orange-haired girl adjusted the canvas sails with practiced speed, harnessing the full force of the sea breeze as she anxiously raced back to her village.

A small pile of parcels was stacked on the deck of her modest sailboat.

The golden glint reflecting from the opening of one parcel was clearly visible.

This was the treasure the "Little Thief Cat" Nami had stolen during this voyage.

"Faster! Go faster!"

Nami's expression was fraught with anxiety; all she wanted now was to reach the village, gather Nojiko, Genzo, and the others, and lead them to safety.

The Konomi Kingdom had already fallen, and its royal family had been exiled.

The Goa Guard would soon be seizing control of every inch of Konomi territory.

Nami sensed that the Goa Guard would inevitably clash with the Arlong Empire.

She knew all too well the arrogance and hubris of Arlong and his fish-men.

Once the war broke out, she feared Cocoyasi Village would be caught in the crossfire.

Nami could no longer worry about the village buildings or the orange groves; she only hoped that her family and the villagers would survive.

According to the intelligence Nami had gathered, the Goa Guard was incredibly ferocious this time, having conquered four kingdoms in rapid succession.

Such a feat had never occurred in the history of the East Blue.

With such overwhelming power, Nami felt that even Arlong and his crew would be unable to withstand the military might of the King of Goa.

Nami even harbored a secret hope that the Goa Guard would wipe out the detestable Arlong crew.

As for the Marines, Nami had long since given up on them.

She had already uncovered subtle clues regarding the collusion between Arlong and the Marines.

These filthy discoveries left her feeling powerless, forcing her to pin her hopes on her deal with Arlong.

That deal was to earn one hundred million Berries to buy back her village.

At Marine Branch 16.

The sound of gunfire and cannons atop the branch fortress had finally died down.

"Don't kill me! Please, don't kill me!"

"I am a Marine Captain!"

"Spare me, Your Majesty Wang Shi!"

Captain Nezumi knelt before Wang Shi in terror; he never imagined that the Goa Kingdom's warships would arrive so quickly.

It was as if, after taking the Konomi royal capital and dealing with the royals, they had simply sailed straight over.

It hadn't even been half an hour since he reported the news to Marine Headquarters.

"Your little private treasury is quite impressive, you rat."

Looking at the wealth seized from Captain Nezumi's private vault, Wang Shi couldn't help but click his tongue.

A mere branch captain had managed to hoard over a billion Berries in assets.

In just six years, that fellow Arlong had certainly funneled a massive amount of bribe money to Captain Nezumi.

Furthermore, it was no wonder the Domei royal family of Konomi was so destitute; it turned out that beyond the Heavenly Tribute, all their wealth had ended up in the hands of Captain Nezumi and Arlong.

Even after living in luxury, indulging in every vice, and paying off his superiors and subordinates, Captain Nezumi had still managed to save such a fortune.

One had to admit, he lived better than the king of any allied nation.

He was a local tyrant in every sense of the word.

Eric watched the Goa Guard haul away the "ill-gotten gains" and "spoils of war," his eyes filled with greed and longing.

He risked his life on the front lines, yet he couldn't even earn a few tens of millions of Berries in mercenary fees and bounty bonuses.

Yet Wang Shi, the King of Goa, simply launched a war and gave a few orders, and he was already reaping a fortune.

The treasuries of four kingdoms, the illicit funds of a Marine branch...

The sheer scale of the wealth made Eric's heart itch with desire.

"Send him off to keep Morgan company!"

"Move out! We head for Cocoyasi Village. I want to see just how strong this Arlong, who holds the highest bounty in the East Blue, really is!"

After suppressing the Marines at Branch 16, Wang Shi led his men directly toward their next destination.

"Yes!"

The Goa Guard, along with the nobles and officials, grew increasingly confident and arrogant, their very strides filled with a newfound swagger.

Their great King had annexed four kingdoms in a row.

He had propelled the Goa Kingdom to heights never before seen.

This is the supreme glory for all subjects of the Goa Kingdom!

The Goa Empire is rising!

On the way to Cocoyasi Village, Marine Branch 16 was underway.

Wang Shi, who had been in a pleasant mood, suddenly received an urgent call from Queen Sally.

Sally's aggrieved report caused Wang Shi's expression to turn icy cold.

"Husband, King Ba Dodeshinai of the Flaws Kingdom has advised us to cease our military campaigns.

He has already hired the Germa 66 army from the North Blue to come to the East Blue.

If the Goa Kingdom continues to expand, he will take countermeasures."

Queen Sally's voice carried a hint of anger as she relayed the intelligence and background information on the Flaws Kingdom to Wang Shi.

The Flaws Kingdom is one of the fifty nations of the Reverie.

It is a renowned and powerful member state in the East Blue.

Years ago, they hired the evil army of Germa 66 to annihilate the rival Kokia Kingdom, expanding their territory and greatly increasing their strength.

Today, the Kokia Kingdom has become the new Kokia stronghold of the Flaws Kingdom.

"Germa 66!!"

"Flaws Kingdom!!"

Wang Shi's eyes were cold and sharp. Although he had indeed planned to pause and take some time to digest his new territories after annexing the four countries, the fact that the Flaws Kingdom dared to threaten him using the Germa 66 mercenaries made him extremely displeased!

This King Ba Dodeshinai seemed to have appeared at the Reverie four years later.

It seems he is a minor ambitious ruler.

The war involving the Oykot Kingdom back then was also related to this Flaws Kingdom.

The Oykot Kingdom was the homeland and birthplace of Nami and Nojiko.

The Flaws Kingdom is also a tyrannical, expansionist nation.

It is truly worthy of being one of the fifty nations of the Reverie!

However, this King Ba Dodeshinai is a dead man!

He dares to threaten Wang Shi!

"Stall the Flaws Kingdom for now! Tell them our expansion operations are coming to a halt!"

"Once we have finished digesting the four kingdoms, we will have a proper 'friendly exchange' with them."

Wang Shi thought for a moment and instructed Queen Sally on how to respond.

This 'concession' at this moment was not a true retreat.

It was merely Wang Shi taking a step back to better gather strength for a lethal strike.

Germa 66!

Let's see if those modified humans can withstand the power of Wang Shi's Toki Toki no Mi.

"Understood, I will keep King Ba Dodeshinai at bay!"

Hearing Wang Shi's calm and strategic tone, Queen Sally felt a deep sense of security.

She believed that her man would suppress any crisis.

"Wait for my return, my dear Sally. By then, you shall be the Empress of the Goa Empire!"

Wang Shi soothed Queen Sally's troubled emotions.

"I will wait for you, my hero and husband!"

Queen Sally hung up the Den Den Mushi with a sweet smile, the frustration caused by King Ba Dodeshinai's threats instantly dissipating.

Wang Shi put down the Den Den Mushi, his expression growing increasingly cold.

Eric, Van Augur, and the others were too terrified to speak, and even the garrison soldiers stood at rigid attention, beads of cold sweat forming on their noses.

Slaves like Jango, Sham, and Buchi were kneeling on the deck, trembling in fear.

Wang Shi's temper was currently blazing.

"I hear the Arlong Pirates have established an 'Arlong Empire' in Cocoyasi Village!"

"A mere tiny village, yet they dare to call themselves an empire!"

"What level is Arlong, to dare establish an empire just like me!"

"Wipe them out!"

Wang Shi spoke coldly, and his garrison and mercenaries braced themselves with absolute focus.

This campaign to surround and annihilate the Arlong Pirates had to be carried out with full effort; not a single mistake could be made.

Otherwise, no one could withstand the wrath of His Majesty, Wang Shi.

They certainly did not want to be exiled or erased in an instant!