Chapter 165: Hawkeye: I'm Here to Kill Marine Elites!

Hawkeye had just walked out of the gloomy residence, continuing to advance toward the deepest part of Death Island.

Wearing a Marine cap that looked like it had mouse ears, Colonel Nezumi led a squad of Navy soldiers to block Hawkeye's path.

"Hawkeye!"

The corners of Colonel Nezumi's mouth curled up slightly as he said, "By the latest order of Fleet Admiral Sengoku of Marine Headquarters, all Navy and hired forces must obey summons, including the Seven Warlords of the Sea; all must participate in the operation to capture the world's most wanted criminals."

In the past,

he, a cheap Colonel of the East Blue Branch, would naturally have had no qualifications to speak to Hawkeye in such a manner.

But now it was different; the order was issued by Marine Headquarters, by the Fleet Admiral, and behind them stood the World Government and the Five Elders.

Therefore, even someone as strong as Hawkeye had to obediently follow orders.

This was his understanding.

Just like these past years, when he lacked powerful strength but was able to rely on playing politics and deceiving his superiors while concealing the truth from his subordinates, rising all the way to a Branch Colonel, and using the assets from his dealings with the Arlong Pirates to climb step by step toward a position at Marine Headquarters.

This was the taste of power; even the strongest Navy personnel could only be his subordinates.

In his heart, even Hawkeye of the Seven Warlords had to submit to the commands of power.

However,

he had never thought that when strength reaches a certain level, it can easily tear apart this layer of power that was built on strength to begin with.

To these people, power is just a fig leaf.

Swish.

A burning, emerald-green sword aura instantly left a deep, scorched blade mark across the entire street of the Ghost City.

The entire squad of Navy soldiers led by Nezumi was defeated in an instant.

All of them entered a respawn state.

"You—you dare to attack the Navy?"

Colonel Nezumi felt a sword aura that seemed capable of piercing the soul brush past his side, burning his cheeks until they stung.

The courage that had only just emerged shattered with a bang at this moment.

Along with it went the worldview he had nurtured through power.

Just as his legs went weak and he was about to kneel on the ground, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket suddenly rang.

【Notification: The cost for a cross-boundary Den Den Mushi is 20 Reward Points per second.】

The internal space of the Trial Tower and the East Blue outside appeared to be merged, but they were actually two completely different spaces.

To have a conversation, naturally, was not that easy.

"It's Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"

Colonel Nezumi, as if seeing a savior, quickly answered the call.

The Den Den Mushi's head transformed into the likeness of Sengoku, and his voice came through: "Hawkeye, you are a Seven Warlord granted status by the World Government with a legal identity; obeying the summons of Marine Headquarters is a matter of course."

One could hear the gentleness and helplessness in Sengoku's tone.

These Seven Warlords were all unruly great Pirates, and Hawkeye was the most difficult to command among them, almost never attending any Navy council.

If it weren't for his strength as the World's Greatest Swordsman, which the Navy could not easily discard, he would have long since been replaced by the World Government.

"That is correct, but I have more important things to do."

Hawkeye nodded, then shook his head.

He was most annoyed by unnecessary trouble; although he did not fear the Navy, the trouble of Marine pursuits and bounties would attract some small fry and flies, which was very irritating.

"Are you referring to competing for the Tower Lord guarding the very center of Death Island?"

Sengoku's voice continued to come through, his speaking speed slightly increasing—even Marine Headquarters felt the pinch from these high communication fees—and he said, "The world's most dangerous criminal, Monkey D. Dragon, also has the same goal as you. You will eventually encounter each other. Marine Headquarters' requirement is to capture him alive and drive him off Death Island."

Inside Death Island, even if one killed Dragon countless times, he would just respawn; it was completely meaningless.

Furthermore,

the Navy did not want to just kill this criminal who dared to resist the Celestial Dragons like that; executing him with the death penalty, just like the Pirate King, was the best method.

Not only could it maintain the majesty of the World Government, but it could also warn the restless slaves and commoners that this is the fate of those who dare to oppose the World Government.

"Very well."

Upon hearing the request, Hawkeye nodded slightly.

He ignored the stiff-bodied Colonel Nezumi and continued walking forward, just as Sengoku, feeling the pain of the communication fees, was about to hang up.

Hawkeye turned back to remind him: "Mr. Sengoku, it seems you still haven't realized what the arrival of that game merchant actually signifies. The Si Hai is no longer the way you imagine it while sitting at Marine Headquarters; soon, earth-shaking changes will occur."

"If you cannot keep up, even the high and mighty Celestial Dragons..."

He did not continue with the rest of his words.

Because he hated troublesome matters.

The more one stands at the pinnacle of the world, the more clearly one can feel the terrifying power displayed by the game merchant after becoming a player, rather than like those ignorant, ordinary Pirates who treat the Trial Tower as a game between the Navy and Pirates.

From now on, there will no longer be a place for the cowardly or the weak in the Si Hai.

Any former powerhouse, including the Four Emperors, Marine Admirals, and even he, the World's Greatest Swordsman, could be surpassed, left behind, and finally crushed into the dust of history.

As long as that existence is willing to remain in the Pirate World, no one can stop this great trend.

Whoever blocks it dies.

Sengoku was somewhat excited, not expecting an unexpected gain, and he hurriedly said, "Is that so, Hawkeye? It seems you have had close contact with that game merchant. Can you provide his information to the Navy?"

"Sorry, no comment."

Hawkeye heard Sengoku's attitude and shook his head helplessly.

Clearly, the other party had not taken his words to heart and still regarded the game merchant as some kind of special ability user or someone who could be dealt with by Marine Headquarters.

Truly foolish.

No, even he himself, before experiencing the great power of the game merchant firsthand, probably would not have believed such a thing.

Hawkeye's mouth curled up, looking as if he were watching a good show.

It seems the Navy is going to have a hard time this time.

On the other side,

The Navy team led by Garp also arrived inside the 【Ghost City】 located deep within Death Island.

Possessing the ability to unseal and rich combat experience, Garp hunted specters very quickly, and he soon grasped an ability unique to himself.

【Strong Fist】: Concentrates the power within the body to significantly increase punching force for a sustained duration.

Originating from the nation of Suju, the Fighters are a school that focuses primarily on training the body and fists; there is no flashy Qigong, nor are there complicated techniques—there is only the fist and body trained to the absolute limit.

Every move and every stance releases the most powerful strength within the body.

Boom.

A punch imbued with Armament Haki and carrying the energy of Strong Fist made the air itself seem to vibrate.

"Hahahahaha, what truly astonishing power! So, there are such formidable Fighters in this other world as well?"

Garp charged into a gloomy courtyard with his bare hands and unleashed a flurry of punches at the dense swarm of specters.

The Navy soldiers behind him scrambled to keep up, but they were blocked outside the vermilion gate by an invisible force.

These gloomy courtyards are similar to individual small-scale dungeons, allowing a maximum of five people to enter.

The Navy soldiers could only stare blankly, waiting for Marine Hero Garp to come out.

"Vice Admiral Garp, the operation to capture the criminals cannot be delayed; if we continue to linger, the most dangerous criminal will likely escape!"

(End of this chapter)