Colonel Sousa was, ultimately, disappointed.
The King had not come in person. Stepping off the lead warship was none other than the Crown Prince, Elus.
"Prince Elus! The Northern Legion, Whale Tail Branch, welcomes your arrival!"
Suppressing the sinking feeling in his gut, Sousa greeted Elus with the utmost professional courtesy. Regardless of his feelings, reinforcements were better than nothing. Besides, after a moment's thought, he realized that if the Crown Prince himself was here, surely there must be high-level powerhouses lurking in the shadows to protect him.
With that thought, his disappointment began to recede, replaced by a fresh sprout of hope.
"Colonel Sousa?" Elus said, appraising the uniformed man standing at the front of the welcoming party.
The military structure of the Echemondo Kingdom was modeled after the World Government's Marines, though it had been modified to avoid confusion. The lower ranks still consisted of three grades of Seamen, three grades of Petty Officers, and the commissioned ranks of Ensign, Lieutenant Junior Grade, and Lieutenant.
At the field officer level, they maintained the standard Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and Colonel. However, they added a rank above them: Senior Colonel, which served as the pinnacle of the field grade.
Beyond that, the kingdom did not distinguish between Brigadier, Rear, Vice, or Full Admiral. There was only one rank: General.
Currently, Echemondo had only two Generals—the Navy Minister and the Commander of the Royal Guard. High-ranking officers at the Senior Colonel level numbered only about a dozen, including the Vice-Commander of the Royal Guard, the four Legion Commanders, and various Fleet Admirals.
By that count, a Colonel was already a vital pillar of Echemondo's national defense.
Furthermore, rank in this kingdom wasn't solely determined by raw combat power. While exceptional strength certainly led to rapid promotion, those without overwhelming martial gifts could still climb the ladder through undeniable merit and tactical brilliance.
Colonel Sousa was a man of substance—a true product of the kingdom's elite training system. His personal strength was formidable; even in the Marines, he could likely secure a post as a Commodore with a bit of luck. It was for this reason he had been entrusted with guarding Whale Tail Island, the final gate of the northern trio.
As Elus observed the troops standing behind Sousa—straight as pines, perfectly aligned, and so silent one could hear a pin drop—a flash of genuine appreciation crossed his eyes.
This man is a master of drills, Elus thought. Such talent for organization was far rarer than a mere brawler.
"Colonel Sousa, I've heard General Foy mention you. He spoke highly of your training methods. I recall you took first place in the Four Legions Joint Exercise five years ago representing the North. Seeing your men today, I see the reputation was well-earned. They are excellent."
"Your Highness is too kind. It is my duty, nothing more."
Sousa wasn't blinded by the light praise. As a career soldier, his mind remained fixed on the impending battle. His eyes darted subtly across Elus's retinue, searching for the "hidden masters" tasked with keeping the Prince alive.
"Colonel Sousa, are you looking for someone you know among my men?"
Sousa's clumsy searching hadn't escaped Elus. The Prince glanced back at his adjutants and the various staff following him.
"Ah? No... forgive me, Prince Elus. Please excuse my lack of etiquette; my mind is entirely occupied with the coming war."
Sousa decided to drop the pretense. Bluntness suited his nature far better than political subtlety. He stared openly at the Prince's followers and spoke his mind: "I'm not much for flowery speech, so I will be direct: the enemy coming our way is fierce. If we do not have a true powerhouse among us, cannons and fortresses alone will not hold them back."
In any other context, such words would be an insult to a soldier's pride.
But such was the reality of this world. Setting aside the legends like the Four Emperors or the Three Admirals, even a pirate with a hundred-million bounty was a monster capable of mowing down entire battalions like dry grass. Against such individuals, numbers of common riflemen meant very little.
The disparity in individual power had rewritten the laws of engagement.
Soldier against soldier, general against general. That was the standard protocol of this world. If one side lacked "Generals," they had no choice but to fill the gap with the lives of their "Soldiers."
And as far as Sousa could see, there wasn't a single famous powerhouse among Elus's followers. They were all just unknown youths.
"I see."
Elus nodded in understanding. He'd thought Sousa was looking for an old friend, but the man was simply looking for a heavy hitter to carry the team.
This, he realized, was the power of reputation.
The King and his ministers had witnessed the Prince's true capabilities, which was why they had entrusted him with the war. But men like Sousa only knew the silent, unremarkable Prince of the past and the few legendary figures of the kingdom's history.
"I understand your concern. But... Colonel Sousa, do not worry. This war will be over very soon."
Elus smiled and reached out to pat the Colonel's shoulder. At one hundred and ninety-seven centimeters, Sousa was shorter than Elus, making the gesture effortless.
Behind the Prince, his adjutants all broke into brilliant, knowing smiles, looking at the confused Colonel with amusement.
Sousa's brow furrowed. Are there hidden masters among these kids that I simply don't recognize?
Whale Tail Island was aptly named.
The island was shaped exactly like the flukes of a whale, looking somewhat like a stunted clover. The "stem" of the tail pointed north toward Whale Belly Island, while the split flukes to the south formed a perfect natural harbor. This was the only viable landing point on the island; whether coming from the north or the south, any large-scale force had to funnel through Whale Tail Port.
Consequently, whenever war broke out, this harbor became the primary slaughterhouse.
Elus spent only enough time on land to meet with Sousa and offer a few words to bolster the garrison's morale. Afterward, he returned to his flagship.
He had no intention of moving his quarters to the island. As the Crown Prince, the interior of his vessel was far more luxurious than any manor or hotel Whale Tail could offer. Elus saw no point in unnecessary shuffling; he was perfectly comfortable on the water.
He would wait for the Amento fleet to deliver themselves to his door. Once they were dealt with, he would push north to reclaim Whale Belly and Whale Head—and perhaps push even further, depending on the situation.
On the deck, a large parasol was raised.
Elus reclined in a deck chair, flipping through the dossier his father had given him before his departure.
"'Ghost Sword' Venculla, bounty: 105 million Berries... I remember this guy being quite active lately. I didn't realize he was one of Umit's men. Plus The Skull Hunter, The Magic Ball Sorcerer, The Strangler Ghost, The Black Beast... the Shipping King truly has deep pockets."
Every name represented a major pirate with a bounty over a hundred million.
On the surface, none of these men had any connection to Umit. They were his "hidden pawns," secret assets kept off the books. Had the Echemondo Kingdom not paid a king's ransom to the Queen of the Pleasure District, Stussy, for this intelligence, they might never have known Umit was the mastermind.
Just looking at the caliber of these hidden assets made one realize that the titans of the Underworld were no paper tigers. Umit had a reason for his arrogance.
"Still, there is a risk in reaching out your claws where they don't belong."
Elus tossed the file aside and gazed at the setting sun. The sea was being painted in a hazy, golden hue.
Right then, the Transponder Snail began to ring.