The natural system started off strong, but the navy finally reached its peak!

The next moment, he clenched his left fist, and countless high-frequency vibrating pure white particles instantly converged and compressed upon it.

It forms a dazzling, destructive, humming white vibrating aura!

Without giving Ah Long another glance, Gern's left fist slammed down, smashing fiercely against Ah Long's body at his feet!

"boom!!!!!!"

The instant he came into contact with the vibrating light, Arlong's powerful merman body was like glass thrown into a shredder; he didn't even have time to scream.

It begins to crumble and disintegrate inch by inch, starting from the cellular level!

Flesh, bones, scales... everything, under that extreme high-frequency vibration, mixed with the exploding blood mist, was blown in all directions by the shock wave!

Chapter 378 A Year of Both Sorrow and Joy

After dealing with Arlong, Guern slowly stood up, then turned his head and cast his gaze upon the Arlong Pirates officers who were frozen in place.

Croobi, Hachi, Chirp... these fish-men who were powerful enough to run rampant in the East Blue, dared not move an inch under Gern's gaze.

"General Gern, we..."

“Go back to Fishman Island.” Gern’s tone was completely flat. “And don’t try anything funny.”

"Because I will look into Neptune and Jinbe."

Upon hearing the names "Neptune" and "Jinbe," Hachi and the others trembled, their last shred of hope extinguished.

They had no doubt that if they didn't obediently return, or if they had other ideas, the man in front of them would definitely hold Fishman Island accountable.

The consequences they would face then would be beyond their capacity to bear, so...

"Clang!" Xiao Ba was the first to throw away the knife in his hand.

Immediately afterwards, Croobby, Chirp, and the other fishman crew members also threw their weapons on the ground, making a chaotic and crisp sound.

Without exchanging a single word, and not even daring to look up at Gern again, this group of merfolk, who had been so arrogant just moments before, remained silent.

Like stray dogs, they ran with all their might toward the boats moored on the shore, leaving behind only a mess and a group of terrified villagers.

Gern didn't even watch them leave; to him, the fate of these small fry was no longer worth his attention.

Neptune and Jinbe will naturally handle the aftermath.

So, after the fishmen left, Gern turned his attention to Bellemere, who was slumped on the ground.

Noticing that Gren was looking at her, Bellemere, enduring the excruciating pain in her right hand, supported herself with her left arm. "Gren... General..."

She spoke in a hoarse voice, trying to maintain a semblance of military courtesy.

She even called Gern by the wrong name when she first saw him.

After all, when she first and last met Gern, Gern was indeed still a major general.

“It’s alright.” Gern walked a few steps to her, squatted down, helped her up, and brought her to eye level.

"It's been a long time, Bellemere."

"Looks like you've got yourself into two... pretty good 'troubles'."

"Nami and Nojiko are no trouble! I love them very much."

She then turned her face away, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound steady: "Besides, I'm just a country auntie who grows oranges now."

"Really?" Gern looked past her and toward the doorway of the small house.

There, Nami and Nojiko were still tightly embracing each other, their large, tear-filled eyes looking at him timidly yet curiously.

Especially the little one with short orange hair, whose eyes, besides fear, also sparkled with an indescribable liveliness.

"It seems you've found something more worth protecting than it was in the Navy."

...........

In Bellemere's home, which was filled with the fresh scent of oranges, Guern and Bellemere sat facing each other at a simple wooden table.

Bellemere's injured arm has been wrapped in clean bandages, but the damage to the bones and nerves will likely leave some long-term effects that will affect his mobility.

“Only black tea is left.” Bellemere, using her uninjured left hand, clumsily but carefully brewed a cup of black tea and pushed it towards Gern.

"It's alright." Gern took it without hesitation.

"However, I really didn't expect... General Gern, you would actually come to a small place like Cocosia."

However, it's fortunate that you came, otherwise..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the lingering fear in her eyes said it all.

Gern took a sip of black tea, put down the teacup, and said in a calm tone, "I only remembered when I got to the East China Sea that you had mentioned to me that your hometown was in Cocoyasia, so I came to visit on the way."

I never imagined you'd already retired and have two such adorable children.

Hearing Gurn mention the past, Bellemere smiled nostalgically: "Yes, time flies."

Oh, and the Asahi base commander has also retired; he now runs a small bar at the 133 headquarters in the West Blue.

And every day he brags about all sorts of rumors about you to those greenhorn recruits from the West Sea!

The two drank tea without mentioning the recent Ah Long incident, instead tacitly chatting about amusing anecdotes from the past, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Outside the window, three heads were furtively huddled together, secretly observing the situation inside.

It was Nami, Nojiko, and the town policeman Ken, who looked both nervous and curious.

"Nojiko, look how happily they're chatting..." Nami blinked her big eyes and whispered to Nojiko.

"Do you think that handsome navy man might be Bellemere's ex-lover?"

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

As soon as Nami finished speaking, Ken reacted as if his tail had been stepped on, his face showing a "what do you kids know?" expression, excitedly lowering his voice to retort.

"Do you two little brats even know what 'Admiral' means?"

That's a big shot who stands at the pinnacle of the navy!

It's a 'monster' that protects the order of the entire ocean... uh, a powerful being!

They're from a completely different world than us in Cocoyasia!

"Why can't it be possible!" Nami pouted, pointing inside the room. "Look at the way they're talking, they seem so familiar and natural!"

Besides, Bellemere used to be in the Navy, isn't it normal for them to know each other? Maybe there's a story behind it!

