The battlefield suddenly saw the deployment of two Pacifistas, which had a significant impact on the ongoing conflict. Although these Pacifistas were not strong enough to fully engage with a Vice Admiral, their destructive power was on par with that level. Their bodies were nearly impervious to most weapons, and the laser beams fired from their palms and mouths were incredibly fast and devastating, capable of wiping out over 90% of the soldiers on the battlefield.

This destructive force was developed by Admiral Kizaru for the purpose of mechanized human enhancement. However, the Pacifistas' main flaw was their lack of flexibility, as they only acted based on commands and data. If not for this limitation, the technology would be overwhelming—essentially allowing for the mass production of Vice Admiral-level fighters.

Boom! Boom!

Laser beams erupted from the palms and mouths of the two Pacifistas, creating explosive shockwaves that sent waves of Lantis soldiers flying, causing a sharp increase in casualties. Many Marines engaged in close combat were also caught in the crossfire, but since the Lantis forces far outnumbered the Marines and the primary targets were Lantis warriors, the Pacifistas' impact was still immense.

The arrival of the Pacifistas immediately drew widespread attention.

"Die!" A Lantis warrior wielding a massive axe leaped into the air, swinging his weapon with all his might at a Pacifista's head. However, the axe blade shattered, his hands were torn apart, and the weapon flew out of his grasp.

"Hum!" The Pacifista opened its mouth, golden light particles gathering rapidly before firing a laser beam. The beam pierced through the warrior's body, even though he was wearing simple metal armor. The laser continued onward, exploding in the distance and creating a shockwave that indiscriminately killed and injured both friend and foe.

"What is this? A copy of the Shichibukai?" Queen Hathaway also noticed the sudden appearance of these two formidable forces on the battlefield, her brow furrowing in concern.

But in that moment of distraction, she was struck in the abdomen by Eric's fist, sending her flying like a streak of light to the edge of a fissure. Eric glanced at Kuma and said, "You've been modified too, haven't you? Why aren't you fighting at full strength?"

"I'm already giving it my all. I have no obligation to report anything else to you—it's classified," Kuma replied calmly.

His destructive power was already immense, and if he were to unleash the superheated laser beams from his mouth, Queen Hathaway would find it even harder to withstand. Kuma was conflicted; he hoped that Queen Hathaway would realize the futility of continuing the fight and retreat, rather than stubbornly pressing on, as that would only lead to greater losses for the Lantis people.

"Tch." Eric was dissatisfied with Kuma's attitude, but since Kuma was a crucial asset in capturing Queen Hathaway, he didn't press further. Instead, he pressed his advantage and charged forward. Kuma quickly followed suit.

Queen Hathaway wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and smiled, her camouflaged face making her look terrifying, like a war-crazed lunatic fully immersed in the chaos. And indeed, she was a war maniac, as her name suggested. "Hathaway" was not her real name but one she had given herself, symbolizing war.

Her life had been one of shame, slaughter, and madness. She didn't love war, but she had spent almost her entire life in the midst of it. This was who she was, and her name served as a constant reminder that war was everywhere. Her goal was to win and survive, so she would fight to the very end, never retreating, even in the face of death.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

At that moment, a barrage of artillery shells rained down like a storm, landing in the densest area of Lantis warriors. The firepower was overwhelming, far exceeding anything seen since the battle began, and it was too coordinated to be the work of scattered Marine units. It had to be a full-scale Marine assault.

"Reinforcements! Our reinforcements are here! Kill all the Lantis!" a Marine Captain shouted with frenzied excitement.

At his words, many turned to look at the outskirts, where a large number of Marines were gathering. After a prolonged battle, Marine reinforcements had finally arrived, bringing with them mortars, heavy land cannons, and overwhelming firepower—the hallmark of a well-organized military force. With 8,000 fresh troops and their devastating firepower, the tide of the battle was about to change.

The Marines already on the field had some heavy weapons, but not many, as they hadn't anticipated a conflict of this scale. Most of their firepower had been left at their outposts.

