Grand Line, Red Line coastal waters.
“I can’t believe we passed through the Calm Belt just like that! We’ve reached the end of the Grand Line Paradise!”
Eric’s eyes were filled with disbelief.
He had always heard about the horror of the Pirate Graveyard and the terrifying Calm Belt in the East Blue.
As a result, they had arrived near Marineford.
They might even pass through the legendary ‘Island of New Beginnings’, Sabaody Archipelago.
“Skipping the Grand Line directly means missing out on a lot of fun. I heard Hawkeye Mihawk’s territory is in the Grand Line.”
Zoro looked at the sea with a bit of boredom, then quickly picked up his dumbbells to train.
In any case, he could still enter the Grand Line from the West Blue, so there was no rush.
He needed to continue getting stronger, otherwise, if he truly encountered Hawkeye Mihawk, he would probably lose miserably.
“Your Majesty, do you want to visit Sabaody Archipelago?”
Nami’s eyes lit up. She had seen in documents that this island was very prosperous, and even Celestial Dragons liked to visit it.
Also, the buildings of the Arlong Empire were merely imitations of some buildings and amusement parks in Sabaody Archipelago.
But Coco Yashi Village lacked the Yarukiman Mangrove bubble climate of Sabaody Archipelago, making it impossible to truly capture its essence.
“No!”
Wang Shi directly refused. This trip wasn’t for leisure; he had come out with a purpose.
There was nothing significant to plunder in Sabaody Archipelago, so it wasn’t worth Wang Shi’s time.
If he had to land on an island, Wang Shi would rather go to the Devil's Triangle, find Gekko Moriah, and seize black blade shusui and Perona.
But for now, Wang Shi didn’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble by attacking a Shichibukai without reason.
The World Government wouldn’t be happy.
Moreover, entering the Devil's Triangle, he didn’t know how much time it would take to find the Thriller Bark.
It would be better to seek out Aramaki and Issho, who had clear objectives and were even stronger.
Once Wang Shi had two Admiral-level powerhouses under his command, his confidence would solidify.
“Understood.”
Nami could only suppress this thought, hoping that when they sailed into the Grand Line from the West Blue, they could land on this famous island.
“Your Majesty, would you like to visit Marineford?”
No sooner had Nami stepped back than Saka opened his mouth.
Saka, who had wanted to become a Marine since childhood, looked at this world-renowned fortress of justice with longing in his eyes.
Even Tashigi was full of anticipation for Marineford.
“No!”
Wang Shi continued to refuse. There was no point in going to Marineford now; he might even have some time wasted by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Iron Fist Garp.
“Oh.”
Saka retreated with considerable disappointment.
Tashigi also pouted.
“…”
Looking at these disheartened individuals, Wang Shi’s expression darkened.
“We will pass by Marineford and Sabaody Archipelago, but we will not land. You can observe them from nearby.”
Wang Shi said indifferently, telling Nami and Reiju to take out the Eternal Pose and slightly adjust the course, not heading directly towards the safe passage in the South Sea.
“Okay!”
Nami smiled excitedly. It would be good to see them from nearby; she could take some photos.
…
A few days later.
The Goa Empire’s small fleet, after a brief ‘check-in’ at Marineford and Sabaody Archipelago, finally reached the other side of the Calm Belt in the Grand Line.
The Vice Admiral escorting them through this Calm Belt was Vice Admiral Ulban, a Paramecia-type Cannon-Cannon Fruit user, a cannon man whose head could transform into a cannon.
Wang Shi and his group personally witnessed him blast a several-hundred-meter-long small Sea King to death with a single shot, his strength being extremely exaggerated.
This was the strength of a Marineford Vice Admiral; killing a Sea King seemed to pose no great pressure.
No wonder the rookie pirates from the Four Blues dared not take this safe passage.
Wasn't this just sending performance metrics to these Marine Vice Admirals?
Reverse Mountain was more cost-effective. Although there was a possibility of crashing and being shipwrecked, at least there was a chance to survive.
If rookies who had just left the Four Blues faced powerful enemies of the Marine Vice Admiral level, they could practically just wait for death.
“The World Government’s safe passage is fast!”
As the Goa Empire’s small fleet crossed the Calm Belt and entered the South Sea, Wang Shi finally showed a faint smile.
“These Red Line safe passages are year-round guarded by the World Government and Marineford, who also constantly hunt down Sea Kings.
Now, very few Sea Kings approach this safe passage.
Only occasionally will there be attacks from mindless Sea Kings.”
Reiju explained to everyone, especially after the appearance of the Sea Stone warships, the World Government and Marine fleets became even safer.
It was only when escorting warships from various Allied Nations in the Four Blues that Sea King attacks would occasionally occur.
“Alright, let’s head directly to Taya Kingdom.”
Watching Vice Admiral Ulban’s escort fleet depart, Wang Shi immediately instructed Nami to find the map of the South Sea and head to their destination.
“Your Majesty, is there something important in Taya Kingdom that attracts you?”
Reiju felt that this trip to the South Sea must involve something very important, otherwise he wouldn’t be in such a hurry that he wouldn’t even land to take a look at Marineford and Sabaody Archipelago.
At Reiju’s words, everyone looked at Wang Shi.
They also wanted to know Wang Shi’s purpose for coming to the South Sea and then going to the West Blue.
They didn’t believe it was merely to visit a few Allied Nations and exchange pleasantries.
“Fate is guiding me to save someone.”
Wang Shi leisurely lay back on his sun lounger, accepting food from Baby5.
His eyes were filled with the ambition of establishing the strongest Imperial Guard.
The key was that Aramaki and Issho were easy to acquire, so how could Wang Shi not be tempted?
This was purely a profitable business.
“Save someone?”
Eric’s mouth twitched slightly. How could this Emperor, who never acted without profit, simply save someone?
He must have his eyes on this person’s strength or value.
“Fate?”
This word instantly triggered Van Auger’s keyword, and he looked sharply at Wang Shi.
Your Majesty, do you also believe in fate?
“That person must be very strong! You didn’t even have this look in your eyes for those Vinsmoke guys.”
Upon hearing this, Zoro’s huge dumbbell paused in his hands.
Even those monsters from Germa, who were called the strongest warriors, hadn’t made Wang Shi treat them so seriously.
“Yes, very strong!”
“Strong enough to eliminate all of you!”
Wang Shi said indifferently. Even he, in his current state, couldn’t deal with Aramaki, an Admiral-level powerhouse. He could probably only escape by traversing time and space.
His Toki Toki no Mi (Time-Time Fruit) ability probably couldn’t banish a resisting Admiral-level powerhouse at the moment.
Unless Aramaki was accidentally ambushed by him.
“Eliminate us? They must at least have the strength of an elite Vice Admiral, right?”
Reiju believed that if she didn’t encounter any strange Devil Fruit abilities, she could fight a normal Marine Vice Admiral.
To be able to eliminate her, they would have to be significantly stronger than a normal Vice Admiral.
“Stronger than an elite Vice Admiral, I suppose.”
Wang Shi spoke softly, looking out at the distant sea.
Aramaki, who had been imprisoned for nearly a month now, he wondered how he was doing, how miserable his life was, and if he would be willing to accept Wang Shi’s recruitment.
As for the royal family and nobles of Taya Kingdom, Wang Shi had plenty of ways to ‘persuade’ them!
…