“Nami’s words make some sense, Mr. Ken.” Nojiko chimed in quietly, “And that Mr. Guern, he does look… very handsome and imposing.”

Ah Jian looked at the two little girls who were clearly starting to side with outsiders, feeling both anxious and helpless. He could only grab his hair.

It feels like the "cabbage" I've been protecting for so many years has suddenly encountered an unprecedented "crisis".

Inside the window, old friends reunite peacefully and reminisce; outside, whispers and minor "arguments" brimming with the essence of daily life fill the air.

The warm sunlight filtered through the gaps in the orange trees, seemingly dispelling all the gloom and bloodshed that had preceded it.

............

Meanwhile, while Gern was in Cocosia Village in the East Sea...

In the New World, on the island of Mignon, a tragedy interwoven with betrayal, sacrifice, and redemption is unfolding.

Don Quixote Rosinante, codenamed "Corazon," takes Trafalgar Law, a boy suffering from "Amber Lead Disease," and steals the Surgery Fruit, which can grant people "eternal life."

Corazon succeeded, but his subsequent actions completely betrayed his stance as a Marine and also betrayed Doflamingo.

He forced Luo to swallow the surgical fruit, leaving the hope of life to this child who had no blood relation to him but who had given him a new meaning to life.

He then handed over crucial intelligence containing information about the Don Quixote family's secret hideouts and transactions to Law, instructing him to deliver the intelligence to a nearby naval base.

Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on us.

Young Law mistakenly handed over the intelligence to Vergo, the highest-ranking Donquixote Family officer who was then infiltrating the Navy.

Without hesitation, Vergo opened the intelligence report and instantly realized that Corazon's true identity was a spy planted by the Navy within his family.

In a fit of rage, Vergo beat Corazon to the point of near death.

The severely wounded Corazon and Law desperately escaped.

But surrounded by members of the Don Quixote family, there was no chance of survival.

Corazon then hid Law in a treasure chest and used his Silence-Silence Fruit powers to silence Law's shouts and cries inside.

He confronted Doflamingo, who had personally pursued him, and at the last moment, he frankly revealed the truth.

He revealed his naval identity, his betrayal, and his determination to protect Law.

Doflamingo, facing his last remaining family member, silently raised his gun.

Just like she had done to her father, she set her sights on her only younger brother.

Immediately afterwards, gunshots rang out across the silent snowfield, sounding particularly piercing.

Meanwhile, at Marineford, the Naval Headquarters...

The admiral, known for his wisdom and composure, held a photograph in his hand, his body trembling, tears streaming uncontrollably down his face.

The office was brightly lit, and outside the window was the bustling port of Marine Fendoux.

But at this moment, the world of the Warring States period was plunged into boundless darkness.

Because he received an adopted son...

The news of Rosinandi's death has been confirmed.

Chapter 379 Sorry, you're not qualified to see Gern yet!

In 1513 of the Haiyuan calendar, the gears of world affairs accelerated amidst the undercurrents.

Donquixote Doflamingo, who personally shot his only relative in the world, quickly gained the position of "Shichibukai" by virtue of his former status as a Celestial Dragon.

Using this privilege, he led his entire Don Quixote family into the New World and set his sights on Dressrosa.

Soon, a meticulously planned conspiracy unfolds, in conjunction with his ability to manipulate others using the String-String Fruit.

Doflamingo easily and without bloodshed seized power over the entire country, thus beginning his reign.

In the latter half of the same year, a major event also occurred in the Navy.

The training ship led by Zephyr, then a naval instructor, was attacked by pirates within the territory of G-10 base.

At the critical moment, Enel was able to escape danger thanks to the early warning provided by his vast "psychic network" and the support he received.

But this angered Gern, who had just returned to the New World.

Enraged, Gern personally led his elite "Cataclysm" forces in a massive and ruthless purge of the surrounding waters.

Its indiscriminate methods immediately intimidated not only Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom.

Even the powerful local strongmen, the leader of Pirate Island, the Great Pirate King Naoya, temporarily avoided the limelight and chose to flee Pirate Island for a short period.

In an instant, the G-10's fearsome reputation soared once again!

Time passed, and two years later, in the year 1515 of the Haiyuan calendar.

In the Water Seven, the genius shipwright Iceberg joined forces with seven shipbuilding families to found Carrera.

Meanwhile, the World Government's secret agents CP9 have also infiltrated the organization, secretly coveting the blueprints for the ancient weapon "Pluton".

Meanwhile, in the Magical Triangle, Brook, the musician of the Rumbar Pirates, had his shadow stolen by the Shichibukai Gecko Moria, plunging him into years of darkness.

Meanwhile, Nico Robin of the West Blue also officially set sail and entered the Grand Line.

The following year, 1516 in the Haiyuan calendar, was destined to be a year recorded in history.

Red-Haired Shanks, leading his Red-Haired Pirates, with unparalleled strength, successively defeated three giants who occupied the New World.

"Beasts" Kaido, "Big Mom" ​​Charlotte Linlin, and even Wang Zhi, who was temporarily on Pirate Island, snatched food from the tiger's mouth and fought hard to carve out their own territory.

Ultimately, in the fierce battle on Carrollo Island, Shanks defeated the lieutenant general of G-10 base in a direct confrontation.

Douglas Barrett, known as "The Devil"

With this glorious record, plus a bounty of 4.4489 billion Berries...

He was undisputedly crowned the youngest "Emperor of the Sea".

Thus, the new world's "Four Emperors"格局 (geju, a term referring to the four emperors or emperors) was officially established, mirroring the era of the Navy's "Four Admirals"!