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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 139: Launching the Attack
Afterward, Xiaqiu quietly waited here. The time when the Demon Spider Vice Admiral would leave the branch was uncertain; sometimes Seven or Eight might not leave the branch at all, or if they did, it could take a long time for them to return.
However, there were times when he left more frequently, sometimes heading to Naval Headquarters and other times going to Judgment Island to escort Reoffenders.
As for Patrols, most of the time they were handled by a Major General, and generally, a Super Battleship would not be used.
The responsibility of the G4 branch was to oversee the approach of three shipping lanes near the Sabaody Archipelago.
In various countries and regions, there would also be Colonels, Commodores, and Major Generals responsible for each sea area.
For example, Colonel Tina was in charge of the waters surrounding Alabasta, and two years later, she was promoted to Major General while still overseeing that area.
However, Vice Admirals were different; they did not directly govern a specific country or region but instead managed several shipping lanes.
Xiaqiu did not know how long he would have to wait, but fortunately, three days later, Bola received a phone call.
"Information has come in. Evergreen City was attacked by the Fang Pirate Crew. Over a hundred people were killed, and a Naval Battleship was sunk along with the death of a Colonel. This is a major incident. The Demon Spider Vice Admiral is personally heading out to eliminate the Fang Pirate Crew in the northeastern direction."
Bola said slowly, and Xiaqiu curiously asked, "Do we have any information on the Fang Pirate Crew?"
"Yes. The Fang Pirate Crew's Captain has a bounty of 180 million, with a total bounty reaching 420 million. Let's proceed with caution."
"I understand."
Xiaqiu replied and submerged into the ocean, swimming towards the G4 branch.
The captain of the Pirate Ship had a bounty of one hundred eighty million, which was quite impressive. In the future New Generation Eleven, they could rank seventh, not far from the two hundred million mark.
In the future, Drake would have a bounty of two hundred million, placing him sixth. Before becoming a Navy officer, he held the rank of Rear Admiral. Of course, if he were a Four Seas Rear Admiral, his strength would be somewhat weaker.
Nevertheless, Supernovas would definitely not be defeated by a Major General. With a bounty of one hundred eighty million and a total bounty of four hundred twenty million, such a Pirate Crew would be difficult for a Major General to crush.
However, for a Vice Admiral, this level of strength was still not very intimidating.
This was a good opportunity.
Thus, Xiaqiu chose to follow.
He first dove into the ocean and swam towards the G5 branch, where the Vice Admiral's battleship had just set sail, raising its sails and heading off into the distance.
Xiaqiu followed closely behind and soon realized just how large this battleship was.
It was not the eighty meters he had previously guessed but rather over one hundred meters long, with a width between thirty-five to forty meters.
The battleship had four masts. The first mast displayed the Navy's emblem and lettering on its horizontal sail, while the banner at the top of the second mast read "G5."
On each side of the battleship were two rows of a total of twelve cannons, and at the front and both sides were triple-barreled cannons.
Just in terms of cannon count alone, there were thirty-three in total.
In addition, there were two outer ships that could sail quickly even in the Doldrums.
This was the Super Battleship, standard equipment for a Vice Admiral, and in emergencies, a Major General could also utilize it.
Xiaqiu estimated that to disrupt the buoyancy balance, he would need to create six to eight holes, some of which would have to connect, ensuring that a large area lost its buoyancy while making good use of the ship's own weight.
He couldn't distribute the holes like other Battleships did, which would prevent the ship's compartments from providing buoyancy.
As for the Keel, Xiaqiu wasn't confident he could break it. The Keel capable of supporting such a massive Battleship was incredibly thick and sturdy, making it difficult for him to break.
Besides this Battleship, there were seven or eight other Battleships setting sail from the port alongside it. There was only one Super Battleship, but many large and medium-sized Battleships.
In the Navy, there were four types of Battleship specifications.
The Super Battleship was standard for a Vice Admiral, measuring over a hundred meters in length and capable of carrying up to a thousand personnel.
For instance, Judiciary Island Chapter had a Super Battleship with twelve hundred crew members.
The large Battleships were used by Commodores or some Major Generals.
