One Piece Gunslinger

Chapter Eighty-Eight: Borrowing a Game (Part Two)

Faced with Francis's tragic death, even the usually composed Hardman couldn't help but show an expression of anger. Hardman had placed all his hopes on Francis to ensure a smooth and easy achievement of his goal.

Hardman carefully examined Francis's diving suit and the wound at the decapitation site. Although it looked like the wound was caused by the sharp teeth of a wild animal, it still made Hardman a little suspicious.

"There shouldn't be any sea monster nests around here, and sea kings generally don't like to come to this shallow water. Could it be just a coincidence that Francis encountered an unexpected situation in the short time he went down there?"

Hardman was ultimately a ruthless man. More concerned with the final showdown between the families after dawn than with how Francis died.

After putting aside his emotions, Hardman ordered, "Go, send someone to check over there. See if there have been any changes to the reefs beneath the surface."

This was undoubtedly the right decision. Now is not the time to dwell on things. Hardman's ability to recover from the setback and get to work is a testament to the excellent qualities of a leader.

Hardman thought to himself, "No matter how Francis died, the most urgent thing is to find out how much he changed the seabed before he died. We can't run away now. We have to seize the time to re-explore the sea area so that we can respond in time."

Hardman's thinking was correct, but Jack had already considered this as well. Since Hardman's trump card had been eliminated, it would inevitably alert the enemy. Jack also believed that with Hardman's intelligence, he would not just sit there and wait to die.

No sooner had Hardman finished speaking than a soldier rushed over, shouting, "Sir Hardman, something terrible has happened! Those gangsters are already coming for us!"

Jack, that sly fellow, hasn't done anything good; all he does is sow discord. He had already shared his suspicions with Yuri and the others during the day.

Of course, some modifications were made to the content, and several unfounded spies were brought up, claiming that they had overheard Hardman's transformation plan and the timing of its implementation.

After explaining, Jack suggested a night raid before Hardman could carry out his modifications. He also promised to do his best to stall Hardman for a while, using whatever means necessary, to ensure Yuri and the others could successfully launch their night raid.

Jack was absolutely certain about this promise. With Francis all dead, Hardman's plan was essentially delayed indefinitely. He didn't lie; he fulfilled his promise.

Of course, Yuri and the others were also greatly surprised when they heard this.

Yuri wasn't stupid, and neither was Maxim. While Maxim usually projected an image of someone who was all brawn and no brains, his current level of competence wasn't solely due to his physical strength. The two often shared similar thoughts and ideas, and Yuri frequently consulted Maxim on difficult problems. This was sufficient proof that Maxim's intelligence was no less than Yuri's.

“I knew it. I had a vague feeling that something was wrong. Hardman was planning to use our common sense to give us a head-on blow,” Maxim said, realizing the implication immediately.

Yuri, still shaken, said, "I had my doubts before, and I even wondered if there was something wrong with the nautical chart Jack gave us, so I went out of my way to search for it. But when I finally found the chart, I discovered that the two were exactly the same; the chart Jack gave us was fine. It seems that Hardman also knew that he wasn't the only one with the chart for that area. Maybe some merchant or pirate had the chart. Even if Jack hadn't given me the chart, we could have found it somewhere. It turns out the problem lay with that ability user; in the end, the chart we had could have been our downfall."

"Who can argue with that? Our common sense is that people with superpowers can't swim in the sea, but he can actually shield himself from seawater. That's Hartman's real trump card."

Jack's words were already half-truths, and given that they had also planted spies within Hardman's organization, the two analyzed the logic and sorted out various issues while keeping the information incomplete. After some thought, they realized that Jack's intelligence was absolutely crucial.

The two had no other choice but to follow Jack's suggestion and carry out the night raid, as there was no time to do anything else.

When the term "night raid" is mentioned, people generally assume that the attacking side has a significant advantage. Once inside, the attackers can commit murder and arson, while the attacked side, amidst the flames and chaotic shouts, struggles to estimate the enemy's numbers, often greatly exaggerating them. Furthermore, they find it extremely difficult to organize an effective defense.

