Time flowed on, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.
During this month, Leo remained on Amazon Lily, and his life settled into a new, peaceful rhythm. His days were filled with routine training and, in his leisure time, teasing the women. When Nami, Robin, and the others were deep in their exercises, Leo would often appear out of nowhere, steal a quick kiss, and then vanish, leaving them stamping their feet in mock frustration. Or when Kaya was seriously studying her medical texts, he'd give her backside a playful swat, causing her to blush crimson.
As for the nights? That was even simpler.
Grand, collective team-building activities.
Leo, single-handedly taking on all nineteen women!
Even a powerhouse like the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, was thoroughly and contentedly subdued.
Beyond this idyllic life, Leo kept a careful eye on the outside world. The topic most discussed was, naturally, still him. With the Celestial Dragon incident continuing to ferment, Leo was now truly at the center of the storm.
The day after Charlos was captured, the Five Elders, via his Life Card, learned of his death. They were thunderously enraged. Following protocol, they first gave Fleet Admiral Sengoku a blistering reprimand, then issued Leo's new bounty poster.
Bounty: 4,000,000,000 Berries! Dead or Alive!!
As the saying goes, where there is great reward, there will be fearless men. Countless pirates and bounty hunters flooded into Sabaody Archipelago, searching for any trace of Leo. Faced with such immense profit, even knowing his fearsome strength, many desperate and vicious individuals were willing to try their luck for that astronomical bounty. Catching Leo would set them up for lifetimes of luxury.
But Leo seemed to have vanished into thin air. Thousands of pirates and bounty hunters scoured Sabaody and the surrounding seas but found no sign of him. Yet, driven by the determination to capture him, they tirelessly expanded their search range.
Leo, at the eye of this hurricane, completely overshadowed every other pirate of his time.
Even so, the year 1520 of the Sea Circle calendar was still being called the "Year of the Pirates." Not long ago, the Marines had published a list of "Supernovas" – rookies from the six blues who had set sail that same year and already attained bounties over 100 million Berries.
Compared to Leo, they were indeed insignificant. But compared to other rookie pirates, reaching a 100 million Berry bounty in just a year marked them as exceptional among millions. This was an unprecedented phenomenon in recent decades. Thus, these eleven supernovas with bounties over 100 million were dubbed the "Worst Generation":
Monkey D. Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Roronoa Zoro, Swordsman of the Straw Hat Pirates.
Eustass "Captain" Kid, Captain of the Kid Pirates.
Killer, Combatant of the Kid Pirates.
Trafalgar D. Water Law, Captain of the Heart Pirates.
"Roar of the Sea" Scratchmen Apoo, Captain of the On Air Pirates.
"Magician" Basil Hawkins, Captain of the Hawkins Pirates.
"Red Flag" X. Drake, Captain of the Drake Pirates.
Jewelry Bonney, Captain of the Bonney Pirates.
"Criminal" Capone "Gang" Bege, Captain of the Fire Tank Pirates.
"Monk of Destruction" Urouge, Captain of the Fallen Monk Pirates.
As for Leo, the Marines had long since elevated his threat level to that of an Emperor. He was simply not in the same league.
On the large, deserted island, Leo lay leisurely in a hammock, idly reading the newspaper. He still dominated the front page. Exaggerated accounts of his deeds occupied nearly ninety percent of the content. In an inconspicuous corner were the detailed introductions of the eleven Supernovas, including their origins, strengths, abilities, and the various misdeeds they had committed since setting sail.
Aside from himself, the most notable was Straw Hat Luffy. Although Leo's appearance had altered Luffy's original trajectory slightly, as the user of the Nika fruit, Luffy's light could not be completely hidden.
"Having come this far, your voyage should just about be over," Leo murmured, a sharp, cold glint flashing in his eyes as he read about Luffy. Given that he and Garp were now mortal enemies, he had no intention of letting Luffy continue to grow. With the system by his side, Leo feared even a Gear Five Luffy. But the idea of snuffing out the Sun God in his cradle sounded pretty good.
"That Blackbeard is moving too slowly," Leo grumbled, flipping through the paper but finding no news of Ace's capture. But according to the story's timeline, it should happen within the next few days. Once "Teachy-boy" captured Ace, the Summit War that would rock the entire sea would begin, and with it, his own plans would be set in motion.
