"Vice Admiral Mongoose, all the Celestial Gold has been loaded!" A Navy soldier rushed onto the deck, panting as he reported to his superior.
"Hmm, notify the fleet to set sail immediately! Head to Mary Geoise!" Mongoose frowned slightly, a sense of ominous danger creeping over him, as if something terrible was about to happen, leaving him in a state of agitation.
"Move out!"
Meanwhile, Natsu, seeing the Navy ships raising their anchors to set sail, made a gesture to signal his crew to begin their operation.
Seizing the Celestial Gold was a part of Natsu's plan; not only would it earn them points to increase their strength, but it would also swiftly gain the attention of the World Government and the powerful figures of the New World. As long as they survived the impending onslaught from the World Government, the name of the Smile Pirates would undoubtedly resonate across the seas.
"Yehahaha! I'm off!" Enel shouted as he transformed into a bolt of lightning, shooting straight toward the Navy warship.
"You weaklings of the Blue Sea, behold my power!"
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion erupted as the Navy ship was engulfed in chaos. Enel was already engaged in battle with the Navy.
To kick things off, he unleashed his unique ability!
Violent lightning danced across the sea, enveloping the area. The ordinary Navy soldiers found themselves powerless within this storm, trembling and collapsing, unaware of their fate.
"The battle has begun!"
"Kehehheh! The Great Lord Kumo has arrived!"
"…"
"Dark Fireball!"
As Natsu moved with agility, the members of the Smile Pirates sprang into action, showcasing their abilities as they charged toward the Navy warships.
"Damn pirates! Do you even know who you're up against?" Vice Admiral Mongoose shouted furiously as he struggled to fend off Enel's attacks.
"Of course we know! The Celestial Gold! I'm here to take it!" Natsu retorted with a smirk.
"Let's make this quick! A big player might arrive soon!"
"Understood, Captain!"
"Yes, Captain!"
"…"
"Doberman! Stourobury! These guys aren't just any pirates! We can't drag this out; otherwise, the soldiers will be wiped out!" Mongoose's heart sank as he caught sight of his men falling around him, losing their will to fight.
"I can see that! Gale Kick!" Stourobury unleashed a flurry of strikes with his dual blades, momentarily pushing back Gin as he shouted back.
"Gale Kick! Gravity!"
Gin, maintaining a calm demeanor, responded with the Navy's Six Powers, his own Gale Kick taking the form of a giant hammer.
Meanwhile, a Navy soldier in the lower deck was urgently dialing the Marine Headquarters, his voice tense as he reported the theft of the Celestial Gold. Such a massive blunder would draw immense ire from the World Nobles, a headache for the Navy indeed.
At the Marine Headquarters, Admiral Sengoku was interrupted mid-battle with Garp over some pastries by the frantic soldier.
"What's going on? Why are you so flustered?" Sengoku asked, trying to regain his authoritative composure.
"Admiral Sengoku, bad news! Vice Admiral Mongoose's ship transporting the Celestial Gold has been attacked by a group of pirates! We've identified two Devil Fruit users, and their strength is overwhelming; the Vice Admirals are struggling! We request immediate assistance from the Admirals!"
"Bang! What?! These damned scum on the seas are out of control!" Sengoku slammed his fist on the desk, veins bulging, his voice full of rage.
"Do we know which pirates are behind this?"
"From the reports, it appears to be the rising newcomers, the Smile Pirates, led by one Monkey D. Natsu!" The soldier nervously glanced at Garp, wary of mentioning a name that could draw attention.
Recently, Natsu had made quite a name for himself among certain members of the Navy.
"Garp, what kind of education are you giving your grandson? You're a failure!" Sengoku turned to Garp, scolding him without mercy.
Garp, at a loss for words, thought to himself, "I've only been teaching him for a few years; it's not my fault!" (*￣rǒ￣)
As he mentally complained about Sengoku, he was equally baffled by Natsu's reckless actions. Why become a pirate when he could have lived a quieter life? Why go after the Celestial Gold?
It seemed that neither his son nor grandson ever gave him a moment's peace.
"Immediately notify Admiral Borsalino! He must set off at once to capture those pirates and lock them up in Impel Down!"
Sengoku, recovering from his brief lapse in focus, issued the order. Complaining wouldn't help now; they could only do their best to mitigate the damage.
"Yes, sir!"
The soldier, feeling the tense atmosphere, trembled as he responded, then hurried out of the office.
"This is such a hassle! Just a bunch of rookie pirates daring to take the Celestial Gold! How terrifying!" A middle-aged man with short, curly black hair, wearing sunglasses, sporting a scruffy beard, and dressed in a yellow-and-white striped suit, purple tie, and white shoes, stepped out of Marine Headquarters, looking thoroughly disgruntled.
He had been hoping for a quiet workday, only to be interrupted by this mess.
"Admiral!" A soldier reminded him it was time to depart.
"Ah, right, I'm on my way!" Borsalino glanced at his watch, then his body transformed into light, vanishing from the sight of the Marines.
On the battlefield between the Smile Pirates and the Navy, thanks to their formidable powers, victory had already tilted in favor of the Smile Pirates after just two hours. Only three Navy Vice Admirals remained, desperately holding the line.
Especially Vice Admiral Mongoose, who was barely managing to counter Enel's natural elemental powers with his Haki, was now covered in injuries from the relentless lightning strikes.
"Do you truly want to go against the World Government?!"
"Against them? The Navy and pirates have always been adversaries, haven't they?" Natsu shot back, his voice steady.
"It's only natural for pirates to seize treasure! Don't you understand, Navy?"
"Make this quick! Enel, soon you'll witness one of the world's most powerful beings!"
The Navy's attempts to contact their headquarters through transponder snails were within Natsu's line of sight. Once the report was completed, he swiftly dealt with the caller, ensuring they couldn't serve as a distraction.
"Really?" Enel exclaimed, a glimmer of excitement igniting in his lifeless eyes.
"Yeah, we're going after the Celestial Gold, and the Navy Admirals will soon arrive at the battlefield!"
"Yehahaha! Six hundred million volts! Lightning Dragon!" Enel spread his arms wide, cackling with delight as massive lightning dragons soared through the sky. In an instant, three enormous dragons descended, engulfing Mongoose and the other two Vice Admirals in a torrent of thunder, the explosive energy causing the surrounding waters to boil, making the area feel as if the apocalypse had arrived.
The powers of a Logia-type Devil Fruit truly embodied a natural disaster.
"Tsk! That was resolved too quickly! I was just getting into it," Kumo pouted, slightly dissatisfied. He had been hoping for a more drawn-out battle.
"Alright, alright! There's no rush; the real fight is just about to begin!"
"Got it! Captain!"
"Admiral, I'm so looking forward to this! Yehahaha!"