Sky Island.
With Uchiha Madara stepping down to defeat Charlotte Lingling and Hundred Beasts Kaido, all the potential disruptors of this hunting game have been thoroughly eliminated.
As the price for ensuring the complete execution of this hunting game, the entire Sky Island was left with only a small patch of land, less than a quarter of its original area...
Everyone thought the two Four Emperors would be killed...
But the Konoha Pirates showed unexpected generosity.
These pirates had no intention of making things difficult for Kaido and Charlotte Lingling, even sending Orochimaru to heal their injuries, although testing their blood samples during the treatment was a necessary condition.
Of course.
The Konoha Pirates did not release them, but nobody seemed to care, as everyone was waiting for the actions of the Konoha Pirates.
However...
The members of the Konoha Pirates did not seem to care about the glorious achievement of defeating two Four Emperors; they simply quietly did what they wanted, allowing the hunting game to proceed to its end.
Whether it was Donflamingo who wanted to align with Kaido or anyone else, the Konoha Pirates had no interest in dealing with these weaklings.
The time finally came to an end.
When the last prey on the hunting grounds of Sky Island was shot dead by Buggy the Clown, Red Sand Sasori announced the end of the hunting game.
All the remaining hunters hiding on Sky Island had to come forward, including the Buggy Pirates, Empress Boa Hancock, and Donflamingo...
Moreover...
There were crew members remaining from the Red Hair Pirates...
Their efforts had been sufficient; they acted a bit late and even fought the Blackbeard Pirates, directly capturing most of Blackbeard's crew, forcing Blackbeard Teach to surrender the Tenryubito Chip he had acquired...
Unfortunately...
They ultimately did not become the final victors.
"The one who killed the most Heavenly Celestial Dragons in this hunting game was Boa Hancock of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. According to our observation, she single-handedly killed three hundred and fifty-nine prey..."
"However…"
"The ultimate victor is not her."
"Because the proof of victory is the Tenryubito Chip."
"Buggy the Clown obtained the most identity chips, two hundred and seventy-six Heavenly Celestial Dragon identity chips, making him the winner of this competition..."
Red Sand Sasori's gaze fell on Buggy the Clown, coldly holding the Radio Snail, announcing in a stern voice, "I imagine some have learned quite a lot of useful knowledge from this game, but the most important lesson should be that the world needs to follow rules, follow the rules set by the Konoha Pirates..."
"..."
Everyone furrowed their brows.
This was almost akin to announcing to the whole world that the Konoha Pirates would reign supreme, rather than just being an active pirate crew on the seas!
Marineford.
Sengoku returned to Navy Headquarters with two Admirals and Akihara Kagura, the two surviving Five Elders accompanying them back to this naval base.
As the Navy Headquarters base, it naturally had Image Radio Snails, and the naval high command sat in a meeting room, watching everything that happened on Sky Island afterward.
"These arrogant pirates…"
"Do they intend to make the whole world follow their rules?"
Admiral Akainu, with a cigar in his mouth, clenched his fist, and even a little magma dripped onto the floor from the fury in his fist...
"..."
Sengoku, Tsuru, Aokiji, and Kizaru silently glanced at Akainu.
These naval high command members noticed each other's gaze and scrutinized one another; except for Kizaru, the others seemed a bit ashamed and quietly lowered their heads.
Akainu didn't seem to notice anything wrong; he continued smoking his cigar, loudly proposing, "We absolutely cannot let them continue sailing on the sea…"
"Calm down, Sakazuki."
Sengoku, coughing into his fist, spoke up voluntarily, "At least for now, the enemy's momentum is strong, and the Navy needs to conduct a major recruitment campaign worldwide, selecting forces capable of assisting us in opposing the Konoha Pirates…"
"In addition…"
"We also need to continue nurturing new naval forces…"
The most critical choice...
Naturally, this was the Navy Lieutenant Akihara Kagura, whom Sengoku had always favored.
Whether it was Kagura's Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability, intelligence, or relationship with the Konoha Pirates, she is a future Admiral candidate.
If the Navy needs to continue existing in the future and continue combating pirates on the sea, it must involve the Konoha Pirates. It might as well be entrusted to the double agent Akihara Kagura of both the Konoha Pirates and the Navy…
"That's all needed later."
Akainu exhaled smoke rings, looked at the Navy Admiral sitting at the top, and presented his own thoughts: "Because of your defeat, at this critical juncture, the will of the World Government and the Navy have almost been crushed by the Konoha Pirates. We must find a way to restore morale…"
Without a doubt…
Nothing could regain people's hearts more easily than a vast victory.
Akainu looked at the victorious outcomes sitting at the top, continuing in a deep voice, "The Navy must secure a victory quickly, and the opponent's strength cannot be too weak. At the very least, it should be those infamous monsters of the New World…"