Therefore, night raids often achieve victory with fewer troops and achieve great results with minimal resources, with outstanding effects.

However, this ideal night raid mode requires both intentional and surprise attacks, and it must be carried out on land to be truly effective.

If we consider the sea, it's not impossible to play there. Even now, Hardman is not entirely without vigilance and is constantly on guard against enemy attacks.

However, we must be objective. Given the current situation, a night raid is a last resort. If there were other options, the nautical chart would become obsolete after tonight, and the terrain might become even more unfavorable. In that case, neither of them would have considered a night raid.

The reason is that this area of ​​sea has an excessive number of reefs. Without a nautical chart, it's hard to imagine the enormous price we would have to pay.

So at night, the nautical charts become virtually nonexistent.

Whether it's a map or a nautical chart, for someone to understand it and find the correct route, they must know where they are; this is indispensable.

Everyone knows that in times of limited technology, locating one's position relies on landmarks. However, at sea or in the desert, landmarks are extremely difficult to find. The surrounding landscape is endless and identical.

Especially at night, visibility is limited. Figuring out your location and where the reefs are is incredibly difficult. A nautical chart becomes largely useless.

So, while Hardman was aware of the possibility of a nighttime attack, he never expected that these people would actually dare to launch an attack at night.

Jack, who orchestrated all of this, was merely taking advantage of the situation and using it as an excuse to make a fuss.

Chapter 89 Opening the Way

Upon hearing news of the enemy attack, Hardman immediately connected it to Francis's death. Regardless of the methods used, it was undoubtedly to prevent him from making any changes to the sea lanes. And the fact that someone came to attack so soon after Francis's death must have been pre-planned as well.

However, what Hardman couldn't understand was how his flawless plan had been exposed and used to set a trap. To be honest, Hardman had only told Francis about this before the operation, and no one else knew about it.

Secondly, the diving suit that Hardman had was a rare find, something he hadn't obtained anywhere else. Although the coating used in Sabaody Archipelago is a method of diving, it's not suitable for other places.

The Sabaody Archipelago is home to the world's largest mangrove, the Yarchiman mangrove. The roots of this mangrove secrete a special natural resin, which is used in coating.

However, this resin bubble wrap will burst after leaving a certain range, so the coin cannot use this method to dive to the seabed in other places.

Even though Francis's abilities had been revealed and were no longer a secret, the fact that only Hardman knew about the diving suit before meant that no one could have imagined that Hardman could send an ability user to the bottom of the sea.

But now is not the time to dwell on this. Hardman banished these thoughts from his mind and roared, "Don't panic! Pass down the order and proceed according to plan. The entire army, prepare to meet the enemy!"

After the order was given, Hardman could only sigh to himself, "There's no time to survey the terrain now. I can only hope that Francis made some contribution before he died."

"Well, those people dared to launch a forced attack under the cover of darkness; they probably won't come out unscathed. Even if they suffer heavy losses, the winner this time will still be me, Elon Wood." Thinking this, Hardman's ashen face softened considerably. However, he was unaware that Francis, before his death, not only contributed nothing but also provided Jack with a significant boost after his demise. Otherwise, Hardman's expression would likely have become even more interesting.

Meanwhile, Jack and his crew had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new recruit. Otherwise, if Hardman were to re-familiarize himself with the terrain after some time, things would become much more difficult.

“Those guys have finally arrived.” Jack said with delight. “Then we need to get ready. I’ll give the order and we’ll proceed with the next step.”

Seeing that things were developing in a positive direction, Haku was also excited and said, "I never thought that after less than a month in this kingdom, this rich land would soon become a source of wealth for our revolutionary army. It feels like a dream."

"Don't be too happy yet. The last leg of a journey is the hardest. Whether we succeed in the end depends on fate. All we can do now is work harder."

……

Meanwhile, Yuri and his men launched their decisive battle a night in advance, clearly well-prepared. Faced with the hidden reefs in the darkness, what good strategies does Yuri have?