"Send the signal! Have our forces retreat from the melee! Prepare the artillery units! Once our troops have pulled back, commence saturation bombing! Annihilate the Lantis forces!" a Rear Admiral commanded from the front lines of the reinforcements.

Though he didn't understand why the Lantis had launched such a large-scale attack, as a Marine, all he needed to know was that they were attacking his forces.

"Understood!"

"Don't let them create distance! Kill them all!" Lantis squad leaders shouted as they watched the Marines retreat to the outskirts, realizing the reinforcements' plan. If this strategy succeeded, the Lantis would face total defeat, and the Marines would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to eliminate Queen Hathaway.

"Your Majesty, it's enough. Let our people retreat. We'll stay behind to cover them," Morad shouted, having been rescued by the Vanguard Unit but still seeing many Lantis soldiers trapped.

He was too far from Queen Hathaway to reach her, and though he lacked combat strength, he still managed to take down several Marines with his weapon. Seeing the situation, he quickly understood that continuing the fight would lead to a devastating loss for the Lantis.

Having long assisted Queen Hathaway, Morad knew her well and hoped she wouldn't be consumed by hatred and rage.

"Silence, Morad! I'm not insane. The Marines and the World Government will never give us a chance. They'll eventually eliminate us as a stain. Rather than being slowly worn down, why not fight with everything we have?" Queen Hathaway's anger only grew fiercer.

She then roared, "Warriors, tell me, are you afraid of death? Will you retreat?"

Her voice, imbued with Haki, echoed across the battlefield, igniting the madness in every soldier. "For the Queen! For Lantis! We fear no death! We will never retreat!"

The deafening roar, filled with insanity, struck fear into the hearts of the Marine reinforcements, and even the morale of the retreating Marines plummeted. These Lantis soldiers were all lunatics.

Queen Hathaway realized that the Marines had deliberately allowed "The Gourmet" to supply them with food to prevent a desperate counterattack. They had been slowly grinding down the Lantis' strength. After being betrayed and deceived, Queen Hathaway decided that if she couldn't lead her people to survival, she would die with them on the battlefield. That was the fate of a warrior.

"All Lantis warriors, fight to the death! Vanguard Unit, you are permitted to take the forbidden drugs! Kill all the reinforcements!" Queen Hathaway raised her sword, a terrifying aura radiating from her as a crimson light began to shimmer on the blade.

"Demon Prison Slash!" She unleashed another devastating strike, sweeping through a large group of Marines on the outskirts.

"Fight to the death!" The Lantis warriors roared with madness, the battlefield descending further into chaos and bloodshed.

"Hathaway!" Morad looked at her in despair. This was not a wise choice, but he couldn't argue. In truth, were there any wise choices left? He didn't know.

"The drug!" A middle-aged man, temporarily taking Morad's place, pulled out a vial of medication and ingested it. Other Vanguard soldiers followed suit. This drug stimulated their bodies, which had been modified by lineage factors.

Hearing this, Alice also activated the genetic power within her. Her lineage factor modification had been more successful, allowing her to enter a "berserk" state without the need for drugs. This temporarily boosted her strength, as she had done when she killed the giant lion.

As the Vanguard soldiers enhanced themselves, one of the Pacifistas was disabled, losing an arm and a leg under the combined assault of the strongest Vanguard warriors.

The Lantis soldiers' morale didn't falter; instead, it became a hysterical madness that began to overwhelm the Marines. Eric had forgotten that this madness had been triggered by the exposure of their so-called "immortal mission."

"Damn it, Kuma! Attack her left side—she's injured there!" Eric's expression darkened as he launched a frenzied assault on Queen Hathaway.

He had underestimated Queen Hathaway's influence over the Lantis people. He hadn't expected them to follow such a madwoman so willingly. He had known of the Crimson Queen's high reputation, but not to the extent that they would disregard life and death.

It was both terrifying and enviable.

(End of Chapter)