Rocks Band: I have 48 Imperial Arms.

Old John trembled, his face contorted with bitterness, and he was on the verge of tears.

When he touched it, the biggest boss noticed.

Is there anything more tragic than this in one's career?

but,

Moans clearly wasn't paying attention to him.

With hands behind his back,

He walked forward to the deck alone.

Compared to those behind him, old John breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed after surviving the ordeal.

Mo Ans surprisingly kept a straight face the whole time.

His brows were furrowed.

The hairs on my head stood on end.

His complexion seemed a little off.

"nervous?"

"Danger?"

Why did I suddenly have this feeling?

Mo Ans frowned, his heart pounded faster, and an inexplicable fear and unease kept surfacing and exploding in his mind. His obscure gaze was fixed on the distant sea and sky.

It seems that the closer one gets to the Red Earth, the clearer the perception becomes?

"Could it be because of the Five Elders' reaction after learning about the events that occurred in the Valley of the Gods?"

Mo Ansi's face fell.

That's right!

He hadn't had a chance to tell anyone about this earth-shattering event yet, not because he wanted to deliberately hide it, but because the things involved behind it were far too extensive.

In this operation, Yan, who should have been of high rank, died at the hands of Lockes.

His other colleagues were at most at the same level as him, and he dared not spread such important information, so he had to keep it to himself. However, he could directly contact Mary Geoise via Den Den Mushi.

But if he were to be secretly wiretapped and those unsettling elements found out, the resulting chain reaction would be far beyond what a mere army general like him could bear.

The seemingly stable pinnacle of power is actually comprised of powerful nations within the allied countries, none of whom are simple or docile.

Originally, he planned to withdraw immediately after the war and return to Mary Geoise as quickly as possible to personally report the relevant matters to the Five Elders. However, he was suddenly given the task of escorting them, and he could not refuse it for either reason or emotion. In order not to attract more attention, he could only grit his teeth and agree, which dragged on until now.

"I didn't mean to hide it or delay..."

"I tried my best to stop it! It's all that brat Locke's fault!"

"He was just a junior general, yet he managed to break through the numerous blockades inside the cave and rush out."

"That guy is a complete waste. Not only did he squander the 'Mirror-Mirror Fruit,' but he also wasted all the resources we spent building up for him in the best battlefield..."

Mo Ans frowned deeply.

Despite his disdainful words, he knew that the power the Mirror-Mirror Fruit could unleash in that situation was no less than that of Magellan in Impel Down. Even if he went there himself, without sufficient preparation, it would be difficult for him to escape easily.

Locke, however, was completely unharmed. Having learned the location of the forbidden area, he must be made to die a horrible death!

That's right...

Moans was discovered without the opportunity to go to the underground cave.

They thought Locke had simply gone inside, broken through the heavy blockade, and at most harvested some of the newly grown fruit. They had no idea that Locke was using a 'root-cutting' harvesting method.

Chapter 174: Extreme Blade - Sky-Piercing Slash!

If it weren't for the miscalculation of Locke's impact, thinking that he at most knew about the existence of the Devil Fruit Tree projection, and that the timing of the report—whether it was a moment earlier or later—would not have made much difference.

He would never be as calm as he is now; at the very least, he would do everything in his power to get back to Mary Geoise as soon as possible.

Escort? Transport?

This is utterly worthless!

In the face of this 'major event', everything else is insignificant!

Moans, who has been stationed at God Valley for many years, knows the importance of the forbidden area far better than others. In the eyes of the Five Elders, it is even more important than the Celestial Dragons!

"It's all Locke's fault."

"You can't blame it all on me, can you?"

Mo Ansi looked miserable.

They selectively ignored the fact that they themselves had ignited the inferno, forcing Locke to confront it before they even realized it.

Think of this.

My already anxious heart grew even more uneasy.

The Five Elder Stars...

Those powerful figures sitting at the pinnacle of power wouldn't listen to my explanation.

On the vast ocean, where everything is seawater, the army is inherently weaker than the navy. Not to mention, their army headquarters is stationed on the Red Line, practically right under Mary Geoise's nose. They don't even have a marshal's position and are directly ruled by the World Government. They are nowhere near as 'independent' and 'self-reliant' as the navy.

Even though Mo Ansi was a powerful general, he couldn't help but feel uneasy in the face of those big shots.

If the adults find out...

Do not!

wrong!

The crisis definitely did not originate from Mary Geoise.

It's right in front of us!

"who--"

Moans roared in a deep voice, the sound like a shockwave sweeping across the sea, creating waves and crashing against each other.

"W-what's going on..."

"What happened?! What happened?!"

"..."

The sudden and unexpected change drew the attention of others.

The soldier, who had been staring at the dark circles under his eyes and feeling dizzy, suddenly snapped to attention.

They looked tense and gripped their weapons tightly.

Various long guns and cannons instantly focused their aim and prepared to reload their ammunition.

Like a bird startled by the twang of a bow.

The previously relaxed atmosphere on and off the warship instantly turned into a state of alert.

This not only demonstrates their high level of training, but also proves their fear of a pirate attack!

Some of the quick-witted ones turned their gazes toward Moans, hoping to glean some information from him.

but.

Moans clearly had no intention of paying them any attention.

boom--

Its momentum soared to the sky.

The heavy aura was oppressive, almost tangible.

The clouds in the sky were all disturbed, spreading outwards in an irregular pattern.

Staring intently at a certain spot ahead.

Following his intuition, even though he found nothing, Mo Ans was still unwilling to give up. He pressed down and gathered his strength like a spring, unleashing the full power of the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. Smoke, like a column of smoke, began to slowly condense behind him, and a vast airflow swept across the sky, proclaiming his presence.

Wave~

A sound like a balloon bursting rang out in the air.

On the once empty sea, a small, obscure island suddenly appeared amidst a distorted interplay of light and shadow. Though small, it sent a chill down Mo Ans's spine.

The size of the island is not the point!

The key point is that the unease he felt was not actually because of Mary Geoise.

The small island that suddenly appeared in front of us was clearly an ambush!

"All troops on alert!"

"Watch out for a sneak attack!"

Moans's low military order had just been given.

boom--