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Bang!
Sengoku slammed his fist on the table. The force of the blow shook the plaque behind him, which read, "Justice Reigns Supreme." The plaque wobbled and tilted haphazardly.
"I knew it!" Sengoku growled through clenched teeth. "Defecting from the Marines? Kojin's got something else planned!"
He had long seen through their evasive, probing conversation. With his sharp mind, he had detected the hidden meanings long ago. When he learned that Crocodile had been captured by Whitebeard, Kojin was the first person who came to mind, prompting his inquiry.
"This kid's temper is exactly like Garp's!" Sengoku scoffed coldly.
But then the Ohara incident flashed through his mind.
"No, this kid is even more decisive and daring than Garp!"
Sengoku sank into deep thought. Commander Kong's retirement was likely imminent, and he was deliberately grooming Sengoku as his successor. Until the next leadership transition, Kojin would undoubtedly remain far from the Marines' central command, stationed in the remote West Blue region.
Since the Ohara incident, Kong had never indicated any intention of contacting Kojin or showing him any warmth. Both calls were entirely Sengoku's own initiative.
His motives were twofold: emotional considerations and the future of the Seas after his ascension.
Kojin's character and combat prowess made him an ideal Marine. If he could suppress his negative feelings and actions against the World Government, the position of Marine Fleet Admiral might even be within his reach.
Sengoku planned to quickly repair relations with Kojin after his appointment and then deliberately train and guide him.
"With his combat strength and assuming he avoids political mistakes, he should be the most suitable candidate for Fleet Admiral in the future! After I'm gone, the Sea will need someone with overwhelming combat power to maintain order!"
Sengoku sighed inwardly, his eyes flickering with thought.
He then shook his head, dismissing these wild speculations.
"Who can truly predict the future?"
For now, a more pressing matter demanded his immediate attention.
"If he makes contact with Whitebeard... Then an unavoidable, earth-shattering war will erupt! Among the Marines, aside from Commanders Kong and Garp, the strongest legendary Marine will clash with the Great Pirate Whitebeard."
"Who will ultimately triumph between them?"
As Sengoku pondered this, his entire body trembled, and an inexplicable mix of fear and anticipation coursed through him.
Kojin was undoubtedly the most terrifying monster in the younger generation of Marines, having risen at an astonishing rate to rival the top-tier powerhouses of the old guard.
Meanwhile, Whitebeard possessed a reputation and strength that rivaled even Roger's, the "World's Strongest Man." He was the uncrowned king of the Grand Line's second half!
Since Roger's death, Whitebeard's influence in the Grand Line's second half had exploded, with an endless stream of powerful subordinates emerging from the ranks.
"Kojin... is still alone! If he goes there, can he escape?"
Sengoku clenched his fist. But the answer would be revealed soon.
The world-shaking battle about to begin would be witnessed by no one, except for the participants themselves.
"Once Kojin defeats Whitebeard! Then, the future of the Marines..."
Sengoku's eyes shone with anticipation; his mind was already racing with possibilities. With the strongest military force in history, it was even conceivable that the Marines could rise to rival the World Government in power, potentially severing their dependence on it.
For countless ages, the world's various factions had striven to maintain a delicate balance:
Pirates, the Marines, the World Government, and others.
The combined strength of each faction created a fragile equilibrium, making it hard for any one power to break the stalemate easily.
This stalemate fostered countless compromises, hidden corruption, and festering darkness, which persisted unchecked. If any faction shatters this delicate balance, the world will inevitably face a cataclysmic reshuffling that alarms the heavens and stirs the earth.
"Kojin might just be the one to break that balance!" Sengoku murmured.
For years, he had silently monitored the situation in West Blue. He witnessed firsthand the prosperity, stability, and peace that Kojin brought to the region. In fact, it could be said that the fewest dark incidents occurred anywhere in the world under his administration.
In some ways, Kojin was subtly changing the world by spreading the ideals he had once spoken of.
"This battle! It's both nerve-wracking and exhilarating!"
With a soft sigh, Sengoku stood motionless by the window for a long time.
…
Grand Line, Second Half.
"Old man, it's been three days since the news broke. Do you think that man will really come?" Diamond Jozu rumbled. He cracked his knuckles together with a loud pop.
From initial apprehension and tension, a gradual calm had settled in, and a flicker of anticipation began to stir in his heart.
Just how powerful was this man who had risen to such prominence within the Marines?
Who was stronger... him or the Old Man?
"Who knows?" Whitebeard chuckled faintly. "I've never even seen him before. Maybe Roger exaggerated his evaluation back then."
Marco and the others exchanged knowing smiles. They turned to glance at the drenched, bound figure leaning against the ship's railing, their eyes narrowing slightly.
There was no doubt that Crocodile possessed formidable strength.