It's already difficult to find a reference point, especially in the dark. Yuri's solution was to create one if there wasn't one.

Without hesitation, Yuri ordered the ships in the lead, facing the minefield ahead: "The ships in the front row, proceed at full speed. Those in the back, slow down."

At this moment, Hardman's side was also ready for battle, and Hardman immediately shouted: "Fire!"

As the two men delivered their orders, the cannonballs collided with the ship, creating a deafening roar that shattered the tranquility of the night.

The screams and shouts of those hit by artillery shells seemed almost insignificant amidst the barrage of artillery fire.

Immediately after a burst of cannon fire, one ship was struck by multiple shells simultaneously. Severely damaged, it burst into flames. Unable to sail any further, it was expected to sink soon. The other ships also sustained varying degrees of damage.

Seeing the crew members on board, some dying directly from cannon fire, some writhing in flames, and others jumping into the sea like dumplings being dropped into boiling water, many were moved by the sight. However, Yuri ignored the scene and continued to lead the team forward.

"Ignore them, let them drift in the sea, keep moving forward." Yuri's words seemed somewhat ruthless, but there was no other way. If they focused on rescuing people, who would stop the endless barrage of shells from Hardman's side?

Before long, three of the boats that had obtained license plates got stuck on the reef and suffered serious damage.

"Ship No. 2, Ship No. 5, and Ship No. 11?" Jack looked at the ships that had run aground, took out the nautical chart, and muttered to himself, "These three places have reefs, so where do they correspond to on the nautical chart?"

While looking at the nautical chart, he didn't forget to continue issuing orders: "Continue forward! Avoid damaged ships."

At this moment, Hadman’s second volley of shells came again. This time, perhaps after the first salvo, he had become familiar with the trajectory, and more shells landed accurately on the ships, instantly killing two more ships.

However, Yuri's group had nothing but their numbers and ships, so this loss was nothing to Yuri; he could easily afford it.

After this salvo, the speed of the ships in front was obviously reduced, but two ships still hit the reef and were forced to stop.

Yuri continued to study the nautical chart, and after confirming the locations of the two reefs, he finally found a reference point to use the chart.

“Using the five ships that crashed into the reefs as reference points, there are only five reefs distributed like this on the nautical chart, and this is the only one.” Thinking of this, Yuri nodded to himself.

"Have the ships in front withdraw; their mission is complete. Now it's our turn," Yuri ordered. "All units, according to the nautical chart, using the five grounded ships as reference points, and corresponding to the five reefs A, C, G, J, and M, proceed at full speed along the established route."

This is Yuri's method of scouting: if there are no landmarks, create them yourself; if you don't know where you are, fill in the gaps with human lives to find your location. In this way, the sea chart can be put online.

The ships that Yuri positioned at the very front were purely for reconnaissance; they weren't equipped with any cannons or weapons, only crew members capable of operating the ships. Their purpose was to quickly clear the way ahead.

It was precisely by taking advantage of his superior numbers of men and ships that Yuri was able to employ this tactic—testing the waters.

Chapter Ninety: The Brutal War

Yuri's ruthless determination to charge into the fray, regardless of the cost, left Jack and the others speechless with awe.

"This is just too reckless! They're practically risking their lives to cover this distance!" Haku said in shock. "If it were me, I couldn't give such an order."

“There’s no other way. Every inch counts. Their actions are a last resort. If they didn’t do this, the losses would be even greater,” Jack said helplessly. “Now we see what kind of opponent our Revolutionary Army is facing. This kind of artillery is widely equipped in the World Government and the Navy. Against our outdated equipment, like now, they’ll fire several rounds from a distance first.”

"Now I understand the importance of scientific research and weaponry. If our weapons are too outdated, we're basically helpless," Fujitora said with a sigh.

Jack then reassured him, "Of course, weapons are one aspect, but a strongman who can take on an entire army is even more capable of tipping the scales of war. A strongman like you is worth ten thousand cannons."

"You flatter me, you flatter me." Although Fujitora said it was too much, anyone could tell from his expression that he was actually quite happy.