The medium-sized Battleships were utilized by the leaders of the Four Seas branch bases or ordinary Battleships of the Tina Black Barrier Fleet.
Lastly, there were Warships that weren't much larger than Merry, featuring two masts and several cannons, which were occasionally used by the Navy.
Currently, there were about three large Battleships and five medium-sized Battleships. Including the Super Battleship, there were a total of nine ships.
Too much.
Is a pirate crew with a bounty of over four hundred million really worth such attention?
However, the Fang Pirate Crew seems to have killed over a hundred people in Evergreen City. Xiaqiu recalled Bola's words; they even killed a colonel and destroyed a Naval Battleship, which has been classified as a significant incident.
Evergreen City is a nation and a member of the World Government, eligible to participate in the World Government Conference held every four years.
To commit such acts and be labeled as a significant incident is no small matter.
But for Xiaqiu, this was an extremely unfortunate situation.
With so many Battleships around, Xiaqiu could not attack them at all. Sinking one Battleship would only lead them to replace it with another at any time.
This time, it was best to give up.
Thus, Xiaqiu chose not to follow and instead abandoned the opportunity, returning to the deserted island.
"President, why are you back?"
Bola asked curiously upon seeing Xiaqiu return. "Did the Vice Admiral not set sail?"
"Of course he did."
Xiaqiu glanced at her, displeased. "But there were at least nine Battleships following him; I couldn't attack them at all."
"Nine ships?"
Bola furrowed his brow and quickly said, "President, the information I received didn't mention several Battleships..."
"It seems that person didn't have time to tell us, or didn't receive complete information."
Xiaqiu said lightly, "Then let's wait a bit longer."
Xiaqiu believed that Bola wouldn't hide anything, after all, the departure of several Battleships was quite obvious to her. Using this method to ambush, she wouldn't foolishly initiate an Attack.
If she were in Bola's position and truly intended to do something, she would notify the Navy to have strong individuals lie in ambush on one ship.
However, since she had informed her about Vivi, there was no way she could act at this moment.
Unable to Attack this time, Xiaqiu could only continue to wait.
In the following days, Xiaqiu wandered around the waters near the G4 Branch Base, recording the situation of the surrounding sea.
About three days later, the Naval Battleships returned on their route back to the G5 branch.
On that day, Bola's Transponder Snail rang. "We have successfully captured the Fang Pirate Crew. In two days, Demon Spider Vice Admiral will personally escort them to Judgment Island."
"Judgment Island?"
Judgment Island was located to the south, on the right side of the Grand Line, outside the Seventh Route.
A triangle was formed by Impel Down and Marineford, with strange and unpredictable currents that could help the Naval Battleship reach that place.
The Seventh Route did not pass through these three locations; instead, it veered toward the Sabaody Archipelago on the left side of Judgment Island.
This was a good opportunity.
Judgment Island was far from here, with many chances for an Attack along the way. Moreover, this time, Oni Spider was personally escorting the prisoners. If he could find a chance to strike, could he also devour the prisoners?
Eighteen million in strength was enough to provide a large amount of Enhanced Energy.
Xiaqiu thought as he approached the vicinity of the G4 branch. Oni Spider had just set sail, and the massive Battleship was heading south.
There was only this one Battleship.
Very good.
Xiaqiu felt relieved and slowly followed behind.
Although this Battleship was enormous, it did not move slowly. With four masts and huge sails billowing, even without external propulsion, its speed was quite impressive.
However, for Xiaqiu, its speed seemed somewhat lacking, probably only half of his cruising speed.
Xiaqiu's current form was completely different from his previous fish form. The number of his fins had greatly decreased; his Pectoral Fin, Pelvic Fin, and Anal Fin had transformed into legs, and even his tail fin had disappeared.
The primary function of the Pectoral Fin, Pelvic Fin, and Anal Fin was to maintain balance. However, Xiaqiu's body had become robust, and now he had six legs to use for balancing himself.
Next was the tail fin, which could provide propulsion, but it was no match for Xiaqiu's leg power.
Overall, Xiaqiu's speed in the water had greatly increased during sprints, while cruising speed remained largely unchanged.
