#556 - Chapter 556 Cannon Fodder
The sea breeze was gentle, and the morning sun sprinkled the sea surface like a layer of golden gauze, stretching the shadows of countless battleships long.
The sky was azure, as if it had specially cleared away all haze for this voyage.
On the distant horizon, densely packed ships spread out like a tide, like a floating steel forest, pointing directly to the distant battlefield.
The decks of every warship were filled with soldiers, clad in the armor of their respective countries, their gazes fixed on the front with complex emotions.
Their faces were either tense, indifferent, or excited, but more often than not, they wore an undisguisable bewilderment.
They knew in their hearts that the target of this war was Jin, who had once been praised as a hero, and now they were being forced to stand on the opposite side of this hero.
On the flagship, the Five Elders of the World Government did not personally appear, but a newly promoted Holy Knight was acting as commander.
That person was wearing a dark golden robe, standing on the high platform of the ship, overlooking the entire fleet.
His eyes were cold, and a cryptic smile always hung on the corner of his mouth.
"This is the torrent of justice in this world, and no one can stop it," he muttered to himself, as if convincing himself, or announcing it to someone.
Behind the fleet, several warships of the Navy appeared particularly low-key.
Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru stood on the deck of the flagship, silently watching the distant fleet.
Their expressions were as heavy as the rising sun.
"I have seen countless such sailing scenes in my life," Tsuru said softly, her eyes looking straight ahead through the sea breeze, "but never have I felt so uneasy as I do now."
Garp gritted his teeth and muttered a curse, "They think they can deal with Jin with this pile of scrap metal?"
His tone was full of disdain, but everyone knew that this sentence was more like a release of anger for himself.
High in the sky, a huge seagull spread its wings and circled above the fleet.
That was Morgans, his wings seemed to be plated with a layer of gold in the sunlight, making him particularly eye-catching.
At this time, he was excitedly controlling an airship full of photographic equipment, his eyes fixed on the magnificent scene below.
"This is big news! Big news!" Morgans muttered to himself while excitedly taking pictures.
His lens kept switching, meticulously recording every warship, every raised flag, and even the expressions on the soldiers' faces.
"What an unprecedented war spectacle! When I publish these pictures, the whole world will be boiling for this war!"
His eyes almost glowed, as if the cruelty of this war was just a beautiful story in his pen, a hot topic attracting countless eyes.
"......"
The soldiers in the fleet, although their movements were uniform, their inner turmoil was far from as calm as their appearance.
A young soldier gripped the spear in his hand tightly, looking pale at the front.
Beside him stood an old soldier, muttering in a low voice: "Looking at this formation, we are just cannon fodder."
"Cannon fodder?" The young soldier's voice trembled slightly, "But we are fighting for justice."
The old soldier sneered and lowered his voice, "Justice? True justice has long been strangled by those sitting on the high platform.
We are just pawns in their hands."
The young soldier's face became even paler, but he did not refute it again.
He lowered his head, as if trying to escape all this, but the whistling of the sea breeze ruthlessly reminded him that there was no turning back from this war.
When the flagship's horn sounded, the entire fleet began to move forward slowly.
The huge ships crushed the waves, making a rumbling sound that shook the surrounding air as if it were trembling.
The Holy Knight representative on the high platform coldly swept around, and then said in a steady voice: "To Elbaf, advance."
This order was like a sharp knife, stabbing straight into the end of the sea.
And at that end, there were the enemies they would face, and the place where they would witness the end of their destiny.
......
Inside the council hall of Mary Geoise, the newly appointed Five Elders sat around a huge round stone table.
A huge sea chart was spread out on the table, and the location of Elbaf was firmly pressed down by a black chess piece.
The hall was dimly lit, with only a few ancient candlesticks emitting a faint glow, reflecting the faces of the five people flickeringly.
The Five Elders sitting in the center slowly opened their mouths:
"The last failure caused the prestige of the World Government to plummet.
This time, we cannot make the same mistake again."
His voice was low and powerful, as if suppressing endless anger.
Another of the Five Elders stroked his beard, his eyes cold:
"This is not only a reckoning against Jin alone, but also a warning to all those who dare to resist the World Government.
There must be no accidents in this war."
"......"
Their eyes fell on Elbaf on the sea chart at the same time, which was the sacred place of the Giant race, but now it has become a rebel base.
One of the Five Elders held a feather pen and drew several arrows on the map, pointing to Elbaf.
His tone was cold: "The coalition forces will surround Elbaf from three directions, completely blocking Jin and their retreat.
At the same time, we have mobilized some of the power of that weapon to ensure victory."
"As for those member countries who are still watching—"
Another of the Five Elders smiled slightly, a hint of grimness flashing in his eyes,
"When we behead Jin, they will naturally understand which side to stand on."
The only female among the Five Elders said coldly:
"Don't underestimate Jin. His strength is far beyond ordinary people, and he is good at inspiring people.
We must defeat them with overwhelming force from the beginning, and never give them any chance to breathe."
As soon as she finished speaking, she tapped the table lightly.
An official in a black robe stepped forward and handed over a thick stack of documents.
She casually opened one of the pages and pointed to the name on it:
"The Seraphim Corps and the new Pacifistas have been assembled.
In addition, we will also use Vegapunk's experimental results on the battlefield."
Another of the Five Elders nodded slightly: "This time, we will spare no expense."
The air in the entire council hall was as heavy as if it were frozen.
Every word of the Five Elders carried an unquestionable coldness and determination.
Their expressions were like masks carved in stone, without warmth, not even a hint of hesitation.
"Jin is no longer alone." One of the Five Elders slowly stood up, overlooking Elbaf on the sea chart, "He is a symbol, a threat, a cancer that we must eradicate."
"We don't need prisoners." The youngest of the Five Elders said word by word, his tone revealing determination, "Neither Jin, nor his companions, nor even those giants who dare to follow him—not one can be left behind."
......
When the meeting ended, the Five Elders walked out of the council hall and stood on the highest observation deck of Mary Geoise, overlooking the vast fleet below.
Thousands of warships were ready to go, with flags fluttering in the wind.
"This time," the Five Elders standing at the front said in a voice like iron, "we want to make the whole world remember that any existence that dares to resist the World Government has only one end—annihilation."
After he finished speaking, the Five Elders behind him nodded in unison, their eyes pointing like sharp blades at the distant horizon.
They knew that the outcome of this war would determine the future fate of the World Government.
And they would never allow failure.
...
