The Marine Martial Arts Tournament

Holy Land Mary Geoise Power Hall

A heavy golden curtain blocked out the outside light. The Five Elders sat around a long table, their faces showing a hint of solemnity.

On the table, the report submitted by CP0 lay quietly open, every line of text written exactly as Roy dictated.

Saint Nusjuro voice. "Roy sent Marco to Sabaody to distract the Whitebeard Remnants in order to train new recruits... but that old man interfered?"

Saint Saturn slowly flipped through the report, then scoffed, "An island was nearly destroyed, but according to CP0, Roy was unharmed."

He squinted. "Is Rayleigh really that old?"

Saint Shepherd Ju Peter's lips curled into a sneer, "It seems we've been fooled by the illusion he's created all these years, letting him live a carefree life in Sabaody for so long."

"A man who once stood shoulder to shoulder with Roger can't even stop a young, monstrous marine."

Saint Warcury fingers on the table. "And Marco? Has he been confirmed dead?"

Saint Mars nodded. "CP0 has confirmed the body; the Phoenix Fruit should have regenerated."

Saint Nusjuro's eyes turned cold. "Send people to retrieve the Phoenix Fruit. Devil Fruit of this strength cannot fall into the hands of Pirates again."

Saint Saturn closed his hand to report, then glanced at everyone present. "As for Roy... let him keep playing."

"Currently, it seems he only places extreme importance on his younger brothers."

"As long as we don't touch his sore spot, he won't actively antagonize us."

Saint Shepherd Ju Peter chuckled, "That's for the best. Let him fight it out with those remnants of the old era and the Four Emperors. It'll save us a lot of trouble."

Saint Warcury nodded slowly. "Maintain the status quo, and refrain from unnecessary interference."

The other four people said in unison, "We second that."

Silence returned to the Power Hall, with only the candlelight flickering slightly, as if this decision, which could change the course of maritime affairs, was merely a routine chat.

The Warship cleaved through the waves, and the cries of seagulls swept across the deck.

The sea breeze whipped up white foam, Roy stood at the bow, gazing intently at the boundless horizon.

Ace approached slowly, his footsteps making almost no sound.

He simply stood not far away, quietly watching this man who was usually so calm and collected, now revealing such an expression.

After a long while, Roy seemed to have made up his mind and slowly exhaled.

Ace finally couldn't help but ask, "Roy, what are you thinking about? Why are you suddenly so serious?"

Roy glanced back at him, a playful smile playing on his lips. "I was thinking..."

Wouldn't it be fun to hold a 'Martial Arts Tournament' within the navy?

Ace was stunned. "Huh?! Martial Arts Tournament? What's it for?"

"Let's have a competition, a real battle, a real fight, and see who among our large navy is truly the backbone."

"Oh oh!!"

Not far away, Luffy, Nami, Usopp were attracted by the sound and ran over.

Luffy's eyes lit up, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. "Fight?! I want to join!!"

Roy looked at him, then suddenly grinned. "You can't participate this time."

"Huh--?!!" Luffy deflated like a punctured balloon, his face turning ashen and dejected. "Why?!"

"Because this time, I only plan to have the core of the navy participate, to improve the navy's mid-level strength."

Roy patted him on the shoulder, "But if you really want to fight... you can come and be a spectator, challenge the winner, and I'll give you an extra reward if you win."

"Oh!!" Luffy instantly revived, brimming with fighting spirit. "Then I definitely have to go!!"

Nami sighed, rubbing her forehead, "What a guy, all he thinks about is fighting..."

Usopp stammered, "I think this tournament... will probably wipe out Marineford..."

Roy gazed at Marineford gradually emerging on the distant horizon.

"It's time... to make this massive fleet truly powerful."

The Warship docked, and the soldiers filed out.

Roy told Ace, Luffy, and the others to go and rest first, Teleportation Flash the door of the Fleet Admiral's Office and gently knocked.

"Come in."

Pushing open the door, I saw Sengoku organizing the intelligence he had on hand.

Upon seeing Roy, his brow relaxed, and his tone was filled with relief. "I've reviewed the intelligence. You did a great job. That old bastard Rayleigh finally got his comeuppance."

After briefly reporting on the post-battle cleanup, Roy's expression became more composed, and his tone became more formal:

"Fleet Admiral, please summon Staff Officer Tsuru and Teacher Zephyr."

"There's an important matter that requires their discussion."

Sengoku tapped his fingers lightly on the table, squinting at Roy as if he sensed something unusual in his expression.

But he didn't ask any further questions, picked up the Den Den Mushi and gave a few instructions.

A short while later, the door opened.

Staff Officer Tsuru walked in slowly, his hands folded in front of him.

Zephyr, as always, crossed his arms, walked with a steady gait, and wore a confident smile.

"Roy, I heard you have a new plan?" Staff Officer Tsuru spoke first, his tone calm.

"So, what kind of crazy idea have you come up with this time?" Zephyr grinned, a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Roy turned around and stood before the three elders. "I plan to hold an internal Martial Arts Tournament at Marine Headquarters."

Sengoku paused, his Fountain Pens stilled, and frowned slightly. "Martial Arts Tournament?"

Roy nodded. "That's right. This is an internal martial arts tournament open only to elite lieutenant Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters."

"The goal is simple—to select those truly capable of shouldering great responsibilities through intense real-world combat training, while simultaneously igniting the fighting spirit of all mid-level naval officers."

Staff Officer Tsuru narrowed his eyes, his fingertips gently stroking his chin. "Are you trying to use this to reshuffle the deck and reassess the navy's power distribution?"

"It's not just about shuffling."

Roy spoke calmly, "Over the years, too many people have relied on titles, connections, and official positions to get by, forgetting that strength is the foundation of the Navy."

We need a truly thrilling match that will bring out the real champions and send the weak and incompetent to the sidelines.

Zephyr's eyes lit up, and he slammed his fist into his palm. "Good! That's more like the Navy! I've long been fed up with those guys who talk the talk but don't walk the walk!"

Sengoku frowned even more and said in a deep voice, "Even in a duel, if high-ranking officers clash at full strength, it may damage their foundation."

The rewards also need to be sufficiently incentivizing, otherwise no one will risk their lives.

Roy's lips curled into a slight smile, as if he had been expecting this. "Don't worry, Fleet Admiral, Professor Zephyr and I are watching. As for the reward, I've already thought of it—"

He paused, then added, "The top three will receive Devil Fruits that enhance their combat abilities, and they can choose whichever they prefer based on their ranking."

As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

For the first time Staff Officer Tsuru's eyes flickered. "Roy... are you serious?"

Roy nodded calmly. "Of course. These are the fruits I collected myself, and they don't use up any Navy resources."

Zephyr's eyes widened, and he laughed excitedly, "Haha! You're getting bolder and bolder! But I like it!"

Sengoku took a deep breath, the Fountain Pen he gripped tightly making a faint clicking sound, and after a moment of silence, slowly said:

"Roy, do you know what this means? This conference will cause unprecedented waves throughout the entire Navy!"

Roy met his gaze. "I know, but if the Navy wants to truly become strong, it must go through this process of natural selection."

"Only when pushed to the limit will new monsters be born."

Staff Officer Tsuru smiled, "Since you've made up your mind, I will assist in coordinating military affairs."

Zephyr laughed heartily, "I want to see with my own eyes which brats are qualified to eat that fruit!"

After a long silence, Sengoku suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, a long-lost surge of heroic spirit appearing on his face:

"Okay! Let's do it your way!"

"The Navy, it's time for a real transformation!"