Everything seemed like a "perfect coincidence."
At first, the Four Seas Alliance's ships sailed into the fog of the Devil's Triangle sea area and directly encountered the Flying Pirates of the Golden Lion.
The Golden Lion and Ryan Rowan began their battle from then on.
Their final blow split the thick fog that had covered the Devil's Triangle sea area for who knows how many years into two!
And at almost the same time, Rowan used his sand puppets and the fog's cover to "switch" out the Fish-Man Tom and Nico Robin.
After that, the Four Seas Alliance's ships moved ahead, widening the distance between themselves and the Flying Pirates' ships.
Thus, the "perfect coincidence" began—
The Four Seas Alliance ships' retreat route was "just right" the same as when they entered;
The fog along this entry route was "just right" split into two by Rowan's slash, creating a huge opening.
Under Sengoku's orders, several Marine fleets were patrolling near the Devil's Triangle sea area, and they certainly couldn't have missed the massive commotion inside the Devil's Triangle.
Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Momonga, who was patrolling this area, was the first to discover the huge opening that split the Devil's Triangle's fog in two!
After all, it involved heavy hitters like the Golden Lion, the Four Seas Alliance, and the Pluton blueprint. Coupled with extreme confidence in their own strength, Momonga immediately ordered the fleet to advance into the Devil's Triangle sea area along this suddenly opened passage!
After sailing for a while, a Marine lookout spotted something unusual on the distant sea surface.
It was a huge ship, and flying from it was the pirate flag of the Flying Pirates!
The Golden Lion is here?!
Momonga narrowed his eyes and immediately began to consider the overall situation in his mind.
The Four Seas Alliance's objective was, of course, the owner of the Pluton blueprint—the Fish-Man Tom.
To protect Tom from the Judicial Ship, Ryan Rowan even played a political card with the Marines!
But just as Fish-Man Tom was about to be transferred to the Four Seas Alliance, the Flying Pirates suddenly attacked the Judicial Ship and kidnapped Fish-Man Tom.
What made the Marines even more uneasy was that according to Spandam, the leader of CP5 who was on the Judicial Ship at the time, there was also a survivor from the island of Ohara, the "Devil Child" Nico Robin, on the Golden Lion's ship.
She was the only person in the world who could decipher Poneglyphs!
The "Pluton blueprint," "Nico Robin," plus the Golden Lion's well-known ambitions…
It was all too unsettling.
Therefore, when Sengoku issued the order, his brows were almost furrowed into the shape of the character "川"!
But Sengoku was, after all, that "wise general," and he quickly found a way to ease the current situation.
Guide the Four Seas Alliance to intercept the Golden Lion, and then order the Marine warships to patrol nearby, waiting for an opportunity!
Sengoku's move was indeed effective.
After the commotion in the Devil's Triangle sea area, Momonga's fleet advanced along the rift in the fog and discovered the Golden Lion's whereabouts!
The dignified Flying Pirates, choosing to sail on the sea at this moment?
Momonga couldn't figure out the reason.
However, judging by the Golden Lion's appearance on the deck, he seemed to be in good spirits and didn't look like he had been through a fierce battle.
Momonga's thinking was this:
Once the "Golden Dawn," Ryan Rowan, directly confronted the Golden Lion, based on Rowan's personality from the intelligence reports, he would surely do his utmost to rescue Fish-Man Tom.
In that case, a major battle would inevitably erupt between the Golden Lion and Rowan.
At that time, it would be unclear who Fish-Man Tom had fallen into the hands of.
But it was different now.
The Golden Lion seemed to be in good spirits, so it was likely he hadn't directly confronted Ryan Rowan, or perhaps they had only had a brief exchange.
Otherwise, Ryan Rowan would not have let the Golden Lion leave so easily.
In that case, Fish-Man Tom was most likely still in the Golden Lion's hands!
Momonga couldn't see the Four Seas Alliance's ship, so he almost instantly locked onto his guess and then gave the order:
"Open fire, engage the enemy, and be careful to block above that ship to prevent them from flying into the air!"
Opportunities to fight the Golden Lion on the sea were rare, and Momonga knew he had to seize this one!
…
Meanwhile.
The Golden Lion's heart was already filled with rage.
First, Ryan Rowan stole Fish-Man Tom and Nico Robin from him, and then the Marines actually showed up!
Are these Marines here to support Ryan Rowan?
Yes, that so-called Four Seas Alliance wasn't a pirate group, perhaps they were also lackeys of the World Government, or they had a mutually beneficial relationship with the World Government.
Otherwise, why would the Marines be here to cover the Four Seas Alliance's retreat?
One by one, they're all bullying me!
Who do they think I am?
I'm the Golden Lion!
The Golden Lion made up his mind and immediately steered his ship, charging fiercely towards Momonga's fleet.
He clutched his recently treated injured chest, gritted his teeth, and roared with laughter.
I'll take care of you first, then settle the score with Ryan Rowan!
…
"The Golden Lion is with me, coordinates confirmed, send reinforcements quickly!"
Momonga ordered a telegram to be sent to the surrounding Marine fleets on patrol, requesting reinforcements, and then directed his own Marine soldiers to prepare to fight.
In this battle, the Marines must reclaim the owner of the Pluton blueprint!
…
In the fog.
On the Four Seas Alliance's ship.
The ship's doctor helped to treat the wound on Rowan's arm.
Rowan smiled and thanked the doctor.
Crocodile thought for a moment and suddenly stepped forward, saying, "You knew the Marines would discover the Golden Lion's whereabouts?"
Rowan looked incredulous, "Making such a big commotion, if the Marines didn't notice, are they a bunch of idiots?"
"No... I didn't mean that... um..."
Crocodile struggled for a long time, still unsure how to ask Rowan his question.
As Rowan said, everything seemed to be happening naturally, and it all made perfect sense.
Rowan and the Golden Lion's clash split the fog, the Marines noticed the anomaly, and then entered the rift in the fog to investigate…
After that, the Marines and the Golden Lion would fight, and the Four Seas Alliance would successfully escape.
"You never intended to fight the Golden Lion from the beginning!"
Crocodile decided to stop asking questions and stated his conclusion directly, "Your only goal was him—or them!"
He pointed to Fish-Man Tom and Nico Robin beside him.
Rowan nodded and smiled, "Why would I fight the Golden Lion?"
"…"
Crocodile thought about it, and it seemed he couldn't come up with a good reason.
After a moment, Crocodile finally let out a grim chuckle.
Hehehehe, that's right, I understand.
Crocodile muttered in his heart.
From the beginning, Ryan Rowan's eyes were only on his goals; everything else was meaningless!
This thought sent a chill down Crocodile's spine, and it also made him think of more.
The major battle between the Marines and the Golden Lion involved two "facts."
First, the Marines had not discovered the whereabouts of the Four Seas Alliance.
Second, the Golden Lion did not know that the Marines and the Four Seas Alliance were not in an alliance.
Under these circumstances, both sides would think that Fish-Man Tom might be in the hands of the other party, and by the time their great battle ended, it would be impossible to tell who Fish-Man Tom truly belonged to.
The Marines suspect the Golden Lion, and the Golden Lion suspects the Marines…
Only the Four Seas Alliance, among them, was the least conspicuous!
By then, neither side would forcibly demand people from Alabasta, because they wouldn't be sure where Fish-Man Tom and Nico Robin were!
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