"Ah la la, is this the background of the Kain Chamber of Commerce? Pretty terrifying~"
After arriving at the port of Alabasta, Aokiji couldn't help but sigh as he saw the god missiles and P-3 howitzers—cutting-edge technology that even impressed Kizaru.
While the god missiles and P-3 howitzers were located within a restricted zone, that didn't stop outsiders from observing them from a distance. Once Economic News published the report, it stirred up massive interest across the seas.
The first half of the Grand Line had been too quiet lately. The battle between the two Nanami warriors reignited everyone's excitement—especially since Mage, known as "the End of Pirates," had defeated Doflamingo, a fellow Shichibukai.
In addition to envoys from various kingdoms, many merchants who frequently traveled the seas also made their way to Alabasta, eager to witness the upcoming battle firsthand.
"These cannons are insane! If I can actually use these to push back a Shichibukai, I'll definitely install a few on my merchant ships! Damn it—those pirates stole so much from me, I could've armed three full escort vessels by now!"
"Same here. If these weapons are really that powerful, we've got to report it to His Majesty when we return."
Many were buzzing with anticipation. Some bold onlookers even pitched tents near the port, hoping to get a front-row seat.
Aokiji only observed briefly before heading to Rainbase City, where the Kain Chamber of Commerce headquarters was located. After being informed of Aokiji's arrival, Nico Robin couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Even though she was used to dealing with Marines, childhood trauma ran deep. And now, one of the three most powerful Marine Admirals had come to their doorstep. If he recognized her... she needed to inform the boss immediately.
Nico Robin first checked Baby-5's room, surprised to find it empty. Then she went to the underground lab and dragged Kain out—who was in the middle of working on a nano-biochemical Tyrant project—with a firm and urgent tone.
Dragging him to the lounge where Aokiji was waiting, Nico Robin quietly withdrew and even delegated tea service to someone else.
"Mr. Kain, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Aokiji, Admiral of Marine Headquarters. I think you already know why I'm here, hahaha. Sengoku's having quite the headache over this whole situation."
Aokiji's tone was casual, even a little playful, as he introduced himself.
Kain shrugged and replied, "What can I say, Admiral Aokiji? The warning I gave that Snake Princess was already pretty mild. If anything, she caused this incident in the first place. You should probably go talk to her. As long as she compensates me for the damages and offers a sincere apology, we can call it even."
"That Snake Princess is quite prideful... this won't be easy to settle."
Aokiji scratched his head, visibly annoyed. He didn't really want to get involved in this kind of drama.
The truth was, the Marines were under heavy restrictions. The Seven Warlords of the Sea were legally sanctioned by the World Government. Even Marine Admirals couldn't act freely against them.
Sengoku's reluctance to intervene stemmed from a broader strategy. The Warlords were a balancing force against the Four Emperors in the New World. Losing one could disrupt Marine plans across the seas.
"Don't overthink it, Admiral Aokiji. I know where to draw the line. Besides, this whole incident could actually benefit the Marines."
Kain chuckled as he handed Aokiji a cup of tea.
"You came from the port, right? You must've seen the new cannons installed by the Kain Chamber of Commerce."
He spoke casually, but in his mind, he had already considered Aokiji's potential. If this guy ever leaves the Marines, the Kain Chamber of Commerce would be the perfect place for him to really stretch his fists.
People like Aokiji are best dealt with by giving them the right platform. As long as they're satisfied, they won't cause trouble.
Aokiji accepted the tea, still a bit puzzled, but replied, "Yeah, I saw them."
"If the Kuja Pirates can't even stand up to those weapons, then what's the point of the Marines keeping them around?"
Kain smiled as he spoke, his words clearly framed from the perspective of Marine interests.
"Just buy fifty god missiles from me. Aside from the Four Emperors, who else would even stand a chance against the Marines?"
Aokiji took a moment to think. The logic wasn't flawed.
If Boa Hancock couldn't even hold her own against these weapons, maybe she really wasn't qualified to remain among the Shichibukai.
That said, interfering in a fight between two Warlords was always a headache. Unless Fleet Admiral Sengoku gave explicit orders, it'd be tough to step in.
"Alright, I get it. Just try not to make too much noise. If I get a direct order from HQ, I'll still have to step in."
After finishing his tea, Aokiji scratched his head and stood up to leave. His job here was done. Next, he planned to intercept Boa Hancock and try talking to her.
If neither side backed down, he'd have no choice but to report the matter to Sengoku. After all, even a Warlord should give a Marine Admiral some face.
Nico Robin didn't reappear until after Aokiji had left.
Kain turned to her and said with a helpless smile, "Robin, you're too timid. Even if Aokiji did recognize you, he wouldn't do anything. After all, I'm still alive."
"What are you talking about? I was just handling Chamber of Commerce business. It's not my fault I've got a boss who loves to disappear!"
Robin pouted. "Sometimes I get so busy I barely have time to eat."
No matter how many excuses she gave, Kain simply smiled.
Eventually, Robin couldn't help but laugh, then turned and walked away.
"Sister, we'll reach Alabasta in less than a day. Should we do as Granny said?"
"Sister, are you doubting me too? Just like that old hag?"
