On the Germa war fortress.
After issuing his orders, Judge headed to the fortress's outer wall and immediately noticed the incoming attack from Tesoro.
Seeing the barrage of golden spears raining down, Judge's expression shifted slightly.
This kind of attack, relying on sheer numbers, was reminiscent of what he'd seen from Navy Admirals. Whether it was Kizaru's Yasakani no Magatama or Akainu's Meteor Volcano, both had far grander displays than this.
So, faced with Tesoro's assault, Judge's internal reaction was relatively calm.
"Block those attacks!" he commanded the artificial soldiers on the war fortress with a casual tone.
For Judge, while Tesoro's attack wasn't on par with Kizaru's or Akainu's, if those golden spears were allowed to hit the Germa fortress unhindered, it would cause significant damage to the island's equipment and buildings.
Upon receiving Judge's order, the modified soldiers around the fortress looked up. Their eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, stared unemotionally at the incoming golden spears.
At that moment, the only thought in their minds was Judge's command: stop the golden spears by any means necessary!
One by one, the modified soldiers leaped up, using their various weapons to intercept the golden spears. Those who couldn't block them with weapons used their bodies to shield the fortress in a straightforward and brutal manner.
Those Germa soldiers who were impaled by the spears continued to use their bodies to block other spears, provided they weren't killed instantly.
In an instant, the golden spears pierced through the soldiers, turning them into human pincushions that appeared over the fortress.
As their lives neared their end, the soldiers would self-destruct, using the explosive shockwaves to alter the spears' trajectories, preventing them from hitting the fortress.
Countless explosions filled the sky above the Germa war fortress with smoke and fire.
These modified soldiers nearly flawlessly fulfilled Judge's command, preventing Tesoro's attack from landing fully on the fortress.
The scene was indeed spectacular.
But Judge never once glanced at the sky, where the artificial soldiers sacrificed themselves to protect Germa.
To Judge, these loyal soldiers were merely expendable resources, continuously produced by Germa's technology.
As long as Germa's tech and resources remained, so would the supply of these soldiers. As long as the machinery kept running, these expendables could be produced endlessly.
"That bastard Tesoro..."
Judge glanced at the golden spears embedded in the fortress, his anger evident.
Though Germa had avoided Tesoro's ship to avoid conflict, Tesoro had attacked them in response to their avoidance, a clear act of provocation.
"Do you really think I'm afraid of you, Gild Tesoro?!"
Judge's furious gaze traveled across the sea, locking onto Tesoro standing at the bow of his ship.
"Since you're so inconsiderate, I'll use you as a gift to celebrate that person's return!"
"Ichiji, Niji, Yonji, Sanji, and Reiju," Judge called, quickly turning his gaze to his children.
"Show him the terror of Germa."
"Heh, no problem. I'll show him what true cruelty is."
"Watch how I take him down. Haha!"
"Golden Emperor, what a big name!"
Upon hearing Judge's command, the three, led by Ichiji, adopted a crouching stance.
As they gathered their strength, their shoes, resembling bean shoes, lit up with a bright glow.
Then, with a powerful push off the ground, their shoes' immense propulsion launched them dozens of meters into the air.
While hovering mid-air, jets on their shoes emitted flames, using the generated thrust in combination with their battle suits to propel them rapidly towards the Gran Tesoro.
This technology showcased Germa's prowess, allowing enhanced leaps and flight capabilities without the need for Navy techniques or special Devil Fruits.
As the three brothers eagerly sprang into action, Reiju glanced at Sanji, who remained unmoved, and chose not to act either.
It was clear that as Sanji's strength had grown, Reiju had also begun to slowly reveal her hidden emotions.
Watching his son, Judge felt a headache coming on. Sanji was now completely different from before, and understanding that Sanji had emotions unlike his three brothers, who were perfect war machines, Judge found using Sanji troublesome.
At the bow of the Gran Tesoro.
"Germa's creations, huh? Turning his own children into weapons. Judge really is a cold-hearted guy..."
Tesoro smirked coldly, watching the approaching Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji.
"But sending three little pests against me? Isn't that underestimating me a bit?"
As he spoke, Tesoro slowly spread his arms. In response, large amounts of gold under his control turned into liquid, floating around him like a river.
Meanwhile, high in the sky, a giant bird roamed the sea's airspace.
On its back stood two men, a woman, and a skeleton. They looked down at the Gran Tesoro and Germa's war fortress with slightly perplexed expressions.
Originally heading to Wano Country, Simon had sensed the activities of two formidable New World forces below.
What's more, these forces seemed to have some connection to them.
They all felt an indescribable strangeness.
"How did these two groups run into each other..." Simon's gaze was filled with unconcealed astonishment.
"Who knows, but the Golden Emperor's stance is still unclear..."
"If I remember correctly, wasn't that guy once a slave of the Celestial Dragons?"
"Yes, a Celestial Dragon slave, so he might be worth recruiting. However, we haven't heard from Sister Stella in a long time, so Sister June suspects she's been imprisoned by Tesoro."
Looking at the luxurious Gran Tesoro below, Katie placed her hand on the hilt of her sword.
"Yohohohoho, since we're here, let's check it out. I sense many restless spirits on that ship," Brook said with a flourish of his cane.
The tall Urouge smiled, "Catch him and give him a good beating. That should clarify things."