Following the orders issued by Kaido, the massive and terrifying machinery of the Beasts Pirates began to operate at a breakneck speed. Time, indifferent to the struggles of men, slowly trickled by. Before anyone realized it, half a month had passed in a flash.
During these fifteen days, countless fragments of intelligence were scattered across the seas. This information came from brave pirates and covert World Government spies who had managed to infiltrate the closed borders of Wano Country. The reports painted a disturbing picture. A dangerous, suffocating aura was emanating from the heart of the Beasts Pirates' territory, causing unease to ripple across the oceans. The Marines, in particular, felt this pressure more acutely than anyone else.
This sensation was unprecedented. The Beasts Pirates, standing tall as one of the Four Emperors of the New World, had always been a powerful force. However, they had never instilled such an uncontrollable sense of terror in the Marines as they did right now.
The balance of the world felt precarious. Even though Whitebeard was the only one of the original Four Emperors to fall during the war, and formidable figures like Red-Haired Shanks and Charlotte Linlin were still active, the perception of the world was shifting. For some unexplainable reason, people began to feel that Kaido and his crew had become invincible.
There were two main reasons for this shifting perspective.
On one hand, there was the immense personal strength Kaido had displayed. During the Summit War at Marineford, he had exerted terrifying pressure on the entire Marine organization. He had single-handedly faced off against both Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp, without falling into a disadvantage. That display of raw power was etched into the memories of every soldier who witnessed it.
On the other hand, the attitude of the other Emperors played a significant role. Over the past month, as the Beasts Pirates expanded their influence aggressively, Red-Haired Shanks and Big Mom had remained surprisingly passive. Their lack of reaction led the world to believe that even these legendary monsters held a degree of fear toward Kaido.
However, Kaido's personal combat prowess alone was not enough to plunge the entire Marine Headquarters into such a state of anxiety. The true source of their fear, the thing that kept the high-ranking officers awake at night, was the Artificial Devil Fruits produced by the Beasts Pirates.
The intelligence reports were undeniable. As of today, the Beasts Pirates had held three separate gladiator matches in Wano. Including the champion of the first match, a total of seven individuals had consumed these Artificial Devil Fruits under the watchful eyes of thousands. The Marines had held onto a desperate hope that the fruits would be defective, that the terrifying failure scenarios associated with artificial production would occur.
But that hope was shattered.
The failure scenarios never happened. Every single consumer successfully gained powers without the horrific side effects usually seen with failed SMILE fruits. This reality forced the Marines to accept a hard truth: their speculations were wrong. The Beasts Pirates had mastered a technology far more mature and stable than anyone in the World Government had imagined.
This development made the Marine Headquarters completely nervous. If Kaido could mass-produce reliable Devil Fruit users, the balance of power would be irrevocably broken. Furthermore, reports stated that Kaido was personally training his captains, and Doflamingo was making erratic moves in the underworld. It felt like the Marines were losing control of the New World entirely.
Yet, despite the looming threat, the Marines were paralyzed. They could not take action against Wano because they were too preoccupied with their own internal crisis. The greatest military force on the sea was currently teetering on the edge of a dangerous fracture.
Marineford. The newly rebuilt Headquarters.
In his office within the pristine, reconstructed fortress, Sengoku sat behind his desk. He was still holding the position of Fleet Admiral temporarily, but the burden was heavy. He had never imagined that finding his successor would be such a migraine-inducing ordeal. It was a problem severe enough to potentially drag the Marines into an abyss of no return.
Initially, Sengoku had thought the transition of power would be smooth sailing. Half a month ago, after reviewing recommendations from various respected officers, the Marines had internally selected the candidate for the new Fleet Admiral.
The choice had been Kuzan, the man known as Aokiji.
In Sengoku's heart, Kuzan was the only suitable choice. He possessed a moral compass that, while laid-back, was grounded in a genuine desire to protect the innocent. His vision for the future of the organization was sound, and his status as the prime disciple of Garp gave him immense respect among the rank and file. The support for Kuzan within Headquarters was overwhelming. In fact, Kuzan had already begun to quietly take over some of the Fleet Admiral's administrative duties in preparation for the handover.
