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"Swish..."

"Indeed, nothing beats a hot spring."

With his eyes closed, Vinsmoke Ichiji relaxed in the expansive artificial hot spring, savoring the soothing warmth enveloping his body.

"Master, when will we return?" Delia, waiting at the entrance, asked softly.

"If all goes as planned, the battle should conclude within half a day. We’ll set sail that very night, so it won’t be long," Ichiji replied, opening his eyes with a faint smile. "What’s wrong? Missing the North Blue already?"

"No, Master. Wherever you are is where we wish to be!"

Wyness, her twin sister, chimed in gently. From the moment they were brought back to serve him, the sisters had resolved to dedicate their lives entirely to this domineering and enigmatic master of theirs.

"Lady Isabelle must still be waiting for you at Germa's headquarters!" Delia teased, her cute face breaking into a mischievous grin.

"You’re the one who fears Lady Isabelle the most, aren’t you, brat?" Wyness retorted, lightly tapping her identical but vastly different-in-personality sister on the forehead.

"Not true! Lady Isabelle is the kindest person ever!"

Rubbing her forehead, Delia pouted defensively.

"Heh... heh..."

After some time, Ichiji shook off the water clinging to his hair and rose to his feet. His demeanor shifted instantly—from the laid-back indulgence of moments ago to the cold, composed warrior he always was in public. The transformation was striking.

What caught the eye, though subtly, were the faint scars etched across his body—marks easily overlooked unless scrutinized closely. These scars told silent stories of relentless training, battles fought without the protective combat suits engineered by Germa's cutting-edge technology, and countless encounters with ruthless pirates and armies. Each scar carried memories of danger and near-death experiences.

Had it not been for Germa’s unparalleled medical advancements and the superhuman body he inherited through Judge’s genetic modifications before birth, Ichiji might have perished on the battlefield long ago. But his madness bore fruit: immense strength and unparalleled combat experience.

Even Vinsmoke Judge, the ruler of Germa, couldn’t fully gauge how powerful his eldest son had become. Unlike his siblings, Ichiji didn’t inherit Judge’s signature curled eyebrows—a trait passed down from their mother, Sola. Nor did he possess the “exoskeleton” enhancements given to his older sister Reiju, younger brother Niji, or youngest sibling Yonji. Instead, he was merely endowed with a monstrous physique surpassing ordinary human limits.

Yet, what Judge once dismissed as a “half-finished product”—slightly better than the outright failure that was Sanji—had grown into Germa’s deadliest weapon. Known as the “Demon Spear,” Ichiji struck fear into enemies’ hearts. This wasn’t just a self-proclaimed title; it was earned through blood and steel.

---

Dressed in his signature black combat suit adorned with Germa’s “66” emblem, a white scarf around his neck, and a flowing white cape marked with the bold red “1,” Ichiji stepped out of the castle alongside his two devoted maids. His fiery red hair stood slightly upright, partially covering his right eye, while his sunglasses obscured any hint of emotion. His chiseled features exuded an aura of icy detachment.

Among the traits he cherished most about himself, it wasn’t his monstrous physique but the fact that he escaped inheriting Judge’s distinctive curled eyebrows. Like Sanji, he retained free will, unbound by Judge’s genetic commands. This anomaly stemmed from Sola’s desperate attempts to resist Judge’s experiments, consuming potent drugs that disrupted the “bloodline factors.” As a result, Ichiji emerged as a “half-finished” creation—not equipped with exoskeletal enhancements or other specialized abilities—but still far superior to ordinary humans.

Ironically, even Judge underestimated this supposed flaw. What began as a disappointment evolved into Germa’s greatest asset. Today, Ichiji stood unrivaled among his siblings, feared as the spearhead of Germa’s forces.

---

“Lord Ichiji!!”

Rows upon rows of heavily armed Germa soldiers stood at attention before the castle, their gazes snapping toward the approaching crimson figure. Their voices thundered in unison, filled with reverence and loyalty. A wave of pride surged through them—this man was Germa’s glory incarnate, hailed as the “Strongest Spear of Germa.”

“Lord Ichiji, the Fifth and Sixth Squadrons are ready and can deploy at your command!” A towering man clad in black combat gear approached with firm strides. Standing at two meters three, his muscular frame stretched the fabric of his uniform taut, radiating the presence of a seasoned warrior.

This was one of Germa’s captains—a veteran of countless battles.

Germa’s total troop count wasn’t staggering, numbering only around ten to twenty thousand. Most of these were artificial soldiers created through advanced science, with thousands more “unfinished products” still being cultivated at headquarters. Additionally, there were non-artificial warriors—descendants of loyal retainers who served the Vinsmoke family for generations. These warriors would lay down their lives without hesitation for Germa, earning Judge’s trust despite lacking genetic enhancements.

Years of relentless warfare had decimated Germa’s original non-artificial forces. Those who survived the blood-soaked campaigns were undoubtedly elite. Unlike artificial soldiers, who could be endlessly replenished using resources gained from victorious battles, every fallen natural soldier reduced Germa’s numbers permanently.

In terms of sheer manpower, Germa’s army wasn’t overwhelming. However, Germa wasn’t defined by numbers—it was a scientific combat force wielding some of the world’s most advanced technology. Their weaponry and equipment far surpassed those of conventional armies, rendering numerical comparisons meaningless.