Pirate: It’s not a phantom beast, it’s a phantom god!

Chapter 48 Third Party

Time goes back to one day ago, at the Navy Headquarters.

"What! You said you discovered that Kaido and Big Mom assembled a large fleet at the same time. Both sides were heavily armed and seemed to be planning to engage!"

In the Marshal's office, a burly man with a tough temperament was shouting at the Den Den Mushi. His voice was so strong that the Den Den Mushi was trembling with fear, and the windows in the distance were creaking under the sound waves.

"Yes, that's right, Marshal Kong."

The naval intelligence officer on the other side of the Den Den Mushi was obviously frightened and answered in a trembling voice.

"Whoo~"

Hearing the nervous, almost distorted voice from the other side, the big man took a deep breath, suppressed his anger and asked, "When did they leave the port?"

"One, one day ago."

"..."

"asshole!"

This time the window could no longer hold, and the glass embedded in it shattered and scattered all over the floor.

"What are you intelligence officers doing?! Why are you reporting now?"

"Report, report to the Marshal, we originally thought it was a routine voyage, but unexpectedly..."

"That's enough! Keep a close eye on them, and report to me immediately once you figure out their movements!"

Without further listening to the other party's explanation, the Admiral immediately made countermeasures.

[These guys!]
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi and calming down, Sora shouted to the outside of the office, "Call Sengoku and Zephyr right now. And if that Garp guy comes back, call him over as well!"

"Yes!"

The signalman outside the door shook his somewhat tone-deaf ears and immediately began to contact Zhan Guo and others.

[Tsk! That Rocks guy, even after he's dead, he still leaves behind so much trouble! Without him to restrain them, who knows how much more trouble these ambitious guys will stir up in the ocean!]
……

After smoking two cigars, the two admirals, Sengoku and Zephyr, finally arrived at the marshal's office.

"What happened? Marshal Kong." Zefa asked as soon as he entered the door.

Sora looked towards the two people who had hurried over, then leaned forward again, but he didn't see the figure that was giving you a headache.

[never mind.]
Kong didn't waste any more time and directly told the two of them the information from the intelligence department.

"Just now, our intelligence personnel in the New World sent news that the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates were dispatched at the same time, and the size of their fleets is not small, and it seems that they are about to make contact.

The rendezvous location is currently unknown, so I've asked them to continue watching."

"Are we going to attack Beehive Island?"

After hearing the news, Sengoku almost immediately thought of the famous pirate island.

"The only thing that can make these two people join forces is probably Rocks' treasure."

After hearing Sengoku's speculation, Sora and Zephyr were stunned at first, then nodded in unison.

According to the information recently conveyed by the intelligence department, the situation on Beehive Island is indeed not peaceful, and the number of ships coming and going is more than double than usual.

"It's very likely. Captain John's recent actions have been somewhat unusual, but the details will depend on their future actions. By the way, has Garp not returned yet?"

"No, the G5 branch was attacked a few days ago, and Garp and his team are there helping to rebuild."

Zhan Guo recalled his old friend's exasperated voice on the Den Den Mushi and said helplessly.

"That guy! Rebuilding the base is the job of the engineers, why is he messing around?"

When Sora, the Admiral of the Navy known as "Steel Bone", thought of Garp's nonchalant look, he became furious.

"Do you need me to lead the team there? If BIG MOM and the others really want to go to war with John, this might be a good opportunity for us." Zefa volunteered to rush to the scene.

Just as he said, if it is confirmed that it is an internal conflict among pirates, the navy may have the opportunity to take advantage of the situation and catch them all in one fell swoop.

"Well, what do you think, Zhan Guo?"

Sora nodded, but still asked for the opinion of Sengoku, the renowned "wise general" in the navy.

"It's not that simple."

As a general, Zhan Guo shook his head. He felt that there must be some hidden driving force behind this matter.

"From the intelligence we received previously, it seems that Beehive Island has had frequent contact with Silver Axe and Wang Zhi's forces recently. Combined with the intelligence just now, it is likely to deal with the alliance between Big Mom and Kaido."

