#691 - Chapter 491: Undercurrents, Ambitious People Coveting the Navy Headquarters

Douglas Barrett stood on the deck, arms crossed, his gaze like a sharp blade, piercing the darkness and looking towards the end of the sea.

A cold smile crept onto the corner of his lips, as if he had foreseen the coming storm.

Marine Headquarters, the place that represents world order, is about to face the most insane challenge.

However, Barrett didn't know that he wasn't the only one eyeing this prey.

......

Somewhere in the New World, on a solitary island hidden in the storm.

Within a dilapidated palace, a conspiracy is quietly brewing.

Candlelight flickered, casting distorted shadows on the walls, making them look as ferocious as evil spirits.

Gathered on either side of a long table were a group of notorious pirates, their eyes burning with ambition, each with a malicious smile on their faces.

"The Navy is now running around, its forces are scattered, and its defenses must be lax."

A man with a gloomy face licked his lips, his voice low and cold.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Hmph, while they're busy, we'll just kill our way in and overturn their nest."

A tall and sturdy man grinned, the wine glass in his hand crushed roughly, and shards of glass fell on the table.

"Marine Headquarters has a lot of resources, and the weapons in the armory alone are enough to double our combat power."

Another man wearing a hood said in a sinister voice, his eyes flashing with greedy light.

"Don't forget, they have Sakazuki, and old guys like Sengoku."

A relatively calm man reminded.

"If they detect our intentions in advance, it will be difficult for us to gain an advantage."

"Detect?"

The strong man laughed disdainfully.

"We are not acting alone, we have enough power to tear Marine Headquarters apart."

They looked at each other, and after a moment of silence, they all showed sinister smiles.

They knew very well that although Marine Headquarters still stood tall, it was no longer the fortress that made pirates tremble.

The collapse of the World Government, the rise of the New Navy, and the worldwide chaos have all made the Navy exhausted, and they no longer have the energy to deal with all enemies at the same time.

And they are the most dangerous predators in this sea.

"Wait, Marine Headquarters…"

The gloomy man sneered.

"We will show you what true hell is."

......

At the same time, in another corner, a mysterious figure stood quietly on a cliff.

He was wearing a black robe, and his golden eyes gleamed dangerously in the night.

There was a strange smile on the corner of his mouth as he looked at Marine Headquarters in the distance.

"Interesting… even a guy like Barrett is eyeing Marine Headquarters. It seems this banquet won't be boring."

His voice was low, with a hint of戏谑.

The breeze blew his cloak, he stretched out his hand, and a black falcon suddenly flapped its wings and flew towards Marine Headquarters.

"Navy… can you hold on?"

......

And Barrett was still standing on his deck, completely unaware.

What he didn't know was that on this turbulent sea, many eyes had already set their sights on Marine Headquarters at the same time.

This is not just his battle alone, but a storm that is about to sweep the entire world.

......

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The night was as dark as ink, the stars twinkled above the sky, and the sea breeze swept across the vast military port, stirring up waves.

The entire Marine Headquarters seemed calm, the lights were still bright, the warships in the military port were neatly docked, and the patrolling Marine soldiers in the base walked as usual, their rigorous and orderly steps hitting the ground, making steady echoes.

At the highest point of this military stronghold, Sengoku stood on the balcony of the Fleet Admiral's office, overlooking the entire Marine Headquarters, his hands behind his back, his eyes deep.

The night wind ruffled his gray-white curly hair, but his figure remained as steady as a rock.

The Navy's forces have been dispatched on a large scale, and Marine Headquarters is extremely empty - this is the appearance that all pirates have seen.

Sengoku shook his head lightly, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, these pirates were still too naive.

They thought that the Navy was now exhausted and it was the best time to attack, but they didn't know that the Navy had already expected their actions.

These self-righteous pirates are stepping into the trap carefully set by the Navy step by step.

"Hmph, what a bunch of monkeys."

Sengoku snorted softly, a gleam flashed in his eyes.

"Staring at Marine Headquarters?

They think they are hunters, but unfortunately, the real hunters are us."

He had already noticed that there had been many abnormal movements in the sea around the headquarters recently.

Whether it was some pirate ships appearing near the vicinity from time to time, or some obscure intelligence coming from the undercurrents at sea, it all indicated that someone was eyeing Marine Headquarters.

"Hmph, want to take advantage of the Navy's expedition and its empty forces to launch a surprise attack?

This is not a bone that anyone can gnaw on."

Sengoku murmured in a low voice, a cunning light flashing in his eyes.

One of the purposes of dispatching most of the troops was to lure the snake out of its hole.

It's like releasing a piece of rotten meat to lure the vultures hiding in the dark, so that they think they can eat it at will, and the moment they land is the moment they are counter-killed.

Sengoku turned slowly, walked back to the office with steady steps, and picked up the intelligence file on the table.

It listed in detail the movements of the past few days, some unknown pirate groups were gathering in secret, and some ambitious people lurking in the dark were also starting to move.

A contemptuous smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and his voice was low:

"Since you are all here, don't even think about leaving."

He reached out and pressed a Den Den Mushi on the table, his voice steady and with a hint of majesty:

"Notify all standby units to enter the second stage.

Strengthen the defense of the port and fortress, and conceal the warships to prepare for immediate departure."

A solemn response came from the Den Den Mushi:

"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"

"Also—"

Sengoku paused, his eyes flashing with精光, the corner of his mouth slightly raised.

"Let 'those people' get ready and let this group of self-righteous guys taste the bitterness."

The Den Den Mushi was silent for a moment, and then a low voice came:

"Understood."

Sengoku slowly closed the file, got up and walked to the window, looking at the dark and boundless sea in the distance.

He was already waiting here, just waiting for these so-called 'predators' to take the initiative to come to his door, and then completely crush them.

Outside, the night wind was still howling, but the lights of Marine Headquarters never went out.

This hunt is about to begin.

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