Dimitri's breakdown forced Aeridar and Arlan to re-evaluate the situation. Stepping up to the map, they stared at Unzan Port and its surrounding plains, sinking into deep thought.
The list of figures already gathered, or currently converging, on this territory included a terrifying number of monsters possessing cataclysmic destructive power. Whether it was a single individual capable of toppling an empire or someone who could sink an entire island, a quick headcount easily yielded nearly ten such entities.
A small port town like Unzan, with a population of only a few hundred thousand, offered nowhere near enough structural tolerance to withstand their collateral damage.
Defeating the Big Mom Pirates was their absolute objective, but if that victory came at the cost of catastrophic casualties, or worse, the deaths of their own crewmates and core executives, it wouldn't be a victory worth having.
"Right now, the one in a truly awkward position should actually be Big Mom. The main forces of a massive Yonko fleet are completely bottlenecked along the harbor's coastline. That leaves them incredibly vulnerable to large-scale bombardment from both land and sea," Aeridar said, tapping his finger directly onto the center of the harbor on the map. He added in a low, resonant voice, "The main fleet from Totto Land will need at least three to five days to arrive. Relying solely on the armada of Germa 66, they are no match for us."
"Exactly. Even if we don't rely on our fleet at sea, simply deploying a massive battery of artillery on land to blanket the entire harbor would give the Big Mom Pirates a hell of a time!" Arlan's eyes lit up, nodding in rapid agreement.
The Navy's Buster Call was the most notorious orbital artillery strike in the world. 5 Vice Admirals, 10 Rear Admirals, nearly ten thousand Marine elites, and 10 top-tier battleships unleashing indiscriminate, apocalyptic destruction to completely erase everything and everyone within the target zone. Arlan's idea was to mimic the operational parameters of a Buster Call, subjecting the Big Mom Pirates at the harbor to a saturated artillery barrage to severely cripple their numbers before the true engagement began.
"Unfortunately, unless we neutralize Germa 66 first, we won't be able to amass that much firepower on land," Dimitri countered, shaking his head. His words acted like a bucket of ice water, instantly dampening Arlan's enthusiasm.
In terms of both raw destructive yield and effective range, standard field artillery was fundamentally inferior to naval cannons, especially the monstrous, large-caliber batteries mounted on Buster Call battleships. Unless they could marshal hundreds, if not thousands, of field pieces, it would be virtually impossible to achieve complete destructive saturation across the harbor and its sprawling coastline.
Furthermore, amassing that many artillery assets wasn't something that could be done overnight, and the Big Mom Pirates were hardly going to sit idly by while the Chris Pirates set up their firing lines.
"When Big Mom's surprise raid failed last night, the strategic initiative shifted completely into our hands. Unless she intends to tuck tail and retreat to Totto Land, her only path to victory is to grit her teeth and try to smash through our defensive lines at any cost!" Dimitri pointed to the harbor sector, summarizing the current theater dynamics in a single sentence.
The Chris Pirates had the luxury of time to employ any underhanded tactic necessary to systematically bleed the Big Mom Pirates dry.
Meanwhile, Big Mom faced only two choices: retreat through the Mirror World or fight to the bitter end. Knowing her volatile temperament, the probability of her forcing a decisive, winner-take-all showdown was exceptionally high.
"Let's prepare for the worst-case scenario first. If a chaotic melee erupts here..."
Aeridar looked at Arlan, Dimitri, and Boa Hancock, who had remained silently supportive by his side, before declaring calmly, "I will take responsibility for drawing Big Mom away, completely isolating her from Unzan Port."
"In that case..." Arlan looked up, grit his teeth, and vowed, "Leave Smoothie to me!"
During last night's fierce engagement, Arlan had spotted Smoothie on the field, though they hadn't crossed blades directly.
