I Will End This War

At the Yadis Kingdom's border

The border waters.

The sky was overcast, and howling winds whipped the sea into towering waves.

Along the border,

Tens of thousands of Yadis Kingdom soldiers stood in a loose formation, clutching swords, knives, and spears. Their eyes were wide with fear, their faces deathly pale as they watched the enormous ships appearing one after another on the distant sea. Their hands trembled uncontrollably around their weapons.

One ship,

two ships,

three ships,

One enormous warship after another, each like a military fortress, sailed over the storm-tossed sea as easily as if it were calm, bearing down on the Yadis Kingdom with a fearsome, iron-blooded aura.

A flag bearing the number "66" flew above every warship.

The ships were built from rock and metal, and enormous snails hauled them forward.

The flagship at the front was especially massive, as large as a small town. The proud, bloodthirsty Cross Falcon flag flew from the spire of its towering central castle.

The Saint Germain!

This was the flagship of Germa 66, the "Evil Army"!

"Damn it! Has the Navy arrived yet?!"

King Yadis III was a fat, middle-aged man with a golden crown on his head and a mustache. His luxurious clothes strained against his rolls of fat, bunching up his noble attire.

Now, as he watched Germa 66's army surge toward them across the distant sea like a flood of steel, its ranks looming like dark clouds overhead, cold sweat streamed down his face.

Vinsmoke Judge, that lunatic, had actually threatened to cut off his head and demanded that the Yadis Kingdom hand over its king. Otherwise, he would lead the "Evil Army" and raze the entire kingdom to the ground.

The soldiers around him kept casting furtive glances his way. Yadis III was as frantic as an ant on a hot pan.

"Your Majesty, I've already informed Lord Darren. Branch 321 has sent out troops, and they'll be here at any moment."

Tyrrell, the Yadis Kingdom's chief minister, answered respectfully.

He was a handsome man who looked to be in his early thirties. His features held a hint of softness, and a faint fragrance drifted from his luxurious formal wear.

Hearing his chief minister's report, the frantic Yadis III felt slightly reassured, but apprehension still showed plainly on his face.

The Germa Kingdom had been established in the North Blue for 300 years. It possessed a powerful army that struck fear into people's hearts and revered military strength above all else. Most of its people were adult men, and every citizen was a fearless soldier.

Faced with such overwhelming military power, the Yadis Kingdom might have had the advantage in numbers, but if it came to a real battle, its forces would probably collapse completely in less than ten minutes.

Aboard the Saint Germain.

A tall, broad-shouldered blond figure stood like an iron tower at the bow.

He wore a metal helmet. His long golden hair flowed like a lion's mane, and his expression was stern.

His pointed black mustache curled upward at the ends, and a small goatee grew on his protruding chin.

He wore an orange cape, a light gray Battle Suit marked with Germa's "66" insignia, and black combat boots. In his hand was a silver metal spear.

Vinsmoke Judge, head of the Vinsmoke Family, commander of Germa 66, and the current king of the Germa Kingdom!

"What a bunch of good-for-nothings... How has such a weak country survived in the North Blue for so long? It's an absolute disgrace to the North Blue!"

Vinsmoke Judge stared coldly at the army along the distant coastline, a defiant sneer curling his lips.

"My lord, are you certain we should attack? The Navy's newly appointed North Blue Admiral—"

A man in a butler's tailcoat stood behind Vinsmoke Judge. He asked cautiously, his manner deferential.

"Hmm?"

Vinsmoke Judge raised an eyebrow.

The butler's pupils contracted.

Shing!

Blood spurted into the air as a sharp spear pierced his heart.

Drip, drip...

Crimson blood gushed out, and the light quickly faded from the butler's eyes.

He stared at his master in disbelief, then sank helplessly to his knees.

"The North Blue Admiral? He's nothing but a mere Marine Headquarters Colonel... What right does he have to send me a letter and try to warn me?"

Vinsmoke Judge looked down at his subordinate, his gaze cold.

"No one can stop Germa from achieving glory and domination!"

With that, he yanked out his spear and flicked it, splattering a line of blood across the ground.

He didn't spare another glance at his subordinate as he slowly fell, lifeless, behind him.

Germa had no need for cowardly, weak-willed soldiers.

As for the letter from that so-called North Blue Admiral named Darren, he'd already tossed it straight into the trash.

Vinsmoke Judge's thoughts turned to the ships around him.

On every Germa 66 warship, rows upon rows of figures stood crowded together.

They were muscular and tall. Every soldier wore sunglasses, their faces wooden and indifferent.

Even on the eve of battle, not one of them showed the slightest emotion.

Clone Soldiers.

Looking at this batch of "loyal" subordinates, Vinsmoke Judge smiled with satisfaction.

