Q/A

RandomReviewer

Huh, not too bad a concept, that is if you ignore the glaring powerscale issue. True, modern weapons are more advanced than what most (ancient weapons and pacifista exists, and I doubt an EMP or 2 can just diabled those) current war tech in One Piece can do.

However, the Marines from Captain rank and up are superhumans in term of strength and speed in compsrision to in real life humans. They would have no problem tearing through the ranks of a single US navy ship, even if you bring 3 ships, Rokushiki, Haki and their own physical prowess of Vice Admirals would be more than enough to handle those.

Heck, a CP9 agent alone would put hundreds of common soliders down with ease

I know many people dont want to care for stats, but just put this here as a reminder.

First off thanks for mentioning this problem the US Navy will recognize that as soon they learn more about the one piece world and sure they can take on US navy ships and tear through the US marines but the US aint going to stand there and let them stop them

But holy shit the scams are everywhere like what the fuck


Clover island 22 minutes into the fighting.

The U.S. Marines advanced across the island with astonishing speed. Their use of more modern, and highly mobile tactics overwhelmed the enemy, leading to significant casualties among the opposing marines, with 2,500 killed or wounded in just twenty minutes. The lack of anything that could stop a Marine and his rifle only worsened the already hopeless battle.

"Fall back, guh..!" one of the enemy marines shouted before being shot down, his body falling like a sack of spuds in front of the advancing American Marines.

"Push forward!" a U.S. Marine countered, urging his comrades as more of his buddies surged ahead.

The sounds of battle, the cacophony of bullets and explosions reached Vice Admiral Lonz's base camp.

"Sir, what do we do? We're down to 2,500 men… they've already wiped out half of us!" a marine captain urgently reported to Lonz.

"They've pushed this far already?"

"Yes, sir…" He frightenedly shook his head. "They took the auction house as well." The marine captain added.

"Stay here and hold the line. I'm heading to the front," Lonz commanded, rising to join the fray himself.

When Lonz arrived at the battlefield, the scene was grim. Marines lay dead or wounded on the ground, many screaming in pain. He saw soldiers running around engulfed in flames, others still burning even as they collapsed. To his horror, he witnessed more of his troops being blown apart by what seemed like exploding rocks.

"Vice Admiral, we're losing ground!" a marine cried out.

"Where are they?" Lonz demanded.

"They're in the forest, sir!"

"Vice Admiral Lonz!" another voice called out.

The U.S. Marines had established a new defensive line behind trees, rocks, and logs. But when they looked up, they froze in awe as Vice Admiral Lonz appeared before them. Seizing the moment, Lonz slammed his massive axe into the ground, creating a rippling tremor. The shockwave split the earth, sending some of the U.S. Marines, unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end, flying as the ground beneath them cracked open.

"What the hell? They got fucking Paul Bunyan in this bitch!" A Marine cried out, stumbling onto the ground.

"The fuck?!" One of his buddies remarked.

The U.S. Marines looked up in shock at Lonz, a towering 20-meter giant clad in a steel T-shaped helmet. His long hair trailed behind the helmet, possibly a vulnerability, but their attention was quickly drawn to his marine coat reinforced with armored pads.

"What do we do?!" one of the Marines shouted, uncertainty gripping them for a moment.

Lonz's marines, witnessing the arrival of their Vice Admiral, thought, "With the Vice Admiral here, we're sure to win, right?" But the U.S. Marines, far from being intimidated, grew more determined and resumed their attack just as Lonz launched his assault.

"Well, don't just stand there! Shoot!" Davidson commanded, and the U.S. Marines opened fire on Lonz. Their bullets, however, bounced off the giant's body harmlessly.

"DIE!" Lonz roared, but his advance was momentarily halted when an explosion erupted on his helmet, his ears ringing. He snapped his attention to where the mysterious projectiles came from, only to be greeted by two U.S. Marines wielding strange green and cylindrical tubes—bazookas. Enraged, Lonz swung his massive axe, slicing multiple trees like butter and forcing the US Marines, from his perspective at least, to scatter like ants. The sheer force of the backlash took out some of the U.S. troops.