As a Logia-type Sand-Sand Fruit user, he commanded two types of Haki and had extensive combat experience.
After challenging the Old Man, he was swiftly defeated. But that was only because the Old Man was so powerful! The gap between them was an insurmountable chasm.
Even commander-level officers like Marco, Jozu, and Vista couldn't be absolutely certain that they could defeat him.
'So what about Kojin, who had subdued such a formidable opponent?'
'Was he as strong as the legends claimed? Was he capable of capturing Roger and effortlessly crushing the Golden Lion?'
At that very moment, people around the world were asking themselves this question.
Suddenly...
"What's that?!"
"It's moving so fast!"
"It's accompanied by thunder and lightning... what an impressive sight!"
"Wait, look behind him!"
"Gasp! The sky is erupting with countless lightning bolts!"
Exclamations erupted like wildfire from the pirate ships ahead of the Moby Dick.
Marco's eyes narrowed instantly as he strode purposefully to the bow.
When he saw the horizon, his pupils contracted sharply. Behind him, Diamond Jozu and the others collectively gasped.
Boom! Crash! Rumble!
Thunder roared closer as massive bolts of lightning streaked across the sky like ten thousand dragons, coiling and writhing. In the blink of an eye, the lightning had reached the vanguard of the Whitebeard Pirates' fleet.
The entire sky crackled with lightning, and its reflection on the sea created a breathtaking spectacle of cascading electricity.
The storm gave an oppressive, suffocating feeling of being surrounded by endless thunder.
Amidst this terrifying storm, a small ship shaped like a golden scepter shot forward, its hull crackling with lightning.
Its speed surpassed anything Marco had ever seen, resembling a materialized bolt of lightning slicing through the air above the waves and leaving behind a trail of ripples and electrical sparks.
"Who is that?!"
Then, they saw the figure standing on the lightning-infused ship.
With his arms crossed and the sound of thunder rumbling behind him, the man stood ramrod straight. His face was serene, yet he radiated powerful Haki as he gazed intently at them.
"Kojin!!"
"It's Marine Vice-Admiral Kojin!"
"He actually came!"
"Is that the Kojin?"
"His presence is terrifying!"
A chorus of shocked exclamations erupted, disturbing the tranquility of the sea.
Only a few figures in the Marines commanded such legendary status. Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr were among them. However, during Roger's execution, Kojin emerged as the most prominent figure.
Yet, many pirates had only heard his name and had never seen him in person.
Witnessing him charge across the sea alone on his ship, striking like lightning against the backdrop of thunder and lightning, left an impression that would haunt them for life.
At that moment, a towering man with golden hair and a crescent-shaped white beard slowly raised his head. Seated on a chair and clutching a bottle of sake, a faint curve played across his lips.
"Kojin!"
Between his eyes, a spark of exhilaration and battle intent ignited.
In that instant, the sea, spanning tens of thousands of meters in every direction, seemed enveloped by an invisible, domineering aura.
"It's the Old Man's aura!"
"It's been so long since we've felt the Old Man's battle intent burning so fiercely!"
The crew members exclaimed excitedly. Their gazes shifted forward to focus on the lone figure and ship rapidly closing in on the fleet.
The Old Man's aura charged straight toward the enemy.
"Just one person and one ship."
"No Marines behind him, no reinforcements!"
"What incredible audacity! To charge into our Whitebeard Pirates' formation single-handedly!"
"No, his spirit is truly formidable! To face us alone without a trace of fear..."
When the crew members realized that the approaching force consisted of only one person and a ship, they were momentarily stunned.
Then, someone noticed the Marine on the prow of the ship suddenly raise his head, his eyes erupting with a brilliant light.
Buzz!
The next moment, the entire sea seemed to freeze. A crushing pressure descended from the void, stopping everyone's hearts.
They began to suffocate immediately afterward, their heads swimming and their eyes rolling back in their sockets.
Thud!
One by one, the figures collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.
An overwhelming aura surged forth like a tempest, sweeping over everyone and darkening half the sky.
Boom! Rumble!
Above, countless golden lightning bolts tore through the void, their jagged forms clawing at the heavens.
A fierce gale battered the Moby Dick, and an immeasurable, terrifying presence slammed into each Whitebeard Pirate. It was impossible to count how many collapsed in that instant.
Those who withstood the onslaught either trembled violently, their bodies shaking like sieves, or stood pale-faced with terror-twisted expressions, utterly drained of strength.
They stared at the man standing at the ship's prow with his arms crossed as if they were witnessing a god or demon incarnate.
...
On the Moby Dick:
The Whitebeard Pirates' officers stood with sweat beading on their foreheads and clenched fists, gazing intently at the figure ahead. The figure's speed gradually slowed until he was fully visible, and a profound gravity settled in their hearts.
"What a domineering bastard!" Marco gritted his teeth.
(End Of This Chapter)