Strong troops and sturdy steeds

Natsu a while.

When those four people left, he had to calculate whether they would ever come back.

No need to calculate now.

Now he only needs to tell them where to go and what to do, and they can handle the rest themselves.

After Yashiro and the others retreated back into formation, the hall was quiet for a moment.

Natsu turned her gaze away from them and toward the steps.

Yaoyu and Yakumi stood on the left and right sides of the first step, the two brothers standing in similar postures, with their hands hanging at their sides.

Setsuna he stood beside them, his black hair gleaming in the dim light, he was older than Yaoyu and Yakumi, yet he stood even straighter than they were.

Fugaku stood on the second step, his Six-Tomoe Rinne Sharingan quietly open, his hands hanging down, looking at Natsu.

"Fugaku. Yaoyu. Yakumi. Setsuna."

All four of them looked up at the same time.

"You four, take Ten Night Owl Guard Squads," Natsu's voice was calm. "Target: Wano Country. The Beasts Pirates."

Yaoyu's lips twitched, but he didn't speak.

The Yakumi made him tilt his head, his gaze meeting the Yaoyu for a fleeting moment before he looked away.

The two brothers didn't react in any particular way, but Natsu knew what they were thinking.

In the Beasts Pirates of Wano Country, after Kaido injured, it was King who was holding on.

King is a tough opponent. When Kaido wasn't around, he defended Onigashima flawlessly, not because of his strength, but because of his intelligence.

The combination of Yaoyu Yakumi is formidable, Setsuna is a veteran, and with Fugaku providing support, this lineup is sufficient.

But Natsu still glanced at Yaoyu one more time.

Yaoyu nodded slightly, a very small gesture, but the meaning was clear: I understand.

"Those willing to submit, give them the opportunity to join the Earthly Chief Guard." Natsu's voice remained unchanged. "Those who refuse, need not be kept."

"Yes," all four responded in unison.

After replying, Fugaku didn't immediately retreat. Standing on the steps, he asked another question, "Kaido? If he's willing to submit, should we keep him?"

"Spare his life," Natsu said. "Keeping one of the Four Emperors who obeys is more useful than killing them all. If he's willing to submit, give him a way out. If not, do with him as you see fit."

Fugaku nodded and returned to his original position.

Yaoyu added from the side, "What about Jin? What if he stubbornly refuses to surrender?"

"Surround him first. Surround him until he realizes what's happening," Natsu said. "He's not stupid. Kaido has bowed down; he won't hold out for long. If he really does hold out until the very end, then we'll make our move."

I didn't ask any more questions about the Yaoyu and returned it.

Natsu looked away.

His gaze fell on the third step.

Ban was still standing there with his arms crossed, not having uttered a single word since then.

"Spot."

Ban lowered his arms from his chest. "Yes."

"I need you to go to the New World yourself." Natsu's voice was a little deeper and colder than before. "Find that guy named Marshall D. Teach. Bring his head back."

Ban's expression didn't change; in fact, the corners of his mouth even twitched slightly upwards.

"Leave it to me." He paused, his tone flat. "Five days. Within five days, I'll hang his head on the gates of Mary Geoise."

Natsu did not respond to that sentence.

He glanced at Ban Yixi, then spoke.

His tone was softer than before.

"Go back to Origin Island first. Before you go to the New World."

Ban paused for a moment.

"Let's revive Izuna Uchiha- senpai's body," Natsu said. "The Impure World Reincarnation body has been delayed for too long."

Ban remained silent for a moment.

That breath was very short.

It was so short that the others in the hall probably didn't even notice.

But Natsu noticed.

Ban loosened his grip on his arm for a moment, then tightened it again.

His gaze shifted to the side for a moment, as if he were looking at something, before he looked up again, his voice no different from usual.

"Given his personality," Madara said, "Being confined in this Reanimated Body for so long, he's probably already itching to get back to his old ways."

Natsu did not respond to that sentence.

He simply nodded.

He's been waiting for this day for a long time.

Ban did not reply.

His arms were lowered from his chest and hung down at his sides.

His fingers pinched the edge of his sleeve, then released it.

In that instant, many things flashed through Madara's mind.

He recalled the days Izuna Uchiha spent in the Impure World Reincarnation.

Izuna Uchiha never said he was in pain. Every time Madara returned to Origin Island to see him, he would sit in the laboratory, engrossed in researching the improved Impure World Reincarnation Improved Technique. Occasionally, he would look up and chat with Madara for a few words, his tone no different from when he was alive.

But you can see it with spots.

The body Impure World Reincarnation has no sense of touch, no sense of taste, and no temperature.

Izuna Uchiha's favorite Dango used to taste like nothing after Impure World Reincarnation.

Izuna Uchiha used to love arguing with him, but after the Impure World Reincarnation, he always stopped arguing when he did, because the Reanimated Body didn't have the vitality of a living person.

Izuna Uchiha always smiled when he spoke to Madara, but the smile was thinner than it seemed, and Madara could see it.

Ban never told anyone these things in his life. He wouldn't say them, but he remembered them in his heart.

Then he turned around and took two steps down the steps, as if he were about to leave. But when he reached the second step, he paused without looking back.

"Five days," he said, his voice low but loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear. "I'll pick him up after he returns from the New World."

After saying that, he continued walking down.

He walked slowly, as usual, but Natsu noticed that he didn't put his arms back in front of his chest when he walked.

He just hung there by my side, and I didn't pick him up again until we walked out of the hall.

Natsu watched his figure disappear through the door before turning her gaze away.

"Killing Hall."

Killing Hall stepped out from the ranks, his greyish-white uniform looking neat and clean in the dim light. He stopped and bowed slightly.

"Go to the New World. Find Red-Haired Shanks." Natsu's tone was flat, each word clearly enunciated. "Tell him I allow him to see me in ten days."

Killing Hall didn't ask a single question. He simply bowed his head in greeting.

"Yes, Lord Natsu."

Then he straightened up, turned around, and walked out.

As he reached the door, he slightly tilted his head, his gaze sweeping over the direction Ban had just left before returning to his own, and then stepped out.

The footsteps echoed in the corridor for a few moments, then faded into the distance and disappeared.

The hall fell silent.

Natsu stood in front of the throne, looking for a while at the empty steps and array.

Then he turned his head and said to Fugaku beside him, "You decide the exact departure time. No need to rush, but don't delay either."

"Understood," Fugaku replied.

"Don't rush back to Wano Country after the battle is over. Clean up the area, replace those who need replacing, and keep those who should stay. As for the Beasts Pirates' top All-Stars, recruit those who can be recruited, and let King deal with those who can't."