"Oops! Too bad! A pet of the Straw Hats is as shameless as the bastard Carl, damn it!" Blackbeard cursed in frustration.
"Well, well! Blackbeard's loss is too great now!" Big Mom remarked, a hint of schadenfreude coloring her tone.
"Licky is great! Well done!" the Straw Hat crew cheered in praise.
Licky retreated immediately, using Moonwalk to distance himself. He looked at Sanjuan Wolf sinking into the sea with contempt, his expression smug. Licky admitted he was not smart, but after following Carl for so long, he had learned a few tricks—specifically, how to force-feed a Devil Fruit. Today, Sanjuan Wolf had been fed the Monkey-Monkey Fruit. Although his body was reinforced by the Zoan-type fruit, it was not only tasteless but a significant hindrance to the giant.
Sanjuan Wolf was the largest giant in the world and had no need for a Zoan fruit to strengthen his body. Furthermore, because of his massive size, he had to swim, as no boat could carry him; now, as a Devil Fruit user, he could no longer utilize his strength in the sea and risked drowning if he entered the water. Licky's move was devastating, as it would severely limit Wolf's battle capabilities; if forced to soak in seawater on smaller islands, he would lose his combat effectiveness entirely and become a liability.
"Hahahaha! Licky really learned my techniques well!" Carl laughed proudly.
"Licky is so smart! He is the smartest lion in the sea! He really deserves to be my partner!" Luffy added, giving a thumbs-up.
However, the more the Straw Hat crew praised the lion, the more enraged the Blackbeard Pirates became, while the Big Mom Pirates gloated slightly. Although the two groups were united, Carl was right that Blackbeard posed a great potential threat, and the Big Mom Pirates had to remain vigilant. Now that the Blackbeard Pirates had lost a massive combatant, the Big Mom Pirates could not help but enjoy the misfortune.
Blackbeard's face was as dark as squid ink. News of the battle reached the Marine headquarters, where Akainu and his officers were stunned before bursting into laughter. The tactic of force-feeding a Devil Fruit was legendary; it had been used by Carl and Garp to force Kaido back, and Carl had nearly killed Blackbeard with it during the Summit War. They were impressed that a lion had mastered the trick.
"Hahaha! Blackbeard and Big Mom have been beaten badly by the Straw Hats, and the Straw Hats are exhausted too. I guess it won't be long before we make our debut. Everyone, get ready! Today is the day to wipe out a Sea Emperor!" Akainu declared, high-spirited and overjoyed. He regretted that Kaido had not arrived, but eliminating three royal groups was already a massive achievement.
Before Akainu could finish, his phone bug rang. After answering with a frown, he erupted in anger. The Revolutionary Army had launched a bombardment on Mariejois, with shells blessed by the Multiplication Fruit. The shells were conscious and targeted the Celestial Dragons' residences. Commander Kong suspected a target-fruit user was responsible, but the attack was so sudden that even with preparations, the Mariejois government was caught off guard, and several homes were destroyed. The Celestial Dragons were demanding that the Admirals protect them, and Kong ordered Akainu to return immediately, as the revolutionary threat remained unchecked.
"The damn Revolutionary Army has made things so big, how can it be possible to go back at this critical moment!" Akainu roared. He questioned the competence of the other Admirals left behind to defend the Celestial Dragons. Despite the pressure from the Five Elders, Akainu was stubborn.
"The Marshal means... not going back?" Fujitora asked in surprise at Akainu's courage.
"How is it possible to go back at this time! Eliminating pirates is the first priority of the Marine, and nothing is more important than this!" Akainu made an arrogant determination, a stance Fujitora supported 100%. Unlike the more compliant Sengoku, Akainu's toughness was the only thing keeping the Marine from being swept away by the changing tides.
"Notify everyone, start now! It's time to attack!" Akainu ordered, and the fleet began to surround the battle circle to ensure no pirate escaped. Just then, the phone bug rang again, and Akainu's temper flared.
"What is the matter?!" Akainu roared.
"Marshal, it's not good! The Whitebeard Pirates have appeared in the North Blue!" the communicator reported.
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