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The Strongest Frost Loli (99)
🕑 Added 2024-08-10 17:00:06 +0000 UTCChapter 99 - A Changing Era
Inherited will, the tides of time, and the dreams of humanity – these were forces that could not be stopped.
As long as people sought the answer to “freedom”, these forces would continue to flow.
Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King, had left behind a legacy. Countless individuals, dreaming of the elusive One Piece, set sail for the Grand Line.
– The world was truly in the Great Pirate Era.
The Marines had hoped that Gol D. Roger’s execution would crush the spirits of pirates around the world. But their plan had backfired. They were now overwhelmed, struggling to deal with the surge of pirates that had emerged.
Roger’s words – “My treasure? If you want it, you can have it. Find it. I left everything I gathered together in one place” – had ignited a fire in the hearts of countless individuals. Many sought to become pirates, dreaming of finding One Piece.
The world had changed.
For the Marines, for those who had been pirates before Roger’s execution, and for everyone else.
Shiki, the “Golden Lion”, had also left a lasting impact when he attacked Marine Headquarters during Roger’s execution.
He had clashed with Garp and Sengoku, ultimately losing and being imprisoned in Impel Down. But his fleet and territories remained.
Of course, without Shiki, the Golden Lion Pirates were simply a large, disorganized mob to the other powerful pirates.
The Big Mom Pirates and the Twilight Pirates began seizing Shiki’s territories, crushing any who dared to oppose them.
The Whitebeard Pirates, disliking the chaos, claimed a few islands as their own and established their dominance.
The Beasts Pirates used their brute force to expand their territory.
Newgate, knowing that a clash with the other Yonko would be devastating, avoided conflict. But Kanata had no such qualms. She actively fought against the other pirates. Brute force was their only solution.
“Hmm… Not bad results. We’re doing well.”
“We’re only avoiding conflict with Whitebeard. Kanata’s not interested in expanding our territory, but…”
– Scotch, the “Gale”. Bounty: 135 million berries.
– George, the “Evening Calm”. Bounty: 120 million berries.
They had attacked an island that was once part of Shiki’s territory and defeated the pirates guarding it. By claiming the entire island, they deterred other pirates from attacking. Life for the islanders, for the most part, remained unchanged.
It was a situation unique to the New World, where the Marines’ influence was limited.
David and Samuel were searching for any surviving pirates, but George mentioned that Kanata wasn’t enthusiastic about expanding their territory.
“If we have more territory, our influence will grow, right? Why is she against it?”
“Idiot, expanding our territory also increases maintenance costs. Especially since our main business is trade.”
For pirates, the size of their territory was a symbol of their power. But from a practical standpoint, a vast territory meant high maintenance costs.
They weren’t talking about financial costs, but manpower.
They could cover the financial costs by collecting taxes, but they needed a considerable number of strong fighters to defend their territories.
For Kanata, whose income came primarily from trade, losing manpower was a problem.
“Manpower… It’s hard to find suitable people.”
Even if they increased the number of subordinate pirate crews, most pirates weren’t skilled in trade. It was a dilemma.
They had persuaded some of the Golden Lion Pirates to switch sides, but they weren’t particularly useful. Kanata already had a sizable territory. They were essentially cleaning up after the Golden Lion Pirates.
The only benefit was being able to plunder resources from the defeated pirates, but the financial gains were minimal.
They were doing it as a precaution.
“I doubt he’ll escape, but we need to eliminate any potential threats… just in case Shiki ever breaks out of Impel Down.”
Considering Shiki’s strength and ability, escaping Impel Down wasn’t impossible.
They had to thoroughly eliminate any remnants of his power to prevent him from regaining his former glory.
***
Boom!
A massive galleon was crushed underfoot. The Golden Lion Pirates’ skull emblem, painted on the sail, sank beneath the waves. Their resistance was futile. Their weapons were easily deflected through the air.
“Who’s next? I’ll crush you all at once.”
– Feiyun, the “Giant Shadow”. Bounty: 780 million berries.
She was a giant, capable of growing ten times larger than an ordinary giant. To her, these pirates were nothing more than insects. Their paltry bounties meant nothing. They couldn’t even scratch her.
She was perhaps the most dangerous opponent among Kanata’s crew.
“Feiyun, that’s enough! We’re done here! Time for lunch!”
– Gloriosa, the “Sky Cover”. Bounty: 188 million berries.
Behind her stood several stone statues, so lifelike they seemed about to move. Gloriosa, responsible for their creation, was unharmed, her gaze fixed on the sinking ship.
“They weren’t very strong.”
– Kaie, the “Demonic Glance”. Bounty: 66 million berries.
She had tied her long purple hair back, keeping it out of the way.
