Chapter 12: I Will End This War

The Kingdom of Yadis.

Border waters.

The sky was overcast, and the sea roared with violent winds, churning up towering waves.

On the border, tens of thousands of Yadis soldiers stood with swords and spears in a loose formation. Their faces were pale with fear, and their hands trembled as they clutched their weapons.

One ship.

Two ships.

Three ships.

…

One after another, massive warships resembling floating fortresses advanced steadily across the stormy sea, exuding an air of ironclad dominance as they headed toward Yadis.

Each ship bore a flag emblazoned with the number "66."

The warships, constructed from rock and metal, were propelled by giant snails.

At the forefront was an enormous flagship, as vast as a small town, with a towering main bastion. At its pinnacle flew the fearsome and ominous "Cross Falcon" banner.

The Saint-Germain, flagship of the infamous Germa 66, the "Army of Evil."

"Damn it! Where's the Navy?!"

King Yadis III, a portly middle-aged man with a golden crown, a bushy mustache, and luxurious attire strained against his rotund body, was sweating profusely.

Staring at the steel tide of Germa 66's forces advancing like a dark cloud, his anxiety mounted.

That madman, Vinsmoke Judge, had threatened to take his head unless the Kingdom of Yadis surrendered him. Otherwise, Judge vowed to raze the kingdom to the ground with his "Army of Evil."

Feeling the occasional furtive glances from his trembling soldiers, King Yadis III was like an ant on a hot pan.

"Your Majesty, I've contacted Captain Darren. Branch 321's forces have already mobilized and are on their way," Governor Tyrell reported respectfully.

Tyrell, a dashing man in his early thirties with an air of elegance, exuded a faint fragrance even through his opulent attire.

Hearing his governor's words, King Yadis III felt somewhat reassured, though his face still betrayed unease.

Germa 66 had ruled the North Blue for over 300 years, boasting an army feared throughout the region. A nation of warriors, nearly all its citizens were formidable soldiers.

Facing such overwhelming military power, even with a numerical advantage, the Yadis army would likely collapse within ten minutes of combat.

…

Aboard the Saint-Germain

A towering, broad-shouldered man with golden hair stood at the bow like an unyielding iron statue.

Wearing a metallic helmet and a mane-like cascade of blond hair, his expression was stern. His prominent chin sported an upward-angled black beard, and a small tuft of facial hair accentuated his jawline.

He donned an orange cape, a light gray battle suit marked with Germa's "66" insignia, and black boots. In his hand, he wielded a silver spear.

This was Vinsmoke Judge, head of the Vinsmoke family, Captain of Germa 66, and current king of the Germa Kingdom!

"What a disgraceful excuse for a country… A weakling nation like this existing in the North Blue is a stain on its reputation!" Judge sneered coldly, his eyes locked on the trembling army along the distant coastline.

"Master, are we certain we want to proceed? The new Captain of the North Blue Navy…"

A man in a butler's tailcoat stood cautiously behind the Judge, his tone tentative.

"Hmm?" Judge raised an eyebrow.

The butler's pupils shrank in terror.

Sching!

Blood sprayed as a sharp spear pierced through his chest.

Drip, drip…

Scarlet blood pooled on the deck as the light faded from the butler's eyes. His expression was one of disbelief as he looked at his master before collapsing to the ground.

"The North Blue Captain? Just a mere Marine Headquarters Captain… What gives him the right to send me warnings?"

Judge's gaze was icy as he stared at the lifeless body.

"The glory and dominion of Germa 66 cannot be stopped by anyone!"

With that, he yanked out the spear, flicking it clean as blood splattered across the deck.

Without so much as a glance at the lifeless subordinate crumpling to the ground behind him, Vinsmoke Judge sneered inwardly. Germa 66 had no place for cowards.

As for that so-called letter from Darren, the North Blue Captain? It had already been tossed unceremoniously into the trash.

Judge scanned the deck.

On every warship of Germa 66, countless figures stood motionless, muscular, towering soldiers wearing sunglasses, their faces devoid of expression.

Even with a looming battle, there was not the faintest hint of emotion on these soldiers' faces.

Clone soldiers.

Judge smiled with satisfaction as he surveyed his "loyal" troops.

Thanks to his collaboration with Vegapunk, he had gained access to a portion of genetic factor technology. By modifying the genetic factors of infants, Judge had mastered cloning and used it to mass-produce Germa 66's clone soldiers.

