High in the sky, a fleet of twenty warships advanced above the clouds. Whenever they crossed a patch of clear sky, they looked like nothing more than a flock of migrating birds from the sea below.
The Broadblade-class second ship, the Red Tears, served as the expedition's flagship, with Sephiroth personally aboard. Eighteen Storm-class sailing warships followed behind, spread out to either side.
The lead Storm-class ship, Lucifer's Glory, also joined the expedition, though mainly as a "symbol." Kuma, Kyros, and Rebecca were currently aboard it.
Once they reached the Dressrosa Kingdom, it would hover somewhere visible from the ground but beyond the reach of attacks, serving as a mascot.
Of course, Kyros and Rebecca would not take part in the fighting.
As for Kuma, he would naturally jump down and give Doflamingo one hell of a slap.
Apart from Sephiroth and Kuma, four titled Holy Knights who qualified as officer-level combatants had been deployed.
Iron Cloud Knight Ohm, Flame Spear Knight Shura, Magic Bullet Knight Laki, and Warrior Ghost Knight Wyper.
With Kuma's Haki techniques, adamantine Electromagnetic Powered Armor, and various other equipment, Kuma reckoned they could fight the Whitebeard Pirates' lower-numbered division commanders on even terms.
Ohm, who had been fed enough experience to become a master swordsman, was even stronger, reaching the level of the Tobi Roppo.
Apart from Laki, who was aboard the Red Tears, the other three and the ordinary Holy Knights had been assigned to the other Storm-class Battleships.
Moreover, shortly after they left Babylon, the Splendid Ash caught up and took position directly behind the Red Tears, bringing the total to twenty warships.
-Red Tears, bridge.
"Laki, Babbage has finished joining up with us. You'll handle communications from here."
To fool outsiders, he first had to fool his own people. Within Babylon, only