Tossing the newspaper aside with diminished interest, Leo turned his gaze to the women sweating profusely inside the Gravity Training Room. Under the multiplied pressure, their training speed had increased exponentially. It was no exaggeration to say that the strength of Nami and the others was improving every second.
Their schedule was relentless:
Morning: Meditation to enhance Observation Haki.
Day: Physical conditioning to strengthen Armament Haki and develop Devil Fruit abilities.
'Team-Building': Consuming his essence to enhance physical constitution and solidify their foundations.
Night: Dream-walking techniques to bolster Conqueror's Haki.
Not a single minute was wasted. Now, with Hancock adding her own hard-earned experience into the mix, guiding them without reservation, the women's progress was as terrifying as a rocket launch. By Leo's estimate, both Hancock and Nami now possessed combat power that could threaten a Marine Admiral. The only shortcoming was that their physical prowess and Haki development still needed a little more polish.
Haki couldn't be rushed; it required time. As for their physiques... well, they just needed to 'consume' more. But even so, Leo was immensely satisfied. It had only been three months since they set sail. If others knew his crew had reached Admiral-tier strength in just three months, their jaws would hit the floor.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
While the outside world was in an uproar over Leo, the headquarters received an unexpected visitor.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku was irritably processing a mountain of paperwork. The past month dealing with the fallout from Leo's actions had left him overwhelmed. The only thing he was grateful for was that, while they hadn't found Leo, he also hadn't caused any new major incidents elsewhere. This allowed Sengoku a small sigh of relief.
As for the dead Charlos, to be frank, he couldn't care less. The man was a spoiled, arrogant, and useless废物 (waste of space), and Sengoku knew it. It was only his status as a Celestial Dragon that made the whole affair so troublesome. But since even the World Government seemed powerless to find Leo, Sengoku just went through the motions in front of the Five Elders, making promises he knew he couldn't keep. Of course, Leo had to be captured. But when that would happen was up to fate.
"Report!" His adjutant's voice came from outside the door.
"Enter," Sengoku replied without looking up.
The adjutant entered, saluted, and reported, "Fleet Admiral, there's a pirate named Blackbeard outside. He demands to see you, says he has something very important."
Smack!
Sengoku slammed his pen down on the desk, his face darkening with displeasure. Were pirates really this brazen now? What did they think Marine Headquarters was? Demanding to see the Fleet Admiral by name? The audacity!
Furious, Sengoku stood and strode out of his office. If this 'Blackbeard' didn't have a damned good reason, he'd make him regret ever being born.
However...
When Blackbeard presented Fire Fist Ace, the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and revealed Ace's true parentage, Sengoku's mind was utterly blown.
He clearly remembered how, back then, to prevent the birth of Roger's bloodline, the Marines had nearly killed every pregnant woman within a certain timeframe. How could this have happened...?
Understanding the immense gravity of the situation, Sengoku didn't hesitate. He immediately had Ace imprisoned under the heaviest guard. Blackbeard was also temporarily housed within Marineford. Sengoku himself rushed to Mary Geoise to report directly to the Five Elders.
Pangaea Castle, Room of Authority.
"You what?! Ace is the son of the Pirate King Gol D. Roger?!" Even the normally unflappable Five Elders were shocked to their core, utterly stunned by this revelation.
"Sengoku, this is a matter of utmost importance. Are you certain this information is reliable?!" the long-bearded Elder asked, his face grim.
Facing their interrogation, Sengoku nodded firmly. If this came from anyone else, he might doubt it. But Blackbeard was a veteran of the Whitebeard Pirates, having lived with them for over a decade. He wouldn't just know Ace's true identity; he'd probably know how many moles were on his backside. While Sengoku felt contempt for Blackbeard's betrayal of his crew, from the Marines' perspective, he was more than happy to see pirates turning on each other.
"Damn it! We killed so many back then to eradicate Roger's line... and yet one still slipped through," the blond-haired Elder snarled, his face growing even darker. Roger's final words had single-handedly launched the Great Pirate Era. Countless self-proclaimed heroes had flooded the seas seeking his treasure, bringing pillage and chaos, creating endless problems for the World Government. Now, just as things had stabilized somewhat, Roger's son appears.
If the world learned that Roger had an heir, even a single word from Ace could cause another massive upheaval. This had nothing to do with his strength, only his name. That was the influence of the Pirate King.
"Recriminations are useless now. Fortunately, we have a chance to correct this mistake," the sword-carrying Elder said calmly, carefully polishing his beloved blade.