These soldiers possessed powerful physiques and absolute obedience to orders. Their genetic programming also included an unshakable fearlessness of death and an unwavering loyalty that precluded betrayal.

To Vinsmoke Judge, this was the ultimate and most powerful army in the world.

The Navy? In the face of this unstoppable war machine, unyielding to pain or death, they were utterly insignificant.

The most critical aspect of his technology was its efficiency. With sufficient resources, a 20-year-old soldier could be produced in just five years.

This meant he could create an endless army, an unparalleled military force. With the conquest of Yadis and the other three North Blue nations, and leveraging the resources of the entire region, his army would grow infinitely. Conquering the world would no longer be a mere dream.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Judge sneered and raised his hand, making a commanding gesture.

Following his lead, the previously scattered fleet of warships swiftly began to rearrange.

Propelled by massive snails,

dozens of ships methodically merged, their structures locking together.

Before the terrified eyes of the Yadis soldiers,

the fleet of Germa 66 transformed into a massive floating fortress on the sea.

Towering like a military citadel,

its colossal black cannons loomed ominously,

and tens of thousands of clone soldiers, armed to the teeth, lined the decks like an impenetrable wall.

From afar, the entire Germa 66 fleet resembled a terrifying war behemoth, armed to the teeth and exuding an aura of unparalleled ferocity.

This… was the Kingdom of Germa.

"For the glory of Germa! To dominate the North Blue!"

Vinsmoke Judge raised his gleaming spear high, his voice ringing out.

In unison, the tens of thousands of clone soldiers raised their weapons, their deafening roar echoing across the waves:

"For the glory of Germa! To dominate the North Blue!"

The thunderous shouts rolled like a physical wave over the Yadis soldiers on the shore, suffocating them with an overwhelming sense of dread. Many younger soldiers collapsed where they stood, their weapons clattering to the ground.

King Yadis III trembled uncontrollably, barely able to remain standing with the support of his ministers.

"It's over… It's all over…" he muttered, his face ghostly pale.

…

Aboard the Saint-Germain

Seeing the pathetic state of the Yadis soldiers, Vinsmoke Judge erupted into laughter.

"Kneel and submit!"

"Germa is the true ruler of the North Blue!"

He raised his spear, blue electricity crackling ominously along its length.

With a commanding gesture, the vast, ironclad fortress of the Germa Kingdom began to advance at full speed toward the coast.

The massive structure churned the sea into towering waves as it surged forward like an unstoppable force of nature.

Taking a deep breath, Judge sneered and roared,

"Prepare for… ATTACK—"

Before he could finish, a pitch-black cannonball suddenly descended from the sky, slamming into the deck beside him.

Judge's pupils constricted.

BOOM!!!

A violent explosion erupted, flames and thick smoke billowing outward.

The sudden chaos brought the advancing clone army to an abrupt halt.

On the shoreline, the stunned nobles and soldiers of Yadis stood frozen, their eyes wide with disbelief as they watched.

"Damn it! Who dares?!"

The fierce wind blew away the smoke, revealing Judge's soot-covered figure crawling out of a deep crater.

He gritted his teeth, his face twisted in rage, and bellowed:

"Who is responsible for this?!"

As if sensing something, he turned his head to look in a certain direction.

At the same time, the ministers and soldiers of the Kingdom of Yadis also turned their gazes toward the same place.

From the turbulent sea, amidst howling winds and crashing waves, a massive warship slowly emerged.

On its towering mast, two bold black characters for "Justice" were emblazoned in a commanding script.

At the bow of the ship stood a tall, imposing young figure. His broad white cape billowed in the fierce wind, snapping sharply.

"It's Darren!"

"The Navy is here! We're saved!"

King Yadis III wept tears of joy, his face flushed with excitement.

In contrast, Vinsmoke Judge's face darkened to the extreme.

Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands from both the Kingdom of Yadis and the Germa Kingdom, the warship steadily and swiftly sailed into the waters between the two opposing armies.

Like an unbreachable barrier, it separated the forces of the two nations.

For a moment, an oppressive silence blanketed the sea.

All eyes instinctively turned toward the figure standing at the ship's bow.

He had short black hair, sharp eyebrows, piercing eyes, and chiseled, stern features.

The navy captain's lips curved into a slight smile.

Lifting his head, his defiant gaze locked onto Vinsmoke Judge's grim expression in the distance.

"In the name of justice," he declared.

"—I'm here to end this war."