"Our target this time is the Baikal Kingdom, the World Government member nation blocking the expansion of the Infinity Pirates!" Li Yuan stated seriously.
"Captain, what about the Navy and the World Government?" Ashura Doji hesitated to ask.
He was no longer the inexperienced samurai of Wano. Over the past year, he'd learned a lot about the sea and understood that the World Government was the most powerful force in the world, and its member nations were under its protection.
"Don't worry about that. Your task is to take over the Baikal Kingdom for me in the shortest time possible!" Li Yuan waved dismissively.
"Yes, Captain!"
Hearing Li Yuan's assurance, the captains relaxed. If the captain had a plan for dealing with the Navy, they only needed to focus on the Baikal Kingdom.
The next day at noon, Li Yuan used a mirror installed in the Baikal Kingdom's palace by Shakky to travel directly from Wano to the Baikal Kingdom's palace.
Over the past year, although the Infinity Pirates hadn't officially invaded the Baikal Kingdom, their infiltration was significant. Shakky had placed many spies within the kingdom.
This particular mirror had been placed by a spy in the Baikal Kingdom's palace, allowing the Infinity Pirates to access the palace at any time.
King Soman of Baikal sat on the throne, feeling a sudden jolt of anxiety as if something terrible was about to happen.
"Your Majesty, the Infinity Pirates are showing signs of gathering forces again," a minister reported.
"Immediately request the Navy to send an admiral to support us, claiming that the Infinity Pirates are already attacking our capital!" Soman ordered.
In previous instances when the Infinity Pirates gathered forces to attack islands around the Baikal Kingdom, they had called for Navy support. However, the Navy, seeing that the pirates hadn't invaded the kingdom itself, chose not to intervene and left.
Subsequent requests for Navy intervention were denied on the grounds that the Infinity Pirates hadn't violated the Baikal Kingdom.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Although the minister didn't understand the king's urgency, previous gatherings of the Infinity Pirates hadn't led to any direct threat to their territory.
"Heh, it's too late to notify the Navy now!"
Just as the minister was about to send word to the Navy, Li Yuan appeared in the Baikal Kingdom's palace.
"What? Infinity Swordsman Li Yuan, how are you here!!!"
"Our Baikal Kingdom is a World Government member nation. Aren't you afraid of retribution from the World Government and the Navy?"
King Soman finally understood the source of his earlier anxiety.
Li Yuan didn't bother responding to Soman's words.
"Boom!!!!"
In the next moment, a Conqueror's Haki, akin to a dark cloud, erupted from the palace, spreading in all directions.
Instantly, everyone within the reach of the Haki was knocked unconscious by the sudden, overwhelming force.
No one in the entire palace was left standing.
"If I weren't confident in dealing with the World Government and the Navy, why would I be here?"
Li Yuan decapitated King Soman with a single stroke, pondering the question he hadn't answered earlier.
Having accomplished his task, Li Yuan used the mirror to return to his pirate ship.
Meanwhile, the Infinity Pirates, led by their captains, launched an all-out assault on the Baikal Kingdom from all directions.
"The Infinity Pirates are attacking! Report to the king immediately!!"
"It's no use; everyone inside the palace, including the guards, has fainted, and the king has been killed!"
"Damn it, send word to the Navy and request their support immediately!!"
"Hurry, follow me to resist the pirates; we cannot let them trample our kingdom!"
Li Yuan's swift decapitation strike threw the entire Baikal Kingdom into chaos.
Despite the Infinity Pirates' relentless assault, the Baikal Kingdom was unable to withstand their invasion.
Even the kingdom's strongest warrior was just at the level of a Navy vice-admiral.
Such a warrior, before Ashura Doji consumed the Emperor Crocodile Devil Fruit, would have taken a long time to defeat.
But with the power of the Emperor Crocodile Devil Fruit, Ashura Doji no longer needed much time to overcome a standard vice-admiral!
As the Infinity Pirates attacked the Baikal Kingdom, Shiki, John, and Wald were simultaneously assaulting three other World Government member nations.
At Navy Headquarters, Marineford, they received distress signals from all four member nations simultaneously.
"Damn it!"
"Li Yuan, Shiki, John, and Wald must have coordinated this; otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that all four attack World Government member nations at once?"
Sengoku, holding the distress reports, turned dark with anger.
At present, including himself, the Navy had only four top-tier forces, and he couldn't leave Marineford, leaving only three deployable forces.
This meant that one of the four member nations would have to be abandoned.
"Marshal, based on the reports, even if we set out immediately, by the time we arrive, the member nations might already be plundered."
"If that happens, should we pursue the pirates?"
Sengoku asked.
"Sengoku, what do you suggest?"
The marshal inquired.
"My suggestion is that since we can't save all four, we should focus on saving one and capture one of the great pirates attacking the member nations."
"This way, even if the member nations blame us, we have something to show."
"Of course, we can't ignore the other three. We should send forces, just not as many."
Sengoku proposed.