Despite their efforts, the bazooka blasts and gunfire barely phased Lonz. The U.S. Marines quickly assumed defensive positions, taking cover under rocks and other natural barriers to mitigate his attacks. However, it was clear to Davidson that they were outmatched and needed reinforcements as Lonz continued to wreak havoc on their lines.

"Command, we've got a 65-foot giant on our asses! We need air support ASAP!" Major Davidson shouted into the radio handset, desperation clear in his voice. A crackling response came from the carrier. Pl

"Hold out for another 30 minutes, Major. We're still prepping for takeoff."

"Damn it!" Davidson cursed, slamming the phone down.

"Get those damn mortars to deploy a smokescreen for a flank!" Davidson ordered, and his radioman swiftly relayed the command to the rest of the troops. Moments later, the rear mortar teams fired their 4.2-inch mortars, creating a thick smokescreen that enveloped Lonz and his marines.

"Fire the Goon Guns!" a Marine shouted.

"Fire in the hole!"

Pomp…pomp!

The smoke rounds landed, blinding Lonz and his marines. The shooting ceased as the thick wall of smoke obscured everything, even halting Lonz's relentless attacks.

"What the hell?"

"Smoke?!"

Confusion spread among the marines as they found themselves facing an impenetrable curtain of smoke. After a few minutes of tense silence, Lonz, determined and undeterred, commanded his troops to charge through the smoke. They rushed forward, swords and muskets at the ready, only to find the enemy had vanished.

"They're gone!"

"Where the hell did they go?!"

Meanwhile, a group of U.S. Marines lay prone on a distant hill, armed with M1903 Springfields. They watched through their scopes, waiting for the right moment, and then opened fire on Lonz's bewildered troops.

"Alright, focus fire on that position," the U.S Marine in charge ordered, and his men began picking off Lonz's marines one by one.

"Pfft…" A marine gasped as a bullet struck him in the head, dropping him to the ground. More marines fell as the sniper fire intensified.

"Snipers!" one of Lonz's marines shouted as they scrambled for cover behind trees.

But as they sought shelter, the same U.S. Marines who had vanished reappeared behind Lonz. One of them, a flametrooper, managed to set Lonz's hair and clothes ablaze. Lonz reacted quickly, kicking the flametrooper with such force that the unfortunate soldier was sent crashing into a tree.

Even engulfed in flames, Lonz continued his brutal assault on the U.S. Marines, his own forces exchanging fire with the Americans. The battle raged on, chaos engulfing the battlefield.

"Holy shit, he kicked Gary!" one U.S. Marine exclaimed in disbelief.

"Where the hell is our air support?!" Davidson demanded, turning to his radioman, who was still in contact with the fleet via the SCR-536 walkie-talkie.

"It's on its way, sir," the radioman replied.


Auction House Basement, 50 Feet Underground

Corporal John Griller and his two gunmen, Private Dave Heigens and Private First Class Tyler Olivers, finally reached the bottom of the ladder after a grueling 45-minute descent. They found themselves in a medieval-like hallway, its stone walls lined with flickering torches.

"Jesus, it's dark as hell down here," Tyler remarked, his voice echoing ominously through the corridor.

"Arm yourselves, boys," Griller ordered. Tyler loaded his M1A1 Thompson, Dave reloaded his M1 Garand, and Griller switched his M2 Flamethrower for his BAR Machine Gun. But as they moved forward, unsettling sounds began to echo from deeper within the hallway.

"AHHHH HELP! GAH!"

"SHUT IT, YOU!"

The distant cries of torture grated on Griller's nerves.

"Come on, let's move," Griller said, his voice hard. The trio advanced down the hallway, eventually reaching a row of cells. Inside, they found prisoners—humans and fishmen alike—suffering from various horrific injuries.

"My god, they look terrible," Tyler muttered as Griller approached a cell holding two female prisoners. They were dressed in scant, warrior-like outfits and appeared nearly unconscious. As Griller approached, one of them stirred awake.

"You ladies alright?" he asked, his tone softening.

The two women eyed him warily, then exchanged a few words with each other before turning back to him.

"You a man?" one of them asked.

"I look like it…why?" Griller responded.