Xiaqiu followed the Battleship, capturing the surrounding islands' Magnetism to determine their location, drifting further away.
The Battleship initially headed south but soon changed course, heading southwest.
Xiaqiu rested in fragmented sleep, striving to keep himself in peak condition.
At the same time, he used Magnetism to capture the nearby islands, hoping to find a stretch of sea with only two sources of Magnetism.
These two sources should be the Magnetism from two points along the route, with no other islands present, or perhaps there were nearby islands, but without any Magnetism.
In the Grand Line, without Magnetism, it would not be recorded by the pointer, making it little known and rarely visited.
Even if it were nearby, as long as it was out of sight, it was unlikely that Demon Spider Vice Admiral would flee in that direction.
Xiaqiu had to ensure that after sinking the ship, there were no islands nearby for the enemy to escape to.
Time passed slowly; the sun set, casting a golden glow across the Surface of the Sea, which gradually faded until darkness enveloped it and the moon rose.
"It’s time to rest."
In the cabin, Demon Spider Vice Admiral stood up. Instead of heading straight to his room, he first went to the middle section of the ship where there was a cage containing several criminals shackled with Seastone.
“Admiral.”
In the cell, four Sailors stood in two rows across from each other. Additionally, there were seven or eight more Sailors in the corridor.
“Admiral.”
From a nearby room, three officers in military uniforms immediately stepped out and approached Oni Spider.
“You're on duty today; make sure to keep a close watch on them.”
Oni Spider replied coldly, “These criminals are extremely important. Admiral Akainu was furious when he saw how many people they killed, so nothing must go wrong.”
“I will keep a close eye on them; there will definitely be no mistakes.”
The subordinate quickly assured.
“If anything happens, you will be held responsible.”
With that, Oni Spider glanced at the criminals before turning and leaving, returning to his room. He had someone bring water, and after washing up, he went to bed to rest.
He set the ship aside and lay down, feeling drowsy not long after.
However, just as he was about to fall asleep, the ship trembled slightly, though not too violently.
“Hmm?”
Oni Spider furrowed his brow, turned over, and continued to sleep.
He might have encountered a current, or perhaps a Sea King had passed by and bumped into them.
Such situations were common, and there was no need to worry at all.
The bottom of the ship was made of Seastone, so the Sea Kings would perceive it as part of the sea and would not actively attack.
Moreover, the hull was sturdy; at least in the Grand Line, as long as they were not attacked by others, this ship could not sink.
However, when Oni Spider turned over and yawned, intending to continue sleeping, the ship shook again.
This time, the tremor was more pronounced.
"What’s going on?"
Oni Spider frowned, sensing something was off. The vibration was stronger than before, and the feedback from the ship felt like a sudden jolt.
It wasn’t just a current; they had been hit by something in the sea. With such force, it could only be a Sea King.
"Woo woo woo woo woo."
In the next moment, a loud noise echoed through the cabin.
"Is that signal indicating the ship has been attacked and is taking on water?"
Oni Spider immediately stood up and got dressed.
Thud, thud, thud, bang.
Heavy footsteps echoed from outside, and the door was pushed open. A voice called out, "Admiral, the ship is taking on water."
"Follow me."
Oni Spider finished dressing, grabbed two knives, and stepped out of the room. He waved to the alert soldiers, who quickly entered the room and each took two knives to follow him.
As Oni Spider walked, he turned to the messenger and asked, "What exactly is the situation?"
The Naval Major replied quickly, "A large hole has been breached in the starboard side from the second to the eighth compartment."
"Six compartments?"
Oni Spider was somewhat surprised; the second to eighth compartments were close to the ship's center and had all been damaged.
"Follow me."
Oni Spider then asked, "What struck the ship?"
The Major answered, "We haven't seen anything yet."
"I understand."
Oni Spider nodded and ascended the stairs, arriving on the upper deck where many Sailors had gathered. Torches and fire baskets were lit, casting light down onto the Surface of the Sea.
One Naval Officer spotted Oni Spider and immediately approached, saying, "Admiral, the emergency plan has been activated. The crew below is repairing the ship. The oil is ready and can be poured at any moment."
