"This invisibility effect really is extraordinary. Damn it, how did that designer manage to do this?"
Vinsmoke Judge fiddled with the invisibility hat in front of him with a frustrated expression. His sharp eyes flickered with irritation.
"Your Majesty, we just received a report that the maker of the invisibility hat is currently in Notice Town."
"Hmm? Is this information reliable?"
"The news came from the underworld and has already been confirmed by several merchant guilds."
A flicker of surprise passed through Judge's eyes, but was quickly replaced by excitement.
"Order the helmsman to change course, we're going to Notice Town. I'm going to capture that creator and force out the secrets of this hat!"
As the king of Germa 66, Vinsmoke Judge harbored extraordinary ambitions—to restore Germa to its former glory and reclaim its dominance over the North Blue.
No, the North Blue was just the first step in his conquest. His true ambition was to become the king of the world.
At Judge's command, the massive warship began to move.
It was a floating island powered by a group of giant snails, and countless flags bearing the insignia of "Germa 66" fluttered in the wind.
On the floating island stood countless identical-looking soldiers.
They were none other than Judge's scientific creation, clone soldiers.
It was with this force that he launched war on the Kingdom of Stanford and seized the invisibility hat.
"Ah, this town is so relaxing."
For once, Hammer wasn't blacksmithing. Instead, he had set up a beach umbrella on the shore, lying in the sand wearing nothing but beach shorts.
"Hammer, are you sure it's okay to be this relaxed?"
"If what you said is true, then Germa 66 is already on their way here."
Unlike the laid-back Hammer, Lance's face was full of worry.
After relentless pestering, he'd finally learned the full scope of Hammer's scheme.
Hammer had deliberately spread the news through the Hydra Society in the Kingdom of Stanford to lure Germa 66 here.
But to Lance, this plan was just too risky.
From locals, Lance had heard tales of the so-called "Evil Army."
If Germa 66 matched even half those rumors, they would be extremely dangerous. Could they truly hold them off? Lance wasn't so sure.
"What are you afraid of, Lance?"
Hammer's casual remark stunned Lance.
'Yeah, what was he afraid of? As a Marine who stood for justice, how could he fear danger?'
"Relax, Lance. Even if Vinsmoke Judge shows up in person, I'm confident I can handle him."
Hammer's words were full of confidence, calming Lance's anxious heart.
Just as he was about to reply, Hammer suddenly stood up with a jolt, knocking over the beach umbrella.
"They're here, Lance. Gather everyone."
"Our guest has arrived!"
Lance looked out to sea, sensing the fighting spirit rising from Hammer's voice. Sure enough, a massive warship slowly appeared on the horizon, its bold "66" insignia impossible to miss.
Lance watched the approaching behemoth grimly.
"So that's the 'Evil Army'... the 'Kingdom of Science'..." Lance murmured.
Hammer scoffed, not because he underestimated Germa 66, but because in his eyes, this early in this timeline, Vinsmoke Judge had yet to reach that level of a threat.
"Vinsmoke Judge. King of Germa, head of the Vinsmoke family. Also known as Garuda."
Hammer recited casually, as if discussing the weather. "His unique clone army numbers over 10,000, the backbone of Germa's military."
"T-ten thousand?!" Lance paled. "How are we supposed to fight that?!"
Lance's expression darkened. Just in terms of manpower, they were already outnumbered a hundred to one, let alone firepower.
Judge wasn't just a king, he was also a scientist who wielded advanced military technology.
"We fight anyway. You go rally the troops, I'm heading out to scout!"
Without another word, Hammer pulled out his uniform and cape from a ring, then crouched down, charging his legs with power.
His leg muscles bulged, and the sand beneath him began to sink.
Before Lance could react, Hammer kicked off the ground.
A massive crater five meters wide was left behind on the beach as he launched into the air at high speed, straight toward the Germa 66 flagship.
"Your Majesty, there are Marines on the beach. One person wearing a cape is approaching at high speed through the air. Should we shoot him down?"
The voice was stiff and robotic. Sitting on his throne, Vinsmoke Judge remained calm.
'A mere Marine? Not worth worrying about.'
But the one flying through the air did pique his interest.
As a top scientist, he was familiar with the Navy's Six Powers technique. So he wasn't surprised that someone could fly.
He casually picked up his weapon, a massive battle lance.
Thanks to technological enhancements, the lance had an electric property, discharging current when it struck.
Stepping onto the observation deck, Judge spotted his opponent, a hulking figure hovering effortlessly.
"Vinsmoke Judge?" The Marine's voice boomed with laughter. "I heard your tech's impressive. Let's see how it stacks up against my forging!"
Floating in midair using Geppo, Hammer immediately recognized the so-called "Garuda."
Seeing his blonde hair, mask, and battle lance, Hammer laughed heartily.
His words sparked a flicker of curiosity in Judge's eyes.
"Oh? From what you're saying... you're the creator of the invisibility hat?"
Hearing this, Judge gripped his lance tighter.
"In that case, you're not leaving. Tell me everything you know, so Germa can shine even brighter!"
As his words fell, Judge's feet exploded with compressed air, launching him into the air toward Hammer.
Jet propulsion at the feet, Hammer's eyes lit up.
"So, you've already developed such combat tech?"
"Now I'm really curious about how far along your tech is."
"If you're using a weapon, I will too! Trident!"
With a flash of light, a trident appeared in Hammer's hands.
The battle lance and trident collided midair.
Two towering figures, locked in aerial combat.