Chapter 149: Pre-Battle Psychological Construction

"Only by letting them know true pain will they not, and dare not, provoke us lightly."

Hearing these words, Master Tenghu realized that the journey to Marineford would surely result in countless casualties, yet he did not speak up to ask the captain for mercy.

What a joke.

This is a life-and-death battle where only one side survives.

He, Master Tenghu, had been a pirate for two years; how could he make such an idiotic, saintly mistake?

The reason the captain said these things was obviously out of concern for the justice he upheld, which is why he convened this meeting on the way to Marineford.

"Captain, you may have some misunderstandings about me."

Master Tenghu explained with a look of helplessness.

"I merely believe we should not kill civilians; naturally, we should not be soft on enemies, after all, the Navy has no intention of sparing us."

Saint Saint Saiwen silently breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

Since Master Tenghu already had his resolve, then continue to PUA him to deepen that resolve until it is smelted into the subconscious instinct of his body.

"I apologize; this is my problem."

"Let us continue to the next topic."

"Captain Luo Jie once said: Breaking into the Holy Land Mary Geoise is far easier than living in the Holy Land Mary Geoise.

But does this count as overthrowing the World Government?

Perhaps, in a certain sense, it does."

Upon hearing this, Golden Lion was immediately greatly shocked: Was Luo Jie's resolve really that high?

Truly a man worthy of my approval!

Luo Jie, the world indeed has many misunderstandings about you.

"Captain Luo Jie also said, 'Dragon slayers eventually become dragons; who is willing to take off the glass dome once it is finally worn?'

Precisely because of this,

I want to find a pattern that has never appeared on the seas, or one that once appeared but was artificially covered up, to replace the existing system, to liberate all slaves, and to let every person eat their fill.

People must at least live like humans,

rather than being slaughtered at will, treated as spare parts, treated as blood bags, for the enjoyment of those World Nobles who sit high above.

If we wish to achieve all this,

we need time,

we need a lot of time to work hard, to try, to experience failure, and to improve from failure.

Everyone knows we have experienced two Extermination Orders; we truly tried our best to show mercy.

Which pirate crew has cleared two Extermination Orders with fewer than two-digit Navy casualties?

Time and time again, our kindness has been met with repeated targeting by the World Government and the Navy,

sending spies to infiltrate our ranks, publicly executing my brothers; the World Government neither intends to spare us nor intends to give us time.

As for the Navy?

Most of the Navy indeed holds fast to justice, but is it the justice of the common people?

No, they hold fast to the justice of the World Nobles.

When the World Nobles treat commoners and slaves as prey and hold hunting tournaments, what is the Navy doing?

The Navy acts as the World Nobles' guards.

When member nations cannot pay the Heavenly Tribute, become lawless zones invaded by pirates, and their citizens become commodities, what is the Navy doing then?

Saint Saint Saiwen paused, then continued speaking.

"Admittedly, my thoughts are somewhat radical."

"What I want to say is: this world has rotted to its core; mere patchwork cannot save it.

Only by completely overthrowing and completely reshaping this world, by making the art of dragon-slaying take root in people's hearts, and by carving freedom and equality into everyone's bloodline memory,

only then, even if we fail..."

"... will successors arise."

"After the Battle of Marineford, we will decide based on the situation whether to rest for a while or directly seize Wano Country."

"We will use the entire Wano Country as an experimental template to find a method to liberate all slaves and let everyone eat their fill."

"Everyone," Saint Saint Saiwen increased the intensity of his output.

"We are engaged in the great cause of liberating the world; anyone who dares to obstruct us will be crushed into powder by us."

Saint Saint Saiwen was determined to stand on the moral high ground and condemn the shameless acts of the World Government and the Navy.

After his words fell, there was a prolonged silence.

Master Tenghu thought the captain only sought to overthrow the World Government, never expecting such a great dream: to liberate all slaves and let everyone eat their fill.

"You are a great man."

Saint Saint Saiwen shook his head: "I am not worthy; this is the only conscience I have left."

Once, Saint Saint Saiwen harbored illusions, imagining sparing Navy members as much as possible to facilitate recruiting high-ranking Navy figures like Kizaru and Garp into the crew later.

Looking back now, that was indeed too naive.

Even Kizaru himself, for the sake of so-called justice, has done how many things against his own conscience.

During the God Valley incident,

Garp beat Saint Saturn and punched Imu; after witnessing the true faces of the World Nobles and the World Government, he remained in the Navy only to protect the Navy.

If speaking from the essence,

Kizaru and Garp are still in a stage of confusion, having not yet found their true life direction, so they can only continue to hold fast to their original hearts.

