Chapter 202: Naval Deployment
Rhodes turned toward the voice and spotted a beautiful female Marine officer in uniform with black-rimmed glasses hurrying toward him.
"It's you, Tashigi."
The newcomer was indeed Tashigi.
"You left in such a hurry last time, I didn't even get to see you off," Tashigi complained with a pout.
If she hadn't found the note on the table after waking that morning, she would have thought Rhodes's return to retrieve his sword had been nothing but a dream.
"You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't want to disturb you," Rhodes replied, then looked toward Smoker, who was slowly approaching, and smiled. "Smoker, it's been a while."
"Hmm."
Smoker, as always, was chomping on his cigars, responding with a characteristically complex grunt.
Unlike the naive Tashigi, he frequently followed changes in world affairs and major events. After the battle at Sabaody Archipelago, this Dragon Slayer swordsman had fought a Marine Admiral to a standstill, making him famous throughout the Navy—practically everyone knew his name now.
"I heard the World's Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye, has arrived. Mr. Rhodes, have you met him? What kind of person is he?" Perhaps because of Rhodes, Tashigi felt that not all of the Seven Warlords were villains, prompting her question.
"Hawkeye?" Rhodes smiled. "A cool, taciturn man—quite unique. Not exactly a bad person."
"Is that so?" Tashigi breathed a slight sigh of relief. Her greatest dream was preventing famous swords from falling into the hands of evil people.
"Tashigi, let's go. We still have our mission," Smoker interjected, walking in another direction. As a Marine Captain, he had no time for leisurely conversation during this critical period.
"Okay! Goodbye, Mr. Rhodes!" Tashigi bowed slightly to Rhodes before following Smoker away.
Tina watched from the side, secretly surprised—she clearly hadn't expected this man to possess such a peaceful side.
The two continued their tour, but with no specific destination and many areas restricted, Rhodes didn't wander long before heading back.
Throughout their walk, every person they encountered was a Marine, each face bearing stern determination mixed with restrained excitement. Although worry and fear lurked beneath the surface, these emotions vanished the moment they glimpsed the towering edifice of Marine Headquarters behind them.
This was Marine Headquarters—the bastion where justice prevailed, a fortress even the Four Emperors who reigned supreme over the New World couldn't conquer!
The true rulers of the seas, Marine Headquarters...
A glint flashed in Rhodes's eyes as he observed their demeanor.
The Marines' strength was undeniable. Whether examining the upper echelons or the mid-to-lower ranks, their combat power ranked among the world's finest—far surpassing any single Yonko's pirate crew.
Even though numerous high-ranking officers held back considerably in the original timeline, they'd still ultimately won the war, not only defeating the World's Strongest Man, Whitebeard, but also killing Portgas D. Ace.
If Blackbeard hadn't emerged at the critical moment, successfully stealing Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi and rising to infamy, the Marines would have been the unequivocal victors. Defeating Whitebeard would have allowed them to march into the New World unchallenged, potentially altering the entire course of history.
This was precisely why Sengoku had orchestrated this grand confrontation.
Blackbeard...
Recalling Blackbeard's provocation several days ago, Rhodes narrowed his eyes and sneered inwardly.
He might lack the strength to permanently end Blackbeard on the Marineford battlefield, but merely disrupting his schemes—or even eliminating a few of Blackbeard's subordinates—would be relatively simple.
However, those were secondary concerns. His own plan took priority.
Thus, over the following days, aside from occasional leisurely strolls, Rhodes spent his time flirting with Hancock, delighting in watching the world-famous Empress blush and display endearing expressions in his presence.
Finally, the day of Ace's execution arrived.
Early that morning, thunderous shouts echoed throughout Marine Headquarters as Marines rushed to their designated positions under their officers' leadership.
At this time, Rhodes and Hancock, escorted by a Marine guide, arrived at the lowest level of headquarters—the assembly point for the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
A massive circular arrangement of seats awaited them, and all the Seven Warlords except Blackbeard had already assembled.
Rhodes and Hancock casually found seats, with Bartholomew Kuma positioned nearby. However, Kuma was likely already unconscious by this point, so Rhodes didn't attempt conversation.
Sabo should have boarded Whitebeard's ship by now, Rhodes thought to himself.
According to Rayleigh, Luffy was training with him. If that held true, given Rayleigh's strength and Shakky's intelligence network, Luffy would probably still cause chaos at Impel Down regardless. In that scenario, all three brothers would ultimately converge here.
While they waited in contemplative silence, footsteps echoed outside. The door opened, revealing a Marine standing at attention.
"Excuse me, everyone. It's time. Please proceed to the harbor."
"Just one Whitebeard? You're all far too nervous. There are still three hours until the execution," Gecko Moria declared with his characteristic arrogance and ignorance.
"Indeed, but for security purposes, please proceed."
Hearing this, Kuma was first to stand and exit, followed by Mihawk, Doflamingo, and the others.
Seeing this, Moria had little choice but to rise as well. "I won't lag behind you lot. Collecting the shadows and corpse of the World's Strongest Man—this is the perfect hunting ground for me! Kishishishi!"
With that declaration, Moria shook his flask-shaped form and lumbered out.
"Let's go," Rhodes said to Hancock.
"Okay," Hancock replied obediently, her expression conveying complete trust.
Upon arriving at the harbor, Rhodes found it densely packed with uniformed Marine soldiers. Tens of thousands stretched as far as the eye could see—one hundred thousand elite Marines, their ranks seemingly endless, their collective presence overwhelming.
The Seven Warlords were positioned at the very forefront of all Marines—the first line to engage the enemy, reflecting their nominal status in the Marines' battle formation.
The Warlords were mentally prepared for this, standing with composed authority. Their imposing figures radiated an aura of power.
In this context, Rhodes, barely over six feet tall, stood out conspicuously—even appearing shorter than Hancock beside him.
Noticing this, Hancock quietly seated herself atop her pet serpent, Salome. This way, at least visually, Rhodes wasn't the shortest present.
Rhodes noticed her thoughtful gesture and couldn't help but smile. What did height matter? He could easily slay Sea Kings hundreds of meters tall. Only strength mattered.
"Don't let your guard down! No matter what transpires, only three hours remain. Then it will all be over!"
A giant Vice Admiral stood below the execution platform, his thunderous voice reverberating throughout the harbor.
An explosive roar erupted from the hundred thousand Marines, creating a sonic wave that shook the surrounding bay.
The overwhelming military might wasn't numerically superior to forces Rhodes had previously faced, but its overall quality was vastly superior. Their sheer presence alone could easily crush lesser armies.
Amidst the countless Marines' battle cries, three tall figures slowly approached from behind: Kizaru, Aokiji, and Akainu—whom Rhodes had never personally encountered until now.
These three released no visible aura, yet their arrival instantly silenced the entire assembly, the oppressive quiet almost suffocating.
When the three Admirals took their elevated seats, all the Marines raised their weapons and roared even louder:
"OOOHHH!"
Clearly, the Admirals' appearance dramatically boosted Marine morale.
Meanwhile, on the distant execution platform, Ace was slowly being escorted forward, shackled in Seastone restraints.
Following closely behind was Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha.
Grasping a Den Den Mushi, he began his address—a speech that would shake the seas—under the gaze of countless Marines below and the entire watching world.
(End of Chapter)
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+10 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Review!
P*atreon/Soulforger (30+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01