"Your kind can't be trusted. It's men who imprisoned us," she declared, her voice filled with disdain. Other prisoners chimed in with similar sentiments.

"Ah, Kuja. They're always hostile toward men," another prisoner remarked, revealing that these women were Kuja warriors who held a deep mistrust of men, viewing them as weak and lustful.

"Shut it! Men shouldn't speak!" one of the Kuja snapped.

"Look, hostile or not, we're getting you all out of here," Griller promised, speaking directly to the prisoners and trying to convey his sincerity to the Kuja warriors.

"You'll have to deal with the jailer first," one of the prisoners warned.

Clang

"Oh no, he's coming!" a fishman prisoner panicked as the others quickly retreated to their corners. The three U.S. Marines turned to face an abnormally large door at the end of the hallway. The door burst open, and a massive figure stepped through, tossing a mermaid roughly to the floor. She skidded to a stop in front of Griller and his men.

The jailer, Ox, towered over them, standing at an imposing 12 feet tall.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Ox emerged from the shadows with a twisted grin, his eyes gleaming with malice. Tyler quickly scooped up the injured mermaid, cradling her in his arms as he glared at the massive figure.

"U.S. Marines, you fucker," Griller responded coldly as the towering man drew a pair of brass knuckles from his belt.

"Oh, so you're the ones causing all that trouble on the surface. How's that working out for you? Eh, don't bother answering—you greenhorns are going to die right here," He sneered.

"Wood Wood Body!" he shouted, and his entire body suddenly transformed into solid wood.

"Devil Fruit user," one of the prisoners muttered in fear, watching as the last bits of Ox's body turned.

"That's right! With the power of the Wood-Wood Fruit, I'm invincible! No attack can harm me—not even with your puny rifles and bullets!" He boasted. Griller, Tyler, and Dave stood momentarily stunned, having never encountered anything like this before. To test Ox's audacious claim, Tyler and Dave opened fire, their bullets thudding into his wooden form, ricocheting and spalling all over.

"Ha! Your bullets are useless against my Wood-Wood abilities!" the jailer laughed, the bullet holes in his wooden body closing up before their eyes.

"WOOD MACE!" he bellowed, his right hand transforming into a massive wooden club. Tyler and Dave instinctively backed up, while Griller swapped his BAR for something more potent.

"DIEEEE!" the jailer roared as he swung the mace toward Griller. But before the blow could land, Griller unleashed a torrent of napalm from his M2 flamethrower, engulfing the jailer in searing flames. The fire consumed the wooden body within seconds, and the jailer's agonized screams echoed through the chamber. Unable to deactivate his transformation, he burned to ashes, leaving nothing but a charred pile where he once stood. The prisoners looking with shock.

"He defeated Ox!"

"How underwhelming," Griller remarked, stepping over the ashes to retrieve the jailer's keys. He handed spare keys to Tyler and Dave, who began unlocking the prisoners' cells and freeing them from their chains. There were 2,000 prisoners in total.

"Sorry you had to witness that," Griller said to the Kuja warriors as he unlocked their cage. "Let's get you out of here immediately."

"Thank you... I've never had a man save me before," one of the Kuja warriors admitted, her voice tinged with surprise and uncertainty.

"Like me or not, just remember what happened today. The name's Corporal John Griller," he replied as the prisoners began to flee. Tyler carefully carried the mermaid, following the others.

"Let's move! The surface is this way!" one of the prisoners shouted, urging the others toward the exit stairs. Hundreds of them hurried up the steps, but as they reached the top and opened the door, they froze in their tracks. The blinding light revealed a chaotic battlefield, with U.S. Marines and enemy marines locked in fierce combat. And there, towering above the fray, was Lonz, unleashing his wrath upon the U.S. forces.

"Titanicanic blow!"

He raised his axe high, slashing the air to unleash deadly projectiles that sliced through trees and struck the U.S. Marines, their pained screams echoing in the chaos.

"Well, that's certainly a battle," Rosie, one of the Kuja warriors, remarked as Griller, Tyler, and Dave emerged from the trapdoor, leaving the other prisoners hidden below. Tyler gently set the injured mermaid down on the ground.

