Chapter 412: Neo-Navy!!!

"Boom—"

"Damn it!"

"That bastard El from the Fallen Angel Pirates—he had this all planned from the start?"

"They actually recorded the entire 'hunting event.' What on earth were those CP agents even doing?"

"And those damned commoners—who gave them permission to move out Den Den Mushi and tune in to the Totto Land Kingdom's broadcast signal?"

"CP, Navy...mobilize everything right now, prohibit any replay in every World Government–affiliated island and town—violate this, and they die!

"Issue warnings to all member nations, ordering them to stop airing it!"

At the summit of the Red Line, in the Holy Land Mariejois:

Watching the God Valley Massacre footage released by Totto Land Kingdom, the Five Elders wore livid expressions. They slammed the desk before them, sending it to pieces in their fury, their entire bodies shaking.

Deep within, they felt a creeping dread. They were truly on edge.

With their greatest trump card, Uranus, destroyed, and multiple losses of high-end combatants... The "hunting" event at God Valley—where they had spent so much time and effort gathering prizes in the form of Devil Fruits—ended up sabotaged. The contestants they favored (like Figarland Garling and the others) instead ate worthless artificial Devil Fruits.

In short, the Government had taken major hits on every front. And with Totto Land's sphere of influence snowballing, the World Government's authority faced a grave threat.

At such a time, losing public support—especially if the Navy's righteous image were seriously damaged—was catastrophic. How would they recruit new forces then?

Especially given the news that Admiral Black Arm Zephyr, upon learning the truth, angrily resigned and left. Plenty of other officers were wavering or planning to resign, with many more just waiting and watching.

Previously, that would hardly have mattered. If these men didn't want the job, there would always be others.

But now, with Totto Land Kingdom putting them under tremendous pressure—God Valley's truth laid bare—fewer and fewer people might volunteer to serve in the Navy. The Government's rule surely could not rely on CP and the Holy Knights alone. This was unacceptable.

Yet to wage open war on Totto Land now...even the highest figure above the Five Elders, Lord Im, had misgivings. So time dragged on, letting the Fallen Angel Pirates expand to what they were today.

Now with their "National Treasure" destroyed, the Elders were less sure than ever.

"That damn Black Arm Zephyr, the traitorous ingrate!"

"We never should have promoted him..."

"We wasted that Ice-Ice Fruit on him!"

Thinking of Zephyr, the Elders fumed. The man had been among the Navy's top powerhouses, only slightly below Fleet Admiral Kong's prized men like Sengoku and Garp. They'd handed him the priceless Logia Ice-Ice Fruit—an enormous strategic asset. The losses felt immeasurable.

"Tell Kong that he must keep those top Navy officers in line!"

Saint Mars, wearing a somber face, directed the servant in a cold tone:

"Especially men like Garp and Sengoku—vital pillars. We can't afford any more incidents!"

"Yes—"

…

Meanwhile, in Totto Land Kingdom, upon the airborne fortress Atlantis, inside a spacious conference chamber:

"Lord El..."

"That move of yours is simply brilliant!"

"Totally undercuts the Government at its roots!"

"Now let's see the World Government and their Navy keep strutting around!"

"Heh, they dare claim we're making things up? God Valley's footage alone is enough to keep them from wriggling away!"

Nearly all core officers of the Fallen Angel Pirates—and those from Totto Land Kingdom who had risen through the ranks over the years, each in charge of their departments or assigned to islands—had been summoned here. They crowded the hall in high spirits.

"Alright, that's enough," El said from the head of the table, motioning for silence. "This is just the appetizer!"

"At this point, the World Government and their Navy—those leftover grasshoppers—can't hop for much longer..."

"What I'm about to announce is something else."

At these words, everyone stopped talking, sitting up straight to gaze at their king—the very man who built Totto Land Kingdom into its current glory.

"Over the years, thanks to everyone's efforts, we've achieved tremendous results!" El stood, sweeping his gaze around the assembled crowd, smiling. "Totto Land Kingdom's growth has reached a healthy track, thriving day by day..."

"Meanwhile, the Fallen Angel Pirates' might has become ever more formidable—a wonderful thing. But never forget our original purpose!"

"Under the yoke of the World Government, we had no choice but to label ourselves 'pirates' to carve our path. But fundamentally, we're nothing like typical pirates—and everyone here knows it!"

"All these years, Totto Land has never engaged in pillaging or slaughter of random civilians for profit, except in conflicts against hostile forces. Our Hell Trading Company does business scrupulously, step by step supporting Totto Land's economy."

"At last, the time is ripe. And so our armed force—called a 'pirate crew' till now—shall be formally reorganized!"

An unmistakable stir rippled through the crowd. For them to officially reform the entire force signaled the day they would no longer be branded pirates.

"Henceforth..." El resumed, "the existing Staff, Administration, Intelligence, Logistics, Medical, and R&D departments remain. But from this moment, the Fallen Angel Pirates are reborn as a Neo-Navy under Totto Land! The old garrison units become the Neo-Army, and we'll establish the Neo-Air Force."

Though hearing about the Navy and Army was not surprising, the mention of an Air Force made many gasp. Some already in the know—Tsuru, Linlin, the three 'Calamities,' Gerd, etc.—remained calmly appreciative, having expected it.

"Yes, and I'll add that from R&D we have brand-new fighter jets nearly ready for service. Soon, they'll be deployed in active units!" El continued. "These jets can conduct high-altitude combat. Though still with flaws, our Air Force holds vast promise!"

"And after this meeting, you can check them out yourselves!"

Over the years—beyond bloodline factor research and building newer versions of 'Pacifistas' and shape-memory armor—Dr. Vegapunk, Ryan, and Dr. Tsukimi had managed to design multiple new aircraft. They had gone through prototype testing and were now ready for limited deployment. Also, the Royal Military Academy had quietly selected and trained numerous elite students as pilots, so an official Air Force could be formed straight away.

"Additionally, the Navy, aside from new warships, will operate advanced aircraft carrier groups that house some portion of our jets..."

Indeed, these cutting-edge planes existed. The technology was drastically different from El's original world, but the underlying principle stood. That said, the system was not yet fully refined and had to be improved further. Specifically, El wanted them integrated with Observation Haki in flight, plus suitable scanning and detection systems. Only then could they reliably evade or counter attacks by powerful Devil Fruit users or Haki experts.