"I have a proposal. Captain, you could draw Big Mom into Brûlée's Mirror World to fight. While you have her occupied, you can destroy those massive mirrors along the coast, completely severing the Big Mom Pirates' escape route and reinforcement lines." Dimitri's expression remained utterly composed as he laid out the logistics. "However, Katakuri remains a critical threat. When the time comes, we should have Zephyr or Oliver keep him pinned down, and then dispatch Enel to shatter the mirrors."
"You're angling for a total annihilation, aren't you?"
Hearing Dimitri's cold calculations, Aeridar chuckled softly, teasing his strategist, "And sending me into the Mirror World to duel Big Mom single-handedly... Aren't you worried I won't be able to handle that old hag?"
"I know for a fact that you will never disappoint us, Captain," Dimitri replied, his expression resolute as he met Aeridar's gaze with absolute, unshakeable devotion.
…
The City of Arms. Yorlsh City.
This sector was a colossal mountain valley seamlessly integrated into the city limits, housing the primary arms manufacturing district of the Chris Pirates. The munitions produced here annually accounted for roughly five percent of the crew's total global output.
The entire valley was heavily garrisoned by thousands of royal soldiers, its ridges bristling with a dense forest of artillery batteries and watchtowers, with surveillance Den Den Mushi monitoring every square inch.
The interior of the valley was meticulously partitioned into seven distinct high-security zones: the Firearms Production Zone, the Weapons Testing Grounds, the Munitions Vault, the VIP Customization Area, the Staff Quarters, the Guard Barracks, the Cafeteria, and the Administrative Center.
Each zone possessed only a single transit checkpoint, guarded by multiple bio-engineered super-soldiers boasting a Doriki rating well over 500, alongside hundreds of security personnel. Squads of Dragonians regularly patrolled the perimeters; without a verified, identity-coded clearance pass, entry or exit was strictly forbidden.
At that moment, a small group walked through the interior of the Arms Manufacturing District. Their clothing stood out starkly against the standardized jumpsuits of the laborers and the tactical armor of the sentries, making it clear they were conducting a high-level inspection.
Edmond, carrying a heavy knight's broadsword strapped across his back, led the group from the front. "Due to the outbreak of war with the Big Mom Pirates, the influx of visiting merchants has dropped drastically over the last few days. Other than that, everything remains quiet."
Walking behind him were Mina, Smythe Betilla, Cavendish, and Gin.
Rumble... Rumble...
Massive industrial machinery thrummed rhythmically throughout the factory floor. Mina cast a casual glance across the assembly lines, asking noncommitally, "Any sign of the Straw Hat brat yet?"
"None whatsoever," Edmond replied, shaking his head. His voice grew serious as he added, "They might be laying low in the more densely populated urban sectors, but as far as this facility is concerned, our security nets haven't picked up a single unfamiliar face."
"What a bunch of troublesome brats. Big Mom's vanguard already hit Unzan Port last night, which means an all-out war is imminent. I was actually looking forward to trading blows with Smoothie again," Betilla pouted her rosy lips, her beautiful face flushed with irritation.
"Exactly! Exactly! We are talking about an all-out war against a Yonko, the Big Mom Pirates!" Cavendish added, looking utterly incensed as he fumed dramatically. "To think I am forced to miss out on an historic event of this magnitude... Curse you, Straw Hat! Curse you, Trafalgar Law!"
Gin walked silently at the very rear of the group, his expression unreadable, though a tempest was brewing in his mind. Straw Hat... Did he come all this way for Sanji-san?
Pere pere pere... Pere pere pere...
Suddenly, the sharp ringing of a Den Den Mushi echoed from within Edmond's coat.
Offering an apologetic smile to Mina and the others, he reached into his uniform and pulled out a compact, clay-brown Den Den Mushi, clicking the receiver open.
"This is Edmond. Report."
"Edmond-sama! We've just discovered over a dozen unconscious workers inside the Staff Quarters! They were completely stripped of their uniforms. According to the few who just regained consciousness... they claim they were ambushed by a phantom!"
"A phantom?!"
Edmond's face twisted in immediate skepticism. What kind of ridiculous joke is this? Since when do ghosts ambush people just to steal their clothes?!