231. Achievements

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Garp spoke calmly, saying he had only met Anos once, but the composure and resolve Anos displayed at the time had left a deep impression on him.

Reflecting on the past, Garp paused briefly before continuing. Turning to Gion, he said, "Back then, we visited the Tru Empire many times. It caught the attention of many Marines. The impression this Kingdom left was... complicated."

At that time, the Tru Empire was no different from other struggling nations. Most of its citizens lived in poverty, many facing starvation, with hardly any proper clothing. Coastal regions lacked even basic fishing boats.

"In a Kingdom like that," Garp continued, "even pirates couldn't thrive. That was the situation just ten years ago."

Six years ago, however, the Tru Empire welcomed its current ruler. The moment Anos ascended to the throne, he overturned all expectations, boldly and decisively transforming the nation's development strategy. With sheer determination, he implemented changes no one could have imagined, rewriting the empire's history through unprecedented methods.

"Not many noticed what was happening back then," Garp explained. "It wasn't until three years ago, during the war between the Tru Empire and Roya Kingdom, that the Tru Empire truly entered the Marines' radar. And that was because of one unexpected development in the Kingdom."

"You're talking about the Six Powers, aren't you?" Gion interjected. Though she wasn't deeply familiar with other aspects of the empire, this detail had stuck with her.

"Exactly," Garp nodded. "At the time, there were only a handful of Marines who had mastered the Six Powers. Yet, in the Tru Empire, there were already numerous individuals proficient in one or more of these techniques. They adapted and integrated the Six Powers in ways we had never seen before."

"This caught the Marines' attention, and soon after, even the World Government got involved. Over the past three years, every detail about the Tru Empire has been scrutinized. But even under such intense surveillance, this nation managed to rise to prominence just months ago!"

Garp leaned back in his chair, his tone growing serious. "The Tru Empire doesn't just have a powerful army now. Its navy is equally formidable. This has left both the Marines and the World Government stunned."

Gion stood quietly next to Garp, absorbing his words. As someone who had only encountered the Tru Empire through trade and imported goods, she had never imagined the depth of its transformation.

A once-impoverished land now stood as a nation feared by both the World Government and the Marines.

She couldn't help but wonder about the man behind it all. 'What kind of leader could take a country from destitution to this level of power in just a few years?'

Interrupting her thoughts, Gion asked, "Vice Admiral Garp, earlier, you mentioned we might not even reach the mission site. Why is that?"

"Can't you see?" Garp replied. "They're stalling. Both sides are avoiding any real inspections or actions. It's all a delaying tactic. Something is happening behind the scenes, and we're not being told."

Adjusting his chair to lie back further, Garp looked up at the stars and added, "Besides, there's no point worrying about a fight breaking out."

"Why not? Aren't you concerned?" Gion asked, puzzled.

Garp chuckled softly. "Akainu has a short fuse, sure, but he knows when to restrain himself. The Tru Empire is no ordinary adversary. Its people are intelligent, and everything they do seems so deliberate, so calculated, that there's never any room for criticism. It's as if every move they make is completely natural."

Closing his eyes, Garp dismissed the tension between the two sides. "Besides, they're just arguing. No real action is being taken."

At that moment, aboard the four ships, two from the Marines and two from the Tru Empire, tempers flared, yet neither side took decisive action.

Even Akainu, known for his fiery temper, had retreated to his cabin to cool off after realizing the Tru Empire's tactics.

The Tru Empire's ships, meanwhile, mirrored this restraint. A delicate balance had formed, with neither side willing to escalate. However, preparations for battle continued, just in case.

Unbeknownst to most, a dozen warships from the Tru Empire had diverted from their usual patrol routes and were now stealthily approaching under the cover of night.

As dawn broke, both fleets became visible to one another. On the Marine and Tru Empire vessels, only a handful of officers remained standing on deck, while the rest of the crew lay exhausted after an entire night of arguments and standoffs.

Despite the tense atmosphere, Garp remained indifferent. "For the Marines, whether we sail or anchor for the night doesn't matter much. The real challenge will come after sunrise."

Meanwhile, within the Tru Empire's fleet, Abona and Daiki sat together in a cabin, reviewing intelligence on a compact wireless display screen.

News of the Crimea region had already reached them: representatives from the Kingdom of Crimea had departed to formalize agreements with the Tru Empire. If their fleet could hold out until midday, the Tru Empire's annexation of Crimea would be complete.

By morning, the standoff took on a new dimension. Aboard the Marine flagship, Akainu received urgent orders from Marine Headquarters, instructing him to reach Crimea immediately by any means necessary. This newfound mandate reignited Akainu's resolve.

But as the morning light illuminated the sea, the Marines faced an unexpected sight: a line of Tru Empire patrol ships had emerged on the horizon, their presence signalling the empire's readiness to defend its newly claimed territory.

The balance of power had shifted once again.

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