Chapter 148: Arrival of Judge
Judge was currently quite frustrated. After losing three of his sons and the eldest princess during the war, achieving victory required much more time. This was a severe blow, for the Vinsmoke family, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji were crucial combat assets, almost the backbone of Germa.
In the heat of battle, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji had forcefully broken through, and the clone soldiers behind them took care of the small fries.
Judge, on the other hand, only needed to oversee and strategize the situation. Most of the time, he didn't even need to pay attention to the battle because his proud children could handle the enemies.
Now, with Germa losing its princes and princess, a significant portion of their strength was gone, rendering Germa externally formidable but internally fragile, which greatly worried Judge.
That damned Rodney! I'll definitely impeach you at the next World Council meeting!
Judge muttered to himself angrily. However, after some contemplation, he decided to play it safe, pay the hefty price, and prepare the Devil Fruits Rodney had requested.
With everything in order, Judge led the entire Germa Kingdom to the location Rodney had provided. The mobile nation built on the backs of snails made it easy for them to travel and assemble anywhere they pleased.
They could even traverse the Red Line and the Calm Belt with ease, thanks to the snails, giving Germa exceptional mobility and the ability to reach their desired destinations quickly.
This mobility was one of the crucial factors that qualified them to be mercenaries. After all, swiftness was essential in warfare. If they had to traverse mountains and valleys, who knew how long it would take? By the time they arrived, the war might already be over.
Hence, these snail castles had become one of Germa's vital resources.
Judge had prepared himself for a showdown with Rodney. If he refused to return his sons, Judge was determined to wage war against him, no matter what it took!
He was staking everything on his children. The glory of the Vinsmoke family must be restored!
"Report, we're almost at the location Rodney provided," said one of the clone soldiers.
"Good. Where's that guy, Rodney?" Judge inquired.
"He's on the beach, and there are three princes with him. However, the princes don't seem to be in good condition."
"What? Show me quickly." As soon as Judge heard that his sons were not doing well, his face darkened, thinking they had suffered unjust treatment.
A large screen displayed the situation on the beach.
There, Rodney lounged in beach shorts, flip-flops, and a flowery shirt, basking in the sun with sunglasses on. By his side, Robin wore a seductive bikini, also sporting sunglasses, while reading a book.
Behind them, Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji were bound to coconut trees, their skin discolored, showing signs of poisoning. Under Reiju's poison, even these genetically modified warriors needed a long time to adapt. But just when Ichiji and the others were about to adapt, Reiju would switch to another type of poison, forcing them to start the adaptation process all over again.
Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji had been living a wretched life these past few days, with only basic motor functions. If their bodies hadn't been so robust, they might not have been able to stand at all.
"Captain, they're here," Robin said, lowering her sunglasses and pointing at the snail approaching on the horizon.
"Is Judge planning to confront me head-on? He still has some utility, so I'm not in a hurry. Otherwise, I'd love to take over all their scientific knowledge." Rodney laughed.
"Robin, you see, I'm quite clever. I anticipated Judge's intentions and deliberately chose a deserted island for them to come to."
Robin rolled her eyes and said, "Captain, you basically picked any random place, and do you really need to dress like that to meet Judge? After all, he's still Reiju's father. Shouldn't you dress more formally?"
"Huh? Why should I dress formally to meet that old man? Wearing clothes to see him is already a sign of respect!"
"Captain, is meeting someone without clothes considered normal to you?"
"I am wearing clothes, see? I have a shirt, pants, and shoes." Rodney glanced down at himself. Indeed, he was clothed.
Nothing wrong with that.
Robin chuckled and said, "They're here."
On the largest snail, which served as the resting place for Germa's royalty, a tall man with golden hair stood on the terrace. He wore Germa combat attire, a golden helmet atop his head, and had two upward-pointing tufts of facial hair, a rather unique look.
Vinsmoke Judge, head of the Vinsmoke family, King of Germa Kingdom, and Commander of Germa 66, an outstanding biologist known as "The Genetic Freak" Vinsmoke Judge!
"You're finally here, but you kept me waiting!" Rodney stood up, stretched lazily, and his joints cracked.
"Seven Warlords, Magician Rodney!" Judge, although his face was partly concealed by a helmet, still displayed a displeased expression.
"Oh, Vinsmoke Judge, hahaha, we finally meet. You know, you look even uglier in person than I imagined," Rodney sat back down, and Robin, with a smile, said, "I won't disturb you. Captain, just remember to be cautious. At your age, they say you shouldn't get too angry; it might lead to a stroke, and you don't want to end up paralyzed."
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about that. Look at my memory, hahaha, sorry about that, Mr. Judge. If I anger you to the point of a major health crisis, I'll be in trouble with Germa's King, won't I?" Rodney maintained a tone of respect appropriate for a junior, although it didn't sound sincere at all.
Judge's face grew even darker. How did he end up with such an ill-mannered person? He sternly said, "I have what you wanted. Give me back my beloved sons and daughter!"
Several clone soldiers rushed down, carrying boxes filled with Bellies and Devil Fruits. Upon opening them, the enticing scent of Beli and three important Devil Fruits wafted out.
One of the Devil Fruits had been used for Rodney's research, another was acquired as a spoil of war, and the last one was purchased at a high price from the black market.
Although it cost him a fortune, Judge indeed had money. However, the expenses of scientific research were like pouring water; it quickly depleted his liquid assets. Spending one billion Beli truly hurt, but for the sake of his precious children, it was all worth it.
"Very well, straightforward and quick. I like people like you, Mr. Judge. You're my kind of person. We'll get along just fine," Rodney said with a wink, taking the Beli and freeing Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji from their restraints. The three men collapsed to the ground.
The clone soldiers immediately carried Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji back up to the ship at top speed.
"And Reiju? Where's my daughter?" Judge roared.
"You're not following the agreement! We agreed that you would return all of my children!"
"Oh~~"
Rodney laughed oddly.
"So you do know you have a daughter. I thought you didn't. But, Mr. Judge, from the beginning, we agreed that I would only return your three sons. Reiju won't be coming back to you. She's now my crew member. Do you understand? Triggering the wrath of the Seven Warlords can get you killed!"
"Are you declaring war against Germa?"
Judge, having reclaimed his sons, now felt confident that Rodney had to stay here.
Rodney chuckled, saying, "Do I have the guts for that, Mr. Judge? But you should know something—today, there's going to be a tsunami."
Judge instinctively looked up at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly. A tsunami? Where would a tsunami come from? Was this man scared senseless by Germa's might?
"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
Suddenly, a massive wave surged forth, and a figure stood atop it, laughing heartily as the tsunami swallowed Germa's snails.
Judge: "..."