Lancelot strolled toward Blueno.
Stepping out from the mysterious spatial door, Blueno stood respectfully to the side, not daring to breathe loudly.
Lancelot cast a glance at him and asked, "It's about done, isn't it?"
Hearing this, Blueno felt his heart tighten.
What could he say? The facts spoke for themselves, the battle was almost over.
During this fierce battle, three Supernovas—Eustass Kid, Scratchmen Apoo, and Killer—had already fallen by Lancelot's hand.
Meanwhile, Basil Hawkins and Urouge chose to pledge allegiance to Lancelot, becoming his subordinates.
Monkey D. Luffy suffered severe injuries.
If Garp had not intervened midway, Luffy would not have escaped death. Sanji, who fought alongside Luffy, met the same fate.
Now, only three remained: X Drake, Trafalgar Law, and Jewelry Bonney.
Seeing the situation turn dire, X Drake fled in panic.
The man proved clever.
Had he not run fast enough with Killer covering his retreat, he too would have met his end.
Although Trafalgar Law and Jewelry Bonney managed to escape the battlefield, they were terrified out of their wits.
More astonishingly, Lancelot repelled the legendary Dark King Rayleigh with dominance.
With such an illustrious record, no one could find the slightest fault in it! Finally, he exchanged a punch with Garp, ending in a draw.
Thus, the Supernovas causing trouble here were dealt with, revealing Lancelot's true strength. The mission was accomplished.
From this point on, Lancelot's prestige in the Marines would rival that of an Admiral.
"Please..." Blueno gestured for Lancelot to proceed.
There was no helping it, the man before him possessed strength and status he could not afford to offend.
"Hmm!" Lancelot nodded in satisfaction, turning his gaze toward Basil Hawkins and Urouge in the distance.
From a distance, Basil Hawkins and Urouge could not see Lancelot's specific expression, but they could tell he had turned to look at them.
They exchanged a glance.
Reaching a decision, they walked toward Lancelot's location, arriving before him.
Standing behind Lancelot, they kept their posture humble.
Lancelot grew pleased. "Since you have chosen to follow me, I will take you to broaden your horizons."
He stepped into the spatial door first.
Seeing this, Basil Hawkins and Urouge glanced at Blueno, astonished by his ability. They reacted and followed behind Lancelot.
Blueno entered last.
Just as he was about to close the spatial door, a deep voice sounded.
"This old man would like to take a look too..."
Blueno felt his body stiffen, stepping aside to let Garp enter.
This old man was someone else he could not afford to offend!
Garp swaggered in without a care.
Click.
Blueno closed the door.
.....
Soon after, a spatial door appeared above Navy Headquarters, right over the Fleet Admiral's office.
Garp poked his head out, glancing downward.
His eyes widened in astonishment at the sight below. He turned to look back at Blueno with a mix of surprise and admiration.
"Your ability is convenient."
Then he leaped out.
The force from the fall was considerable, making the impact far from quiet when Garp landed.
The man possessed a twisted sense of humor, acting as if he did it on purpose.
He landed squarely in front of the Fleet Admiral's office, shaking the entire room and causing the ground to crack.
"Garp, you bastard, what are you causing trouble for now?" Sengoku's furious roar echoed from the office.
"Hahaha..." Garp scratched his head and laughed, he saw nothing wrong with his actions.
Lancelot: "....."
Blueno: "....."
Urouge: "....."
Basil Hawkins: "....."
They were rendered speechless by Garp's outrageous stunt, feeling a bit of sympathy for Sengoku.
Who knows how many times he endured such behavior from Garp to know it was him without even seeing his face.
These two had been dealing with each other for decades.
Tsk tsk... Just thinking about it gave them a headache!
Sengoku rose to the position of Fleet Admiral for a reason. If it were them dealing with such a friend and colleague, they would have cracked long ago.
Furious with Garp, Sengoku shouted, "The damages you caused will be deducted from your salary!"
"Huh?" Garp's face fell.
He pushed the door open and walked in. "Come on, don't do that! If you deduct any more, this old man won't have any Berries left to buy rice crackers next month."
Seeing this, Lancelot exchanged a glance with Basil Hawkins and Urouge, then leaped down.
Basil Hawkins and Urouge looked at each other, a complex expression mirrored in their eyes.
Not long ago, they were Supernovas, pirates, and members of the Worst Generation.
Yet now they stood at Navy Headquarters, about to meet the Fleet Admiral.
If someone had told them an hour ago that they would be coming to Marine Headquarters to see the Fleet Admiral, they would have slapped that person without a second thought.
Sigh... They both let out a slow breath, leaping down together to follow behind Lancelot into the Fleet Admiral's office.
"Huh?"
Seeing Lancelot enter as well, Sengoku temporarily suppressed his anger toward Garp.
Soon, however, his expression turned incredulous because he saw Basil Hawkins and Urouge.
He had personally set the bounties and identified the Supernovas, so how could he not recognize them? He never imagined these two would appear at Navy Headquarters.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
He reacted quickly, fixing his gaze on Lancelot.
Needless to say, Basil Hawkins and Urouge had likely already been recruited under his command.
Within the entire Navy, only this man had a habit of taking pirates under his wing.
...
Lancelot's lips curled, revealing a brilliant smile as he said, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, it has been a while. I did not expect us to meet again so soon."
