Curiosity

Secrets were rare on the open sea.

The Buster Call fleet's passage had left three unlucky pirate crews blasted into the ocean, but even that couldn't stop the news from spreading completely. Hell of a Man Rebrus, one of the New World's two great powers, had mobilized every cadre in the Hell Pirates. There was no way an event like that wouldn't leak.

And when those two forces collided, it was an event the likes of which hadn't happened in decades!

The moment the battle broke out, Great Pirates in the surrounding waters began hearing about it. Those just beneath the two great powers, in particular, caught wind of the news at once and started watching for an opportunity.

Would the Hell Pirates suffer heavy losses? Could they seize the position of King? Would the Marines fly into a rage and launch a purge?

But even the boldest pirates couldn't have predicted that it would end with every Hell Pirates cadre and Rebrus wiped out!

"The seas are about to change. Who was the man who fought Rebrus for a whole day and night? The Marines were hiding a powerhouse like that?"

Great Pirate Iguain, whose bounty stood at 620 million, stood at the bow and sighed gravely.

A pirate beside him asked, "Captain, if we stay here any longer, we're expected to run into the Buster Call fleet on its way back in half an hour. Should we turn around now and get off the fleet's route?"

"Yeah, we've seen enough of the show."

Iguain flashed a bloodthirsty smile and turned to give his orders. "Turn back, boys! Let's hurry and carve up the Hell Pirates' territory! These seas are vast enough. The King of Gluttony can't claim the whole New World for himself. He needs people to help shoulder the pressure from the Marines! We'll become the new two great powers of the sea! The new Kings!"

"Yeah!" they cheered.

Amid the cheering, an incongruous voice cut in. "H-hey, Captain! Look up there! There's someone flying in the sky!"

"Hm?" Iguain looked up and locked eyes with a little old man flying high overhead.

The next second, his smile froze and his pupils shrank. Sweat broke out across his forehead!

The little old man descended.

Iguain's legs began to tremble.

No, don't come over here! I just came over to watch the show!

"Run! Run! That's Fleet Admiral Aokiji! Get the ship moving!!"

Two minutes later, the pirate ship bearing a Great Pirate's dream sank beneath the sea, taking its crew with it. Not a sound remained.

Aokiji soared back into the sky, looking surprised and somewhat relieved. "We actually won?"

The former strongest Marine, and perhaps the strongest Marine of the current era—the Glint-Glint Fruit Ability User—

Fleet Admiral Aokiji!

"Hahaha, Aokiji, you old geezer! You got here pretty fast!" Doug's booming laughter carried as soon as he saw Aokiji. "You flew here at full speed, didn't you? What a pity, what a pity—you were just a little late. Otherwise, you could've shared in the credit for capturing Rebrus."

Aokiji shot Doug a look. The old man was so pleased his mouth was practically flying off his face.

So what if you found yourself a powerful student? What did you teach him? If I'd been the one running the Elite Training Camp, Figo would be even stronger than he is now! He'd call me his teacher, too—and mean it!

Ignoring Doug, he first returned the greetings of the Marines aboard the ship and on the neighboring vessels. The Marines still had traces of excitement on their faces. He wondered how loudly they'd cheered when the battle was won, and how much admiration Figo had earned.

You're a lucky man, Doug, you old geezer!

He cursed him again in his heart, then looked up at Figo as he approached and smiled. "Well done, Figo. How are your injuries?"

"Medium rare." Figo was wrapped in bandages, too. Rebrus's final attack, launched in desperation, had left him with some serious injuries. "They're not too bad. Two Sea Kings should fix me up."

Aokiji patted Figo on the waist, confirming he was still strong and sturdy. "Honestly, even now, I can hardly believe you managed to defeat Rebrus!"

"If you were in my old bones, could you still do it? You've held the title of strongest Marine for over thirty years. It's probably time to pass it on!"

Doug was grinning from ear to ear.

Aokiji shot him another look, then finally couldn't resist needling the smug Doug. "You're calling me old bones? You old geezer, I'm two years younger than you. I can live another twenty years! What about you? Don't let capturing Rebrus make you lose your drive and end up buried in the ground two years from now!"

"Then I'll die without regrets!"

"Your grandson's still little."