But at the critical moment, the World Government intervened.
For anyone to officially assume the rank of Fleet Admiral, they required the rubber stamp of approval from the highest authorities. Sengoku hadn't expected any resistance. Historically, the selection of the Fleet Admiral was a decision left to the Marines, with the World Government rarely interfering. However, the moment Sengoku submitted the formal report nominating Kuzan, the situation spiraled out of control.
The Five Elders, the Gorosei, suddenly became ambiguous in their response. They did not outright reject Kuzan, but they refused to support him. Instead, they pushed forward their own preferred candidate.
That candidate was Sakazuki, the man known as Akainu.
During the internal nomination process, Sakazuki had also been a contender. He was, after all, an Admiral with immense power. However, within the Marines, Sakazuki was not popular. His philosophy of "Absolute Justice" was too extreme, too ruthless. It alienated the vast majority of the soldiers who believed in moral nuance. As a result, Sakazuki had naturally lost the internal election.
That should have been the end of it. But with the backing of the Five Elders, Sakazuki was suddenly back in the race. Seeing a second chance to seize the highest authority, a man as ambitious as Sakazuki would never back down.
Consequently, the Marines began to fracture. Factions formed overnight. Some stood loyally behind Kuzan, while others rallied to Sakazuki's hardline stance. The unity of the organization was shattered.
Sengoku, known as "The Tactician," had led the Marines for decades. He understood exactly what the Gorosei were doing. Their choice represented a desire for control. They did not want a Fleet Admiral who was beloved by his men and could unite the Marines into an independent moral force. They wanted a weapon.
Sengoku had long suspected this. When they learned from the undercover agent X Drake that the Beasts Pirates had perfected Artificial Devil Fruits, the Marines had immediately requested that the World Government allow Dr. Vegapunk to manufacture fruits for them as well. They needed to counter Kaido's growing army.
The request was flatly rejected.
The official reason for the refusal was simple: the World Government already possessed the Seraphim, a secret weapon they claimed was sufficient. But Sengoku saw through the excuse. The Seraphim and Devil Fruits were not mutually exclusive. The real reason was fear. The World Government did not want the Marines to become too powerful. A Marine force armed with mass-produced powers would be difficult to control. Compared to the programmed obedience of the Seraphim, the Marines were too human, too unpredictable.
Sengoku rubbed his temples. Fortunately, although he was troubled, he knew this purgatory wouldn't last much longer. Once the new Fleet Admiral was chosen, he could finally retire. He could walk away from the politics and the wars.
In a dark way, he reasoned that perhaps Sakazuki was necessary. In this chaotic, violent era, maybe a man of extremes was better suited to navigate the turbulent seas than a man of peace like Kuzan.
Sengoku sighed deeply, the sound echoing in the large office. Just then, he heard the rhythmic tapping of footsteps approaching from the hallway. He turned his head to see his oldest friend and confidant, the Great Staff Officer Tsuru, walking through the door.
Tsuru paused, looking at her old comrade. In just one month, his hair had turned completely white from stress. She felt a wave of sadness wash over her, but she kept her expression professional.
"How is it?" Sengoku asked, his voice weary. "Is it decided?"
Tsuru nodded slowly. "It is settled. Five days from now, Kuzan and Sakazuki will meet at Punk Hazard. They will settle this with a duel. The winner will take the seat of the new Marine Fleet Admiral."
"Hmm."
Sengoku nodded, his tone flat, containing neither happiness nor sorrow. "That is probably the best choice. On this sea, might makes right. The winner is king. If the position is won through combat, everyone will have to be convinced by the result."
"Will it really be that simple?" Tsuru asked softly, a frown touching her face.
She harbored deep doubts, but she chose not to voice them further. Complaining was useless now. Given the deadlock, a duel was the only path forward. She could only hope that once the dust settled, the internal wounds within the Marines would begin to heal rather than fester.
Sengoku didn't dwell on the topic. He shifted his gaze back to Tsuru, his eyes sharpening as he returned to business.
"Have you contacted Drake?" Sengoku asked seriously. "Has the matter regarding the blueprints for the Ancient Weapon Pluton been confirmed?"
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