Chapter 48: On the Eve of War

Seven days later, Yami and his party arrived at the Navy Headquarters.

Navy warships were positioned densely around the area, creating an almost impenetrable formation.

This wasn't cowardice on the Navy's part, but rather, their enemy was the strongest man in the world.

That title hadn't been bestowed upon Edward Newgate by anyone else, but was a fact recognized by the entire sea.

There was little hope of victory, and everyone simply prayed they could survive the execution day safely, though all knew the chances were slim.

To face that man, all the Navy's elite combat forces had been assembled for this single battle.

"Yamikage-san, if you need anything during your stay, please feel free to contact me through this Den-Den Mushi."

"Please refrain from wandering around. The Navy Headquarters is currently under strict military laws. We appreciate your cooperation."

A Rear Admiral explained with formal courtesy.

Their ships weren't permitted to dock nearby, and the group was assigned to a luxurious place spacious enough for twenty people, providing Yami's party with comfortable accommodations.

The facility appeared designed for guests.

Yami had noticed Dracule Mihawk residing nearby.

The world's greatest swordsman sat in his place beneath a parasol, sipping tea while reading a newspaper with his legs crossed.

He looked like true nobility.

After completing his explanation, the Rear Admiral departed.

"Simply complete our mission and avoid interfering in the others' affairs during the battle."

"Don't get involved in those monster-level fights. We're mainly here to observe the strength of this world's apex fighters."

Yami addressed everyone present.

He wanted to prevent anyone from suddenly developing compassion and attempting to rescue certain personnel, thereby aligning themselves with a side.

"Yes, sir!"

Almost everyone present had participated in warfare before, and even the youngest, Itachi, possessed battlefield experience.

"Izumi, you're the only one who hasn't participated in large-scale combat. If you're frightened, you can withdraw. There's no shame in it."

The only person lacking war experience was Izumi, who shared Itachi's age.

"I won't show cowardice, clan leader."

"Please treat me as a true ninja."

Izumi spoke with unwavering determination.

She refused to disappoint Yami's investment in her training, and she wouldn't fall behind Itachi.

"Everyone, for now, don't leave the place. Also, the Den-Den Mushi communications are monitored, so use them only when absolutely necessary. That's all."

Yami concluded his briefing.

With the execution scheduled in just two days, he wasn't prepared to alter his objectives.

Now they simply had to wait for that day to arrive.

All necessary preparations had been completed during their journey.

Except for Rob Lucci and Kaku, everyone else carried at least three sets of Seastone handcuffs.

They also possessed three specially crafted Seastone senbon that could impair a Devil Fruit user's combat effectiveness if pierced into their body.

Only the front end of these senbon was made from Seastone, with the remainder wrapped in metal.

It was perfect for surprise attacks.

The scarcity of large Seastone pieces made crafting kunai impossible, leaving senbon as the only viable option.

Throughout the evening, other Shichibukai arrived in succession.

Each came alone without subordinates, leaving their crews docked at Sabaody Archipelago instead.

At noon the following day, the Shichibukai were summoned.

"You lack courage, so you brought people to this kind of war. How pathetic."

"You'll die if you're not careful in this battle, but I'll help you by transforming you into a zombie afterward! Kishishi!"

Gecko Moria spotted Yami and immediately began his provocation.

He felt extremely displeased about being intimidated by this brat during their last encounter.

He had the nagging feeling he'd never properly argued with someone before, then remembered how he should have responded.

Seeing Yami again, he immediately launched into taunts.

"How noisy. Is that your idea of taunting someone? Too weak."

Yami responded calmly while cleaning his ear.

This reply ignited Gecko Moria's anger.

But before he could say anything…

"Enough."

"The execution is close, and it’s a major important event. If you harbor any grievances, you have to resolve them after everything concludes."

"But now, calm yourselves and don't create trouble."

Sengoku spoke with harsh authority.

He and Vice Admiral Tsuru were overseeing this operation.

The three Admirals didn't concern themselves with these details; all execution plans fell under his and Tsuru's jurisdiction.

The opponent they would face tomorrow demanded his full strength despite his age.

Creating problems for the Navy at this moment was tantamount to harming them.

"Tsk…”

"You brat, once this incident ends, don't run away."

Although Gecko Moria felt displeased, he had already decided to attack directly after this event concluded.

This battle would provide an excellent opportunity to collect quality corpses and enhance his strength.

Therefore, he wasn't put off by the upcoming conflict.

Yami said nothing.

Such worthless trash wasn't worth wasting time on.

The previous navy officers' meeting had concluded, with the Shichibukai gathering being the final briefing.

They definitely wouldn't be informed of specific operational details, as Sengoku remained wary of these pirates.

The Navy Headquarters' surveillance Den-Den Mushi operated at maximum capacity.

All communication frequencies in the area would be intercepted, even specially encrypted Den-Den Mushi couldn't escape monitoring within this range.

"Your positions are marked above."

"You're responsible for stopping pirates advancing toward your designated areas."

The meeting proved brief, with explanations delivered during the meal.

Navy Headquarters' port formed a circular formation with U-shaped docking facilities.

The Shichibukai comprised the second defensive layer at the U's base.

The first layer consisted of Navy personnel, and if that defense was breached, the Shichibukai would engage to intercept the Whitebeard Pirates.

Yami was assigned to the far-left position, perhaps because Sengoku didn't fully understand his capabilities.

Although Kuma had lost to Yami, Kuma's report indicated he'd been attacked by three opponents in succession before falling to the newly promoted Shichibukai.

Therefore, Sengoku didn't trust Yami's strength and assigned the central positions to Bartholomew Kuma and Mihawk, while Hancock received the rightmost position.

***

"After this concludes, how about we meet in Dressrosa to discuss business?"

At the meeting's end, Doflamingo approached Yami.

After their last encounter, he'd spent considerable time thinking and concluded that this new Shichibukai posed significant danger.

However, the other party didn't appear to be a loyal World Government lackey but possessed independent objectives, making cooperation potentially feasible.

With this mindset, he approached Yami.

"Very well. Once this incident ends, I'd also like to speak with you."

Yami replied agreeably.

If events proceeded smoothly, the maritime power structure would be completely transformed.

With Blackbeard eliminated by his hand, the Whitebeard Pirates' territory would become vacant, representing new opportunities.

The Uchiha could definitely benefit substantially, though Yami wasn't prepared to deploy large numbers of clan members openly.

Therefore, he needed suitable enforcers to act on his behalf.