Meanwhile, across the world...
West Blue, Ballywood Kingdom
Boom!
The earth trembled. The sturdy ground began to twist, pushed aside like mud.
A giant emerged from underground, shoving aside the Ballywood Kingdom's formidable steel walls.
"It's useless. Your steel walls are indeed strong, but my ability is the Push-Push Fruit. I can push anything away, even steel walls."
The giant spoke softly. It was hard to imagine such a rough-looking giant man wearing a skirt and acting coy like a woman.
Despite the stark contrast, the soldiers of Ballywood Kingdom showed no hint of a smile.
Because they knew this person: Morley, Commander of the Revolutionary Army's Western Army!
This giant had been active in the West Blue for years, spreading the Revolutionary Army's ideology. Over more than a decade, countless ordinary people, especially the youth, had taken up arms under his influence.
Their minds were easier to change. They had known only oppression since birth, and under that oppression, they rose in rebellion. Morley had turned the West Blue upside down; several countries had already fallen.
As a current rotating member of the World Government Council, Ballywood Kingdom was the strongest nation in the West Blue.
There were five rotating members: the Frauce Kingdom in the East Blue, the Ballywood Kingdom in the West Blue, the Samba Kingdom in the South Blue, the Deul Kingdom in the North Blue, and the Alabasta Kingdom in the Grand Line.
Even compared to the powerful Kano County in the West Blue, Ballywood Kingdom the strongest.
It was only after losing a war to Ballywood Kingdom that the Kano County sent the Happo Navy to the New World to investigate the source of Ballywood's vast weapon supply. How did Ballywood Kingdom have so many weapons?
Without those weapons, Ballywood Kingdom probably couldn't have defeated the Kano County.
The Kano County was strong, with many naval forces, but Ballywood had advanced technology, sophisticated weapons, and a powerful army.
Defeating such a kingdom was extremely difficult; at the very least, the Kano County couldn't win.
Yet now, Ballywood's mighty steel walls were crumbling. The internal rule in Ballywood was failing.
Intense militarization had led Ballywood to repeatedly wage war on neighboring countries, relying on plunder to pay the Heavenly Tribute.
But this strategy of "feeding war with war" was bound to fail eventually.
In the war with the Kano County, Ballywood ran into trouble, getting bogged down in a stalemate.
If they had won, plundering the Kano County's wealth could have filled their coffers.
The problem was that they were stuck in the conflict for too long, constantly draining resources. Finally, their weapon supply fell short, forcing them to buy arms from Doflamingo.
With weapons produced by the Beasts Pirates, Ballywood barely won the war, but a problem arose: they didn't achieve a complete victory nor manage to seize the Kano County's wealth.
The war drained their funds, they spent more on weapons, and in the end, they didn't win decisively; they lost money.
Domestic financial losses inevitably caused problems: no money, food shortages, soaring prices.
Their survival strategy of "feeding war with war" reached a dead end, forcing them to turn on their own people.
But after years of war, the people were exhausted and war-weary. Moreover, massive casualties had left behind mostly the elderly, the weak, women, and children.
To escape the war economy, large numbers of people fled the country.
Anti-war sentiment ran high in Ballywood. Coupled with the Revolutionary Army's appearance, another faction emerged within the country.
Now, it had finally erupted. After the World Government's recent conscription, Ballywood's military was significantly reduced, its forces forcibly absorbed into the Marines.
Ballywood's failure against the Kano County was also related to this conscription, as the loss of elite troops left their army weakened.
King Hamburg of Ballywood stood on the palace walls, watching Morley.
"The wall is breached! Kill them! No mercy! Use the cannons! Bombard them! Kill all the rebels!" Hamburg ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Under Hamburg's command, numerous cannons were wheeled out onto the high palace walls. These cannons had extremely long barrels. A closer look revealed they were the long-barreled artillery manufactured by the Beasts Pirates.
These cannons had two advantages: long range and high accuracy.
It was these cannons that had allowed Ballywood to defeat the Kano County. Now, they were positioned on the palace walls, aimed at the distant breached section.
Ballywood was divided into two zones, the wall separating the noble district from the commoner district.
Like the Sorbet Kingdom and the Goa Kingdom, the poor were driven outside the walls.
With the wall breached, the nobles inside felt threatened. Morley glanced at their lifestyle.
Two different worlds.
Outside: foul water, oil stains, slums, and industrial waste everywhere.
Inside the walls: birds singing, Kanos blooming, skyscrapers, and people dressed differently.
Those outside wore rags, skinny and bony.
Those inside were graceful and noble, radiant with health.
"You parasites of the world! It's you who exploit us!"
Morley raised her giant fork and stabbed down towards them.
"Overturning Rivers and Seas!"
The earth was pushed by her, rising in waves like the ocean. People on the ground staggered from the tremors, falling and bleeding.
Morley's ability was like an earthquake, shaking the ground violently.
Just as Morley advanced, cannon fire roared ahead. Shells whistled towards her. Morley couldn't react in time; the shells landed near her.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
Intense, explosive flames engulfed Morley. The blasts were far more powerful than ordinary cannon fire.
When the smoke cleared, Morley's body was covered in wounds, and she collapsed.
Thud!
Her massive body fell. Revolutionary Army members behind her hurriedly retreated.
They couldn't possibly lift such a body; they could only avoid being crushed.
With Morley down, the Revolutionary Army's advance stalled.
Deputy Army Commander Ushiano took over command. He was a mink, leading rapid-strike forces into the city.
If Ballywood continued shelling at this intensity, they would destroy their own city along with the rebels.
"I can still fight," Morley struggled to get up.
Whoosh!
Another shell flew towards her. Morley saw it but lacked the strength to block such a high-speed projectile.
"Am I going to die here?"
As Morley prepared to close her eyes, a figure rushed out and kicked the bomb away.
"Hey! The Kano County is here to help!"
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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