"Boys, get to cover!" Griller ordered, and the three Marines dove for safety, joining Lance Corporal Barge in the dirt.

"John, what the hell did you do?" Barge yelled over the ditch as a cannonball from Lonz's battleship exploded nearby.

"Freed those poor bastards. What's happening now?"

Boom! A nearby explosion greeted them.

"We're getting hammered by a 65-foot giant! It's hell out here—we're losing men fast!" Barge reported. Lonz, on fire but largely unfazed, was wreaking havoc on the U.S. Marine lines, though the constant barrage of bullets, grenades, and rockets was gradually wearing him down.

"Give me that!" Griller shouted, snatching a bazooka from a Marine. He quickly loaded it, dashed out of cover, and fired at Lonz. The rocket shot through the air and straight into Lonz's T shaped hamlet and then through his open mouth, traveling deep into his body.

"Who fired that? That's incredible!" Davidson called out as Lonz stumbled, the rocket exploding in his stomach.

"You'll pay for that…" Lonz growled, charging toward Griller's position. Before he could reach them, a loud clang rang out, and Dave opened his eyes to see Rosie and Violet, the Kuja warriors they had freed, blocking Lonz's attack with Marine swords.

"What the hell?" a Marine exclaimed as Rosie landed a powerful kick, knocking Lonz back slightly.

"Gah... you must be with the Kuja Pirates," Lonz sneered, recognizing the warriors.

"We are… and thanks, Griller," Rosie said, turning to Griller, causing the Marines to look at him with a mix of surprise and envy.

"The corporal's got an islander girl on his side!"

"Shut up!" Griller barked. "Keep shooting! We're still in a fight!" The U.S. Marines redoubled their efforts, setting up M1919 and M2 machine guns to target Lonz. The heavy firepower was slowly chipping away at him, but it was more of an annoyance than a true threat.

"Air support ETA 15 minutes!" a radioman shouted.

"Dive bombers incoming!" another Marine cheered.

"We're saved!"

"Dive bombers?" Rosie asked, deflecting a cannonball, while Violet shrugged, equally puzzled by the term.


45 minutes earlier on the USS Lexington

Onboard the aircraft carrier USS Lexington, the crew had just finished preparing for launch. With the wind speed calculated, the fleet turned into the wind, and over 2,000 crew members on each carrier worked to clear debris and ready the planes. Below deck, bombs were loaded, and Helldivers were moved into position.

"I want those Helldivers and Destroyers on the deck! Let's move!" one sailor ordered as planes were shifted up and down the elevators. The vice admiral observed the progress with satisfaction.

"We can expect over 100 aircraft in the air within 5 minutes, Vice Admiral!"

"Good. Keep the pace steady. We need to support the Marines as soon as possible," Wellington advised, watching as Admiral Hazard's flagship, the USS New Jersey, along with six other battleships and surface ships, broke off from the carrier division, Wellington losing contact of the ships as they went over the horizon.

"Is that Admiral Hazard's ship? Where are they going?" a bridge officer asked.

"Looks like Hazard is moving to bombard the island. I expect the bombers to finish before they arrive," Wellington replied, lowering his binoculars as the cleanup on deck finished. The munitions and fuel were rolled out, and the first batch of Helldivers was positioned for takeoff. Six minutes later, the bombers were ready.

"Takeoff!" Wellington commanded. The roar of engines filled the air as one by one, the planes launched from the decks of the Hornet, Lexington, Yorktown, and Shangri-La. Over a hundred aircraft were airborne within minutes, heading toward the island.

"May God have mercy on us," Wellington muttered, watching the planes disappear into the distance.


Back on Clover Island

The battle raged on, with Rosie and Violet clashing swords with Lonz, their strikes powerful enough to create shockwaves. The two Kuja warriors used Armament Haki to coat their weapons, matching Lonz's own Haki-coated axe. Despite being outnumbered, the U.S. Marines were gaining the upper hand, their superior weaponry and tactics proving decisive although they only had 158 marines losing more to the process due to the Giant. Lonz's forces, though starting with 5,000 Marines, were now down to just 400 simply because the U.S had superior weapons.

