Full Mobilization!

At 2 PM, when the sun was at its most scorching, and with it being the peak of summer, the temperature in the desert kingdom of Tutmosis had reached its zenith.

The overly brilliant sunlight spilled over the boundless sea outside, where a faint mist of water vapor could be clearly seen evaporating and distorting the light on the sea's surface.

At that moment.

On the distant horizon appeared a fleet of blue warships bristling with cannons and flying white sails adorned with seagulls. Led by the four largest warships, over twenty vessels spread out, almost covering the entire sea. They resembled a pack of sea beasts, charging through the waves with unstoppable force.

"The Navy is here!!"

On an island of golden sand, the Slave Guard Legion, who had been hiding in cool underground tunnels, grabbed their firearms and rushed to the trenches at the sound of the full mobilization alert, their eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching Navy warships.

No one retreated, for they knew there was no way out. The green collars around their necks would not allow them to take a single step back before receiving the order to withdraw.

But this also had its advantages, at least it allowed them to exert their full strength!

"This is going to be a tough fight."

Rear Admiral Avène looked out at the golden world of endless sand and felt somewhat speechless. Although his Observation Haki could sense the presence of many people, visually, there was almost nothing to see.

In such a situation, how were their warships supposed to conduct artillery fire?

Meanwhile, the massive fleet began to split up according to the original plan. Apart from the main force consisting of his flagship and three small warships from the 194th branch, the rest of the fleet, each comprising one flagship and five branch warships, headed towards the other three directions of the Tutmosis Kingdom.

Their mission this time was to capture the Taklama Kingdom, thoroughly investigate all its forces, and rescue all the captured slaves, hence the need for a full encirclement.

"Bring me a piece of paper!"

Rear Admiral Avène ordered a sailor behind him, and after the latter brought paper and pen, he quickly recorded the island's troop deployment as he sensed it.

However, the range of his Observation Haki was not enough to cover the entire island, so he only knew the general situation of the coastal defense line.

But that was enough.

"Have them conduct artillery fire and deploy troops according to this map!"

"Yes, sir!"

The sailor took the paper from Rear Admiral Avène and quickly ran into the cabin to relay the orders. The latter looked up at the sun, still radiating endless heat and light, in silence.

The war had begun. [Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!]

Fifteen minutes later, one flagship-class large warship and three branch-class small warships were in position, their broadsides aimed at the golden sand sea on the island.

The triple-mounted high turret on the bow of the flagship turned into position, coordinating with the triple-mounted high turrets on the broadside, along with twelve large-caliber cannons and eighteen medium-caliber cannons on the branch warships.

A total of thirty-six cannons of various sizes unleashed a fierce barrage of artillery fire at the Slave Guard Legion's coastal defense line!

In an instant.

The roar of cannons filled the air, smoke and flames soared into the sky, and the dark shells filled with high explosives traced bright arcs across the sky, creating an awe-inspiring blanket of fire over the sand sea!

The trenches hidden beneath the sand layer on the island were repeatedly hit by explosions, scattering countless grains of sand. Some unfortunate souls were either engulfed by flames or instantly killed by the shockwaves.

Fortunately, most people managed to retreat into the tunnels in time, so the casualties were not significant. However, the real issue was that their artillery, due to its limited range, couldn't effectively counterattack.

The difference in range between naval guns and ordinary artillery was like night and day. Thus, the Slave Guard Legion had no choice but to grit their teeth and endure the relentless bombardment from the Marines.

On the Marine side, they didn't believe the bombardment would be particularly effective either. The primary goal was actually to provide fire cover.

Cover for the main force to land and storm the beach! Small wooden boats, each carrying squads of Marines armed with rifles and long swords, took advantage of the fleet's fire suppression to charge towards the island at full speed.

But as they closed in on the beach, they were met with artillery fire from the Slave Guard Legion and a barrage of bullets.

These Marines, whether from the Headquarters or the branches, had no choice but to press forward.

Honestly, this would result in heavy casualties, but it was an unavoidable process and a path to promotion for all Marines.

In the past, Sengoku, Garp, Zed, and even Vice Admiral Tsuru—hadn't they all fought their way through with guns and swords, braving artillery shells and bullets? As long as they survived the battlefield, their ranks would be promoted, they would earn military merits, and they would have the opportunity to access advanced swordsmanship, martial arts, and even exchange for Devil Fruits!

So, for many, this war was also an opportunity. Meanwhile, on the side of the Slave Guard Legion, in order to prevent the Marines from landing, they had to emerge from the tunnels and return to the trenches.

This meant facing the bombardment from the four warships at sea. With Rear Admiral Avène, the human radar, the fire coverage was remarkably precise.

For a time, whether it was the Marines or the Slave Guard Legion, the casualty rate began to rise rapidly.

Nevertheless, from a bird's-eye view, it was clear that as more and more Marines set foot on the beach, the distance between the two sides was closing at a visible pace.

Most of these Marines were from the Marine Headquarters, and their high-intensity training and rich combat experience were fully displayed the moment they landed.

Two thousand push-ups daily, a hundred climbs up and down high ropes, two hundred laps around the large training ground, and combat training that pushed them to the brink of exhaustion and unconsciousness.

It could be said that every Marine from the Headquarters, in Imu's previous life, would have been capable of slaying tigers and bears, possessing superhuman physical strength.

In comparison, the Marines from the 194th Branch were far inferior, and most of those who were shot dead were from their ranks.

The entire coastline of the Tutmos Kingdom, from east to west, had now become the most brutal and bloody battlefield.

Strangely, the commanding officer, Dragon, had yet to appear, and even his flagship was nowhere to be seen.

In fact, King Taklama, seated on the golden throne within the pyramid, was also puzzled by this.

He stared at the real-time battle scenes projected by several Image Snails in the grand hall, yet he couldn't spot a single Marine officer wearing the Justice Coat. All he saw were white shirts and blue trousers, with occasional figures in Marine vests, but those were at most lieutenants.

To think that, in preparation for these elite Marines from the Marine Headquarters, he had dispatched a group of his own elite troops to various defensive lines. Yet now, not a single 'coat' was in sight! "Your Majesty! Your Majesty—"

At that moment, a high-ranking official rushed in desperately, then fell with a thud onto the cold stone floor. Even so, he paid no mind, gasping for breath as he shouted.

"It's terrible, Your Majesty! Our Sabac above is under naval bombardment!"

"Nonsense!"

King Taklama stood up angrily, glaring down coldly at the man. "We are deep within the Sand Island. No matter how far their cannons can reach, they can't hit us here."

"But the ship is in the sky! They're bombarding us from above!"

"What?!"

King Taklama abruptly looked up. Though his naked eyes saw only the flat ceiling, his Observation Haki silently and swiftly extended upward to sense the situation.

At the same time, just as the official had said, a large Marine Headquarters-class warship floated high in the air, surrounded by a green whirlwind. Its broadsides were fully unleashed, raining fire down upon Sabac below.

Dragon stood atop the mast, his Justice Coat flapping wildly in the fierce wind.

"All forces, move out!"

At his command, the large group of Marine officers, already poised on the deck, took flight like fierce white eagles, scattering in all directions as they charged toward the sand city.

"Charge!!!"