Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Grand Battle Begins!

Amazon Lily Palace.

Camille and Hancock, along with the others, did not disturb the villagers below and went straight into the palace.

At this moment, our little thief cat, Nami, was darting her eyes around, trying to see if she could spot anything valuable.

Camille walked over to the sand, sat down, lit a cigarette, blew a smoke ring, and said, “Nami, come here.”

Nami was just marveling at the palace’s splendor when Camille’s voice suddenly reached her ears. She paused in surprise and looked over.

Nearby, Robin and the other two women frowned. Was this guy serious? He was bold enough to flirt with another woman right in front of them, as if they didn’t exist.

“Is there something you need, Mr. Camille?” Nami glanced at the three women and, noticing the intimidating aura they gave off, asked cautiously.

“I have something good for you,” Camille said with a faint smile, winking at the trio. Only then did they relax their hostile aura.

Curious, Nami walked over, just as a flash of purple light appeared in Camille’s right hand, revealing a devil fruit shaped like a pineapple, colored a vibrant tangerine orange.

“This… Is this a Devil Fruit?” Nami exclaimed in shock. She hadn’t expected Camille to give her something like this. They weren’t that close—was he trying to win her over? Was this a gift for her?

Camille, oblivious to Nami’s thoughts, tossed the Devil Fruit to her. Nami staggered back a step as she caught it.

“This is the Glint-Glint Fruit, a Logia-type. It grants the same abilities as Kizaru, only the color is different—this one is tangerine orange, which suits your hair perfectly. Eat it, and you’ll gain formidable power. Over the next two years, I’ll teach you how to master the powers of the Glint-Glint Fruit, and I’ll find you books on the climate of the New World to study,” Camille finished with a wicked smile, blowing a few more smoke rings.

Nami’s heart raced. Kizaru’s strength was legendary—could she really obtain the same power?

“Is this really for me? Why are you giving this fruit to me? Sanji or the others could use it too,” Nami asked, looking up at Camille. She was wary about accepting such a gift without understanding his intentions.

“It’s simple—because you’re a lady,” Camille replied, winking again at Robin and the others.

“Is that so…” Nami murmured. “Well, thank you, Mr. Camille. With such power, I’ll be able to sail farther across the seas. Thank you.”

“Good, I accept your thanks. Do your best. By the way, Devil Fruits taste terrible,” Camille said as he stood up and walked back to Robin and the others, leaving Nami alone. This fruit had been collected by Camille when Kizaru died and the Glint-Glint Fruit was about to dissipate. He had even removed its vulnerability to seawater, making it superior to all other Devil Fruits—a higher-grade fruit.

...

The arrival of the Straw Hats did not disrupt the order of Amazon Lily.

While they waited for the Navy to arrive, Camille organized their training regimens. He even summoned Rayleigh from Sabaody Archipelago to instruct Luffy in the use of Haki.

Sanji had several hundred kilograms of metal strapped to his legs. Due to the high density, the volume was compact and didn’t hinder his movements. Camille planned, for fun after the current crisis, to toss Sanji into the sea far from Amazon Lily and have him swim back. This was the Calm Belt, where Sea Kings were not to be trifled with. When Sanji heard the idea, his legs nearly cramped in fear. Of course, he wanted to protest, but without strength, resistance was futile.

Usopp’s training was simpler—he was thrown into an abandoned armory on Amazon Lily. Camille took out his treasured sniper rifle, made a few modifications so it could fire ten-millimeter steel ball rounds, and, though the power was only slightly reduced, it could still shatter an elephant into pieces.

Franky and Usopp, both tinkerers, were paired together. Camille was curious to see what inventions these two would create.

Brook trained with Zoro in swordsmanship. Once this crisis passed, Mihawk would come to instruct them. Of course, Brook’s music would not be neglected—after all, Luffy wanted a musician on his ship.

Chopper obtained a pass to the castle. Having been established for centuries, Amazon Lily boasted a wealth of books on medicine, as well as numerous rare herbs on the island—and, if not there, certainly on the nearby uninhabited isles. Chopper quickly grew fond of the place, and the villagers adored the cute little reindeer.

As for Nami, she was acclimating to her newfound power. The Glint-Glint Fruit’s ability was incredibly formidable. While it would take some time before she could transform into light, even her current laser attacks were enough to overpower the three giants of the Straw Hats with ease. When the crew saw Nami’s Devil Fruit powers, they were stunned. Learning that Camille had given her the fruit, however, they relaxed—after all, Camille was a Yonko, acknowledged as the world’s strongest. Owning several Devil Fruits was nothing surprising. This annoyed Nami; what was so great about that man? He always looked at her with a lecherous gaze. In her foul mood, Nami thrashed the others thoroughly before striding off.

...

Through his contact with Grizzly, Camille learned that the Navy would arrive today. All the Seven Warlords of the Sea were present, along with the remaining Admirals—Aokiji and Akainu. Sengoku and Garp were in full battle gear, apparently prepared to go all out. The Navy had brought over three hundred warships, nearly three hundred thousand elite marines.

Sengoku still remembered, with bitter unease, how Camille had brazenly challenged Marineford a decade ago. The might Camille had displayed then made Sengoku believe that if he, the Navy’s strongest, the Seven Warlords, and the other top fighters joined forces, surely they could bring down that madman.

But Sengoku was doomed to disappointment. Not only had Camille’s strength grown in the last ten years, but there were other powerhouses on the island. The Ice Phoenix was a force equal to Camille, and though Robin was slightly weaker, the gap wasn’t large. In the last assault on Amazon Lily, Robin and the Ice Phoenix had only exhibited Admiral-level strength, yet that was enough to defeat the Navy. They had not even gone all out.

Standing atop the castle, Camille gazed out to sea. On the horizon, the Navy’s warships clustered like ants. Beside him, Robin and the Ice Phoenix looked visibly serious. If they wiped out the Navy here, the world’s balance would be shattered, and the Grand Line would descend into chaos. That’s why, before the battle, Camille had said the death toll should not exceed one hundred thousand—fifty or sixty thousand would suffice to deal a devastating blow. Camille would handle all the Navy’s top fighters. Although the Straw Hats wanted to join the battle, Camille forbade it. With so many enemies, they would be swallowed up and powerless to affect the outcome. Now, they stood not far away from Camille, Robin, and the Ice Phoenix, prepared to watch the battle unfold.

Camille had no intention of letting those detestable marines set foot on Amazon Lily. When the warships were two kilometers from the island, Camille and his two companions exchanged glances, nodded, and vanished before everyone’s eyes.

This battle was to be broadcast live for the world to see, though Camille didn’t know this. The new generation of pirates followed from a safe distance behind the Navy’s fleet to witness the clash. This battle would be etched into their memories—and into those of any surviving marines—for the rest of their lives.

...

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