Chapter 426: Landing

"This is Angel Island?"

Lu En looked around, studying the completely unfamiliar geography of the harbor area.

Angel Island lies in the first half of the Grand Line.

To its left lies Alabasta.

To its right lies an extreme ice island.

Ahead lies the Seven Seas Capital.

In short.

Angel Island's geographical position is not bad at all.

Precisely because of this, many pirate crews deliberately come to Angel Island to burn, kill, and plunder, wildly seizing its prosperous goods and economy.

As a result.

Angel Island's economic system frequently suffers devastating blows.

But due to its superior geography…

Even when its economic system is struck, it can recover fully in a short time.

And recently…

The wealthy Angel Island has caught the attention of a pirate crew called the Cerberus Pirates.

This group of pirates is the primary target of Smoker and the others' graduation trial!

Eliminate the Cerberus Pirates…

This is the core of the graduation trial.

Whether it's killing every last one of the Cerberus Pirates…

Or capturing them all…

Only by resolving the Cerberus Pirates can Smoker and the others' graduation trial be officially completed.

"Lu En, keep a close eye on them."

"Later…"

"Go contact the Navy Junzhibu stationed on Angel Island, and have the Colonel in charge personally lead troops to surround the Cerberus Pirates' camp, so not a single one escapes."

Master Zefa came beside Lu En and repeated his instructions.

"I understand."

Lu En nodded.

He had clearly experienced this sort of thing more than once.

For this,

he was already thoroughly familiar.

Previously,

while on a mission with Navy Vice Admiral Kuzan, he had already participated in joint operations with a local Navy Junzhibu to apprehend a pirate crew.

So,

Master Zefa's words were not unfamiliar to Lu En.

They had left Marineford about a week ago, and the sole purpose was this Cerberus Pirate crew.

Now,

the graduation trial is about to officially begin!

If not for the delay caused by Bai Huzi's second generation during the handover, Lu En and the others would have arrived at Angel Island long ago and completed this trial.

"I wonder if this pirate crew has left Angel Island recently."

Master Zefa frowned deeply.

If the Cerberus Pirates have left,

then

this graduation trial will become much more troublesome and take longer to investigate.

"Once we get there, we can just ask the Navy Junzhibu personnel stationed on this island—they'll know the Cerberus Pirates' recent movements."

Lu En said.

"That's true."

Soon after,

under Master Zefa's lead,

the group arrived at the entrance of the Navy Junzhibu stationed on Angel Island.

It was a fairly ordinary Navy Junzhibu base, not very large—estimating its personnel, it likely did not exceed five hundred.

As expected!

After Master Zefa gave his order, a Navy Colonel rushed out from the Junzhibu and urgently reported all detailed intelligence regarding the Junzhibu.

This Navy Colonel's name was Colonel Te Lu, a skilled swordsman.

Through various introductions,

Lu En, Master Zefa, and all the trainees present gradually learned the accurate intelligence of the Navy Junzhibu and the Cerberus Pirates' whereabouts.

"Reporting to General Zefa."

"Currently, the Navy Junzhibu can mobilize four hundred and twenty personnel."

"As for the Cerberus Pirates…"

"They have remained on Angel Island recently, possibly planning to attack the island's residents."

Colonel Te Lu reported truthfully.

Recently,

the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew has been lingering on Angel Island, leaving Colonel Te Lu restless day and night.

He had not failed to consider it.

To eliminate the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew in one strike.

But due to insufficient strength…

He had no choice but to calm his emotions.

Now,

upon seeing Admiral Zefa of the Navy Headquarters arrive in person, Te Lu's tense nerves finally eased slightly.

"Summon every available personnel from your naval branch."

"Next…"

"I will have you encircle the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew!"

"You need not engage in heavy combat—your only task is to encircle the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew. Your primary mission is not to kill the pirates, but to prevent any single one from escaping."

"The rest…"

"Will be left to my students."

Zefa instructed.

"Your students?"

Te Lu stared in shock.

His gaze shifted,

and he could not help but look toward Smoker, Including Tina, and the other youthful naval cadets, his expression hesitant.

He had assumed

that Zefa himself would personally confront the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew.

But now it seemed…

He had clearly misunderstood.

Today,

Admiral Zefa of the Navy Headquarters had come to Angel Island not specifically to deal with the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew, but purely to lead a group of students for training.

Seeing this, Te Lu understood.

He could not help but worry: "Admiral Zefa, is this feasible? The Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew is no ordinary gang—every one of them is a villain drenched in blood."

"And…"

"Their captain is a notorious pirate with a bounty of sixty to seventy million Berries—an Animal-Type Devil Fruit user!"

"Can your students really handle a pirate of this level?"

Hearing this,

Zefa replied seriously: "Rest assured, they will have no problem."

"Well… all right."

Te Lu sighed helplessly.

He dared not defy or oppose the orders of Admiral Zefa.

Thus,

at Te Lu's call,

four hundred and twenty elite naval personnel, each armed with firearms and ammunition, swiftly assembled into neat rows, poised and ready.

Although this naval branch housed many lazy, useless parasites,

upon closer inspection,

the vast majority were formidable naval elites!

In Zefa's eyes,

these men were still usable.

"I entrust you with personally overseeing the encirclement of the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew."

"Let not a single pirate slip through."

·· ·········Seeking flowers··· ·····

"As for who will confront the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew? That will be left to my students."

Zefa ordered Te Lu.

"Yes, Admiral Zefa."

Te Lu nodded solemnly.

Simply leading troops to encircle the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew was clearly no challenge for him.

Turning around,

Zefa, his face stern, instructed Smoker and the other cadets: "Listen carefully. How you deal with the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew is now entirely your responsibility. You must plan and execute it yourselves."

"I will not interfere in any way!"

"This is your graduation trial—you must act on your own. Do not rely on others for everything. If you depend too heavily on others, how will you ever grow into a worthy naval warrior?"

With that,

Smoker, Including Tina, and the other cadets nodded urgently: "Rest assured, Master Zefa—we will successfully complete this graduation trial!"

Next,

Lu En became a complete slacker.

He followed Smoker and the other cadets, traveling swiftly along the detailed route provided by Te Lu toward the Three-Headed Dog Pirate Crew's stronghold.