East Blue, Flaus Kingdom.
“Bahahaha, it seems my influence is quite strong.”
King Ba Dodshinei burst into laughter after receiving the reply from Goa Kingdom.
The ‘softening’ and ‘concession’ of the Goa Royal Family made him very happy and satisfied.
With a single phone call, he halted Goa Kingdom’s expansion war.
This big news was definitely explosive.
Then, the names of Ba Dodshinei and Flaus Kingdom would be completely known throughout the East Blue, intimidating the various kingdoms of the East Blue.
He might even become the leader of the East Blue kingdoms.
After all, a war that even the World Government and Marineford couldn't stop was halted by him alone.
He would surely shake the East Blue and become famous worldwide.
Ba Dodshinei’s eyes were filled with ambition.
Meanwhile, the officials under Ba Dodshinei outwardly congratulated their King with excitement.
But inwardly, they grumbled, “Is Goa Kingdom really giving face to Ba Dodshinei?”
It was clearly Goa Kingdom’s fear of the Germa 66 army.
If Ba Dodshinei hadn't repeatedly mentioned Germa 66 during the call, Goa Kingdom probably wouldn’t have agreed to a ceasefire so readily.
“Our Germa mercenary army, regardless of whether you want to continue fighting Goa Kingdom or not, whether you fight or not, you still have to pay!”
The Germa 66 mercenary business liaison official stared coldly at King Ba Dodshinei.
As long as a deal was struck and the Germa 66 army was deployed, payment was mandatory.
Otherwise, Germa 66 would let Flaus Kingdom know what an evil army was!
“Uh… don’t worry, we won’t shortchange Germa on the mercenary fees.”
King Ba Dodshinei chuckled awkwardly, responding to the Germa liaison official with considerable apprehension.
He indeed dared not provoke or offend the infamous Germa Kingdom.
They hired the Germa evil army precisely to deter Goa Kingdom.
It was to hire a bodyguard for himself, lest Goa Kingdom continue to expand into Flaus Kingdom's sphere of influence.
Now that Goa Kingdom had softened, he also didn’t want to go to war with Goa Kingdom.
After all, Goa Kingdom was the most beautiful kingdom in the East Blue, favored by the Celestial Dragons.
It was also the hometown of Marine Hero Iron Fist Garp.
Going to war with Goa Kingdom was not a good choice!
If they offended the Celestial Dragons and the Marine Hero, their Flaus Kingdom would likely face a major disaster.
Konomi Kingdom, Coco Yashi Village.
After Nami told Nojiko and Akin about the news from Goa Kingdom, it quietly spread among the villagers.
They must protect themselves these days, be ready to flee at any time, and not be affected by the battle between Goa Kingdom and the Arlong Pirates.
Nami felt that these two forces would definitely fight.
In Arlong’s territory.
A group of Fishman led by the Sawshark Fishman Arlong gathered together under the notice of Colonel Nezumi, preparing for a potential battle.
“Big Brother Arlong, can that greedy bastard Nezumi really hide from that Goa Kingdom?”
“Can Nezumi really make Marineford stop Goa Kingdom?”
“Our protection fees won’t decrease because of Goa Kingdom’s rule, will they?!”
A group of Fishman were filled with dissatisfaction and resentment.
The war initiated by Goa Kingdom had severely impacted their comfortable lives.
The carefree life in the Arlong Empire deeply fascinated them.
It was a hundred times more comfortable than the gloomy Fish-Man District.
Six years ago, it took them more than half a year to occupy over twenty villages in Konomi Kingdom, suppressing and massacring several fiercely resisting towns.
They forced these inferior humans to pay a living fee every month.
100,000 Berries for adults, 50,000 Berries for children.
Every year, they could obtain huge living fees from over twenty villages.
In Coco Yashi Village, they built their Arlong Empire, mimicking the architecture of the Sabaody Archipelago.
To avoid Marine's subjugation, Arlong also bribed Colonel Nezumi, their protective umbrella.
They allied with Colonel Nezumi and forced the Konomi Kingdom's royalty into submission.
They began their tyrannical lives.
They hoped that the Goa Kingdom royal family, like the Inaba Rose royal family of Konomi Kingdom, would not provoke them.
Otherwise, they would show those humans from Goa Kingdom the power of a superior race, the Fishman.
“If Goa Kingdom dares to come, we will sink all their warships!”
“Just like that idiotic Rear Admiral Pudding!”
Arlong grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth, not fearing the Goa Kingdom army at all.
Back then, they even dared to kill Rear Admiral Pudding, the commander of Marine 77th Branch.
“Big Brother Arlong is right, we are the masters of this great sea!”
“If Nezumi can’t handle Goa Kingdom, we’ll personally wipe out these human armies!”
With Arlong’s confident declaration, the Fishman echoed him one after another, each one incredibly arrogant.
After six years of comfortable life in Coco Yashi Village, they had come to believe that all humans in the East Blue were as useless as those in these twenty-odd villages.
They could be bullied and trampled on at will.
Just as these Fishman were boasting and arrogantly viewing humans as useless, a Fishman rushed into Arlong’s territory in a frantic hurry.
“Big Brother Arlong, they’re really here! The Goa Kingdom fleet is really here!”
“What?!”
All the Fishman of the Arlong Pirates suddenly stood up, their eyes filled with anger and killing intent.
“That Nezumi fellow is indeed useless, completely unreliable!”
“My subordinates! Follow me to battle and wipe out these humans!”
At Arlong’s command, a large group of ferocious and grim Fishman streamed out, rushing towards the sea.
“Into the sea! Pierce their ships!”
Arlong commanded as he ran.
The sea was their territory.
He would not give the Goa Kingdom army a chance to land.
“Yes!!”
“Charge!”
Each Fishman was incredibly excited, their eyes fearless, humans were merely their slaves.
But the next second.
Before these Fishman even reached the shore, they all fell to the ground one by one.
“No! It’s a sniper!”
“Be careful!”
Arlong’s eyes instantly turned red; the enemy sniper was so far away that he couldn’t even hear the gunshots, yet they could snipe them.
“Quick, save them!”
Hatchan and Kuroobi quickly dragged their shot and fallen brothers into the buildings for cover.
The running Fishman hurriedly sought cover, dodging the enemy’s ultra-long-range sniping.
A trace of fear spread among the Fishman.
This Goa army seemed different from the humans in these villages.
They seemed to recall the days on Fish-Man Island when they were intimidated and oppressed by Grand Line pirates and Marines.
Meanwhile, on the fleet that appeared on the sea.
The Royal Guard soldiers were loading bullets for Van Auger, rotating sniper rifles one by one.
Besides Van Auger’s famous rifle ‘Thousand Lands’, there was also Wang Shi’s golden sniper rifle, and other ordinary sniper rifles.
“Good! Van Auger, you’ve bought us some time.”
Wang Shi held the golden telescope, observing the situation in Coco Yashi Village, revealing a satisfied expression.
“Sniping within visual range is nothing to boast about.”
Van Auger responded casually while firing, even with an ordinary sniper rifle, he could still shoot accurately at this distance.
If he used his beloved rifle ‘Thousand Lands’, he could shoot enemies beyond visual range.
He could shoot seagulls and enemies from extremely long distances, and the opponent wouldn't even see the island or pirate ship he was on.
...