S-Class Defeat

Olvia and Robin's injuries were not serious.

In no time at all, Stella had completely healed them both.

Once her injuries were healed, Robin quickly regained consciousness as well.

After what had just happened, she looked at Olvia coldly, with a faint trace of hatred in her eyes.

Olvia pretended not to notice the look, merely hiding in Ross's embrace and not daring to meet Robin's gaze.

She did not think she had done anything wrong.

But she had ultimately let Robin down.

Ross paid no mind to Olvia's little movements. He even seemed to enjoy them, allowing her soft body to keep rubbing against him.

Whatever else could be said about Olvia, her figure was quite good.

Holding her in his arms gave him a sense of conquest.

"Saint Ross!"

Before long, Sakazuki returned to the ship.

Ross did not need to ask. Just by looking at Sakazuki's grim expression, he could roughly guess the result.

Sakazuki did not waste a single word. Before everyone aboard the ship, he dropped to one knee before Ross and said in a deep voice:

"I, Sakazuki, Vice Admiral of Navy Headquarters, acknowledge that I am inferior to Saint Ross!"

As he spoke, he raised his right fist without hesitation. In an instant, it was coated in Armament Haki.

Sakazuki's greatest strength lay in his development of the Magma-Magma Fruit, but magma could not harm him himself, so striking himself with it would have been meaningless.

Boom!!!

Under everyone's horrified gazes, Sakazuki's right fist slammed heavily into his own abdomen.

With that single punch, the entire warship began to shake, while towering waves surged across the sea behind Sakazuki.

This was the full power of an Admiral-level fighter. Even the aftershock of a single Armament Haki punch could unleash unparalleled destructive force.

"Pah!"

Sakazuki did not have it easy either. Armament Haki could break through a Logia Fruit's passive elementalization, and the damage it dealt him was entirely real.

Moreover, he had not put up any defense at all. A full-force blow from himself was enough to leave him seriously injured.

Yet in the face of all this, Sakazuki did not even furrow his brow.

A bet was a bet. He could not blame anyone else for losing.

There were still too many parasites in the Navy.

S-Class Defeat Complete!

Strength +500000

Special Reward: Armament Haki (A-Class)

"Stella!"

The corners of Ross's lips lifted slightly as he signaled Stella to step forward and treat him.

Host: Ross

Strength: 1315132/2000000 (B-, Navy Headquarters Vice Admiral)

The rewards from this round did not come as a surprise to Ross.

After all, this was Admiral-level Sakazuki. Even if he only received the reward for defeating him, it was enough to rival that of a Giant Vice Admiral.

Giant Vice Admirals held a rather special position in the Navy. They were slightly stronger than elite Vice Admirals, but when facing opponents at the Shichibukai level, they would basically be utterly crushed.

In terms of strength ratings, they were the weakest A-Class.

The main reason was that the Giant race possessed uniquely gifted physiques, but their techniques were far too broad and straightforward. Against opponents of the same level, they could only rely on their physical advantages to wear them down.

But among those who could reach the level of a Shichibukai or Yonko Commander, which one was not a monster with an immensely powerful body?

Against monsters with both skill and physique, Giant Vice Admirals were at a great disadvantage. Their enormous bodies instead created more openings for their enemies. Even Giant race warriors proficient in combat could not compare to ordinary Shichibukai.

Still, there were exceptions. Relying on their racial advantages, quite a few members of the Giant race were genuine Yonko Commander-level powerhouses.

"Sakazuki."

Ross looked at Sakazuki, who was receiving treatment. "After this incident, I will still recommend to the Five Elders that you be appointed an Admiral."

"I achieved nothing on this trip."

Sakazuki shook his head and refused. He had lost the bet, and he was not someone who could not accept defeat.

Ross had proposed the wager in the first place, so Sakazuki could use the situation to accept that benefit.

But now that he had lost, he could not possibly take both the good and avoid the bad. That was also his principle.

"How could you have achieved nothing? There is still one final mission left to complete." Ross spoke meaningfully.

"Your meaning is..."

Sakazuki's expression flickered as his gaze turned toward the utterly silent Ohara in the distance.

Everyone on Ohara had already been evacuated, but without Ross's order, not a single warship would fire first.

"How could a warship's cannons compare to the most destructive fruit among the Logias?"

Ross walked to Sakazuki's side and personally helped him to his feet.

"I will request permission from the Five Elders to conduct a worldwide broadcast, so that the world may witness the might of the new Navy Admiral."

"Yes, sir!"

A trace of excitement flashed through Sakazuki's eyes.

Ross's meaning was already obvious. He was to display his strength to his heart's content and destroy Ohara with the might of a single man.

If he displayed that during a worldwide broadcast, it would be enough to prove his strength to the entire world.

The prestige he would bring to the Navy alone would be enough to secure his position as an Admiral Candidate.

And it was foreseeable that his official appointment as a Navy Admiral was not far away.

Sakazuki refused Stella's further treatment. A minor injury from a single punch was nothing much to a monster like him.

To kill a monster like him, even someone of the same level would have to fight for three days and three nights.

Right now, all he wanted was to vent to his heart's content.

But before that, Ross needed to build him a stage.

Ross understood this as well. Seeing Sakazuki was tempted, he first dismissed everyone around them, leaving only himself and Sakazuki. Then, right before Sakazuki, he contacted Saint Stan, who was far away in Mary Geoise.

"How are things?"

The moment the call connected, Saint Stan's steady voice came from the other side.

"Grandfather, the matter has entered its final stage. Historical scholars such as Clover and Willen have all been killed, and Navy Traitor Sauron was personally killed by me as well. Only the mother and daughter, Olvia and Robin, remain, and I have taken them as slaves."

Ross reported truthfully, merely altering Olvia and Robin's identities.

Only by treating the two of them as his slaves could he make the World Government revoke their wanted notices.

"Very good!"

Satisfaction filled Saint Stan's voice. Ross had handled this matter very well. As for taking two historical scholars as slaves, it might be a major problem for others, but it meant nothing to Celestial Dragons.

Could Ross possibly want to rebel against himself?

Quite a few Celestial Dragons knew about that period of history. As long as it was not spread outside, it was not a problem.

"You called at this time because you wish to ask Grandfather for authorization." Ross got to the point.

"What authorization?"

"Authorization for a worldwide broadcast. I propose that Vice Admiral Sakazuki display his strength and personally carry out the Buster Call to destroy Ohara Island, displaying the Navy's might and the World Government's might."

Ross did not mention the matter of becoming an Admiral. Having Sakazuki display his strength was already a declaration that he intended to push him into the Admiral position.

Otherwise, there was no need for an ordinary Vice Admiral to display his strength.

Saint Stan fell silent for a while, seemingly discussing it with someone.

After a full minute, Saint Stan gave his answer:

"Granted!"

Upon hearing that answer, Sakazuki immediately revealed a delighted expression.

The Admiral position was his!