Gloriosa’s hair was starting to show streaks of gray. She was considering retirement, but she still had some fight left in her. She wasn't going to lose to the younger generation just yet.
The three of them had sunk nearly ten pirate ships, claiming the island that was once part of Shiki’s territory.
It was a simple task, considering the Golden Lion Pirates’ three Grand Dukes weren’t present.
They left the harbor and headed inland.
“I’m hungry…”
“You’re bound to be after all that fighting. Don’t worry, we have plenty of food.”
Feiyun had single-handedly destroyed most of the ships. Even the Golden Lion Pirates’ grunts were relatively strong, but they were no match for Feiyun.
Gloriosa and Kaie had simply finished off the survivors. It was an easy job.
“But why are the Golden Lion Pirates’ executives missing?”
“This island isn’t a particularly important base… There must be another reason.”
They were clearly acting with a purpose.
Perhaps they were trying to minimize their losses, anticipating Shiki’s eventual escape from Impel Down… or maybe they were gathering forces to attack Impel Down and retrieve him.
Regardless, Gloriosa and Kaie’s mission remained the same.
“We’ll deal with another island after this. We’ll be busy for a while.”
Feiyun pumped her fist. “I’ll do my best!” she declared.
It would take time to completely dismantle the Golden Lion Pirates. They were a massive organization, and the situation was further complicated by Big Mom and Kaido’s movements.
The number of pirates had grown after Roger’s execution. It would take a while for things to calm down. It was a bad time to take risks.
***
A fist, imbued with Haki, cleaved through the air, delivering a devastating blow.
The enemy collapsed, and Junshi moved on to the next, effortlessly defeating them one by one.
They were weaklings, unworthy of challenging the Twilight Pirates. It was almost insulting.
Since Roger’s execution, the number of these inexperienced, delusional pirates had increased. They had become pirates simply to find treasure.
“This is boring. Is this the best you can offer?”
– Junshi, the “Six Harmonies Great Spear”. Bounty: 880 million berries.
“If you’re going to challenge us, train a bit more! Hihin!”
– Zen, the “Red Mane”. Bounty: 800 million berries.
The two executives, tasked with defending Hachinosu, were dealing with the pirates who had emerged after Roger’s execution.
They were inexperienced newcomers, with skills barely adequate for the New World.
The New World was a sea of powerful individuals. Those with insufficient strength would simply become food for the fish. Of course, there were a few promising pirates among them.
“That Crocodile kid from the other day had some potential. These guys are hopeless.”
Crocodile, who had attacked them recently, was relatively strong. He wasn’t a match for Junshi or Zen, but he was a Logia Devil Fruit user. He had room to grow. Junshi was looking forward to seeing how much stronger he would become.
Judging by Crocodile’s cautious approach, it had likely been a reconnaissance mission. They had failed to capture him, so they would have to report it.
“They managed to reach the New World. They can’t be that weak… But there are countless pirates like them here.”
“Indeed. We didn’t even need to intervene.”
“We’re short-staffed right now. Everyone’s busy.”
Their subordinates were dealing with the remaining pirates. They would collect the bounties from the wanted criminals later and exchange them for money through a broker.
The increase in pirates had also led to an increase in bounty hunters. As long as they weren’t dealing with large sums, the Marines wouldn’t suspect anything. They regularly switched brokers to avoid being recognized.
They couldn’t guarantee they wouldn’t be caught, but the amount was small enough to be considered pocket change for Kanata and her crew.
“I should have joined the others and hunted down the Golden Lion Pirates.”
“I agree, but we can’t neglect our defenses.”
Junshi wanted to settle his score with Apsu, and Zen with Lelampargo. They had fought during their previous encounter, but hadn’t been able to finish the battle. They had hoped to fight them during this cleanup operation, but the three Grand Dukes were currently missing.
There was no point in fighting the remaining members. They had hoped to use the time for training, but the constant arrival of pirates made that difficult.
And the pirates they were facing were weaklings…
“We should increase security for our merchant ships. It’ll take a while for the situation to calm down.”
“That will just worsen our manpower shortage… Even Kanata’s complaining about it.”
It also meant more work for Junshi and Zen, who were responsible for training the combat personnel.
The world had changed, but not necessarily for the better.
***
Kanata was tracking down the Golden Lion Pirates’ three Grand Dukes, clashing with the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates along the way.
The Golden Lion Pirates were on the verge of collapse. It was only a matter of time before they were completely destroyed.
But Kanata was personally handling the three Grand Dukes, knowing that they might be too strong for Junshi and the others.
Apsu, the “Black Bind”.
Lelampargo, the “White Beast”.
