Tiger did not participate in the battle. This was a test for the Knights Templar, allowing them to gradually accumulate combat experience. Compared to when they had just left Onigashima, their teamwork had become much more seamless, and their ability to switch between various formations had become second nature.
In the beginning, they made all kinds of mistakes, such as exhausting themselves entirely by entering No Retreat state, leaving them unable to intervene in other battles. This was how they developed the habit of always keeping reserves.
Tiger was merely another layer of insurance, meant to deal with tougher enemies and also serve as a post-battle analyst, responsible for summarizing the mistakes they made during the fight.
Picking up the binoculars beside him, Tiger looked into the distance. A woman was waving a distinctive large flag, which bore a unique emblem in the center and the letters “RA” on both sides.
“That woman’s outfit is… quite bold…”
The woman, wearing a red jacket and a red top hat, was energetically waving the flag and shouting something. However, the distance was too great, and since Tiger couldn’t read lips, he couldn’t tell what she was saying.
However, the front of her jacket was wide open, and she wasn’t wearing any undergarments. To Tiger, this style could only be described as bold. The attire of the Mermaids is also quite minimal, but it didn’t reveal much. As for the woman in front of him… well, that was another story.
“Sir Tiger, I think you’re focusing on the wrong thing.”
“Ahem, yes, that’s definitely someone from the Revolutionary Army. I saw that flag during my travels recently.”
“So, they’re allies?”
“More or less. In essence, what they do isn’t too different from us, just with a different goal.”
Currently, the Revolutionary Army was also active across the seas, building their reputation by combating pirates. At the same time, they targeted the royal powers of various kingdoms. As the leader of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon had become the world’s most wanted criminal.
To the World Government, pirates were a minor issue that merely disrupted their profits. But the Revolutionary Army aimed to strike at the root, posing a far greater threat than ordinary pirates.
Knowing that his forces weren’t yet strong enough, Dragon’s various commanders acted independently, working tirelessly for the future.
The woman who had appeared here was Belo Betty, the East Army Commander of the Revolutionary Army.
“Alright, you useless trash! Are you just going to wait for someone to save you? Heroes don’t show up every day! If you want change, learn to become the hero yourself!”
Her words were crude, but they weren’t directed at the pirates—they were aimed at the townspeople, who only knew how to run away.
And yet, as she scolded them, the muscles of the residents seemed to swell. Each person felt power surging from within their bodies, all thanks to her Devil Fruit ability.
She had eaten the Paramecia-type Pump-Pump Fruit, becoming an Encourager. When she waved her flag and shouted, she awakened the strength buried deep within people’s hearts, granting them the courage to resist. Those encouraged by her also gained bursts of greater strength thanks to her ability.
However, these people were just ordinary townsfolk. To ensure their safety, the Revolutionary Army members charged alongside them, dealing with the more threatening enemies. Today’s battle, however, was unusually easy for them—the pirates were already on the verge of collapse.
When the Revolutionary Army crossed paths with the Knights Templar, no conflict erupted between them. Their common enemy was these pirates. However, as the Knights Templar’s fighting style changed, they began to feel strange.
“Encircle and annihilate!”
Under the coordinated attack of their battle formation, the Knights Templar overwhelmed the pirates of Paradise with ease. To quickly end the fight, the knights employed the things they had learned, such as Rokushiki.
The Knights’ use of Rokushiki aroused suspicion among the Revolutionary Army. These techniques weren’t something ordinary people could learn. Picking up one or two styles in battle might be plausible, but it was illogical to have so many people who together could form a complete set of Rokushiki.
However, they were also fighting pirates, so the Revolutionary Army still considered them comrades. After all, the Revolutionary Army wasn’t just a band of rebels; they also sought to win over Marines and kind officials. The conflict between the two sides arose after the battle.
Once the pirates were defeated, the Knights Templar followed their usual routine: helping the townsfolk clean up the aftermath, treating wounds, and spreading their faith.
“The Lord’s glory spreads across the seas. The Lord’s grace is ever-expanding. Believe in the Lord, and He will grant you happiness and good health.”
Whether or not the townsfolk had any beliefs, the knights tried to preach. Given that these strangers had just saved their town, the residents were at least willing to listen.
However, this behavior—placing one’s hopes in an intangible faith—clashed with the Revolutionary Army’s ideology of relying on one’s own beliefs.
The Revolutionary Army was rooted in realism, while the Arceus Cult members acted purely out of religious devotion. In theory, there shouldn’t have been any conflict; people could simply make their own choices.
But the Revolutionary Army faced a problem: they have no restrictions on who they recruit. Anyone, regardless of who they are, can join as long as they’re willing. This has led to a wide disparity in the quality of their members.
Some people, after listening to those fanatic preachers, couldn’t help but mutter a few words under their breath.
“What the heck, how could that stuff possibly be useful…”
But in the very next moment, a sharp shield blade flew straight toward the man’s neck.
Clang!
A pipe intercepted the flying shield just in time. Reinforced with Haki, the pipe didn’t break, but the collision made a sharp noise that caught the attention of everyone around.
“Friend, there’s no need to be so impulsive. What did he do?”
“The blasphemer must pay the price! He dared to question our faith!”
The Knights Templar member didn’t deactivate their transformed state, so the crown’s communication ability was still active. As soon as the knight spoke, the other nearby knights reacted immediately.
The Revolutionary Army who had just been attacked didn’t even understand what had happened, but they suddenly felt numerous gazes fall upon them. The stares were laced with murderous intent, even more ferocious than what they had faced during their recent battle with the pirates.
The thirty individuals selected for this mission weren’t just the top performers in various tests; they were also fanatics, wholly loyal to the Arceus Cult that had granted them new life. Their loyalty even bordered on overreaction, leaving them unable to tolerate any “blasphemous” words.
To them, even a hint of doubt is a heinous act of heresy.
“Surround them!”
The nearby knights dropped whatever they were doing and began to surround the area.
“Hey, hey! What did you even say to suddenly make them flip out like this?”
The man holding the pipe asked the Revolutionary Army member behind him. He had been talking with some of the Arceus Cult’s personnel earlier and thought they were a friendly group. He hadn’t expected such an extreme reaction.
“I… I don’t even know what’s happening…”
“Sabo! What’s going on? Why are they about to fight again?”
The commotion drew the attention of more Revolutionary Army members, including a girl who approached with a few others. However, the first thing she did was to question her own people about what they had done.
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