As Rosie and Violet paused to catch their breath, a rumbling sound filled the air, confusing the prisoners, the remaining Marines, and even Lonz.

"What is that sound?" Lonz asked, looking around.

"The Helldivers are here!" a U.S. Marine shouted.

"Take cover!" Another yelled as the U.S Marines began heading into the forest.

"Rosie, Violet, get to cover! Our Navy's here!" Griller called out, retreating into the forest with his comrades.

"Your Navy?"

The U.S. Marines fell back into the forest, leaving Lonz and his forces exposed in an open field. The rumble of engines grew louder.

"VROOOOOM! VROOOOOM!"

The Marines, prisoners, and Lonz looked up to see a formation of strange metal birds—planes—high above the clouds. Confusion turned to horror as the planes rolled in the sky like hawks and began their deafening dives.

"RRRRROOOOAAARRRR!"

"Huh?!"

In an instant, bomb bays opened, and a barrage of 2,000-pound bombs rained down on Lonz. The bombs struck with devastating force, shattering his helmet and axe and causing extensive damage to his body. Already weakened by flamethrowers, Lonz was now unmasked, his marine coat in tatters, and his body severely injured.

"WHHEEEEEEE!"

"BOOM!"

"Admiral!"

But the assault wasn't over. Avenger torpedo bombers arrived next, launching a deadly swarm of torpedoes at Lonz's battleship. The torpedoes all struck the starboard side, causing the wooden ship to list heavily and begin sinking rapidly since it was sitting still.

"Our ship!"

"Those metal birds attacked it!"

"It's going to explode!"

With the battleship sinking and his forces decimated, Lonz's fury boiled over as the ship exploded.

"BOOM!"

"AAAHHHHHHHH"

"ARGHHHHH! THAT'S IT! YOU WILL DIE!" Lonz roared, charging at the U.S. Marines.

"Give 'em everything you've got!" Davidson commanded.

Freed from the distraction of Lonz's Marines, the U.S. forces concentrated all their firepower on Lonz. Machine guns, rifles, submachine guns, flamethrowers, bazookas, and mortars unleashed a relentless barrage, pushing Lonz back as the bullets formed a deadly wall of fire. The freed prisoners including Rosie and Violet watching as the battle now rest upon the US.

"ARRGGHHHHHH!" Lonz screamed in pain pushing back the bullet storm.

"GO, Vice Admiral! Destroy them!" a Marine shouted, trying to rally their leader.

"GOOO!"

"You may have destroyed my Marines with your metal birds, but you will not defeat me!" Lonz yelled defiantly, struggling against the relentless onslaught.

"HOOOONK! HOOOONK! HOOONK!"

The sudden blares of horns made Lonz turn, just as the barrage of bullets pushed him back to the beach, causing him to stumble.

"It's a fleet of steel ships!" An Marine cried out.

"Impossible…" Lonz muttered.

Lonz got up, only to see a fleet of steel warships facing him, their turrets rotating to target him. It was Admiral Hazard's fleet.

The giant was momentarily shocked, he in his entire life had never seen any kind of metal ship in his entire life more so since this fleet didn't have any sails of any kind, and the fact that they are very far from the shore. Still he picked up a boulder and threw it towards the fleet, it flew through the sky and hit what it seemed the flagship. Which was the USS Wisconsin who was the closest to him.

"WHEEEEEE!"

"Incoming!" One U.S sailor yelled as the boulder was chucked at the Wisconsin.

"Brace for impact!"

The boulder then slammed into the belt of the Wisconsin and to the surprise of the marines on the shore the rock shattered on impact and left a dent in the armor, around two inches more impressive than the cannonball dents that was left on the Alaska which were one millimeter, but the ship still rocked wildly after the impact.

"It didn't even scratch them?!" One of the Marines questioned, since normally if a rock was thrown at a ship the ship would shatter and crumble, instead the rock itself shattered.

"How?!"

"What?!"

Still the captain of the Wisconsin was pissed.

"Piece of shit dented my ship!"

"Open fire!" Admiral Hazard ordered immediately not taking any more chances of rocks thrown at them. Especially when more rocks of that caliber could take down his destroyers.