"I've got so many students, surely one of them can help look after him... Bah! Aokiji, why are you talking like I'm about to die?!"

The two old men bickered back and forth.

Figo and Miya exchanged a glance, then wordlessly led the two men into the cabin so they wouldn't ruin their images in front of the Marines.

Once only the four of them were left, the two old men stopped bickering. They looked at each other, their expressions turning serious.

Doug asked in a low voice, "Aokiji, you were able to warn me ahead of time through a Den Den Mushi. Is there something behind this war with the Hell Pirates?"

Aokiji asked in return, "Were the casualties severe?"

Doug fell silent, then nodded.

It had been a war. How could there be no casualties? The Hell Pirates weren't pushovers, and it was fortunate the battle hadn't taken place in their territory. None of their affiliated forces had joined in. Otherwise, in terms of troop strength, the fleet sent on a Buster Call might not have been enough.

Among the Hell Pirates' cadres, both First Mates were SSR1. One of the Four Beasts was also SSR1, and three were SR9. With all the other powerful fighters, each with their own abilities, the Marines had held the advantage on the island. But when their enemies fought back desperately, three Rear Admirals still lost their lives.

At sea, four officers and nearly a hundred junior officers and enlisted men were also killed or wounded. It was thanks to Figo's ship-destroying plan that the losses weren't worse.

Miya's ship had fared the worst. It ran into Rebrus early, and only Miya and a few other senior members were left alive to be taken prisoner. Figo had rescued them.

The mood grew heavy as they spoke of the casualties. Aokiji glanced at Miya, only then learning that such a dangerous situation had unfolded.

"The losses were far fewer than I expected."

Aokiji had witnessed things like this for decades. He said quietly, "The Marines will remember the sacrifices made by the fallen. Gandor, the new Fleet Admiral, will make sure their families are properly taken care of."

"...The new Fleet Admiral?!"

As the others stared in surprise, Figo asked, "Is it because of me, Fleet Admiral?"

Aokiji shook his head. "You were only a small part of it. Saint Mendsbin had been growing less and less tolerant of me over the years.

"Heh. Even if he hadn't dismissed me, I didn't want to remain Fleet Admiral. This time, he went too far!"

"So the Hell Pirates' sudden attack really was connected to the Five Elders?" Doug's anger flared as he clenched his fist.

Aokiji nodded and explained everything that had led up to it. "I don't think he was only targeting Figo. Figo alone wouldn't have been enough to make him openly break with me. Maybe... he was hoping you'd die here, you old geezer."

Doug thought it over, then gave a snort of laughter. "I never expected that an old man about to retire, a coward all his life, could finally stand up for himself and earn the Five Elders' wariness."

"Fleet Admiral Aokiji," Figo suddenly interjected. "There's something I've always wondered about. How can the World Government and the Celestial Dragons rule over the Marines, over powerhouses like you and the Three Admirals?"

Aokiji froze. "Figo, you..."

Doug couldn't help laughing again. "Young people are bolder. You didn't know, Aokiji? Figo awakened Conqueror's Haki. He has the qualities of a King!"

Aokiji's expression shifted in surprise.

Figo quickly explained, "No, no, it has nothing to do with that. I'm just genuinely curious."

Aokiji fell silent for a moment, then warned him, "Figo, don't even think about doing anything reckless!

"The World Government has 157 Affiliated Nations under its banner, and that number increases every year. Setting aside the powerful nations, the weaker ones all need the World Government to station troops there for their protection. Those armies outnumber the Marines by several hundred times!

"If anything happens to the World Government, the entire world will descend into chaos in an instant. You're still young and don't understand the state of the world well enough. The Marines are only the tip of the iceberg for the World Government!"

A massive land army? Figo thought it over, then asked, "Do those armies have powerhouses like you and the Marine Admirals?"

Aokiji paused and stared straight at Figo.

Figo said, "I'm just curious, just curious. Besides, over the last seven hundred years, with so many Kings rising on the seas, has not one of them charged straight into Mary Geoise to overthrow the World Government?"

This time, even Doug stopped laughing. He, Miya, and Aokiji all stared straight at Figo.

Figo smiled sheepishly.

"I'm curious. Just curious."