Beside the assembled Marine officers stood a row of cold, mechanical Seraphim, their metal bodies radiating an aura that made everyone uneasy.
Sengoku cleared his throat. His voice rang through the silent hall like tempered steel, hard and cold.
"Marine Headquarters will serve as our central stronghold. All forces will spread out in a fan formation and conduct a complete purge of every pirate faction in the New World.
"Leave no corner unchecked. Every criminal force must be torn out by the roots."
He slashed one arm through the air, as though cutting away every trace of hesitation.
"Any pirate you encounter—man or woman, young or old, powerful or weak—is to be eliminated. Leave no survivors."
Sharp breaths filled the hall.
A young Rear Admiral could not hide his concern. Summoning his courage, he stepped forward.
"Fleet Admiral, isn't that order too extreme? Some pirates may have been forced into that life by circumstances. Shouldn't we at least give them a chance to surrender and start over?"
"This is the final directive!"
Sengoku cut him off without mercy. Grim resolve burned in his eyes, making it difficult for anyone to meet his gaze.
"If you encounter anyone affiliated with the Eternal Divine Kingdom, retreat immediately and report their position. But pirates are to be shown no mercy. Kill them on sight!
"The sword of justice has no room for hesitation or retreat."
He turned and pointed toward the enormous map of the New World hanging behind him.
Every island and sea route had been marked in meticulous detail.
Sengoku stared at the map as though he could already see the future battlefields spreading across it.
"This operation will determine the peace and security of the entire world.
"We must cut off the Eternal Divine Kingdom's expansion and show them that justice cannot be defeated!
"Every pirate who dares side with them must understand that the fury of justice will burn away all evil like a raging fire. Nothing will escape it!"
The twelve Seraphim slowly raised their heads at the same time.
Their previously dim electronic eyes lit up with a crimson glow like burning flames.
"Directive confirmed. Purge Mode activated."
The mechanical wings behind them gradually spread open.
Metal scraped against metal with a teeth-grating screech, like Death sharpening its scythe before the beginning of a bloody storm.
...
The atmosphere inside the command room was suffocating.
Sengoku stood tall at its center, his gaze blazing with unquestionable authority.
"Doberman! This mission is critical. You will give it everything you have!"
After a brief pause, he delivered the order solemnly.
"Take Seraphim Unit One and depart for the southeastern route immediately. Eliminate every threat hiding there!"
His gaze shifted toward another officer.
"Strawberry! You are responsible for the defense and suppression of the northwestern sector. Do not allow a single enemy to exploit an opening!"
"Onigumo, you will…"
Sengoku's voice echoed throughout the vast room.
Orders followed one after another like the relentless beating of war drums.
The battle-hardened Vice Admirals stepped forward with grave expressions. They understood the danger and difficulty awaiting them.
One after another, they respectfully accepted the military orders that represented both duty and responsibility.
Most disturbing of all, each Vice Admiral was assigned one or two Seraphim.
The cold, hollow-eyed killing machines followed at their sides like shadows.
Their electronic gazes constantly scanned the surroundings, monitoring not only possible enemies but also carrying an unspoken warning toward their own supposed allies.
"Move out!"
Sengoku swept his hand down as though waving the banner of fate itself.
The harbor immediately erupted with thunderous sirens that pierced the clouds and shattered the calm over the sea.
Fifty of the Marines' newest Buster Call-class warships stood in orderly formation along the docks like predators preparing to pounce.
At the captains' commands, all fifty ships set sail at once.
Their enormous bows split through the blood-red waves, throwing towering sprays of seawater into the air.
On deck, Marine soldiers wore solemn expressions as they silently polished their weapons.
Every sword had been cleaned until it gleamed like snow, reflecting a cold and merciless light.
The Seraphim stood motionless at the bows.
Their electronic eyes continuously scanned the vast sea with the precision of advanced detection systems, overlooking nothing.
Less than half an hour after departure, the oppressive silence was broken by the cold voice of Seraphim Unit One.
"Pirate vessel detected."
It raised its head slightly, its mechanical voice completely devoid of emotion.
"Range: twenty nautical miles. Combined bounty: two hundred and thirty million berries. Requesting authorization to eliminate."
Vice Admiral Doberman stood on the bridge, staring at the faint silhouette on the distant horizon.
Complicated emotions churned inside him.
He clenched his teeth and hesitated for a moment before finally forcing out the first word.
"Author—"
"Authorization obtained."
The Seraphim cut him off before he could finish.
Its body erupted with dazzling white light and shot into the sky like a meteor, disappearing over the horizon in an instant.
Not long afterward, violent explosions and miserable screams echoed from the distance.
By the time the warship arrived at full speed, a gruesome scene awaited them.
Broken planks and shattered remains of the pirate ship floated across the water. Blood had dyed the sea a horrifying shade of red.
In the middle of that carnage, the Seraphim stood with a laser blade in hand, coldly finishing off the pirates who had just fallen into the water.
Its movements were swift and precise, without the slightest trace of mercy.
"Purge complete."
The Seraphim flicked the blood from its blade, speaking as casually as though it had finished some insignificant chore.
"Proceeding to the next target."
Doberman stared at the blood-soaked sea, the shock and unease inside him growing stronger.
His fist slowly tightened, his knuckles turning white.
He understood all too clearly that this was no longer anything resembling a traditional naval war.
The power the Marines had unleashed had already gone beyond what they themselves could control.
They had opened Pandora's box and released a demon whose consequences not even they could predict.
Far across the seas of the New World, more warships were sailing in every direction.
They spread outward like an enormous net of death, slowly closing around every force that dared challenge the established order.
...