The fleet unleashed its firepower on Lonz. The lower-caliber guns had little effect, but the shells from the cruisers and battleships tore into his massive frame, especially since his helmet was gone. Lonz was bombarded continuously, his arms riddled with holes as he tried to shield himself, even with haki but given he was battered by the bombs. He couldn't hold it.

"Get some!" One of the US sailors yelled.

"Admiral!" The Marine forces cried out in despair as they witnessed the death of their leader. For five relentless minutes, the fleet shelled Lonz. Shell after shell they impacted Lonz relentlessly, outputting HE shells, but given that he seemed to be holding on, the order was given to switch to AP and AP was staggeringly more effective than the HE rounds. In which the final salvo, fired by the New Jersey, delivered the fatal blow—16-inch shells that pierced Lonz's head.

As the shelling ceased, Lonz fell onto the beach, bleeding from his head, torso, and limbs. The once-mighty Vice Admiral kneeled, his body broken and lifeless and smacked face first into the waters.

"Damn you…agrrghhhh!" Lonz's final words echoed across the battlefield as he collapsed onto the beach. His massive form hit the sand with a thunderous crash, and his blood spilled out, staining the entire beachhead crimson.

"Admiral!" The remaining marines, battered and bloodied, fell to their knees, devastated by the loss of their leader. Their cries of anguish filled the air, but their voices were soon drowned out by the cheers of the US Marines.

"YEAH!"

"We did it!" The US Marines erupted in celebration, their hard-fought victory finally won. They cheered for the fallen, for the enslaved people they had liberated, and for their country. Davidson, who had led them through the chaos, raised his voice above the crowd.

"All hail the United States of America!" he shouted.

"USA! USA! USA!" The chant spread like wildfire, the American Marines and freed prisoners shouting in unison, their voices booming across the battlefield. Even the mermaid, now safely in Tyler's arms, joined in the celebration, though oblivious to what the chant meant.

But not everyone was cheering. The two Kuja warriors, Rosie and Violet, stood in awe, their eyes wide with a mix of confusion and astonishment. They had never seen anything like the steel ships, the roaring planes, and the sheer power of the US military.

"How'd you like the show, ladies?" Griller asked as he approached the Kuja warriors. But instead of impressed smiles, he was met with puzzled expressions.

"What was that that flew by us and dropped something?" Rosie asked, still trying to comprehend what she had witnessed.

"Just one of the navy's dive bombers," Griller replied casually, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Around them, the US Marines were busy tying up the remaining Marine forces, who were clearly demoralized by the death of their commander.

"Tell us more!" Violet pleaded.

Meanwhile, Major Davidson was on the phone with General Smider, reporting the outcome of the battle.

"General," Davidson began.

"Well, Major, I'm simultaneously pissed and proud of you," Smider responded, his voice carrying both frustration and approval. "On one hand, you freed prisoners. On the other hand, there are over 100 dead or wounded marines that we cannot replace, and tons of ammunition that cannot be replenished."

"I'm sorry, sir," Davidson replied, bracing for the worst.

"Sorry? You're promoted to lieutenant colonel, and that other marine who freed the prisoners, Corporal John Griller? He is also promoted to sergeant now."

"Oh, um," Davidson's eyes sparked up. "Thank you, sir. I'm honored…" Davidson stammered, surprised by the unexpected promotion.

"Hazard will be sending more boats to pick up the prisoners and our new guys and get the wounded back to the fleet. As for the dead, bury them. With military honors."

"Yes, sir," Davidson replied, his voice steady with resolve.

"We leave in 8 hours."


18 hours later Clover island Vice Admiral Smoker's ship

Ten hours after the U.S. forces had cleaned up and left for the Calm Belt, Vice Admiral Smoker and Captain Tashigi arrived at Clover Island. They were on their way to G-5 in the New World, having received permission for Smoker's transfer. Before heading out, they needed to resupply, and they were counting on Vice Admiral Lonz to provide those supplies. However, there had been an eerie silence from Lonz's Den Den Mushi for the past day.

"Hmmm, this isn't good, Smoker. Vice Admiral Lonz hasn't been answering," Tashigi said, her voice tinged with concern as she held the silent receiver.

