The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

[Mr. 3 Awakens, revealing the true nature of the Candle-Candle Fruit! White vs. White Attacks! Former Marine Admiral Aokiji's Retreat]

The text praises Mr. 3's abilities, implying that his awakened candle power possesses special properties.

They were once a handful for Aokiji and Kuzan, or at least someone they didn't want to get involved with. (This elevates the status of minor members and creates the impression that the organization is unfathomable.)

[Even Mythical Zoan-type Devil Fruit users can be tamed? The world's strongest beast tamer is born]

[Among the Four Emperors, 'Clown King' Buggy brings laughter to the world!]

This is the most crucial part of building momentum!

Bucky's "performance" in the Marineford War, his bizarre "luck," and the fact that the Crusade now boasts "The Lone Red" Redfield and Shakrodall...

Combined with the fact that Edward Weevil (Whitebeard Jr.) and other powerful fighters were forced to join,

It is packaged with a strange charm of "destiny" and "dominating all others".

They hailed him as the new Emperor of the Sea—"The Clown King" Bucky!

These half-true, half-false, exaggerated messages, coupled with the fact that the Cross Guild does indeed possess high-end combat power (Redfield, Crocodile, Weevil), further reinforced this.

Furthermore, Pakistan's incredible "lucky" aura has produced unexpected effects in today's information-chaotic world.

Fear stems from the unknown, and the Cross Guild has successfully draped itself in a cloak of mystery.

While the World Government remained silent, the Navy was busy consolidating its new territories, and other powers were still reeling from the shock...

Thanks to this wave of public opinion and its real deterrent power, the Cross Guild actually gained recognition from many people, especially from the underworld and wavering forces.

He joined the ranks of the new "Four Emperors," filling the power vacuum!

The calendar of the sea seemed to be torn apart madly.

In a single day, the three emperors perished.

The old emperor retreated and the new emperor established.

The navy's prowess is fully revealed, the Evil Generation rises to the top, and the Cross Guild seizes the opportunity to rise.

A new era that is more chaotic, more wild, and where everyone must find their place again.

The day arrived with a bang, when newspapers were flying everywhere and Den Den Mushi (snail telephones) were screaming incessantly!

Chapter 626 Sit idly by?

The New World, the Kingdom of Kamabakka (the Kingdom of Transgender People).

Since the Revolutionary Army suffered heavy losses and was nearly paralyzed by Akainu's ruthless "self-dealing" of its headquarters in Baltigo, in the first half of the Grand Line, the Revolutionary Army has been severely damaged.

The Revolutionary Army, having suffered heavy losses, was forced to evacuate urgently, relocating its new headquarters to the relatively secluded Kingdom of Kamabakka, which had close ties to the transvestite king Ivankov.

At this moment, deep within the kingdom, all the core cadres of the revolutionary army

Chief of the General Staff Sabo, and the four revolutionary army commanders from the east, west, south, and north.

They are gathered in a makeshift, secret location for an important meeting concerning the organization.

Unfortunately, before the meeting could even begin discussing any strategy, it was interrupted by a report just delivered by Newsbird.

The oversized foreign newspaper, still smelling of ink, completely disrupted the rhythm.

The sensational headline and blurry yet impactful photograph on the front page of the newspaper exploded in the minds of every revolutionary army cadre.

[The power of a celestial earthquake! Fleet Admiral Gern Reginald Sigmar, fighting two opponents single-handedly.]

They decisively defeated and arrested one of the Four Emperors, "Red-Haired" Shanks, and Monkey D. Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army and the world's most notorious criminal!

The air was instantly sucked out.

The stronghold was deathly silent.

All that could be heard was the rustling sound of the newspaper being unconsciously clenched in one's hand, and heavy, suppressed breathing.

Eastern Army Commander Bello Beatty, Western Army Commander Morrie, Confederate Army Commander Lindbergh, and Union Army Commander Raven

Four battle-hardened pillars of the revolutionary army

Looking at the glaring news in the newspaper and that familiar yet disheveled figure in the photo...

Their faces were filled with disbelief and shock.

Their beloved leader, the soul of the Revolutionary Army, Monkey D. Dragon, who was considered the greatest threat to the World Government... had actually been defeated?

And this happened while he was teaming up with others, yet he was defeated and captured by two opponents alone?!

"boom!!!"

Chief of the General Staff Saab slammed his fist hard on the heavy wooden table.

The solid wood tabletop instantly cracked with spiderweb-like fissures, centered on his fist!

He kept his head down, his short blond hair obscuring his eyes, but his clenched teeth and violently heaving shoulders betrayed his emotions.

There was no way around it; he was his mentor, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, and even more so... his brother Luffy's father!

The four army commanders from the east, west, south, and north looked at Sabo, exchanged glances, and saw silence in each other's eyes.

There's no way to refute it, and it's even difficult to angrily accuse it.

By combining the information from the newspaper with fragmented pieces they pieced together from other sources, they roughly reconstructed the process.

It was Mr. Dragon who took the initiative to join forces with Shanks to intercept Fleet Admiral Guern, who was heading to Wano Country.

The intention is unclear; it could be a warning, or it could be an ambush, but the result... well...

Two against one, they were killed and captured alive.

Whose fault is this? Blame Gern for being too strong? But that was a life-or-death duel, and it was two against one first.

Or was it a mistake by the leader? But who would dare to easily question the leader's decisions, especially when his life hangs in the balance?

What... what are they, as subordinates, supposed to say?