"Which one do you suggest we focus on?"
Hearing Sengoku's suggestion, the marshal found it reasonable.
If they couldn't save all, they should save one and capture one of the attacking pirates.
"The nearest to our base is the Kingdom of Kenst, and the one attacking it is Wald."
Sengoku pointed to the map on the table.
"Sengoku, take Zephyr and Garp with you. No matter what, bring Wald back!"
The marshal ordered.
"Rest assured, Marshal, I will complete the mission!"
Sengoku said, leaving the marshal's office and contacting Garp, who was pursuing Roger, and Zephyr, who was chasing other pirates.
In just half a day, the Infinity Pirates completely took over the Baikal Kingdom, transferring treasures and valuables back.
Not knowing the aftermath, they decided it was safer to bring everything back.
After the complete conquest of the Baikal Kingdom, Li Yuan received a call from Wald.
"Li Yuan, the Navy's Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr are all coming after me. Does your previous alliance offer still stand?"
Wald asked.
"It stands, of course it stands. Where are you? I'll come over immediately."
Li Yuan replied, surprised.
He had prepared for the Navy to come after him, but they went after Wald instead.
"I'm done plundering the Kingdom of Kenst and heading towards Sokab Island. The Navy will likely follow me there."
Wald said.
"No problem, I'll head to Sokab Island as fast as I can."
Li Yuan said, hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
"Brother, do you think Li Yuan, Shiki, and John will come to help us?"
After hanging up, Wald asked his shoulder partner, Binjack.
"They will. They're great pirates who may not be trustworthy, but they won't betray their interests!"
Binjack affirmed.
They were currently allies with Li Yuan and the others. If the Navy targeted Wald and they stood by, who knew if one of Li Yuan, Shiki, or John would be next?
If Wald was captured and they hadn't helped, they could regret when the Navy turned its attention to them instead.
"Alright, let's move towards Sokab Island!"
Wald said.
Wald's call reached not only Li Yuan but also Shiki and John, who made the same decision as Li Yuan: to support Wald.
As Binjack said, Wald was unlucky. After four member nations were plundered, the Navy and World Government would be furious.
Wald bore the brunt of this fury, and as accomplices, they had to assist him.
If Wald was captured, the anger of the World Government and Navy might shift to them.
Instead, they preferred Wald to endure the worst of the anger while they helped him, ensuring a better outcome for all four.
"Admiral Sengoku, we've received news from Kenst that Wald seems aware of the Navy's encirclement."
"Without completing the plunder of Kenst Kingdom, he's already left, but according to our informants on Wald's ship, he's heading in this direction."
The messenger relayed Wald's intelligence.
"How does Wald know our movements?"
Sengoku wondered.
"Sengoku, now's not the time to question this. We need to hurry and chase Wald; otherwise, he'll get away."
Garp said nonchalantly, picking his nose.
"Damn it, Garp, don't wipe your snot on my coat!!"
"Pass the order: pursue Wald at full speed!"
Sengoku angrily scolded Garp.
John was closest to Wald, Shiki had the most maneuverability with his Float-Float Fruit, and although Li Yuan was the furthest from Wald, with Shakky's Mirror-Mirror Fruit, he was the first to reach Sokab Island.
Shakky's Mirror-Mirror Fruit had developed to the point where it could cover a tenth of the New World!
Thus, Li Yuan reached Sokab Island quickly.
Upon arrival, Li Yuan detected three strong presences from afar: Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr.
"Wald, is this the battlefield you've chosen?"
Li Yuan quickly found Wald after arriving.
"Hahahaha, Li Yuan, you're the first to arrive!"
"Yes, this is my chosen battlefield, the place to hunt the Navy!"
Wald laughed heartily, a hint of madness in his voice.
Despite their collective attack on World Government member nations, the Navy targeted Wald with their full force, ignoring the others.
Didn't this imply that Wald was the weakest target?
If the Navy thought so, Wald had no problem proving whether he was the weak link or if the Navy was the prey!
"Jihahahaha, it seems Wald, your plan is ambitious!"
At this moment, Shiki also arrived.
"Yohohoho, are you planning to deal a significant blow to the Navy?"
John arrived as well.
Wald's choice of Sokab Island was calculated based on John and Shiki's speed.
If they chose to come, they could meet Wald here and face the Navy together.
Li Yuan, despite being the furthest, could arrive within a day of battle, marking the start of their counterattack.
Wald didn't expect Li Yuan to arrive early, increasing the chances of success for his plan!
"Hahahaha, yes, the Navy is too reckless, forgetting that the New World is pirate territory!"
"They dare chase us here with two admirals and Garp."
"All three of the Navy's top forces are here. If we can kill one, what do you think will happen?"
Wald's madness was evident.
The others understood Wald's intent. Killing a Navy admiral would be a significant blow to the Navy and elevate their reputations.
Killing a Navy admiral was once the domain of Rocks.
Aside from Rocks, no one had ever killed a Navy admiral!
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