You can read ahead up to 15 chapters on my Patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
After the great incident at Sabaody, the Marines, following intense internal reorganization, quieted down.
What puzzled the world was that they did not immediately take action against Qin's Nation. Instead, they remained completely motionless, falling into silence. But those with sharp eyes knew well that, whether it was the World Government or the Marines, neither would ever let go of the one who had thrown the entire world into chaos.
One day later, in the seas near Qin's Nation.
On the flagship of Qin's Nation's Navy fleet, Ace walked with a solemn expression toward the back of Madara, who stood with hands clasped behind him, gazing at the endless sea.
"Master."
"Mhm."
Madara gave a slight nod.
"I'm leaving Qin's Nation," Ace said in a low, steady voice.
"Go."
Just one indifferent word left Madara's lips. He said nothing more.
Ace understood his master's personality well and did not press the matter. He simply turned to depart.
"Wait!" Just as he was about to step off the ship, Madara spoke.
Ace froze, turned back, confusion flickering in his eyes.
"Take this. It will be useful." With a flick of Madara's hand, an object spun through the air. Ace caught it firmly.
"The Uchiha War Fan!" Ace's eyes widened in shock at what he held.
Madara had thrown him the legendary fan weapon. Ace knew all too well of its miraculous powers.
"Don't disgrace me."
Coldly spitting out those four words, Madara fell silent once again.
He never once turned around to face Ace, only continued gazing at the boundless sea before him.
Ace gripped the Uchiha War Fan tightly. After taking a deep breath, he bent low, bowing to Madara once more before retreating.
The fan's mysterious might, its ability to absorb and repel even expert-level attacks, was well known to him. In a critical moment, it could be a lifesaver. And though Ace had never seen Madara use the sickle attached to its end, there was no doubt it too was a terrifying weapon.
After bidding farewell to Madara, Ace and his crew set sail once again.
…
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, an emergency meeting was convened.
"The situation is already extremely dire. The current state of the Grand Line is clear for all of you to see."
Sengoku pressed both hands onto the table, his voice heavy.
At his sides sat Akainu and Kizaru, still bandaged, not yet fully healed. Their faces were as dark as storm clouds.
That recent battle had left them both scarred, not just physically but in spirit. Kizaru especially, his face had been smashed beyond recognition.
"The World Government recommends we take immediate action! But I believe, recklessly opening the Pandora's box of war is not a rational choice."
"From intelligence gathered across many channels, we know this Qin's Nation possesses technologies unfamiliar to us. They have developed a new kind of weapon, its offensive power is extremely high!"
"Moreover, the number of experts within this country is not few!"
"Qin Lin, Yang Yi, and Fang Lan, these three generals of Qin's Nation, based on their recent displays of strength, are no weaker than our three Admirals!"
"If all-out war breaks out, the consequences could be catastrophic, dragging countless civilians of the Grand Line's first half into the flames."
"Remember, Qin's Nation is far from merciful. Their very first appearance was an invasion of Alabasta. They even recruited Crocodile, a notorious criminal, into their ranks."
"If pushed into a corner, who knows what they might do."
Sengoku's words, together with the thick dossiers laid out on the table before every officer present, left all the generals deep in thought.
In those dossiers, every officer of Qin's Nation ranked at Major or above was listed in detail, a clear display of Marine's formidable intelligence-gathering ability.
But it was precisely because of this that their pupils shrank and their hearts trembled.
Truly, one does not know until one investigates, yet upon investigating, the result was shocking. The quality, training, and combat power of Qin's Nation's field-grade officers were in no way inferior to the elite of Marine Headquarters.
This was terrifying enough. What made their eyes flash even more wildly, however, were the photographs contained in that thick stack of files, images of brand-new weapons, utterly different from the Marines' standard-issue arms, yet far more powerful and awe-inspiring.
"These are what Qin's Nation's soldiers call tanks and Italian cannons. In addition, there are brand-new types of projectiles, missiles, for example."
"These weapons are ones we have never before seen. But it is certain, they must possess immense destructive force, and are not to be underestimated!"
Sengoku's voice was grave as he spoke.
It was not merely the weapons themselves that struck fear into him. What truly chilled Sengoku's heart was the discovery that Qin's Nation had already begun constructing its own military-industrial factories.
Unlike the Revolutionary Army. Unlike pirates. Qin's Nation was the real threat. Sengoku reached that conclusion in an instant.
"Therefore, recklessly taking action and starting a war is not suitable! Yet, doing nothing and allowing them to grow unchecked is also unacceptable!"
His low voice echoed as Sengoku's sharp gaze swept across every person present.
The atmosphere in the room grew heavy. All the admirals and generals realized the terrifying potential of Qin's Nation.
"I believe the most urgent priority right now is to rescue Admiral Aokiji. We have intelligence that he is not dead, only trapped beneath the waters off Cauliflower Harbor."
Akainu finally spoke.
"His ability is vital for naval warfare."
"As for Qin's Nation, as Fleet Admiral Sengoku said, we cannot act rashly. We can observe them for now. In the meantime, the Marines must prepare for war."
"When the right moment comes, it won't be too late to fight!"
Hearing Akainu's words, everyone present nodded silently.
It could be said that Qin's Nation's choice of geographical position was nothing short of brilliant. In the first half of the Grand Line, where Marine control was strict and civilian populations were densest, Qin's Nation had suddenly risen up, striking at Marine's fatal weakness. Whether they moved or remained still, the Marines were trapped in a dilemma.
Even if war broke out, it could only be on a limited scale. The moment it expanded, civilians would be caught in the flames, an unacceptable risk.
Sengoku's eyes flashed. He, too understood that Akainu's proposal was the most suitable for now. To charge blindly into battle would only bring disaster to both the Marines and the World Government.
"Very well. Prepare for the operation to rescue Admiral Aokiji."
"And furthermore, recall the Shichibukai!"
After sweeping his gaze across the room, Sengoku made his final decision.
As for Qin's Nation, they would have to be left to their arrogance, for now.
…
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and an entire month had quietly slipped away.
On this day, Qin Yi walked out of the Royal Palace. Brilliant sunlight fell upon his head, making him narrow his eyes slightly.
"A whole month without sunlight… it really does make one feel lazy."
Stretching his arms with a faint smile, Qin Yi looked relaxed.
During this month, he had carefully researched all of his various abilities. Naturally, his focus was on the powers of his three Devil Fruits, along with his mastery of both forms of Haki.
With his talent, a single month was enough to fully integrate them all; his strength had stepped up to yet another level.
"And now, it's time to accelerate the pace of conquest and expansion!"
His gaze suddenly turned razor-sharp as he looked toward the distant horizon.
His patience, after all, was not very great!
(End of Chapter)