Lucien, the “Red Cannon”.
They were all high-ranking pirates with impressive bounties. Their strength rivaled the executives of other powerful crews.
“It’s been a while since our last encounter in the Maubeugemour Sea. You seem to be doing well.”
“…Don’t be ridiculous. You’ve cornered us, and now you’re saying that?”
Kanata stood on the frozen sea, she smiled and relaxed her fighting stance. Her ship was a short distance away. Five ships, bearing the Golden Lion Pirates’ skull emblem, were trapped in the ice. She couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment, though it wasn't her place to say so.
“Will you join my crew?”
“…What?”
Apsu frowned, surprised by her offer.
She was asking them, her former enemies, to become her subordinates. He thought she was crazy, but her words seemed genuine.
She was serious.
“Shiki’s in Impel Down. His organization is crumbling… You’re all strong enough to find new crews.”
Of course, loyalty was paramount in the pirate world. They would be looked down upon for switching sides… but it wasn’t unheard of.
Their former captain was currently absent. It was essentially a matter of personal preference.
“So you want us to become your subordinates?”
“I’m afraid I have to refuse.”
“No.” Lucien flatly refused.
He knew he couldn’t keep winning forever. That was life. But he would survive, even if it meant crawling on his belly. He would rise again and continue to seek victory.
That’s how he had always lived. Just like when he had lost a political struggle in his homeland, a nation ravaged by endless war, and been forced to flee.
Of course, both his homeland and the nation they had been fighting had been destroyed since then.
“I see… That’s unfortunate.”
“–Gaaaaah!”
Kanata raised her spear, her expression regretful, but before she could move, Lelampargo attacked.
He was a Zoan Devil Fruit user, most likely a Mythical Zoan. His physical abilities were significantly enhanced, and his Haki was also impressive. He could at least buy them some time against Kanata.
“Leila and I will hold her off. You know what to do.”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. We’ll do what we can.”
They disembarked, shattering the ice that had frozen their ship. Once they had cleared a path, Lucien could use his ability to break the remaining ice and escape.
They knew that even Apsu and Lelampargo together could only buy them time against Kanata.
They couldn’t afford to lose Dr. Indigo, Shiki’s strategist, here.
Apsu followed Lelampargo, approaching Kanata and unleashing chains from his arms.
“You seem determined to protect someone – Fine, run if you want. The Golden Lion’s proud fleet is already in ruins. One or two less won’t make a difference.”
Kanata thrust her spear into the frozen ground and prepared to fight them barehanded.
Lelampargo, wielding two battle axes, attacked relentlessly, but his attacks couldn’t touch her. She effortlessly dodged his blows, then closed the distance, landing several Haki-clad punches.
The shockwaves from her punches penetrated his body, damaging his internal organs. He wasn’t fatally wounded, but he couldn’t breathe, let alone move.
It was a technique similar to Chinjao’s Eight Impact Fist. Her mastery of Armament Haki was impressive, but her skill in martial arts was equally formidable.
“One down.”
She left the immobilized Lelampargo and turned to face Apsu.
He immediately retreated, creating distance, and unleashed a wave of chains from his surroundings. He had awakened his Devil Fruit ability.
“Awakening…”
Few Devil Fruit users reached that stage. It was a rare ability.
Kanata effortlessly dodged the chains and reached Apsu.
“Y-You… monster…!”
“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re simply… weak.”
To Kanata, her spear was an extension of her body. A shorter reach didn’t change her fundamental strength.
Her Haki-clad fists were as strong as any weapon. She punched Apsu, bypassing his chain defense, and sent him flying.
He coughed up blood as he slid across the ice, and glared at her as he struggled to his feet.
He spat out the blood in his mouth and charged. At the same time, Lelampargo, having recovered, swung his axes from behind – and both were instantly frozen by Kanata.
“Foolish.”
– Kanata, the “Dragon Slayer Witch”. Bounty: 2.89 billion berries.
“Is this the best Shiki’s executives have to offer?”
She stood between the two frozen figures and watched the ship escaping in the distance. The other ships were already being subdued. It wouldn’t take long.
She considered what to do with Lucien and Dr. Indigo… and decided to let them go. There was no point in pursuing them now. She would simply take precautions and prepare for any future encounters.
“…Linlin, Kaido, and Newgate remain.”
She had been clashing with Big Mom frequently. She wanted to eliminate her, but a battle between them would have widespread consequences.
Newgate would likely feign ignorance, but the Marines might take advantage of their weakened state and attack.
For now, she decided to focus on eliminating the pirates who had emerged after Roger’s execution and stabilize the economy within her sphere of influence.
The chaos would likely continue for a year or two.
It was a bad time to gamble.