"He's probably just busy with something important," Smoker replied dismissively, exhaling a puff of smoke.

Their ship docked at the northwest of Clover Island, and Smoker and Tashigi, along with their marines, disembarked. The island was unnervingly quiet, a stark contrast to Lonz's usual boisterous nature. Smoker lit another cigarette while Tashigi rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, her instincts on high alert.

"I smell something… it's horrible!" Tashigi exclaimed, covering her nose with one hand and trying to wave away the stench with the other.

Smoker's eyes narrowed as he scanned the surroundings. "Something isn't right," he muttered, pulling out his jitte, a weapon he rarely had to use in situations that didn't involve combat. Tashigi, following suit, drew her katana, Shigure. The marines behind them readied their weapons, tension mounting as the smell grew stronger.

What they stumbled upon next utterly shattered them.

Tashigi dropped her sword, her hands flying to her mouth in horror. The marines behind her lowered their weapons, some even fainting at the gruesome sight before them. Smoker's cigarette fell from his lips, landing forgotten on the ground.

The beach was littered with the bodies of marines. Some were riddled with bullets, others had their heads blown off or were decapitated. Bodies were charred beyond recognition, while others lay in grotesque poses, having been feasted on by vultures and crows. It was a scene of utter carnage, and as Smoker's marines moved through the island, they found more and more bodies, the death toll rising with every step.

"What the…" Tashigi's voice trembled as she tried to speak, tears welling up in her eyes. "What happened here?"

"I don't know," Smoker replied grimly, lighting another cigarette with shaky hands. "But there's no doubt—this was a massacre."

As they made their way to the south side of the island, they discovered the lifeless body of Vice Admiral Lonz. The giant lay face down on the beach, his body partially submerged in the water. His once-mighty battle ax was shattered, as was his helmet, and his body was riddled with holes, ranging from small punctures on his limbs to gaping wounds in his torso and head.

"Vice Admiral Lonz… he's dead!" one of the marines exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Who would have done this?!" another marine cried out, his voice breaking.

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Tashigi whispered, her face pale as she looked away from Lonz's body.

After a quick but somber count, Smoker confirmed the horrific tally: 4,970 dead marines, including Lonz himself.

"Who could've done this?" Tashigi asked, her voice hollow as they passed by a bomb crater, where the bodies of limbless marines lay scattered.

"I don't know… but it wasn't pirates. This looks too organized," Smoker replied, his voice tight with anger. "There's blood here, and it looks like there was a clear offensive line."

"Vice Admiral, over there!" one of the marines called out.

The group moved towards a peculiar sight—a cluster of freshly dug graves to the right of the forest. There were over a hundred of them, each marked with a wooden cross. Above the graves flew a flag they did not recognize: red and white stripes with a blue section adorned with 48 white stars. Next to the graves, a sign caught Tashigi's attention.

"Here lies the marines of the United States Marine Corps who gave their lives," Tashigi read aloud, her voice soft with confusion.

Smoker approached the grave site, his eyes narrowing as he took in the strange flag fluttering in the breeze. On the ground beside it lay the familiar flag of their own marines.

"Tashigi, do you recognize this flag?" Smoker asked, his voice low.

"No… it doesn't ring a bell. It's not part of any kingdom I've ever heard of," Tashigi replied, puzzled. "But this sign… it proves something."

"United States Marine Corps…" Smoker murmured, reading the sign again. "Any files on that?"

A marine quickly flipped through a book that listed the kingdoms and factions of the world, his hands shaking slightly. "N-no, sir… Nothing on the data record suggests the existence of a 'United States' ever. Not even their banner is listed as an official ensign."

"Nothing? Huh… Interesting… but it seems we have to report this back to brass regardless," Smoker said, his eyes narrowing as he studied the mysterious flag. "Though I'm not sure how this 'United States' managed to kill Lonz. Let alone cause all of this destruction around us."

Tashigi nodded, her gaze fixed on the scene of devastation. "Whoever they are, they killed a vice admiral—and a giant at that… What happens now?"

"Whatever happens next. There's a new player in the game, Tashigi, and we just so happen to stumble upon the traces of something bigger."

"Oh..."

To be continued