Zhan Guo adjusted his glasses and continued to analyze, "But there are still a few problems. With John's strength, it might be a bit difficult to deal with Big Mom and Kaido at the same time, but there is no need to win over both Silver Axe and Wang Zhi at the same time.

One more person means a bigger share of the pie, but with John’s greedy personality, he would never do that, unless…”

"unless?"

Zhan Guo changed the subject: "Unless some other force forces him to win over both Silver Axe and Wang Zhi at the same time!"

"Also, Kaido's contact with Big Mom this time is very strange. We haven't received any information from them before.

Logically speaking, this suspected alliance couldn't have been simply agreed upon through Den Den Mushi. The pirates from both groups must have met, but we haven't received any information."

"Could it be that the two of them have met secretly? After all, they can both fly and cross the ocean without relying on ships." Zefa said.

"Well, that's possible. But speaking of takeoff..." As if he thought of something, the eyes behind Zhan Guo's glasses suddenly widened.

"Marshal Kong, what are the recent movements of that Golden Lion guy?!"

"I didn't get any news...you mean?!"

Kong also reacted and immediately picked up the phone to call the head of the Navy Intelligence Department.

"Hello! I'm Admiral Sora. Please report to me immediately on the recent movements of Shiki the Golden Lion."

"Roger that! Please wait, Marshal Kong. We'll go compile the summary now."

After receiving the call, the other party immediately ordered his subordinates to organize the information and turn on the anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi.

Three minutes later, the voice of the Chief of Intelligence came from Den Den Mushi again.

"Reporting to the Admiral, Golden Lion Shiki's fleet did disappear for a period of time seven days ago. However, since it reappeared shortly afterwards and no other movements were observed, we concluded that this was just an ordinary movement and did not report it to your office."

"Seven days ago..."

Listening to the intelligence coming from the other side, Sora felt both angry and helpless. The Golden Lion's abilities were a nightmare for the Navy's scouts. The Floating Fruit allowed the Golden Lion's fleet and its islands to float above the clouds year-round, out of sight.

It is also impossible for the navy to keep their heads up all the time and pay attention to every move at an altitude of 10,000 meters.

Therefore, for the intelligence department, it was normal for the Golden Lion's fleet to disappear for a day or two, and there was no need to report it to the marshal's desk every time.

"Disappeared a week ago... and the recent high-profile personnel changes on Beehive Island, as well as the seemingly tacit contact between Kaido and Big Mom.

That's right! It seems that the person John is afraid of is Shiji! "Zhan Guo came to a definite conclusion.

"That's right. If someone wants to attack Beehive Island, that guy can't not be involved." Zefa also agreed with Zhan Guo's inference.

"It would be more reasonable to say that he was the first to initiate the joint action of the pirates this time."

"Ah."

Hearing this, Sora, the admiral of the navy, gave the order without hesitation.

"There's no time to waste! Zephyr, go to G5 branch and reunite with Garp now, and together you two will head to the waters of Beehive Island as quickly as possible.

Sengoku, you stay at the headquarters and Crane's staff to keep in touch with the intelligence department and Zefa and the others at all times to keep abreast of the developments on the battlefield.

I'll report this to the Five Elders. We need to use this opportunity to capture at least a few of the most troublesome of these Rocks' remnants, even if we can't capture them all!"

"Yes!"×2
……

Back to the present, in a sea area near the outermost part of Fenrir Island, the Beasts Pirates fleet led by the "Bullfighting" is sailing quietly on the sea.

"Get ready, boys! We'll be there soon."

Burfat at the bow lowered his telescope and shouted to the pirates behind him.

At this time, he could already see the outermost islands of this sea area on the distant sea level.

And their current position is almost the shortest distance they can get close to without being discovered by the enemy scouts.

"All of you, get ready. Take your Bubble Corals and Den Den Mushi and dive into the sea. If you notice any unusual movement from the ship on the island, notify us immediately."

Bulfat selected a few merfolk and asked them to observe closely from the sea.