His cooperation with Vegapunk had given him access to some of the Lineage Factor technology.

By altering the Lineage Factors of infants, he had mastered cloning and used it to create Clone Soldiers for Germa 66.

The Clone Soldiers possessed powerful physiques and obeyed orders without question. Their Lineage Factors had even been designed with the principles of "fearing no death and never betraying" built into them.

In Vinsmoke Judge's eyes, this was the finest and most powerful army in the world!

The Navy was nothing before an army of warriors who felt no pain and feared no death!

Most importantly, with the technology he currently possessed, it took only five years to produce a soldier who was twenty years old.

In other words, as long as he had enough money, he could clone soldiers without limit and build the largest army in the world!

Once he conquered the four North Blue kingdoms, including Yadis, he could seize the entire North Blue. With the region's resources at his disposal, his army would grow without end. He might even dominate the world!

With that thought, Vinsmoke Judge sneered and raised his hand in a signal.

At his gesture, the scattered warships quickly shifted formation.

Propelled by the giant snails,

dozens of warships moved swiftly into position, closing ranks and joining together.

Before the horrified, stunned eyes of tens of thousands of Yadis Kingdom soldiers,

Germa 66's dozens of scattered warships joined together, transforming into a colossal structure floating on the sea!

A towering military fortress,

enormous black cannon barrels,

and more than ten thousand densely packed Clone Soldiers, each armed with swords or guns,

all stood before them.

From a distance,

the entire Germa 66 fleet had become a heavily armed war beast, radiating a ferocious, terrifying aura.

This... was the Germa Kingdom!!

"For the glory of Germa! Dominate the North Blue!"

Vinsmoke Judge raised his spear with a savage grin and shouted.

The moment his words rang out,

more than ten thousand Clone Soldiers raised their weapons in perfect unison, their voices shaking heaven and earth.

"For the glory of Germa! Dominate the North Blue!"

Their deafening roar seemed to become a tangible wave of sound, rolling across the shore toward the Yadis Kingdom's army.

The overwhelming killing intent nearly left the soldiers unable to breathe. Quite a few young soldiers dropped to the ground, their weapons clattering from their hands.

Yadis III himself trembled so badly that he could barely stand, even with several ministers supporting him.

"It's over... It's over..."

He murmured, his face deathly pale.

Aboard the Saint Germain,

Seeing how utterly helpless the Yadis Kingdom's army looked, Vinsmoke Judge burst into arrogant laughter.

"Kneel and submit!"

"Germa... is the true ruler of the North Blue!"

He raised his metal spear, blue lightning flickering along its length.

At his command, the entire ironclad military fortress of the Germa Kingdom surged forward at full speed, bearing down on the coastline.

Its immense size churned the sea into towering waves several meters high.

Vinsmoke Judge drew a deep breath and sneered.

"Everyone, prepare to... attack—"

He hadn't finished speaking when a black cannonball suddenly dropped from the sky and crashed down beside him.

Vinsmoke Judge's pupils contracted.

Boom!!!

A violent explosion erupted, sending flames and thick black smoke billowing into the air.

The sudden blast brought the Clone Soldiers charging forward to an abrupt halt.

Along the coast,

the nobles and soldiers of the Yadis Kingdom also froze, staring at the scene in stunned silence.

"Damn it! Who did that?!"

The wind scattered the smoke. Amid the flames, Vinsmoke Judge's soot-covered figure climbed out of a crater, roaring through clenched teeth.

As if sensing something, he turned to look in a certain direction.

At the same time, the ministers and soldiers of the Yadis Kingdom turned to look that way as well.

There, through howling winds and surging waves,

a massive warship slowly emerged.

High on its mast, the black characters for "Justice" swept boldly across the sail.

A tall young man with a deep, imposing presence stood at the bow. The broad white cape behind him whipped and billowed in the wind.

"It's Darren!"

"The Navy's here! We're saved!"

Yadis III burst into tears of joy, his face flushed with excitement.

By contrast, Vinsmoke Judge's face turned ashen.

Under the gaze of tens of thousands from the Yadis Kingdom and the Germa Kingdom,

the warship sailed steadily and swiftly into the stretch of sea between the opposing forces.

Like an uncrossable barrier, it divided the armies of the two kingdoms.

In an instant, the sea fell silent, tense and lifeless.

Everyone's eyes drifted, almost against their will, to the figure at the warship's bow.

Short black hair, sharp brows and bright eyes, deep and stern features.

The Marine Captain's lips slowly curled into a smile.

He raised his head,

his gaze defiant,

and looked at Vinsmoke Judge, whose face had darkened to the utmost.

"In the name of justice..."

His voice echoed across the open sea.

"...I will end this war."