His tone seemed casual and relaxed, yet a deeper meaning lay hidden within.
Upon hearing this, Sengoku's expression turned grave.
He thought to himself, 'This guy... why is he speaking so politely? I feel like there is something more to this!'
It had not been long since they exiled him.
Yet, who could have imagined that in such a short time, he would achieve such remarkable military feats?
Not only did he capture Fire Fist Ace, but he also annihilated a large portion of the Beasts Pirates' forces and liberated Wano Country.
This established a subtle connection between Wano Country and the World Government.
If they seized this opportunity, Wano Country would surely become one of the World Government's affiliated nations.
If that were to happen, their influence in the New World would be immense.
Thinking of this, Sengoku viewed Lancelot in a new light.
He understood that the magnitude of this achievement was enough to alter Lancelot's destiny.
As long as he navigated the upcoming decisive battle with the Whitebeard Pirates, regardless of the outcome, Lancelot would ascend to the coveted position of Marine Admiral.
For Sengoku, this battle was his ultimate challenge as the Fleet Admiral.
Win or lose, he would be heading to the Holy Land.
The only difference was that if they lost to the Whitebeard Pirates in this war under his command, he would receive a nominal title in the Holy Land and live out his remaining years in peace.
But if they emerged victorious, he would rise through the ranks like the former Fleet Admiral, securing a high-ranking position with real authority.
The status and power of this position might even surpass that of the current Fleet Admiral, making him one of the most influential figures within the World Government.
No matter what, this world-shaking war had become a crucial turning point in Lancelot's life.
His journey to the Holy Land had long been predestined.
Among the three renowned powerhouses—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—one of them would inevitably ascend, leaving a vacancy.
Thus, a precious spot for the Admiral position would arise.
Lancelot's glorious and remarkable achievements were plain for all to see.
Although he was only a newly promoted Admiral candidate, the prestige he held within the Marine system rivaled that of the famed Three Admirals.
This was something that even Momousagi and Tokikake could not compare to.
Setting other aspects aside, in terms of formidable combat prowess, Lancelot surpassed both Momousagi and Tokikake.
It was foreseeable that once Sengoku ascended to the Holy Land... if anyone else were to take the position of Marine Admiral, regardless of whether Lancelot could accept such an arrangement, the vast majority of Marine officers and soldiers would refuse to permit it.
Most military personnel are straightforward.
Their criteria for judging things are limited to two: genuine personal strength and outstanding military achievements.
In the eyes of these iron-willed soldiers, only those who possess extraordinary strength and have accomplished remarkable feats are worthy of the sacred position of Marine Admiral.
Lancelot fulfilled all these conditions.
As a Marine officer, aside from Sengoku and the renowned Three Admirals, no one else could rival Lancelot.
"Hah..." Sengoku took a deep breath, sighing at how much had changed over time.
The current situation had undergone a dramatic transformation.
Even though he still held significant prejudice against Lancelot, the reality of the circumstances forced him to alter his attitude.
Those grievances and objections had to be suppressed within his heart.
Two matters were currently of utmost importance.
First, they needed to defeat the vicious pirates. Lancelot's assistance would play a crucial role in this intense battle.
This man possessed the power to influence the entire course of the war.
Second, it concerned the selection of the next Fleet Admiral.
If they could secure Lancelot's unwavering support, the likelihood of Aokiji becoming the next Fleet Admiral would increase.
In recent years, Sengoku had felt the World Government and the Five Elders' growing dissatisfaction with the Marines.
This pressure compelled him to act cautiously, balancing various interests to ensure their faction could maintain its rightful position and influence within the Marines.
Other matters could be set aside for now.
Thus, despite his previous strong objections to Lancelot recruiting numerous pirates under his command, he now expressed agreement and even praised him.
"With the great battle approaching, recruiting these two has added capable combatants to the Marines."
His gaze fell upon Basil Hawkins and Urouge.
His expression turned serious.
"This war is of utmost importance to the Marines, and even to the World Government. As long as you achieve sufficient merit in this battle, you will be promoted."
"With your strength, as long as you perform well, you are guaranteed at least the rank of Rear Admiral, if not Vice Admiral."
Upon hearing this, Garp's eyes flickered. Though he appeared carefree, he was sharper than anyone else.
He guessed why Sengoku had undergone such a drastic change.
Lancelot, however, was taken aback.
He had not expected Sengoku's attitude to shift so quickly.
This was nothing like their first meeting, where Sengoku seemed intent on suppressing him. It was clearly an attempt to win him over.
He reacted swiftly, pondering for a moment before understanding.
Yet Basil Hawkins and Urouge widened their eyes in disbelief.
Who were they? Supernovas, representatives of the Worst Generation.
Just having an identity within the Marines was enough to satisfy them. They never dared to imagine that one day they would become Marine officers.
If they were in that position, they would never trust someone who had switched sides from the opposition.
They certainly would not grant them high positions or real authority—otherwise, the consequences could be disastrous!
Basil Hawkins and Urouge turned their gazes toward Lancelot, thinking to themselves, 'Does our new boss hold such a high status in the Marines?'
They attributed this unreasonable situation to Lancelot.
But Lancelot waved his hand and declined on their behalf.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I think..."
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