"Leave it to us, Brother Burfat!" The men with different appearances assured confidently.

"Okay! Then I'll wait for your news here."

Burfat nodded in affirmation and immediately said to the others on the ship, "Everyone, polish your weapons, check the shells and artillery, and be ready for battle at any time!"

"Yes!"×n
The pirates on the ship immediately dispersed back to their respective posts and began to make final preparations.

"Ouba Ouba~ Listen, the battle is about to begin!"

In the crowd, Osi excitedly shook Obe's arm, and she was obviously looking forward to the upcoming battle.

"I've already made preparations. As for you, you'd better hurry up and get your mind right so you don't get too excited and fall flat on your face."

Oubei pulled her hand away helplessly. In fact, she wanted to tell Osi to be mentally prepared to take other people's lives, so as to avoid being caught off guard on the battlefield and causing trouble.

"Don't worry, I'm strong enough, nothing will happen. Besides, don't I have you?"

"You thought of me now? You didn't hesitate at all when you sold me out in front of Big Sister two days ago."

Oubei looked at Osi with empty eyes, obviously he had not forgotten that the other party had betrayed him in front of La.

"Ha...haha~ It's all a misunderstanding. I was just panicking at that time~" Osi twirled his hair awkwardly.

"It was so long ago, and you're my most trustworthy sister. The relationship between us can't be tarnished by this little misunderstanding~"

"Hmph↑It's up to you." Ou Bei turned his head and looked at the sea.

[Looks like everything is alright, what a weird and tsundere kid~]
Osi looked at Obei who looked away, and silently labeled him like this in his heart.

Although he looked carefree, Osi could still feel Obei's concern for him, including the worry implied in her words that he might be in danger because he was not adapted to the battlefield.

[Huh~ This day has finally come... the day I take someone else's life with my own hands.]
He took a few deep breaths, suppressing the subtle fluctuations in his heart. Ossi, who possessed the power of the underworld god, had become extremely sensitive to the passing of life.

[Even though I didn't care about the lives of humans in this world at first... How strange.]
Osi recalled the action that could be called "annihilation of a country" shortly after his first encounter with Kaido.

Almost all the humans in the entire palace died in front of him. Some of them deserved to die, while others were completely unprovoked.

At that time, she clearly heard those people's wailing and cries for help, but she didn't care at all, just like seeing an unfamiliar NPC die in the game.

Even when La specifically asked about it, he just brushed it off indifferently.

But from some point on, for some reason, she began to feel the weight of these lives.

Perhaps it was the influence of her own power, or perhaps it was the interactions with Burfat and the others that gave her a sense of belonging to this world, or perhaps it was the scene she saw that morning a few days ago when the town blacksmith sent his dead father to the funeral.

Wagner, who was usually serious and had a stern face, cried like a child at that time... and she was watching silently from a distance.

For ordinary pirates, taking another's life is as simple as swinging a knife or shooting a bullet, just like eating and drinking water.

After all, when people are killed, they die.

Some of them even take pleasure in slaughtering civilians. In their eyes, human lives are as worthless as weeds on the roadside.

But for Osi now, for this young god who has awakened to power, she can truly feel the weight of life or soul.

The authority from the underworld enables her to touch the unknown world after death.

Ossi later thought about this for a long time.

During this time, she tried to stand in many different positions and angles—ordinary people, people from another world, divinity, humanity, as a [wandering spirit], as [Osiris]...

She really thought a lot about the taking of life.

After a long period of thinking, Ossi came to the conclusion that "thinking" might not be suitable for him.

When it came time to make a choice, her instincts would guide her body to the right action, rather than the answers she had imagined in her head, just as they had always been.

His gilded eyes looked towards the beach outside the distant island, where a crab that was resting was snatched away by a passing seabird and swallowed whole in mid-air.

The island, which Burfat could barely see with the help of a telescope, was clearly visible to Ossi, including every tree and every blade of grass.

Even including a feather that fell from the seabird's wings when it flapped away.

……

(End of this chapter)