From any perspective, they cannot find a sufficiently compelling and convincing reason to publicly condemn Guern's actions.

The silence lasted for a long time.

Finally, Sabo slowly raised his head, his tone resolute.

"We must rescue Mr. Long!" Sabo's voice was hoarse, but resolute and unwavering. "Make a plan immediately! No matter the cost!"

His words ignited a flame in the eyes of some of the young cadres present.

But the four corps commanders, especially Raven, the Northern Army commander known for his calmness and strategic vision, frowned.

The raven, wearing his signature black feathered coat, spoke slowly in a hoarse voice.

"Sabo, calm down. Impulsiveness won't solve anything."

"Look carefully. Mr. Dragon and Red-Haired Shanks are currently being held at the G-4 Naval Base in the New World."

Guarding them were the newly appointed Admiral "The Devil" Douglas Barrett and "Fujitora" Issho.

The cawing of crows carries a heavy sense of reality:

"Barrett's strength was already demonstrated during the Onigashima campaign when he escorted the 'Mother Flame'."

He even defeated the members of the Knights of God, whom the World Government relied on; he was a pure war machine.

"Fujitora is a man of great talent and integrity. Although his ideals may be similar to ours in some ways, his Gravity Fruit ability is extremely difficult to deal with, and his dedication to his duties is beyond question."

"With them in charge, G-4 base is impregnable."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and then spoke a more brutal truth:

"Moreover, don't forget that New Marineford, the Navy's new headquarters, is located on the site of the former G-2 branch, not far from the G-4 base!"

Their intention in keeping Mr. Long there, instead of sending him directly to Impel Down, the deep-sea prison, is very clear...

The crow's eyes sharpened: "This is a trap! A calculated scheme!"

They are waiting for us, waiting for the entire revolutionary army to walk right into their trap!

"If we go all out to launch a strong attack on G-4, we will face not only two generals and the defenders of G-4, but also..."

There is also a high possibility that top naval forces, including Gern himself, will rush to reinforce from New Marineford!

That will be the end for our revolutionary army!

The crow's analysis was like a bucket of ice water, causing the temperature inside the stronghold to plummet.

Everyone understood that he was telling the truth.

The difficulty of the rescue was so high that it was almost despairing.

"So we're just going to watch?!" Sabo suddenly stood up.

"Watching Mr. Long being imprisoned like a trophy, then waiting for the right moment to be sent to Impel Down, never to see the light of day again?!"

Even... even that guy, Gern, used it to make some kind of dirty deal with the World Government?!

"Don't think that just because he declared naval independence and broke ties with the World Government, he's really on the side of the people!"

Sabo was somewhat out of control.

"Who knows if he has some shady deal or ulterior motive with Im or the Five Elders behind the scenes?!"

What if he uses Mr. Dragon to gain the World Government's approval, or to achieve some other conspiracy... are we just going to sit idly by?!

"Then what about all our efforts over the years?!"

“Sabo!” Eastern Army Commander Bello Betty couldn’t help but speak, her brows furrowed as she looked at Sabo, whose emotions were clearly spiraling out of control.

"Your judgment is being somewhat influenced by your emotions."

She walked over to Sabo and gently patted his tense shoulder.

"Regarding naval independence and Gern himself, both Dragon and we initially made similar assessments to yours."

Some believe this could be a conspiracy or a political stunt.

“But…” Betty’s tone shifted, becoming serious.

"Since the Navy declared independence and began large-scale operations in the New World and the four seas, their actions have been evident to all."

"They accepted all nations that were willing to submit to their order, regardless of whether they were former members of the World Government."

They abolished the discriminatory system that only member states could enjoy naval protection, and instead established a universal security system based on jurisdiction and agreements.

They openly intercepted the Celestial Dragons, arrested them, and announced the abolition of their privileges...

Each of these actions is a direct attack on the foundations of the World Government, touching upon the core interests of the Celestial Dragons.

"If Gern's navy is really colluding with the World Government and playing a double act, are the Five Elders and Celestial Dragons of the World Government fools?"

Would they stand idly by while Gern so recklessly undermines their authority, destroys the legal foundations of their eight-hundred-year rule, and even publicly humiliates them?

The 'price' paid and the 'performance' put on are far too realistic and too tragic, aren't they?

If you were in that situation, would you allow the very foundations of your rule to be so shaken for the sake of an uncertain 'conspiracy'?

Her words were logically clear and to the point.

The Navy's various radical measures after its independence, especially its attacks on the Celestial Dragons and the foundations of the World Government's rule, are indeed difficult to explain as "secret cooperation."

That was more like a declaration of war to the death.

"And, Sabo, most importantly, we have to face..."

Betty's gaze swept over each of her colleagues, and she took a deep breath.

It raises a more serious and realistic issue, one that the revolutionary army has been avoiding reflecting on recently.

"The reason we were so badly beaten by Akainu at the park and had to abandon Baltigo, which we had been running for many years, was..."

What was the root cause of their hasty retreat to the New World?

Without waiting for an answer, she provided the answer herself, each word striking a blow to the wounds of the revolutionary army's pride:

"This is because, after the navy became independent and took actual control of those areas, most of our 'liberation' operations lost their foundation!"

Civilians in many areas, under the relatively fair governance and effective protection of the navy,

They no longer need, and are even beginning to resent, our actions that forcibly instigate and disrupt the existing order!

"Our conflict with the navy has largely turned into a situation where we take the initiative to attack and they take the initiative to defend."