Religious faith—something outsiders often find hard to grasp. Ordinary believers might follow for personal benefits or psychological comfort, but for fanatics, faith becomes something greater than their own lives.
On normal days, they are incredibly kind, but once their taboos are violated, they can transform into a group of lunatics.
If exploited by someone with ill intentions, this could lead to unimaginable consequences.
But that applies to ordinary religions in the outside world. For a religion where a true god actually exists, such things won’t happen.
On most days, Arceus doesn’t concern himself with the so-called “Arceus Cult.” However, this doesn’t mean he ignores everything. The things on the sacred mountain are the manifestation of his power, and for those who are willing to dedicate themselves, he gives them what they need.
But if outsiders dare to act in his name to commit deeds he hates, they will learn the meaning of divine wrath.
Due to their limited individual talents, these followers place greater emphasis on cooperation rather than fighting alone. As a result, they received the ability of a unique Pokémon like Falinks.
Similar to Falinks, there’s also Maushold, but this Pokémon’s form is nowhere near as impressive as Falinks transformed armor.
A group of golden-armored knights is far easier to accept compared to a group of mouse-people.
After passing the evaluation, the knights set out on their journey, heading toward the first half of the Grand Line.
With the existence of the Calm Belt and Red Line, the Four Seas, Paradise, and New World remain relatively isolated from one another. Without senior officers like Shayna accompanying them, the first half of the Grand Line is the most suitable stage for them.
While the Sister herself lacks notable combat ability, she is accompanied by Tiger, whose strength has been steadily improving after obtaining a new goal. Currently, Tiger is the strongest Fish-Men on Fishman Island, even surpassing Jinbe.
This unique team possesses ample ability to protect themselves. However, their method for determining destination…
“Sister, are you sure this is okay?”
A sea chart of the first half of the Grand Line hung on the wall. Sister held a weathered dart in her hand, using it to randomly determine their destination.
“It’s fine. This is a tradition! This dart was once used by Miss Yamato herself. It’s said that the Lord once used this method to decide which island to explore, so it’s considered blessed by the Lord’s brilliance.”
Since they had no clues, they relied on luck. This was the original method of deciding which specific island to explore. However, over time, this process became divinized and evolved into a kind of tradition.
“Alright, it seems our destination has been decided. Let’s set out. Sir Tiger, we’ll rely on you for combat. These children haven’t had much real battle experience yet.”
“Leave it to me. I will clear the obstacles in our path.”
The ship bearing the flag of Thousand Arms departed from Onigashima. Although it didn’t fly a pirate flag, most forces had already come to associate the Thousand Arms with Kaido’s skull flag.
They all understood that this was a unique symbol within the Beasts Pirates.
However, most ordinary people weren’t aware of this detail. To them, the Thousand Arms didn’t evoke the same innate fear as a pirate flag.
Spreading the teachings of the Lord—this was the primary mission of this team.
Beyond the thirty-person knight squad, there’s also a medical team and experts in agriculture and irrigation accompanying them. Adding to that the ordinary crew members, the total number far exceeds that of an average pirate crew, even rivaling the full complement of a large warship.
Their activities along the way were unique: eliminating pirates, maintaining order on certain islands, helping sick residents, and spreading their teachings.
Although their methods were unconventional, their actions broadly benefited others. This peculiar behavior left some forces puzzled—what exactly were the Beasts Pirates trying to achieve this time?
…..
“Squad Two and Three, disperse the enemies! Squad Four, rescue the townspeople! Squad Five, stay on standby to handle any emergencies! Squad One, come with me! Take down those pirate captains!”
“No Retreat!”
The leading Falinks issued a new combat command. At that moment, both him and the five members behind him began to glow, their armor radiating dazzling light.
This was Falinks’ signature move. Both its attack and defense, as well as its speed, are boosted under the ‘No Retreat’ state. However, there is a side effect to this move.
Once No Retreat was used, a strong fighting spirit fills their hearts, rendering them incapable of executing any retreat commands.
Either the enemy fell, or they did. Such was the effect of No Retreat.
Thanks to Falinks’ unique trait, orders were transmitted through the horned crests of their helmets, making communication incredibly efficient. Even on a chaotic battlefield filled with gunfire, orders can be heard clearly.
Each of the five squads was assigned a role and launched an attack on the pirates who were pillaging the town.
To target richer plunder, some pirate groups would temporarily form alliances. The knights found themselves facing just such a situation, but against a squad where every member was an Ability User, the pirates were still hopelessly outmatched.
What Kaido had always dreamed of was an army of Devil Fruit Users. Although he currently has a large number of “Mythical Zoans” under him, they were scattered across various territories, operating in groups of two or three to carry out their respective missions.
A large-scale battle involving a concentrated force like this had never happened before.
While Falinks are Fighting-type Pokémon, their bodies are covered in incredibly durable armor. On top of that, all thirty members of this team had undergone training in Rokushiki. While not many were proficient in Rokushiki, each member had at least mastered one style based on their individual strengths.
“Captain! Monsters! These are all monsters!”
“It’s useless! Blades don’t work, bullets don’t work, even cannons can’t harm them. These aren’t enemies we can handle!”
The sharp edges of their shields and the ramming horns at their center were Falinks’ weapons. These shield warriors easily tore through the pirates’ loose formations like tigers attacking a flock of sheep.
The makeshift defenses the pirates had built to protect the town from potential Marine retaliation were utterly ineffective.
Had it not been for their mission to protect the townsfolk, they could have gotten rid of the pirates even more swiftly.
Meanwhile, the pirate captains had no time to pay attention to them. They were locked in battle against Squad One, which had used the No Retreat move. To make matters worse, midway through the battle, the townsfolk who had fled earlier began returning.
This time, they did not flee. Wooden sticks, hoes, and stones became their weapons in the fight, making things even more difficult for the pirates who were already struggling against their foes.
This unexpected turn of events left Squad Four, tasked with rescuing the townsfolk, confused. It was their first time encountering civilians with such high morale. But if they had such courage, why had they run away in the first place?
“Sir Tiger, something about this doesn’t feel right.”
“You’re right! It’s probably the work of a Devil Fruit User… and it looks like someone from the Revolutionary Army…”
Chapter 837 No Retreat and the Revolutionary Army
You can read ahead upto 75 chapters on my patreon and I’ve also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon.
Become a Patron!