Chapter 205: Is the Sun and Moon Pirates' End Near?

April 3rd:

The Tyrannosaurus Pirates of the New World publicly announced that they had encountered the Radiant Eclipse and observed the ship heading deeper into the New World.

April 4th:

The citizens of the Kingdom of Sreck in the New World witnessed the Radiant Eclipse dock at their port. The crew purchased a large amount of supplies, clearly preparing for a long voyage. Afterward, the ship set sail toward the depths of the New World.

April 5th:

Reports continued to emerge, spreading across the New World. These seemingly trivial pieces of information, when pieced together, revealed a pattern.

Those who noticed quickly took out maps of the New World and traced the areas the Radiant Eclipse had passed. The trajectory formed a straight line pointing toward one destination… Lodestar Island.

Lodestar Island is one of the most renowned islands in the seas. This place is where countless pirates' dreams are shattered. Reaching this island signifies the end of the road—no further routes, no way forward, only the possibility of retreat.

Each year, countless pirates with dreams arrive at Lodestar Island, gazing at the mist-shrouded seas ahead. They are filled with passion yet overcome by helplessness. Everyone knows that the final island, where the legendary treasure "One Piece" lies, is just beyond. However, without a route forward, many pirates leave Lodestar Island with nothing but sighs of despair.

The World Government's powerful intelligence system was the first among the great powers to receive the news.

"They've set sail," one of the Five Elders remarked, their eyes lighting up.

Everything was unfolding as they had anticipated.

"Set off immediately."

The order was given to all the powerful figures aboard the ship. One mysterious subordinate behind the Five Elders suddenly touched the deck. The seemingly ordinary vessel instantly shot forward like an arrow, slicing through the waves at an astonishing speed. In mere moments, the ship vanished over the horizon.

"So fast," Akainu remarked, watching the waves crash behind the ship.

"I didn't expect someone with such an ability," Kizaru said, slightly surprised. "This is an excellent ability for traveling."

"At this speed, we'll reach Lodestar Island in just a few days," Aokiji calculated, factoring in the speed and distance. Normally, a pirate ship would take nearly two months to cover this journey, but they would do it in five days.

"No wonder the Five Elders weren't worried about being too late; they had this prepared all along," Aokiji thought, narrowing his eyes. He was confident that their forces would reach Lodestar Island far ahead of the Sun and Moon Pirates—and by a considerable margin.

Aokiji sighed. "So, a clash between both sides is unavoidable?" he muttered, frowning.

Beside him, Kizaru nudged him gently. "Kuzan, I have a bad feeling about this."

"?"

"With so much firepower, there's no way we'll lose," Aokiji replied, though he wasn't particularly interested in the battle. Still, the idea of their side losing never crossed his mind.

Looking around at their forces, Aokiji noted that the current three Admirals were all present, along with Navy hero Garp and Fleet Admiral Kong—five immensely powerful figures. On the World Government's side, the three Five Elders themselves had joined. Although Aokiji wasn't sure of their strength, the fact that they dared to personally lead the mission suggested they were extraordinarily powerful, potentially even stronger than himself.

CP0's elite members were also on board, as were several mysterious figures following the Five Elders who radiated a tremendous oppressive aura.

With such overwhelming forces, Aokiji couldn't imagine losing.

Even if the Sun and Moon Pirates were strong, Kuke could be dealt with by two Admirals, while Charlotte Linlin and Gion could each be handled by one Admiral. The remaining members of the Sun and Moon Pirates could be managed by the final Admiral. The Navy's forces alone could hold off the entire crew of the Sun and Moon Pirates, not to mention the World Government's powerful backup.

"Victory is certain. But the possibility of the Sun and Moon Pirates escaping isn't small," Aokiji admitted. Their firepower was undoubtedly superior, but previous attempts to encircle the Sun and Moon Pirates had also been carried out with overwhelming force, yet they had always ended in failure.

"Escape?" Akainu scoffed upon overhearing Aokiji's remark. "This time, with so much firepower and an impenetrable defense, we just need to keep attacking. Eventually, we'll break through. Resurrection ability? Kill them once, and if necessary, kill them again. As long as we don't let a single member of the Sun and Moon Pirates escape, no matter their special abilities, we can crush them."

Having been tricked by the Sun and Moon Pirates several times before, Akainu had envisioned countless scenarios for their annihilation. While he couldn't fully understand their invulnerable defenses or resurrection capabilities, he was certain that if no one escaped and their ship couldn't flee, any ability could be overcome.

"Exactly. This time, not a single member can escape—not even the most inconspicuous crew member. Even a single plank from the Radiant Eclipse must not remain intact," one of the Five Elders declared as they stepped forward.

With such precautions in place, they were confident that the Sun and Moon Pirates had no chance of escape or resurrection.

"The Sun and Moon Pirates are finished," Smoker thought as he overheard the discussion. He could only imagine one outcome: there was no way out for the Sun and Moon Pirates.

"No, not necessarily," Tina countered. "At the Sabaody Archipelago, everyone also thought Kuke was doomed, but the result…" Tina couldn't shake the feeling that the Sun and Moon Pirates wouldn't be destroyed so easily, though she couldn't fathom how they might escape this time.

The unprecedentedly powerful force from the World Government advanced rapidly along a remote route. Encounters with other ships were rare, minimizing the risk of exposure. If they did encounter a vessel, regardless of whether it was a pirate or a civilian ship, Akainu would immediately launch a long-range magma attack, obliterating the vessel and leaving no survivors.

"Sakazuki, is this really necessary?" Aokiji protested, unable to stop Akainu in time. He could only watch as a nearby ship was consumed by flames, even though it clearly wasn't a pirate ship.

"Hmph. To avoid exposure, such measures are necessary," Akainu replied coldly.

"But we weren't exposed at all! They had no idea who we were!" Aokiji shouted, glaring at Akainu in anger.

"Every possibility must be eliminated. Even the slightest carelessness is unacceptable. This is all for justice and to eliminate the evil Sun and Moon Pirates," Akainu responded unwaveringly.

Aokiji slowly clenched his fists, frustration evident. Smoker, too, tightened his grip, though he lacked the authority or strength to confront Akainu directly.

"Tina is not happy. Is this really what Navy justice has become?" Tina muttered, biting her lip. She knew she couldn't stop the operation or change the will of the higher-ups.

"Tina doesn't want to be part of this battle. Why was I even brought along?" she wondered in confusion.

On a higher platform, the three Five Elders silently observed the tense standoff between the two Admirals.

"Sakazuki is quite suitable. He's a qualified subordinate," one of the Five Elders remarked.

The other two nodded in agreement. "Making him the next Fleet Admiral would be a good choice."

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DONT FORGET POWER STONE 

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