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Chapter 82: The Fangs of the North Blue Fleet
Darren was not in the mood to pay attention to Kake and Gion's squabbles. He stood at the bow of the warship, squinting as he surveyed the fleet ready to set sail in the harbor. From his vantage point, he had a panoramic view of the North Blue Marine soldiers on the deck.
Although he exuded confidence, Darren was acutely aware of Byrnndi Valdo's strength. He knew he needed to be extremely vigilant because one careless mistake could cost him his life in this operation.
"Darren, all the warships for the mission have been prepared," announced the steady voice of Flying Squirrel from behind him. His face, shadowed by a military cap, was marked by an unprecedented level of seriousness.
Darren nodded and smiled in appreciation. "Very good, thank you for your hard work."
Flying Squirrel took a long look at Darren's sturdy back, hesitated for a moment, then decided to voice his concern. "Although we were pressed for time, we managed to catch up. The ten medium-sized warships assigned to this mission have all been upgraded by Germa 66. The keels of the warships are now reinforced with plenty of light metal materials. But Darren, I still can't understand why you spent so much money on remodeling the warships. You know, the funds needed for such a transformation could have been used to build a brand-new ship of the same size."
The cost of constructing a warship was immense. Even though the vessels used by the North Blue Fleet were of the medium-sized variety and not as large as those used by the Naval Headquarters or the Buster Call-class warships, each still ran over 50 million Baileys. Under a typical budget, it would make more sense to have more ships in order to form a fleet that could dominate with sheer firepower.
Darren's smile didn't waver. "Quantity isn't everything," he said. "You'll understand why I made this decision soon enough." He paused before asking, "How's the situation in Joker?"
"The information from the Donquixote Family indicates that the time and place of the deal haven't changed. So far, the Ward Pirates haven't altered their plans, and the transaction is expected to proceed as normal," reported Flying Squirrel.
Darren clenched his fist and inquired further about the preparations. "What about the armaments on the warships?"
"Each warship has been loaded with ten heavy artillery pieces, and they have also been equipped with small ballistic missiles courtesy of Germa," responded Flying Squirrel gravely. "As for the soldiers' gear, apart from standard sabers and rifles, the elite of the North Blue fleet have also been outfitted with Germa tech such as stun guns, portable cannons, and flamethrowers."
With a satisfied laugh, Darren declared, "Excellent. In that case, let's set out."
At that moment, Kake, looking flustered and carrying a crumpled nautical chart, rushed up to them, his anxiety palpable. "Darren, is there still time to catch up? The distance from here to the target island is..."
"-much more than three hours," Gion finished for him, her voice deep with concern.
Meeting their worried gazes, Darren smiled reassuringly and raised his hand in a decisive gesture. At his signal, the tense and abrupt sound of the bugle echoed from the warship's watchtower and swiftly spread throughout the vicinity. As everyone turned their heads, the sails were quickly taken in by the Marines.
"Ready? Let's make haste," Darren said calmly, exhaling a plume of smoke.
Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, a strange, invisible force field surged from the Colonel's body, and a bright blue arc leaped between his fingers.
Boom!
A series of muffled thuds emanated from beneath the hull, startling Kake and the others. They struggled to keep their balance, feeling an intense centrifugal force suddenly enveloping their warship.
"Could it be..." Kake's eyes were wide open, and he showed a look of disbelief. Flying Squirrel also seemed to realize something and looked equally stunned. "We'll catch up," Colonel Marine declared, raising his head high. An almost violent force field surged from his body, making his large, snow-white cloak flutter in the wind.
He turned back and smiled at everyone. "By the way, I forgot to tell you..." An incomparable sharp light and a strong fire of ambition shone in his deep eyes. "I never said that the dominance of the North Blue fleet stops only at the sea." After speaking those words, he clenched his fists suddenly. Boom! Another burst of majestic buzzing sounds came from the hull of the warship; the deck shook violently, and a huge whirlpool formed in the sea.
In the shocked and frozen gazes of Kake, Gion, Flying Squirrel, and countless North Blue Marines, the environment and everything around them began to "sink" downward at a steady speed. No, it wasn't that the environment was sinking but the warship they were on flew up!
Boom! Magnificent columns of water and waves rose into the sky from the military port. The North Blue fleet, composed of ten warships, rose on the roaring white waves, soaring into the sky at an astonishing speed under the violent magnetic field.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!!!" Kake screamed from the deck of the main battleship. As the warship kept accelerating, the strong wind distorted his face. He wore an exaggerated expression of shock while his mind went blank. It's flying! The North Blue fleet built by Darren was unlike any conventional maritime force.
Gion clung to the railing with both hands, looking at the thick sea of clouds coming towards them. Her face, slightly pale from shock, began to blush with excitement.
A Marine fleet that could fly had immeasurable significance for military strategy: unparalleled maneuverability, unpredictable stealth, the ability to break away from the sea's shackles, and the aggressiveness to launch surprise attacks from the sky. She could already imagine Admiral Sengoku's surprised and stunned expression upon seeing the North Blue fleet appear before his eyes.
Flying Squirrel next to her showed a helpless smile. He finally understood Darren's purpose—his Devil Fruit ability! Through the power of the Magnetic Fruit, warships with metal-modified keels could levitate like cannonballs under the magnetic field's influence and even fly at high altitudes.
"Everyone!" Darren's voice rang out. All the Marines looked curiously and excitedly at the quickly retreating clouds. Their North Blue Admiral stood on the bow like a tall and unwavering war gun, facing the wind. The corner of his mouth rose into a rebellious and awe-inspiring smile. "There is only one purpose for this trip: to conquer the legendary pirate Byrnndi Waldo!" The sky fell silent. Then, thunderous shouts of determination, resonating like roaring thunder and tumultuous seas, filled the air.
Back at the military port, thousands of Marine soldiers responsible for staying behind at the 321st branch watched the fleet fly into the sky and disappear into the clouds. Their eyes were full of shock and enthusiasm as they saluted the downpour of seawater. They all deeply knew that no matter the outcome of today's battle, the sharpness of the North Blue fleet's fangs would terrify the entire world.