Boa Hancock was visibly irritated. Everyone—Granny from Amazon Lily, Vice Admiral Momonga, and now Aokiji—seemed to look down on her.
Have they all decided I'm going to lose?
"It's the first time Amazon Lily has been bombed like this. I will never let it go."
On top of that, there were the childhood memories she didn't want to recall.
When she first set out to sea, Boa Hancock was immediately slapped with a bounty of 80 million Berries. From there, her rise was unstoppable. Eventually, she was invited to become a Shichibukai.
With her Sweet-Sweet Fruit powers and her role as empress of Amazon Lily, she became widely known as the Snake Princess.
And now, they expected her to bow down and apologize—all because of one floating ship?
Boa Hancock would never tolerate that.
"Speed up! Hurry to Alabasta—I'm going to meet that bastard!"
"Yes, my lord."
The speed of the ferocious sea snake was so fast that the Hydra Pirates were within sight of Alabasta in just a few hours.
"My lord, we're approaching the port of Alabasta."
The third child, Marigold, had just reported the news to Boa Hancock when a series of muffled thunderous noises suddenly echoed from more than ten kilometers away.
"What was that noise just now?"
Marigold rushed out of the cabin, her eyes widening as she saw dense black spots in the sky, rapidly growing larger. Panicking, she shouted, "Prepare for defense! It's shelling!"
Facing cannon fire, the Nine Snake Pirates usually had their warriors intercept Haki-wrapped arrows to cause the shells to detonate mid-air. Amazon Lily's elite warriors used Armament Haki, and each warrior wielded master-level bows and arrows.
But this time, the shelling was too fast!
Once the God missile was launched, it accelerated with a boost function. The more-than-ten-kilometer distance was crossed in the blink of an eye.
Moreover, as it approached the Nine Snake Pirates, the missile split into multiple smaller warheads, making it nearly impossible for the warriors' bows to hit a target.
A dozen or so small missiles slammed into the Haki-wrapped arrows and exploded in mid-air.
Rumble!
As the God missile closed in on its target, just 100 meters away, it detonated with a violent explosion. The dazzling fireworks that erupted made the entire sea tremble, twist, and roll. Violent waves and tsunamis surged within a thousand meters.
"Hiss~! Hiss~!"
The swimming snakes aboard the Nine Snake Pirate ship were directly injured. The intense pain caused them to thrash in the turbulent waves. Even though Amazon Lily's warriors tried to calm them, it was in vain. The explosion had caused several casualties among the snakes as well.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The second round of muffled thunder boomed suddenly. This time, the warriors of Amazon Lily immediately recognized it as shelling and shouted urgently to their companions:
"The shelling's coming again—the second round!"
Before they could finish speaking, their voices were drowned out by the deafening cannon fire.
The Kain Chamber of Commerce had prepared a "gift" for the Nine Snake Pirates. In addition to the God missiles, 8,000 P-3 howitzers had been prepped. Even with continuous fire, it would take ten minutes to unleash all the shells.
From the Alabasta port, even from more than ten kilometers away, the waves created by the shelling were clearly visible. Thanks to remote video transmissions, people could clearly watch the tragedy unfold as the Nine Snake Pirates were bombarded.
The horror of the modern howitzers, bombarding one after another, was deeply imprinted in the minds of everyone present. Even the steel walls, under such intensive bombardment, could not remain intact.
The pirate ship, comparable in size to a Vice Admiral's warship, was smashed to pieces in the second round of shelling, followed by the sea's rage from the continuous explosions. In this chaos, even the powerful Amazon Lily warriors found it difficult to escape.
After a while, the shelling gradually stopped, and the 8,000 shells had been exhausted. According to the images sent back by the drone, even two-meter-long wooden boards were hardly visible on the sea.
"What a terrible weapon."
Someone muttered this, and everyone wholeheartedly agreed.
On a high platform at the port, Kain smiled and said to Aokiji, "Aokiji Admiral, this power is impressive. You should take this video back with you. Marshal Sengoku will never blame you. Oh, and you're still alive. It seems you were dragged into the sea, so you escaped most of the explosions?"
Aokiji noticed the thunderbolts as thick as chopsticks appearing on Kain's body, with part of him already having been naturalized. He replied, "Ala, don't worry. That empress has already lost quite thoroughly."
Kain chuckled and said, "It's a loss, but she doesn't seem like she's admitting defeat. Aokiji Admiral, are you sure she won't come after us after she lands?"
In the footage from the drone, after Boa Hancock was rescued from the sea, she barely sat on a wooden plank, looking in the direction of Alabasta with hatred on her face, clearly unconvinced.
"Thunder!"
In an instant, there was a thunderous bang that made everyone nearby feel their ears ringing. A dazzling white light appeared in the sky, nearly blinding them, before they saw a thick bolt of lightning crashing toward the sea from ten meters above.
Crackling!
The powerful lightning disrupted the nearby electromagnetic field, rendering the drone useless. However, most people understood that this must have been the second attack by the Shichibukai, Mage, on the Empress Snake.
"It's terrifying—the strongest Logia, the Thunder Fruit."
After witnessing Kain's thunderous move, Aokiji recognized Kain's strength as that of a top-tier fruit ability user, as well as someone with very strong Observation Haki.
Facing the sudden attack of such a person, there was nothing he could do to stop it.
….
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