And what Saint Saint Saiwen intends to do took root and sprouted in his heart since he was a child and often went hungry.

Born human, one must at least be able to eat one's fill, right?

If one cannot even eat one's fill, to hell with it; this old man will rebel.

Noticing his companions had all fallen silent and the atmosphere had grown somewhat heavy, Saint Saint Saiwen casually started talking nonsense.

"Captain Luo Jie also said: the simplest and most direct way to awaken Conqueror's Haki is to kill a Celestial Dragon."

"If one isn't enough, kill ten."

"If ten aren't enough, kill a hundred."

"As long as the sword-swinging speed is fast enough, there will inevitably be a day when Conqueror's Haki awakens."

"Yuzhi Xiliu, kill a few more then."

"Yes, Captain."

To date, the Morning Star Pirates have only three people possessing Conqueror's Haki: Captain Saint Saint Saiwen, Vice-Captain Mihawk, and Honorary Vice-Captain Golden Lion.

The rest of the companions possess only Armament Haki and Observation Haki.

This time, Saint Saint Saiwen specifically brought along Corazon and Foxy, preparing to let the undercover duo kill two Celestial Dragons in front of the Navy to liven things up.

Since Sengoku had the guts to send his son undercover, he must be prepared for his son to be bountied by the Navy.

Once they come, they won't be allowed to leave.

Born as a member of the Morning Star Pirates, dying as a ghost of the Morning Star Pirates; completely severing all retreat paths for Corazon and Foxy.

With Observation Haki's telepathy, Saint Saint Saiwen would love for the World Government and the Navy to send more high-level undercover agents to infiltrate the Morning Star Pirates.

Just consider it sending talent over.

Navy Headquarters, Marineford.

In the grand conference room, all Navy high command, including the Fleet Admiral and the Three Admirals, were present, even Zephyr in his semi-retired state.

For such a major meeting, it was naturally not the turn of the meeting-obsessed Brannew; Sengoku himself presided.

"Everyone, we have received reliable news."

"The Morning Star Pirates have already left Beehive Island; their First Division, formerly the Giant Pirates, and Second Division, formerly the Flying Pirates, have not mobilized."

"Even counting the two interns, they have only nine people."

"We have twenty-five Vice-Admirals participating in the battle."

"Furthermore, we have six Admiral-level combatants."

"One hundred thousand elite Navy soldiers."

"Saint Natsusurou of the Five Elders and Saint Garling, commander of the God Knights, will secretly seek a suitable moment to strike."

Just as Saint Saint Saiwen conducted psychological construction for his companions, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was likewise conducting pre-battle mobilization work for the Navy high command.

At this point, debating right and wrong no longer mattered; what mattered was making all the Navy believe the Navy had a one hundred percent guarantee of victory.

The only thing that made Sengoku's heart ache was—such an important war, yet Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen actually brought Xiao Mi Guo and Corazon.

Xiao Mi Guo undercover... too successful.

While Sengoku was silently cursing, the lazy Kizaru, who was accustomed to slacking off, rarely spoke up.

"Fleet Admiral, withdraw the Navy soldiers."

"In the face of Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's Conqueror's Haki, Navy soldiers below Vice-Admiral cannot remain conscious; rashly participating in the battle would only increase casualties."

Aokiji, who once presided over the Ohara Buster Call, expressed support for Kizaru's proposal.

"Indeed."

"Meeting such a fellow, ordinary soldiers cannot even remain conscious."

Mole and others spoke up one after another.

"Yes, Fleet Admiral."

"Two years ago during the Ohara Buster Call, over ten thousand elite Navy soldiers, yet in the end only the five of us could remain conscious."

Sengoku rubbed his brow; for this public execution plan, Sengoku had originally held a determination for certain victory.

During the Ohara Buster Call, only Sakazuki and Kuzan were present; during the Sabaody Buster Call, only Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Garp were present, which allowed Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and others to escape by virtue of mobility.

But this public execution at Marineford features not only the Three Admirals and Garp, but also this Fleet Admiral, as well as Zephyr, who is in charge of the Headquarters training camp.

A full six Admiral-level combatants.

Plus Saint Natsusurou and Saint Garling.

The other four Five Elders and the God Knights, along with Lord Kuu, are responsible for guarding the Holy Land Mary Geoise to prevent Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen from kidnapping Celestial Dragons to exchange for hostages.

Such a flawless plan, yet why does a vague unease linger in the heart?

Moreover, withdrawing one hundred thousand elite Navy soldiers? Would Marineford not become an empty base?

While Sengoku hesitated, Akainu retorted.

"What kind of joke is this, withdraw?"

"Do you want one hundred thousand Navy soldiers to become deserters?"

"Where is the Navy's dignity?"