What Jack said is true. In the world of One Piece, the strong still dominate. What often determines the outcome of a war is not the number of people or the quality of weapons, but the battle between the two strongest sides.

Firstly, with current technology, the weapons produced still cannot pose a threat to top-tier experts. Even if the world government develops super weapons in the future, the Pacifistas will at most be able to deal with supernovae; against stronger enemies, they will be completely useless.

Those top-tier powerhouses often unleash devastating attacks, causing cataclysmic events and celestial phenomena. Compared to conventional weapons, these are practically the black weapons of this world. Therefore, the three admirals of the Navy rarely deploy them; the impact is far too great.

Secondly, the development of technology in this world is inherently quite slow. After all, there are already overpowered things like Devil Fruits and Haki—things so unscientific that they can influence the course of war. So why would anyone bother researching technology, which is a thankless task? The time and money spent on researching technology would be better spent acquiring a couple of Devil Fruits. After all, science was initially developed to serve the purpose of warfare.

Therefore, over the years, the level of technology has hardly changed.

When Roger uttered his dying words, revealing the origin of all evil, the world entered the Great Pirate Era. Chaos reigned, wars raged on both land and sea, and technology began to develop more rapidly. In fact, the technological progress of just twenty years surpassed the changes of the previous eight hundred years. This was partly due to Roger's actions, but also inseparable from the contributions of the most intelligent human, Vegapunk; Vegapunk's advanced technology was truly remarkable.

While Jack and the others were talking, their hands weren't idle either, since they were still nominally on Hardman's side. Their two thousand men were methodically bombarding Yuri's ships. Hardman had provided both the cannons and the shells, and amidst the roar of the cannons, Jack might even be credited with sinking some of the ships.

Jack hid behind, leisurely loading, firing, loading again, firing again, enjoying himself immensely.

On the other hand, Yuri's side, which was being suppressed, had already destroyed more than ten ships and lost no less than a thousand men by the time they reached the reef and crossed that short, deadly distance. Many others were injured and incapacitated, and some could only float in the sea clinging to a piece of wood.

Looking at the horrific scene before him, Haku seemed somewhat disbelieving. Turning to Jack, he asked, "Do you think this kind of war will ever end? If we want to overthrow the World Government, won't that mean we'll have to start many more wars like this?"

“That’s right!” Jack nodded. “War is not the only solution, but it is the most direct way. And many times, we are forced to use war as the only means. In this light, our revolutionary army is not so glorious, after all, we will be the culprits who start wars and cause many lives to be lost in the future.”

“No,” Fujitora said at this moment. “I believe that if we don’t start a war, the situation won’t be much better. Bloodshed and sacrifice are necessary to eliminate the cancer, just like sometimes surgery is needed to cure an illness, requiring open-heart surgery.”

Jack hadn't expected Fujitora to be so focused on this point. However, Haku remained somewhat worried and continued, "So, after we overthrow the World Government, will there still be war?"

Upon hearing this question, Jack involuntarily fell silent.

After a long while, he shook his head and sighed, "Wherever there are people, there is war."

This quote comes from the famous Einstein. Jack utters it now as an answer to his question, which also shows that Jack himself is not sure.

Whether the revolutionary army can truly unify the world and establish a peaceful and prosperous era, a stable and harmonious world, remains uncertain. Will this world be thrown into new turmoil, or will war take on other forms? Jack has no idea.

"Then our war, at least, is just, right?" Haku asked after struggling with his thoughts for a long time upon hearing Jack's words.

Jack understood that it was better to be upfront about the matter than to leave people with unnecessary suspicions: "No, the war has never changed."

This statement greatly surprised Haku, and even Fujitora's eyes widened upon hearing it, revealing his two white eyeballs.

“I know that hearing this will shake your beliefs,” Jack said, seeing their expressions. “Ultimately, war is just a means to an end; the conflict is fundamentally about interests.”

"Now, the forces of Hartman, the mafia, the revolutionary army, and so on all have a great desire for this land and want to profit from it. This is a conflict of interests, and the war that is currently taking place is caused by this conflict."