"Don't rush. Let's see if there are any further attacks. All hands on alert," Oni Spider shouted. The Sailors immediately fell into a state of vigilance, while Oni Spider gripped two blades, standing still with eyes closed.
Suddenly, Oni Spider pushed off with both feet and vanished from sight, reappearing instantly at the left side of the ship's railing. Drawing both swords, he slashed downward.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Two massive Wave Slashes swept downward in an instant.
Splash.
The sea parted as the Wave Slashes continued downward, striking a figure below.
In the next moment, that figure collided with the Sea Vessel.
Boom.
A large hole was smashed into the bottom of the Battleship. Oni Spider snorted coldly, raising his long blade and suddenly swinging it fiercely.
Boom, boom, boom, boom.
A series of Wave Slashes shot towards the Surface of the Sea, striking the Water Surface.
Damn it.
Xiaqiu did not dare to circle around; instead, he continued to sink deeper into the ocean.
After evading the Wave Slash, as he swam further away in the depths of the Surface of the Sea, he felt a tremendous pain in his back.
The force was immense.
The scales on his head had already been sliced open, and his first dorsal fin had been severed. His back plates and tail bore scars as well.
This was the strength of a Vice Admiral; the power of Wave Slash was far greater than what he had encountered with Colonel Penn.
Pern could not sever his dorsal fin.
But Oni Spider was different. The position of his dorsal fin exposed above the Water Surface was directly cut by its Wave Slash, shattering the bone plates, while the scales on his underwater head were also sliced open.
However, the dorsal fin was not severed in one strike. It took four or five hits at different positions above and below the entire fin before it finally broke.
The base of the dorsal fin was struck twice before it slowly fractured, yet a portion remained submerged in the water.
The slash penetrated through the fish scales underwater but did not injure the bones; instead, it was absorbed by the muscles.
His strength was formidable, but he too was growing stronger.
After consuming Pern and Commodore, my body was once again enhanced.
Not only that, but during the year and three months that followed, I continuously devoured pirates, at least three Commodores' Enhanced Energy.
My dorsal fin and scales became incredibly tough; even if Heckler were to strike me directly, it might not cause any harm.
Oni Spider's Wave Slash, weakened by the seawater, could only cut through my scales and some muscle.
Moreover, although Oni Spider is a swordsman, his slashing power is not particularly strong.
He is a Vice Admiral and a user of the Spider Fruit ability, fighting with the Eight Sword Style.
Additionally, he possesses both Armament Haki and Observation Haki.
With Armament Haki, he can strike the Natural System's essence and sever hard objects.
He does not need to pursue pure strength or the intensity of Wave Slash; combined with the Eight Sword Style, he is formidable in battle.
He also knows Six Styles, which adds to his exceptional speed.
Thus, his Wave Slash and slashing power among swordsman Vice Admirals should not be considered particularly outstanding.
Otherwise, combining the fruit with Eight Sword Style, Haki, and Six Styles would be excessively powerful.
I can endure it, but I still need to avoid it.
Xiaqiu thought for a moment, changed direction, and dove into the water again, propelling himself forward. As he got closer, he began to ascend at an angle.
However, before he could collide with the Pirate Ship, another Wave Slash suddenly struck.
"Damn it."
Xiaqiu was hit by Seven or Eight blades of the Wave Slash again, and the injuries on his back worsened. Yet, he crashed into the Pirate Ship, creating another massive dent.
Four large holes.
They were distributed on both sides of the ship, but it still wasn't enough; the ship was too big.
He needed to crash at least two more times.
But at this rate, he feared he would be slain first. He had to come up with a plan.
Meanwhile, on the Battleship, Oni Spider suddenly shouted, "Sword incoming."
With that voice, his body began to change; his backside grew larger while his head elongated, transforming into six arms that grasped the six long knives handed to him by a Sailor behind him.
In total, there were eight knives.
Oni Spider gripped the blades tightly and closed his eyes, waiting for Xiaqiu's arrival.
One more time, and he would finish him off completely.
But Xiaqiu is no longer coming.
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