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Chapter 13: Magnetic Fruit Famous Scenes
"I'm here to end this war," declared Darren, his deep voice echoing across the silent sea, causing everyone's eyes to widen in surprise.
On the deck of the warship, the Marines from North Blue gazed at the stern Admiral Haki on the bow, their eyes filled with admiration. The young female Marines' eyes turned into red hearts.
"Damn it! He did it again! Why didn't I think of such a line?" muttered Kake, glancing at the reactions of those around him, his face flushed with frustration.
Gion's eyes flashed with a subtle change of expression.
From the Germa Kingdom, Vinsmoke Judge's furious voice reached them. "Darren, what are you doing? Are you trying to shoot me? Germa is a member country of the World Government and a powerful nation eligible to attend the World Summit. If you attack me, you are provoking a member country! And you Marines have no right to interfere in disputes between countries!"
Darren narrowed his eyes, his cloak of justice fluttering in the wind, and sneered, "Vinsmoke Judge, it's true that the Kingdom of Germa is part of the government, but so is the Kingdom of Yadis. The most important thing is that I will not allow such a serious war within my jurisdiction."
Vinsmoke Judge laughed with fury. "So, do you think you can stop my Germa 66 army with just a Rear Admiral and a few hundred people on a warship? Naïve Marine brat, stop boasting! No one can stop Germa's ambition to dominate North Blue!"
He slammed his hand down. "Fire! Sink that warship directly!"
With Germa's membership in the World Government, if this so-called North Blue admiral were killed, there would be no censure from the World Government. It would also be a warning to Naval Headquarters not to hinder Germa's path to dominance.
"Tremble under Germa's gunfire... surrender!" he commanded, and then the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet sea.
The people of the Kingdom of Yadis watched in horror as, aboard Germa's battleship, countless cannons spewed fire fervently. Bright red streaks shot into the sky and the once-changing sky turned a grim gray, as if covered by a thick layer of dark clouds.
But those weren't clouds. They were countless cannonballs and bullets, densely packed and screeching through the air. They arced across the sky, forming a dark and terrifying net of death over the warship.
In an instant, a scorching wind surged through, and shells rained down like a downpour, filling the sea air with the acrid smell of gunpowder.
The shapes of the shells resembled rockets and missiles—this was the might of Germa 66's military technology, the power that could dominate North Blue.
On the warship, Kake and Gion's faces turned grave. "Damn it! Germa 66 dares to attack the Marines!"
"Is Vinsmoke Judge insane?" exclaimed Kake, his forehead slick with sweat.
Gion suddenly pulled the famous sword from his waist, his expression grave.
The intensity of the shelling was enough to flatten a small mountain range instantly, and intercepting it was out of the question.
They were in the midst of the sea now, the most critical factor.
If the warship they stood on were to sink, even surviving the horrific bombardment would leave them helpless against a second round once they fell into the sea.
While the two were filled with anxiety, they were shocked to find that the other Marines on the warship had odd expressions on their faces.
Could it be?
Gion and Kake realized at the same moment and turned their heads to look at Darren, who was on the bow of the warship.
The supreme military commander of the North Blue Marine made his move.
A sneer curled at the corner of his mouth as he looked up at the barrage of shells and raised his hand slowly.
He pushed lightly into the void as if simply moving the air.
Then, a faint purple arc flickered through the void.
An invisible force field spread without a sound.
Kake and Gion froze, their eyes gradually widening in disbelief.
On the coastline, the tens of thousands of soldiers from Yadis Kingdom, including the king, were dumbfounded, their eyes bulging.
The dense barrage of artillery, like a swarm of locusts, met an invisible barrier.
The shells and bullets slowed down in their descent and then froze strangely in mid-air, suspended just five meters above the warship.
Even Kaji and Gion could discern the markings on the shells and detect the acrid scent of gunpowder.
Silence enveloped the world, a stillness so profound that it almost seemed like an illusion.
Before their eyes, the air buzzed and vibrated.
On Germa's main battleship, Vinsmoke Judge watched the scene with tear-filled eyes, disbelieving.
The shower of shells had stopped in mid-air!
The world seemed to freeze in that instant.
Amid the hushed atmosphere, a faint sound emerged.
Click...
A lighter ignited.
On the bow of the warship, the black-haired Rear Admiral Marine shielded his cigar from the icy sea wind with one hand, lighting it with the other.
The glow of the cigar flickered intermittently.
"One last chance for you, Vinsmoke Judge," he said evenly.
As he spoke, the countless cannonballs suspended in mid-air began to turn, guided by some unseen force, like cannons adjusting their angle.
Rocket launchers swiveled in a new direction.
Their target was now the distant Germa Kingdom!
Vinsmoke Judge's face twisted in panic.
The sight of rockets and missiles pivoting toward him sent a shiver of dread down his spine.
Darren took a deep drag on his cigar, and the smoke he exhaled formed a snow-white flag in the air.
"Go back, and I can pretend nothing happened."