In the vast conference hall, quite a few Marine officers' eyes lit up slightly.
The young man who had been specially recruited flashed through their minds as well.
Laxus had achieved all manner of extraordinary feats from the moment he made his debut. More than two months ago, he had even faced Kaido of the Beasts, one of the Four Emperors, head-on.
Not only had he injured Kaido, known as the strongest creature—
he had also escaped unscathed from Kaido's frenzied pursuit.
For Marine Headquarters, which had suffered one setback after another over the past half year, this string of accomplishments could only be described as glorious.
Unfortunately, after that battle, Laxus had vanished without a trace, leaving the Marine officers present deeply disappointed.
"Garp, do you have to bring that guy up every time we hold an emergency meeting?" Akainu's icy voice suddenly rang out.
"That guy hasn't shown his face for over two months. Whether he's even alive is another matter altogether."
"Besides, don't forget that if you need newcomers to uphold the Marines' reputation, the three I personally trained are talented as well. They can definitely surpass Laxus."
His stern words carried a sharp, confrontational edge.
Sengoku was not surprised at all as he watched Akainu's nerves get touched so easily.
After all, in Sengoku's eyes, the truly terrifying enemy was not one who flaunted his strength openly.
It was someone who endured in silence and remained hidden for a long time.
Someone who waited until the crucial moment to strike at the vital point and succeed in a single blow.
That was the truly deadly venomous snake.
Now that Laxus had disappeared for more than two months without any news whatsoever, it was clearly difficult for Akainu to learn of Laxus's whereabouts in advance through intelligence