Edowar Sea Battle

"I heard Vice Admiral Garp is going to be promoted to admiral?"

"I heard that too."

"It should have been Vice Admiral Garp's turn long ago, right?"

"Yeah. Vice Admiral Garp is obviously that powerful."

After Garp left, some young men began discussing his promotion.

These young men were all military academy students preparing to graduate that year. They had just completed an internship aboard Garp's ship.

Just as Kuzan was about to join the discussion, he heard a Rear Admiral speak.

"What are you all imagining?" The Rear Admiral squeezed his way in and corrected the interns' mistaken notions. "The reason Vice Admiral Garp doesn't want to become an admiral is that he simply doesn't want the promotion, not because Headquarters won't let him."

"Huh?" At those words, the interns were all stunned.

Seeing that the interns were dumbfounded, the Rear Admiral added, "Vice Admiral Garp has been refusing promotion all these years."

Refusing a promotion to admiral?

Kuzan was stunned as well. But after he recovered, he admired Garp even more.

Garp arrived at the Marshal's office.

Kong threw the World Government's appointment letter in front of Garp.

Garp rejected it without even looking at it.

Garp said to Kong, "Kong, I have no interest in the position of admiral."

"I don't want to repeat the same thing to you over and over, either."

Kong glanced at Garp, then casually smoked his cigar.

This was not the first time Garp had refused a promotion.

However, the Navy currently had only two admirals: Sengoku and Zephyr.

Zephyr was also focusing his attention on training the new generation.

The Gorosei had long since expressed their dissatisfaction several times over the Navy's insufficient admiral-level combat power.

Garp sat down and picked up a cigar. "If you need to increase our deterrence, you can find Victor."

Victor's past achievements and combat strength were enough to qualify him as a Marine Admiral.

Kong took a puff of smoke. "The Gorosei will naturally arrange that."

The implication was that Victor's promotion to Marine Admiral was a foregone conclusion.

As for when it would happen, that was not for Kong to decide.

Garp and Victor were truly polar opposites.

Victor wanted a promotion, while Garp was the exact opposite.

However, although both of them gave people headaches, the Navy was indeed much more reassuring with them around.

"Marshal."

"Marshal."

At that moment, a Rear Admiral came rushing over.

"What happened?" Kong asked.

The Rear Admiral answered, "Roger and Golden Lion have encountered each other at Edowar Beach."

Kong's expression changed drastically.

Golden Lion had always wanted to learn the whereabouts of the Ancient Weapon from Roger.

Therefore, their encounter was a tremendous crisis for the world!

"Go notify Sengoku. Have him assemble the fleet. Branch G-1 and Branch G-5 must mobilize immediately."

Kong reacted in the shortest time possible.

"Wait, Garp. I still have something to tell you."

Kong still wanted to give Garp a few instructions.

However, Garp had already turned around. "That's your business. I'm done here."

At that moment, Kuzan and the others were waiting outside the corridor of the Marshal's office.

"Vice Admiral Garp, you refused the promotion to admiral again!"

Kuzan looked at Garp with admiration.

"I want to do things freely. I don't need a position higher than this."

Garp said it casually while striding forward.

"That's so cool."

Kuzan was extremely excited.

However, Garp did not care about Kuzan's reaction at all.

At that moment, Garp arrived beside Tsuru and the others.

Several Marine Vice Admirals, including Tsuru, had also received news of Roger and Golden Lion's encounter.

Garp took the initiative to say to Tsuru, "Tsuru, if you're setting sail, let me come aboard too."

Tsuru looked at Garp in surprise. "The order to sortie hasn't even been issued yet."

Then Tsuru shook her head and said, "With you aboard, the ship will be destroyed in no time. I won't let you on."

"Don't say that. Roger has to be dealt with personally by me."

Garp laughed heartily.

While Tsuru, Garp, and the others were talking, Akainu remained silent and walked at the very front of the group.

He had been transferred back from the New World not long ago and had now been promoted to colonel.

By then, Garp had reached the docks.

Sengoku was assembling the forces at the docks.

When Sengoku saw Garp appear and even try to board his ship, he could not help frowning. "Garp, I've already been put in charge of this matter. Don't interfere."

"Relax. All the credit will be yours." Garp laughed and boarded the ship with Kuzan and the others.

"Damn it, that's two different things." Sengoku was furious, but he could not stop Garp.

Kizaru, Momonga, and the others were all extremely excited when they saw this scene.

Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp were joining forces.

And there was also Vice Admiral Victor!

Roger definitely wouldn't be their match, right?

Branch G-1.

Victor received the message from Headquarters.

Ever since he had been assigned as the commander of Branch G-1, Victor's number of sorties had decreased.

As the commander, how could he be sent charging into battle?

Moreover, Victor's primary tasks were tracking Roger and maintaining the safety of the sea routes.

"Has it finally come?"

Victor knew this day would come sooner or later.

And this was his opportunity.

After the Edowar Sea Battle, the Flying Pirates would be severely weakened. It would be the perfect chance to wipe them out in one fell swoop.

Victor wanted to rise by stepping on Golden Lion.

Thus, Victor called out to Wright and Connor, "Pass down the order. Everyone at Branch G-1 is to assemble."

Branch G-1 had to conduct daily patrols along the sea routes.

Therefore, the mobilization would take some time.

In Grand Line Era 1495, Shiki finally obtained the whereabouts of Roger's crew. He assembled his fleet at top speed, intending to surround Roger.

Today, the wind was fierce and the waves violent near Edowar Beach.

Ig, the captain of Ship Number Seven, gazed at the Oro Jackson across from him and muttered, "What terrible weather."

"Wahahaha..." Carlisle patted Ignaz on the shoulder and said, "It's fine. The enemy only has one ship."

Shiki's assembled fleet already consisted of more than thirty ships.

Roger only had one ship.

By comparison, the Flying Pirates held an absolute advantage in ships and manpower.

Therefore, from Carlisle's perspective, the Flying Pirates had no chance of losing at all.

"Roger!"

At that moment, Shiki stood at the bow with a cigar between his teeth and shouted toward the Oro Jackson:

"I've already told you this dozens of times, haven't I? Although we had plenty of grudges when we were young, what's in the past should stay in the past."

"You know where the 'weapon that can destroy the world' is hidden. With my forces and the perfect plan I spent years creating, I can rule this world immediately."

"Come on, Roger! Become my right-hand man!"

Shiki's shout pierced through the wind and waves and reached the Oro Jackson clearly.

Roger and the others heard every word.

Not only could they hear him clearly, they could also identify Shiki.

His golden hair reached the ground like a lion's mane. His sideburns and beard were golden as well, and his sideburns were exceptionally long. In the New World, that appearance was utterly unique.

Buggy looked at Shiki. No matter how many times he saw him, facing Golden Lion still made him feel afraid.

This was not how he felt when facing Whitebeard.

Was it because Whitebeard was not as evil?