Near Coco Yashi Village, Konomi Kingdom.
An orange-haired girl rapidly adjusted the canvas, making the most of the sea breeze, anxiously returning to her village.
A small pile of packages was stacked on the sailboat.
Golden light could be seen reflecting from the opening of one package.
These were the treasures the little cat burglar, Nami, had stolen on this voyage.
"Faster! Even faster!"
Nami’s face was anxious; she just wanted to return to the village quickly, take Nojiko and Akin, and flee to safety.
Because the Konomi Kingdom had already been breached, and the royal family exiled.
The Goa Kingdom’s army would soon conquer all the territory of the Konomi Kingdom.
Nami felt that the Goa Kingdom’s army would definitely clash with the Arlong Empire.
She knew well the arrogance and hubris of Arlong and his Fishman crew.
Once the war began, Coco Yashi Village would likely suffer.
Nami no longer cared about the village buildings or the tangerine groves; she only hoped her family and villagers would survive safely.
According to the information Nami had gathered, the Goa Kingdom’s army was incredibly fierce this time, having successively breached four kingdoms.
This was unprecedented in the history of the East Blue.
With such formidable strength, Nami felt that even Arlong and his crew couldn't withstand the might of the Goa Kingdom's army.
Nami even hoped that the Goa Kingdom’s army would annihilate the hateful Arlong Pirates.
As for the Marine, Nami had long given up on them.
She had secretly discovered some clues about Arlong’s cooperation with the Marine.
These sordid discoveries left her with no choice but to helplessly place her hopes on her deal with Arlong.
That was to earn 100 million Berries to buy back the village.
...
At Marine Branch 16.
The sound of gunfire on the branch fortress had subsided.
"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!"
"I am a Marine Captain!"
"King Wang Shi, spare my life!"
Captain Mengka knelt in terror before Wang Shi; he had never imagined that the Goa Kingdom’s battleships would arrive so quickly.
It was as if, after conquering Konomi Royal City, they had merely dealt with the royal family and then immediately advanced.
He had reported the news to Marineford less than half an hour ago.
"Your little rat's private stash is quite impressive."
Looking at the money found in Captain Mengka’s private vault, Wang Shi couldn't help but be a little surprised.
A mere branch Captain actually possessed over a billion Berries in assets.
In just six short years, Arlong had bribed Captain Mengka with a considerable amount of money.
Also, no wonder the Iname Royal Family of the Konomi Kingdom was so poor; it turned out that besides paying the celestial tribute, all the other money was in the hands of Captain Mengka and Arlong.
Captain Mengka ate, drank, and indulged, lavishly enjoying himself, and still managed to bribe his superiors and subordinates, yet he still had so much money left.
It must be said, he truly lived better than a king of an Allied Nation.
A true local emperor.
Eric looked at the 'ill-gotten gains' and 'spoils of war' being transported by the Goa Royal Guard, his eyes filled with greed and longing.
He risked his life fighting on the front lines, yet he couldn't earn tens of millions of Berries in mercenary fees and additional bounty.
Meanwhile, Wang Shi, the King of Goa, merely initiated a war and gave a few instructions, and he reaped immense profits.
The treasuries of the four kingdoms, the ill-gotten gains of the Marine Branch...
Such a vast sum of money made Eric's heart itch with desire.
"Send him to keep Mengka company!"
"Let's go, depart for Coco Yashi Village! I want to see how strong this Arlong, who holds the highest bounty in the East Blue, truly is!"
After suppressing the Marine of Marine Branch 16, Wang Shi directly led his subordinates to the next destination.
"Yes!"
The Goa Kingdom’s Royal Guard, nobles, and officials grew increasingly confident and arrogant, even walking with a swagger.
Their great King had consecutively annexed four kingdoms.
Pushing the Goa Kingdom to an unprecedented height.
This was the supreme glory of all subjects of the Goa Kingdom!
The Goa Empire was rising!
...
On the way from Marine Branch 16 to Coco Yashi Village.
Wang Shi, who was in a good mood, suddenly received an urgent telephone bug call from Queen Sally.
Sally’s tearful report made Wang Shi’s face turn cold.
"My husband, King Ba Dodshinei of the Flaus Kingdom, is advising us to stop the war.
He has already hired the Germa 66 army from the North Blue to come to the East Blue.
If the Goa Kingdom continues to expand, he will take countermeasures."
Queen Sally’s voice held a hint of anger, and she reported information and intelligence about the Flaus Kingdom to Wang Shi.
The Flaus Kingdom, one of the fifty nations of the World Conference.
It was a famous and powerful Allied Nation in the East Blue.
Years ago, they hired the Germa 66 evil army to destroy the rival Korgia Kingdom, expanding their territory and greatly increasing their strength.
Now, the Korgia Kingdom was the Flaus Kingdom’s new Korgia stronghold.
"Germa 66!!"
"Flaus Kingdom!!"
Wang Shi’s eyes were cold; although he had indeed planned to consolidate after annexing these four countries, taking some time to digest these territories.
But the Flaus Kingdom actually used the Germa 66 mercenaries to threaten Wang Shi, which greatly displeased him!
This King Ba Dodshinei seemed to have appeared at the World Conference four years later.
It seemed he was a minor ambitious ruler.
The war of the Oykot Kingdom years ago was also related to this Flaus Kingdom.
The Oykot Kingdom was the homeland and hometown of Nami and Nojiko.
The Flaus Kingdom was also a domineering and expansionist kingdom.
Truly worthy of being one of the fifty nations of the World Conference!
However, this King Ba Dodshinei, he was dead meat!
How dare he threaten Wang Shi!
"First, stabilize the Flaus Kingdom! Our expansion will soon halt!"
"Once we have digested the four kingdoms, we will have a good 'friendly exchange' with them."
Wang Shi thought for a moment and instructed Queen Sally on the upcoming response.
This ‘retreat’ was not a true ‘retreat’.
It was merely a step back for Wang Shi, to better gather strength before swinging his blade to cut someone down.
Germa 66!
Let’s see if those modified humans can withstand Wang Shi’s Toki Toki no Mi (Time-Time Fruit) ability.
"Understood, I will stabilize King Ba Dodshinei!"
Queen Sally felt immensely secure hearing Wang Shi’s calm and strategic tone.
She believed her man would suppress all crises.
"Wait for me to return, my darling Sally, and then you will be the Empress of the Goa Empire!"
Wang Shi soothed Queen Sally’s small emotions.
"I'll wait for you, my hero husband!"
Queen Sally sweetly hung up the telephone bug, and the gloomy mood caused by King Ba Dodshinei’s threat instantly dissipated.
Wang Shi put down the telephone bug, his face growing even colder.
Eric and Van Auger were too scared to speak, and even the Royal Guard stood rigidly at attention, a trickle of cold sweat appearing on their noses.
Zango, the Siamese cat, and the spotted cat slaves, even more so, knelt trembling on the deck.
Wang Shi was furious right now.
"I heard the Arlong Pirates established an 'Arlong Empire' in Coco Yashi Village!"
"A tiny village dares to presumptuously call itself an empire!"
"What caliber is Arlong to dare to establish an empire like me!"
"Annihilate him!"
Wang Shi spoke coldly, and his Royal Guard and mercenaries all became fully alert.
This encirclement campaign against Arlong must be carried out with full effort, without any mistakes.
Otherwise, no one could withstand the wrath of King Wang Shi.
They certainly didn't want to be exiled, to be instantly erased!