The Marines' response: intervening in the Four Seas

"Take care of yourself."

Hades clinked cups with Newgate, and they both gulped down their drinks.

Newgate was leaving. He was going with the force led by John.

John and Ochoku would soon set out, secretly slipping into the first half of the Grand Line.

They would coat their ships and, with help from members of the fish-man race, descend into the deep sea, pass through Fish-Man Island, and cross beneath the Red Line into Paradise.

The plan for this operation was thorough, almost flawless. Even Hades had to marvel that the Rocks Pirates' intelligence organization had someone so talented.

Of course, it was not entirely without flaws, but the reality was that the Rocks Pirates held an overwhelming advantage in overall strength.

With that advantage, the plan would push the efficiency of the Rocks Pirates' offensive to its limit.

That depended on the Marines splitting their forces as well. If they did, their defeat was certain.

If the Marines were willing to sacrifice some positions and concentrate their forces against one or two core members, however...

They could still achieve some results.

Did the Marines have that kind of resolve? Of course they did!

During the battle at Kent Island, the Marines had known they were no match for the Rocks Pirates and decisively abandoned a direct confrontation. Instead, they had sent powerful fighters after Hades, an obscure nobody.

Their misjudgment of Hades's strength had caused the mission to fail, compounded by the Rocks Pirates' intervention when they sent "Lion Ghost" Shiki.

Of course, Hades had no intention of warning anyone. There was nothing wrong with the Rocks Pirates' strategy.

If someone became the Marines' target, they could only blame their own lack of strength and bad luck.

The Rocks Pirates stirred restlessly, like a beast about to break