Ever since the World Government and the World Economic News jointly endorsed the title "Emperor of the Sea," chaos had been brewing.
A surge of excitement rippled through the seas. Countless pirates were stirred by ambition. Becoming the Pirate King? That could come later.
First—could they become the next Emperor?
As a result, countless reckless rookies, too naive to understand the gap in power, began launching wild challenges against the likes of Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom.
Pity.
For most, the results were grim.
Some were defeated and barely escaped with their lives, becoming subordinates of the Yonko just to survive. Others met a harsher fate—swallowed by the unforgiving sea, never to be seen again.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Land—Mariejois.
Inside the highest meeting chamber, the air was tense.
Kong still sat in the center, his presence commanding. But beside him now stood a new figure—his successor.
In the year 813, the appointment of Sengoku as the next Marine Marshal had begun spreading like wildfire.
No one knew who had leaked the news, but Sengoku could guess. Only one man had the motive—and the authority—to do such a thing.
Kong himself.
Likely to ease the transition and get Sengoku accustomed to the weight of command, Kong had already begun passing many of his responsibilities to him.
Elsewhere in the organization, changes were also underway.
Zephyr had officially stepped down.
And now, Akainu and Kizaru, fully promoted, stood in full uniform—Marine Admirals in title and in power.
"Everyone, quiet down," Kong said, bringing the room to order. "I assume you've seen the newspaper's coverage on maritime power rankings."
His gaze swept the room. "What do you all think?"
Akainu was the first to speak. His voice was sharp, his tone clipped. "I don't think it's worth our attention."
"It's just sensationalist reporting from the World News Paper. Their opinion doesn't reflect reality."
He clearly bristled at the publication's portrayal of the Marines as the weakest of the current great powers.
Kong remained silent and turned to the others.
Kizaru shrugged lazily, his tone indifferent as always. "This... oh dear... well, I guess you could say it's not entirely baseless…"
He scratched his chin, eyes half-lidded. "I wonder if everyone here really gets what I mean?"
No one pushed for clarity—Kizaru's cryptic nature was well known.
"Forget it, I'll speak plainly," Sengoku said firmly, breaking the awkward pause. "I believe their analysis is... fundamentally accurate."
A wave of surprise spread across the room.
A Marine admitting that their own institution was faltering?
Sengoku continued, unfazed by the stares. "Marine's current high-level power is too limited."
"That's why I propose this—expand Marine's top-tier combat force. We need more Admirals."
Traditionally, the Three Admiral System had been a core identity of the Marines.
But Sengoku was proposing to go beyond that.
He glanced around the table. "Any objections?"
Akainu immediately raised a hand. "No objection. I agree completely."
A known hardliner, Akainu cared only about strength and deterrence. For him, more Admirals meant more firepower—and more justice.
The others, sensing the tide of the conversation, offered no protest.
Kong nodded. "Very well. Since there are no objections, I'll explain the direction of our reform."
"Marine will expand from three Admirals... to five."
Gasps echoed in the room.
"Five?!"
"That's almost double!"
The shock was understandable. Recruiting one Admiral was already a monumental task—how could they suddenly produce two more?
Kong explained calmly. "At present, Marine has only three active Admirals—Sengoku, Akainu, and Kizaru."
"But to reach a force of five, we'll need reinforcements. Fortunately, we do have a qualified candidate waiting in reserve."
That candidate: Aokiji—Kuzan.
A powerful Marine with a strong sense of justice and unmatched strength, he had long been viewed as the next in line.
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