The Strategist Tsuru

Chapter 12: The Strategist Tsuru

The entire Nine Snake Island was in chaos. All the Amazon warrior women had gone on alert. Whether they could use Haki or not, the women picked up their weapons, drew their Snake Bows taut, strapped on daggers or long blades, readied their arrows, and surged toward the walls.

Though they appeared panicked, the Kuja Pirates' upper ranks were not particularly alarmed. Leo had already brought them the intelligence, and he had repeatedly stressed the matter over the past ten-plus days. Even a fool should have been mentally prepared by now.

Then Hancock, a woman with Conqueror's Haki, unhesitatingly opened the gates of Nine Snake Island. Dragged slowly by two venomous Yuda Sea Kings, the Kuja Pirates' warship—a vessel resembling a floating palace—sailed out.

"They appeared right outside their enemy's doorstep so suddenly, yet they aren't panicking at all... What impressive nerve." A thin, elderly woman stood on the deck of the Navy warship, draped in a Marine coat with her arms folded across her chest. Watching the Kuja Pirates slowly emerge, she chuckled.

"That woman is... Tsuru?" Standing behind the Empress, wrapped in a cloak, Leo adjusted his telescope to its maximum range and watched the elderly woman on the enemy warship's deck. Though he did not know her, among high-ranking elderly female Marine officers, Tsuru was the only possibility.

This strategist was someone he had to win over—but definitely not now.

"Tsuru, Marine Vice Admiral Garp, and Sengoku the Buddha—those three are pillars of the Marines. The iron triangle they form is why the World Government could remain undefeated even against the Rocks Pirates, Pirate King Roger, and the Whitebeard Pirates."

"None of the three are weak, and all of them are highly intelligent. Though Garp can be unreliable in ordinary matters, when it comes to grand strategy, he may actually be the clearest-headed of the three. Of course, although Sengoku the Buddha is known as a strategist, all three of them have excellent minds. Many schemes come from their hands."

"Of course, they may not have much say among the World Government's upper ranks, but their role in the military is beyond question. Compared with the current Three Admirals, they are the true three pillars of the armed forces."

Wrapped in his cloak, he stood amid the Kuja Pirates, peering through his telescope at the opposing warship and studying the sailors on its deck.

"Almost more than half of them are female soldiers. It seems they were brought to counter your Love-Love Fruit ability." He spotted two very familiar figures. One was a long-legged woman with long black hair and an oversized sword hanging at her waist—the future Admiral candidate, Momousagi.

The other was a woman in a burgundy suit, with pink hair and sunglasses: Hina, Smoker's fellow recruit and the user of the Cage-Cage Fruit.

This was still before the main story. In other words, Vice Admiral Momousagi, the future Admiral candidate, should currently be somewhere between colonel and rear admiral. Hina's Cage-Cage Fruit was powerful, but she was probably only a major. After all, she was Smoker's contemporary, so she could not have risen very high yet.

Still, the fact that Tsuru had brought them along showed her trust in their abilities. If the Empress was foolish enough to reject the World Government's invitation, they would likely have to fight.

No matter how many ordinary male soldiers came, they would only be throwing away their lives against the Empress's Love-Love Fruit. Female soldiers, on the other hand, might survive.

Momousagi and Hina were the crucial safeguards ensuring the other soldiers could survive a Kuja Pirates attack.

Vice Admiral Tsuru was indeed clever. She had even considered everything—but why was there only one warship...

"The government probably just acquired its first Seastone warship and couldn't wait to come here to flaunt its strength, intimidate you, and recruit you." Though his analysis was quiet, the Kuja Pirates' female officers nearby heard every word clearly.

The Empress's heart stirred. If they seized this warship here, could they delay the government's entry into the Calm Belt? Could they even obtain the Marines' technology for crossing the Calm Belt? As for the Marines aboard, they could simply kill them all. The Empress had no regard for their lives.

But Gloriosa was an old hand. She saw through Hancock's thoughts at a glance.

"Empress, don't overthink it. Follow the plan," she reminded her in a low but firm voice.

Yet Hancock still turned to glance at Leo. The gesture made Gloriosa's heart turn cold. Sure enough, a grown daughter could not be kept at home. It had only been a few days, yet she was already ignoring Gloriosa's words and turning to Leo for advice.

However, Leo's opinion was no different from hers. He said quietly, "Just accept. You can make demands the Marines cannot accept. Be more overbearing. Push them around. Ideally, petrify them all before negotiating with Grandma Tsuru."

Hancock understood at once. Clearly, they would show their strength first and negotiate afterward. That way, the other side would have no choice but to accept even more outrageous terms.

She was not bragging—when it came to being overbearing, she had never feared anyone.

"Sandersonia, Marigold, you two are coming with me!" the Empress ordered her two younger sisters imperiously.

"Yes, Sister." Sandersonia and Marigold sincerely admired the Empress, because she had always protected them. Whether when they had been slaves of the Celestial Dragons or after they escaped from them, she had always been there for them.

How could they possibly be unable to tolerate this little temper of hers now?

Marigold gave two hissing sounds, and one of the two sea serpents turned around and lowered its head onto the deck, carrying the three women up. As they stood atop the enormous serpent's head, Leo finally realized how gigantic it was. Its body was likely over forty meters long, spanning the entire ship's keel. Its height above the water alone exceeded ten meters. Its head was so massive that even with the 1.9-meter-tall Empress, the 4.5-meter-tall Sandersonia, and the 4.3-meter-tall Marigold standing on it, there was still room to spare. Combined with its deadly venom, these two sea serpents could indeed swagger through the Calm Belt, even where giant Sea Kings were plentiful.

They could even be considered Amazon Lily's strategic weapons.

Sure enough, no one who became one of the Shichibukai was easy to deal with.

Leo thought, keeping his telescope trained on the scene as he concealed himself beneath his cloak and observed the negotiations between both sides.

The Empress's entrance was utterly dazzling. Most of the enemy soldiers were immediately captivated by her, and for the Love-Love Fruit, there was only one outcome for those who fell under its spell...

They were all petrified!

P.S. Still haven't signed a contract. Depressing. There aren't enough review editors at Qidian, so even if the contract arrives, it will still have to be reviewed slowly. What a headache...