If Ace had flaunted his identity as Roger's son, it would have been a major headache. But ironically, his refusal to do so worked in their favor.
"First, we can't find Leo, and now this Ace situation... What a headache," the long-bearded Elder gritted his teeth, feeling thoroughly vexed.
They say times of crisis create heroes. Perhaps Leo was stronger than Ace, but in terms of pure influence, Ace was undoubtedly the greater threat. They had no doubt that if Ace's true identity were published, he would overshadow Leo's infamy within a day. And yet, both crises were happening simultaneously.
"Sengoku, any recent news on Leo?" the sword-carrying Elder looked up, his voice heavy.
"None at all," Sengoku shook his head. "My assessment is that after killing Charlos, Leo is likely lying low for a while and won't make any rash moves."
The sword-carrying Elder nodded slightly. His thoughts aligned with Sengoku's. Daring to kill a Celestial Dragon was crazy enough; continuing to act recklessly across the seas would be tantamount to dancing on the edge of a blade.
"Set the Leo matter aside for now. Dealing with Ace takes priority," the sword-carrying Elder addressed the group solemnly. "Leo killed a Celestial Dragon; he is an enemy of the World Government, that is true. But the bloodline of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, is our primary target for eradication."
"Agreed!" the long-bearded Elder immediately concurred. "We finally have this lost fish in our net. We cannot allow the events of the past to repeat themselves."
"After we eliminate Ace, we can focus on dealing with Leo."
The other Elders nodded in agreement. Leo's threat lay in his power. But Ace's threat came from his name. A single casual remark from him could stir up the seas, something the Five Elders absolutely could not allow. It was also something He, whom they served, would not tolerate. The World Government would not permit a new Pirate King to emerge and challenge their rule.
After a moment of contemplation, the sword-carrying Elder issued the order. "Sengoku, relay the command. In ten days, we will publicly execute Ace at Marine Headquarters!"
"Recently, Leo has caused the Marines heavy losses and humiliated us. Our威信 (prestige) has been shaken in the eyes of the public. This is a perfect opportunity to restore it."
"When the people learn that the Marines have captured and are executing the son of the Pirate King, our威信 (prestige) in their hearts will skyrocket!"
"It will also serve as a warning to all the other scum on the seas."
Sengoku's eyes lit up, and he nodded. A public execution of Ace was indeed a plan that killed two birds with one stone. All benefit, no drawback.
But soon, he hesitated. "And the Whitebeard Pirates? Based on my understanding of Whitebeard, he won't stand by and watch Ace be killed."
The blond Elder snorted coldly. "What is there to fear from a mere Whitebeard Pirates? If it were Whitebeard in his prime, perhaps he could cause some trouble. But the current Whitebeard has one foot already in the grave. What is there to be afraid of?"
"Sengoku, have you been scared into timidity by Leo? If the Whitebeard Pirates dare to attack Marine Headquarters, we will seize the chance to eliminate them!"
"Remember, our enemies are not just Leo. The Emperor crews are also our enemies!"
Mentioning Leo made the blond Elder's tone sharpen. If the Marines had been more competent, things would never have gotten this far.
"I understand," Sengoku replied, nodding quietly.
"Since you understand, return and make the arrangements immediately," the sword-carrying Elder waved his hand dismissively.
Sengoku said no more and quickly left the suffocating hall.
Upon returning to Marineford, Sengoku immediately convened an emergency meeting. All high-ranking Marine officers were present. The meeting focused on the execution of Ace, the immediate construction of new defensive works at Headquarters, and the issuance of a mandatory summons to all Warlords of the Sea. He did not, however, reveal Ace's true identity to the assembled officers.
Initially, the officers were confused by Sengoku's flurry of orders. But upon learning it was a direct command from the Five Elders, they sprang into action without question. Responsibilities were clearly divided, and everyone attended to their duties. Soon, under Sengoku's leadership, the massive machine that was Marine Headquarters began to hum with activity.
It is worth noting that Admiral Kizaru had returned to duty. However, having lost an arm, he had become far more withdrawn and taciturn than before. Especially when facing his former colleagues, he often seemed unable to save face. Although the Marines tried their best to cover it up, a small number of people knew the truth. When they encountered Kizaru, they tactfully avoided certain sensitive topics and a certain sensitive name.
Three days later, through the Marines' media manipulation, a new newspaper was published. This one featured a headline that, for the first time in over a month, managed to shove Leo off the front page.
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T/N :
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