[Blue Star Island Harbor – Battlefield]
After Reno dropped three meteors and fled, although the marines didn't suffer significant casualties, the financial loss was catastrophic.
Out of the hundred-plus warships, more than half were too damaged to sail, riddled with holes on their decks and shredded sails. None remained intact most looked completely wrecked.
More than ten ships were slowly sinking, clearly taking on water. The marines had abandoned them, as evidenced by the lack of personnel aboard.
Sengoku surveyed the scene with a grim expression. This operation was a colossal failure. Not only did they fail to capture anyone from the Roger Pirates, but they also incurred immense losses.
While many ships could be repaired, the repair costs alone would be staggering a painful blow to their budget.
The fleet's destruction was due to their choice to shatter the meteors, which caused countless fragments to rain down on the ships.
These fragments, though not lethal to personnel, inflicted devastating damage to the vessels. Unlike humans, ships couldn't dodge.
Garp, seeing Sengoku's dour face, tried to console him with a pat on the shoulder. "Sengoku, if we didn't catch the Roger Pirates this time, we'll get another chance. Don't be disheartened. I've been chasing him for years without success, and I'm still optimistic!"
However, Sengoku's mood worsened. His face darkened further as he barked, "Damn it, Garp! If you don't understand, then shut up and stay out of my sight. I'm not upset about failing to catch Roger I'm heartbroken over the military budget! Who the hell cares about Roger right now?!"
Sengoku wasn't despondent about capturing Roger, as he knew how elusive the Pirate King was. What really got to him was the financial burden of repairing the damage.
Steel Bone Kong had been gradually delegating naval affairs to Sengoku, and his promotion to Fleet Admiral was all but certain.
Realizing he'd soon be responsible for securing funding for these repairs, Sengoku felt his head pounding. How could he possibly focus on chasing the Roger Pirates with this looming financial crisis?
Garp had intentionally provoked Sengoku into venting, knowing he needed to express his frustrations instead of bottling them up. Better a loud outburst than silent brooding.
Seeing Sengoku snap out of his gloom, Garp asked, "About Roger's crew the ability to make a ship fly and summon meteors any leads on what that is?"
He paused, then added, "That green hand that blocked Borsalino's attack, and the green energy covering the ship doesn't that remind you of Shiki's power?"
After pondering, Sengoku replied, "Roger's crew likely includes a powerful figure in the shadows. The meteors, the energy shield, and the flight it's all probably the work of one person. But it's not Shiki, nor is it his power. Shiki's abilities don't involve green energy."
Garp nodded thoughtfully before asking, "What about Borsalino's claim that it was Rayleigh using this ability? Is there any truth to that?"
Sengoku's expression turned sour. He initially dismissed Borsalino's words as lies, but now it seemed more plausible that the culprit was hiding their identity by letting Rayleigh take the blame.
After a moment, he sighed and said, "Borsalino probably wasn't lying, but Rayleigh isn't the ability user either. Devil Fruits require development, and judging by the level of skill displayed earlier, it's safe to say the ability has 'awakened.'
"If Rayleigh had just recently consumed a Devil Fruit, there's no way he'd have developed it to this extent."
Garp didn't argue with Sengoku's reasoning it was logical and hard to refute.
On the flagship, the other naval officers overheard their conversation and fell silent, digesting what this meant.
Sengoku's analysis implied that a new, exceptionally powerful figure had emerged. This person, operating from the shadows, had inflicted significant losses on the marines.
If they ever took center stage, their destructive potential would be unimaginable.
What the marines didn't realize was that this mysterious powerhouse was just a five-year-old child.
If they knew the person responsible for their misery was a five-year-old kid, who knows how they'd react?
Meanwhile, far away from the battle, the Roger Pirates had safely escaped. Unless they recklessly turned back, the marines had no chance of catching up.
Reno, lying on his bed, counted his fingers in boredom. With none of the entertainment from his previous life, he often found himself at a loss for what to do.
"System, open my stats panel."
Name: Reno
Age: 5
Physical Stats:
Body: 4 (Adult Average: 10)
Strength: 3 (Adult Average: 10)
Speed: 4 (Adult Average: 10)
Spirit: ∞
Skills: None
Weapons: None
Ability: Psychokinesis
System Store: Locked
Lottery: 1,000,000 Berries per attempt
Quest Progress: Join Roger Pirates
Reno stared at his stats in dismay. Despite training his body for days, his growth was negligible, likely hindered by his young age.
Looking at the locked System Store, he asked, "How do I unlock this?"
[The System Store requires 10 billion Berries to activate]
Hearing the astronomical figure, Reno rolled his eyes. He didn't even have enough for a single lottery spin where would he get 10 billion?!
With a resigned sigh, Reno set a new goal. Beyond nurturing his future wife, he'd focus on acquiring wealth. "I'll aim to make (or steal) hundreds of billions," he muttered.
He figured Roger would disband the crew soon, so he needed to scout the ship's treasury. Once the time came, he'd clean it out. That should give him enough to unlock the store!
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