"Samuel was right..." Blackbeard began slowly, his voice low. "The Marines... that bastard Gern won't let us off.
He needs to establish his authority, to show the whole world what happens to anyone who provokes the Neo Marines.
And we're the perfect targets."
Blackbeard rubbed the crossed scars on his chest again, a vicious gleam flashing in his eyes. "But I'm no pushover either!
Hachinosu is easy to defend and hard to attack. Pizarro's Island-Island Fruit can bring the entire island to life, turning it into the ultimate fortress and trap.
My Tremor-Tremor Fruit can unleash tsunamis and earthquakes, and my Dark-Dark Fruit can swallow any attack.
If we fight a defensive battle here, even a force led by an Admiral might not get the better of us!"
"That's right, Captain Teach!" Jesus Burgess chimed in with his booming voice, swinging a heavily muscled arm. "Let them come! It'll be the perfect chance to test my new moves!"
"But we still need to prepare our escape routes in advance," Van Augur said calmly, methodically wiping down his sniper rifle, Qianlu.
"The firepower of the Marines' fleet is not to be underestimated."
Doc Q lay slumped over the back of his sickly horse, Stronger, and coughed weakly twice. "Cough... death... if the Marines come, we can't beat them..."
The officers voiced their opinions, some fired up, others grim or calculating.
As Blackbeard watched them, his unease eased a little.
After years of fortification, Hachinosu was already impregnable.
As long as he didn't recklessly head out to sea to fight the Marines' main force head-on, he was confident that the terrain would let him exact a devastating price from any invader.
Just then, Samuel Kronos spoke again. His voice remained even, but he posed a question with far greater implications:
"A defensive