One Piece: Wielder of the Void

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Daiki was able to express this, but Anos did not object. He understood it quite well.

The Tru Kingdom, with its rapid development, would naturally attract attention.

A few hundred soldiers may not draw much concern, but tens of thousands of elite troops would surely make waves.

The World Government would not sit idly by, and even the Marines would take issue with such a force being amassed in a relatively small kingdom.

"If the Tru Kingdom truly seeks to grow, then we must tread carefully. Consult Losta on the matter and find a secluded location. Within a year, I will secure a more permanent, hidden base for your training, where no one will discover you," Anos instructed calmly, his gaze focused.

After a moment of thought, Daiki spoke. "The only location that fits your description is Sky Island. It's isolated and has enough space for training a large force without attracting unwanted attention."

Sky Island was a mythical and mysterious place, far removed from the eyes of the World Government and the public.

Its high altitude made it almost impossible to find for those unaware of its existence, providing the perfect sanctuary for a secret military force.

"Your Majesty, we've selected candidates of the right age from the army for training, but the numbers are overwhelming. Even if all of our Royal Guards were deployed as instructors, we still wouldn't have enough manpower to manage such a large group!" Daiki explained, the frustration clear in his voice.

Anos, unperturbed by Daiki's concerns, gave a firm response. "Dispatch the entire Royal Guard, all five hundred of them. That will be sufficient to guide the recruits during the early stages of their training."

"We don't have the luxury of time. The battles we'll face in the future will be far beyond what you can currently imagine."

He continued, "In this era of Pirates, the tides are unpredictable. Although we reside in the South Blue, the threats we may face could arise from anywhere. Prepare yourselves; the world beyond is much larger and more dangerous than you think."

Daiki nodded, though hesitation lingered in his mind.

He had initially wanted to object. With the Royal Guards fully committed to training, who would remain to protect Anos?

But then the realization struck him Anos did not require protection from ordinary men. His strength surpassed that of anyone in the kingdom, perhaps even the entire South Blue. What was there to fear?

"The spatial capabilities we currently possess are insufficient to construct a stable space channel…" Anos muttered, his thoughts drifting as he pondered the future.

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Over the next several months, the Tru Kingdom began to make headlines across the world.

The newspaper stories detailed the rapid modernization of the once-quiet kingdom in the South Blue.

Its infrastructure and economy were growing at a breathtaking pace, catching the eye of many, from the World Government to notorious pirate crews.

Even rival kings and queens marvelled at the sudden rise of this once-overlooked kingdom.

But, despite all the attention, the reports were carefully curated. The Tru Kingdom only allowed the world to see what it wanted them to see.

Beneath the surface, things were developing even faster. Shipbuilding, papermaking, and various other industries were thriving, while the economy outpaced expectations.

The kingdom was now well on its way to becoming a formidable player on the world stage.

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But on this day, an ominous presence cast a shadow over the palace of Tru.

Several uninvited guests arrived, their footsteps echoing across the palace grounds. These men were dressed uniformly in black suits, ties, and black sunglasses.

They looked like agents of some underground organization. Their faces were stern, showing no emotion, and their movements were precise as if they had done this many times before.

The leader of the group stood out, towering over the rest at a height of at least two meters.

He was thin, but his aura radiated power and control, sending chills down the spines of anyone who dared to meet his gaze.

This incident occurred six months after the first national meeting of the Tru Kingdom.

The presence of outsiders wasn't unusual the kingdom had become a hub of activity as businessmen, pirates, and curious adventurers flocked to see what all the fuss was about.

The palace guards had grown accustomed to large numbers of visitors, and their initial response to the approaching group was no different.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but the palace is off-limits to visitors. Please feel free to explore the other areas," one guard said politely, maintaining his composure.

But the tall, two-meter man in the lead said nothing.

He calmly removed his sunglasses, revealing a pair of cold, calculating eyes. Without warning, he lashed out with a swift kick that sent the guard flying across the palace grounds.

The guard crashed to the floor, motionless, his life snuffed out in an instant.

The other guards stood in stunned silence, frozen by the sudden violence. Before they could even react, the tall man struck again.

In a blur of motion, the remaining three guards fell to the ground, their bodies were lifeless.

The attackers showed no emotion, no remorse. They hadn't spoken a word, and their faces remained cold and expressionless as if this was routine for them.

They began their march toward the palace, undeterred by the carnage they had just caused.

However, such brazen violence could not go unnoticed for long. The commotion quickly reached the other members of the palace staff, and reinforcements rushed to the scene.

Unfortunately, most of the guards left in the palace were regular soldiers, untrained in advanced combat.

The elite Royal Guards had already been dispatched to train recruits, leaving the palace defended by less-experienced personnel.

These ordinary guards carried firearms, but they were no match for what they were about to face.

As nearly seventy soldiers charged toward the intruders, two of the attackers stepped forward, revealing their Devil Fruit abilities.

One of them began to emit bubbles from his body, seemingly harmless at first but deadly upon contact.

As the bubbles spread out, each one exploded like a cannonball upon impact, tearing through the ranks of the soldiers.

The soldiers had no chance. In mere moments, the once-organized defence was reduced to chaos, bodies strewn across the palace grounds.

The loud explosions and sounds of destruction echoed through the palace, drawing the attention of more guards.

However, these ordinary soldiers were little more than cannon fodder against the overwhelming power of the intruders.

As the palace descended into chaos, the true nature of the attack began to unfold.

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