One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 505: The War Begins (Part 1)

The New World was enveloped in a suffocating atmosphere.

The rich were fleeing, and the poor were waiting to die.

This was especially true on the front lines of the war.

The three great combatants of the Rockefeller Pirates had already reached the outermost frontier of their territory: an island covered in military fortresses.

Esdeath stood at the island's highest point, watching the countless conscripted laborers building various defensive measures.

"Sis, Father already said we can abandon this place if necessary and shrink our defenses. There's no need to continue building here."

Caesar said, looking at the laborers who had been forced to construct the fortresses. Every face was filled with exhaustion and numbness.

Esdeath shot Caesar a cold glance.

"Even if we have to retreat, we must deal the Marines a heavy blow. There are so many islands along this route; we can't just hand them all over to the Marines for free. If the Marines want to continue their invasion without any worries, they will have to retake these islands one by one. This time, our Rockefeller Pirates will take a huge bite out of the Marines. Put away your pity. We are pirates."

Esdeath's words struck Caesar's heart heavily, leaving him speechless.

"Sis, all the islands have been formed into defensive chains. There are three major island chains in total to defend against the Marines' invasion. Father plans to meet the Marines at the third island chain," Tesla said as he walked over to Esdeath.

"Mm. Keep a close watch on the Marines' movements. The moment they get close, we must take a bite out of them. I'll make sure that if the Marines want to leave, they'll have to shed a layer of flesh first. Otherwise, I'll no longer bear the Rockefeller name."

Esdeath gripped the hilt of her sword, her murderous intent overflowing as she gazed at the sea where the sun was setting.

The intensity of it startled both Caesar and Tesla.

Over the years, Esdeath had been responsible for the Rockefeller Pirates' external slaughters, constantly leading them to kill any forces that invaded their territory. She had long since developed a decisive and ruthless personality. Her powerful killing intent seemed to make the surrounding air freeze.

Charlotte had sent his three children out here precisely to construct these defensive positions and await the Marines' attack. Although he had given the order to abandon the positions if the situation became untenable, it was clear that Esdeath would not give up the territory she had fought so hard for so easily.

Time slowly passed.

The Marines entered the New World in full force.

As soon as they arrived, the Marines launched a ferocious attack on the pirates located near the Red Line. Those pirate crews who were huddled in the first half of the New World were annihilated one after another. They didn't even qualify for Impel Down, their graves becoming the sea itself.

On an island engulfed in flames, nearly a hundred Marine warships were arranged densely on the sea.

"Fleet Admiral, we have cleared out the pirate forces near the Red Line. Further ahead is the territory of the Rockefeller Pirates," an adjutant reported as he approached the Fleet Admiral's side.

"What are the Rockefeller Pirates' current movements?" Kong asked, looking at the island that was spewing magma on one side and covered in ice on the other.

"Currently, Rockefeller Charlotte has not appeared on the front-line island. Instead, the Rockefeller Pirates' Esdeath, Caesar, and Tesla are leading a force stationed there, seemingly waiting for us," the adjutant said, looking at the latest intelligence.

"Where is Rockefeller Charlotte?" Fleet Admiral Kong frowned and asked immediately upon hearing he wasn't there.

"He is at the junction between the first half of the New World and its center. It seems he has chosen that place as the site for the decisive battle," the adjutant said after a moment's hesitation.

"What about the Whitebeard Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates? Any movements?" Kong continued to ask.

Ever since entering the New World, Kong's heart had been on edge, ceaselessly monitoring the movements of the three great pirate crews.

"The Whitebeard Pirates and Big Mom Pirates have concentrated their main forces on their borders with the Rockefeller Pirates' territory at the same time. Their intentions are still unclear, but the staff office speculates that they want to wait until our Marines engage with the Rockefeller Pirates before they join forces. After all, the Rockefeller Pirates' territory is far larger than the other two crews'."

The adjutant relayed the message from Marine Headquarters.

"Hah... That's good. We're not afraid of their schemes, only of them truly joining forces. It's better for our Marines if they each have their own ulterior motives," Kong said with a sigh of relief.

The pirates were still scheming against each other even now. This made Kong even more confident of victory in this battle.

While Kong was listening to the adjutant's report, Akainu and Aokiji had already led their men back to the fleet, leaving only a single unit garrisoned on the island to stabilize the newly reclaimed territory.

"Let's go! Target: the Rockefeller Pirates. Set out!"

Seeing that all the Marines had returned, Kong immediately gave the order.

"Sir!" all the surrounding Marines responded, standing at attention.

The various fleets advanced towards the Rockefeller Pirates in an orderly fashion.

At the bridgehead of the Rockefeller Pirates.

"The Marines are coming," Esdeath said, looking at the Den Den Mushi in her hand.

"We'll face whatever comes our way. I'd like to see what gives the Marines the guts to invade the New World," Caesar, on the contrary, became resolute as the moment arrived.

Presenting a united front against outsiders was something their father had taught them since they were young. No matter what difficulties he and his siblings encountered, unity was the most important thing.

Esdeath nodded with a blank expression, her eyes fixed on the sea.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Suddenly, the wind and waves on the sea died down. Everyone felt the oppressive atmosphere.

"Are they here? It's been a long wait."

At the port, Tesla lazily put down his book and looked into the distance. His Observation Haki instantly spread out, and the black dots that suddenly appeared in his mind made his expression turn serious.

At the same time, Esdeath, Caesar, and the others also looked over.

On the sea in the distance, one Marine warship after another gradually came into view.

"That... that's... Marine warships!" a laborer standing at the port shouted in shock, gripping the shovel in his hands as he stared at the sea.

The next moment, all the laborers looked towards the sea.

"Oh no, the Marines are here! Run!"

Suddenly, the laborers fell into chaos, all of them running towards the mountains behind them. They knew that neither the Marines nor the pirates would care about them during a battle. If they didn't run now, they would become cannon fodder.

Esdeath allowed these people to run towards the mountains without stopping them.

"They've really sent a lot of people. There must be a hundred ships," Caesar said, shouldering his guan dao as he walked to Esdeath's side, gazing into the distance.

"I'll go meet them first!" Caesar grinned.

His body suddenly began to expand.

The next moment, a thousand-meter-long dragon soared into the sky, appearing before all the Marines.

---

Read up to 35 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin

[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]

*Thank you*