BOOM!!!
A roar that shook the very foundation of the underground world finally subsided, and a heavy silence followed. Inside the giant ship, the thick clouds of dust and smoke slowly began to clear.
The site where Kaido and Whitebeard had clashed was now a desolate wasteland. Every sign of the primeval forest had vanished, replaced by a barren crater where the earth had been churned and overturned. In the center of this destruction lay the shattered body of Whitebeard. He was gasping for air, his form half-destroyed.
With sweat streaming down the remaining side of his face, Whitebeard stared grimly at the massive silhouette emerging from the dust.
"Kaido... has that brat already grown to such a level?"
Whitebeard had witnessed Kaido's strength during the war at Marineford, so he knew exactly how much power was behind the strike. He had met the "Divine Dragon Eight Trigrams" with every ounce of his strength, believing he could block it. After all, his body was now restored to its youthful prime, far stronger than the aging frame he had carried at Marineford. He remembered that Garp and Sengoku had managed to halt the attack together back then.
But he had been wrong.
He couldn't block it at all. Kaido's move carried a bizarre, overwhelming power that seemed to transcend both Devil Fruits and Haki. It had completely ignored his defenses, entering his body and tearing through his flesh as if he had been mauled by a literal dragon, leaving his chest riddled with holes.
Whitebeard knew that the Garp and Sengoku of two months ago weren't stronger than he was at this very moment. There was only one logical conclusion: Kaido had grown even stronger since that day. He had surpassed the legends of the past—surpassed Roger, and perhaps even that man.
Surprisingly, Whitebeard didn't seem afraid. He had already accepted his death long ago, and this resurrection had been a fleeting, pleasant surprise. Since he couldn't stop Kaido, he was ready to return to the afterlife.
Suddenly, an arm plunged directly through Whitebeard's massive chest.
"What?!"
As his consciousness began to flicker out, Whitebeard saw Kaido reach into his chest, right where his heart should be, and pull something out. It was a glowing symbol—the pirate flag of the Whitebeard Pirates.
"What is... going on... Kaido?"
There was no answer for the dying legend. Kaido stared at the "Forest Mark" of the Whitebeard Pirates now resting in his palm, and a wild, unrestrained smile spread across his face. His theory was correct; he had successfully seized another mark.
He looked around, feeling the hostility of the Pluton deepening. This time, he didn't stay to provoke the ship further. He transformed into a massive azure dragon and took to the sky, flying away from the underground world. As the Governor of the Beasts Pirates, he had been away for too long. Besides, the Pluton wasn't going anywhere; he could return to finish his exploration another time.
Marineford
This was a day of celebration for the public and the lower-ranking Marines. Amidst the cheers of thousands, Admiral Sakazuki—known to the world as Akainu—was officially inaugurated as the new Fleet Admiral, the supreme commander of the entire Marine force.
However, behind the scenes, a strange and tense atmosphere gripped the high-ranking officers. With Akainu taking the lead and Admiral Kuzan—Aokiji—leaving the service, the internal rift within the Marines was becoming a canyon. Resignation letters were quietly being submitted to headquarters.
Strangely, neither Akainu nor Chief of Staff Tsuru were blocking these departures. Word had begun to spread that many of those resigning were the relatives of high-ranking officials. Tsuru's own granddaughter and even Akainu's daughter were rumored to be among those stepping away from the front lines. Between this and Kuzan's departure, everyone felt that a storm was brewing.
In the Fleet Admiral's office, the boring ceremonies had finally ended. Unlike the days when Sengoku occupied the desk, the room now felt colder. Akainu sat perfectly upright in his new uniform, a red rose pinned to his lapel and scars visible along his neck.
Gathered before him were the pillars of the Navy: Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, Borsalino, Onigumo, and Momonga. Onigumo, a staunch supporter of Akainu's "Absolute Justice," had seen his influence grow instantly. Momonga was present in his capacity as the commander of the New World base, G-1.
Sengoku, though retired, looked at the exhausted faces of his former subordinates and offered a piece of advice. "Sakazuki, now that you are Fleet Admiral, you must secure those two candidates immediately. The current military power of the Marines is simply not enough to stabilize the seas."
He was referring to the two monsters scouted during the world military draft: Fujitora and Ryokugyu.
Akainu nodded, his expression stern. "I have already sent representatives to speak with them. I don't anticipate any problems."
The officers exchanged looks. They suspected Akainu was using his plan to abolish or strictly regulate the Seven Warlords of the Sea as leverage to recruit these two powerful men. As the leader of the hawks, Akainu's hatred for the "government-sanctioned pirates" was well known.
"You also need to handle the situation with Kuzan," Sengoku added. "The World Government will not be comfortable with a man of his power wandering the world outside of our control."
The news of Kuzan's resignation couldn't stay hidden forever. Sengoku had been buying time, telling the Five Elders that Kuzan was simply taking a leave of absence to clear his head after losing the duel for the promotion. The Elders were displeased, but they weren't eager to turn a man with the power of the Chilly-Chilly Fruit into an enemy.
"I'm aware," Akainu said in a low, gravelly tone. "But Kuzan is not our most urgent priority right now." He turned his gaze toward Vice Admiral Momonga. "Momonga, give me an update. How is the reconstruction of G-1 progressing?"
The question caught a few people off guard. Ever since Kaido had leveled the G-1 base during the war two months ago, the Marines had been desperate to rebuild it. G-1 was the "Iron Wall" that protected the Holy Land of Mariejois and guarded the Red Port—one of only two ways to cross the Red Line.
Momonga stood at attention. "The island's foundation was badly damaged by Kaido, which made the work difficult. However, thanks to the World Government providing a massive number of bridge-building slaves, the base has finally been successfully rebuilt."
Akainu nodded with grim satisfaction. "Good. Since G-1 is functional again, I will now issue my first official order as Fleet Admiral. As of today, Marine Headquarters is moving. We are transferring our entire operation from Marineford to G-1!"
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