229. Mission

----

The voice from behind suddenly reminded Akainu, who was standing at the forefront, preparing to attack.

It served as a sobering realization that this man, a Marine admiral, wasn't without his merits.

"This is the Tru Empire Marine Fleet patrolling the South Blue. All vessels must halt for inspection immediately!"

Before the two colossal steel warships drew closer, a booming announcement echoed from the loudspeaker mounted on the ships, serving as a veiled warning to the opposing forces.

As they neared, at a distance of roughly three to five hundred meters, the massive top-tier searchlights activated, bathing the surrounding waters in a blinding light akin to daylight.

The powerful beams momentarily blinded those aboard the Marine warships. Akainu, standing firm on the deck, barely managed to suppress his anger.

If not for the reminder from the officer behind him, he likely would have ordered an attack already, directing his fury toward the Tru Empire's fleet.

"This is the Tru Empire Marine Fleet patrolling the South Blue. All vessels must halt for inspection!" the loudspeaker blared once again.

Onboard one of the Tru Empire's warships, Abona stood at the helm. He knew exactly who they were facing there was no mistaking it.

Regardless of circumstances, the Tru Empire had every intention of controlling the situation in this region until at least noon the following day.

By then, once the merger agreement between the Kingdom of Crimea and the Tru Empire was signed, this group of Marines would be rendered irrelevant.

"All hands, stay on high alert. If either of their ships makes any hostile move, fire without hesitation!" Akainu barked at the adjutant behind him.

The adjutant hesitated momentarily but then spoke cautiously. "Admiral Akainu, the Fleet Admiral Sengoku specifically instructed us to avoid conflict with the Tru Empire. Provoking them could lead to war."

Akainu's eyes flared with anger as he retorted, "We're in the South Blue, where I am the highest-ranking officer in charge. Sengoku's orders were to try to avoid conflict and not to stand down in a dangerous situation. The Tru Empire's fleet has blocked our path deliberately. Tell me, what am I supposed to do now?"

The adjutant, unwilling to stoke the admiral's wrath further, resigned himself to following orders.

"All personnel, prepare for combat! Await the admiral's command to engage!" he called out, and the ship's crew promptly moved into action.

However, only Akainu's warship entered combat readiness. The other Marine vessel accompanying them remained as it was. This was no ordinary ship it carried Vice Admiral Garp, a familiar face to many.

Onboard Garp's ship, the tension was palpable as the shouts from Akainu's warship echoed across the water. Some soldiers on Garp's ship had begun preparing for battle as well.

"Vice Admiral Garp, should we also prepare for combat?" asked a young Marine woman. She appeared to be around 18 or 19 years old, with a slender frame, a justice cloak draped over her shoulders, a sword at her waist, and her long hair tied back in a ponytail. Her striking red attire highlighted her beauty.

"Relax, Gion," Garp replied casually, addressing the woman. "Just sit down and have some tea. There's no way this will escalate into a full-blown fight. The Tru Empire is merely blocking us to buy time. Even if we make it through this, more trouble will follow."

"Why are they blocking us?" Gion asked, puzzled.

"Do I look like someone who knows? It's probably related to the civil war in the Kingdom of Crimea. Anyway, just sit down and eat something. Let Akainu handle the rest," Garp said, munching on a rice cracker with an air of nonchalance.

Gion sighed in frustration. "Vice Admiral Garp, you were sent here by Vice Admiral Tsuru to handle this, not to lounge around!"

"Well, what do you expect me to do, Gion?" Garp grinned. "Rush in and start fighting? That'd be stupid. The Tru Empire knows exactly who we are, and they've deliberately sent two massive warships to intercept us. We don't even know who's leading their fleet. Jumping to conclusions won't help anyone."

"But what about our mission?" Gion pressed.

"Our mission?" Garp repeated, waving dismissively. "The main reason Sengoku sent us here is to make a statement to the World Government member nations. It shows that the Marines care about their interests. If we're blocked and can't proceed, well, at least we'll have a valid excuse!"

Gion shook her head in resignation. "Fine, have it your way," she muttered, sitting down to join him at the table. She grabbed a biscuit, resigning herself to the situation.

Meanwhile, the standoff continued between Akainu's warship and the Tru Empire fleet. As the two sides slowly drew closer, the full size of the Tru Empire's massive steel battleships became evident.

The Marines remained on edge, their weapons primed and their defences fully bolstered. If the Tru Empire ships showed any signs of hostility, Akainu was prepared to sink them without mercy.

As night fell, the darkness engulfed everything outside the range of the searchlights. Akainu stood rigidly on the deck, staring at the two enemy warships inching closer.

When the two fleets were within striking distance, the Tru Empire ships suddenly extinguished their searchlights. Two officers stepped onto the decks of their respective ships, exuding authority.

Their intimidating presence failed to daunt Akainu in fact, it only seemed to fuel his excitement.

"This is the Tru Empire Navy. We demand that the Marine fleet withdraw immediately and cease obstructing our patrol operations in the South Blue!" one of the officers declared.

On the ship where Akainu stood, the adjutant used a loudspeaker to respond. "This is Admiral Akainu of the Marine Headquarters. If there are no further issues, we demand that the Tru Empire fleet withdraw immediately and stop interfering with our operations in the South Blue."

Both sides remained locked in a tense standoff, each unwilling to back down, as the situation teetered on the brink of conflict.

----

For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.

P@treon/iamxeno

Thank you so much for your support and for reading!