Blackbeard's Ambition, Ryokugyu Aramaki!

This difference might be overcome in a battle between Yonko Commander Level by the special properties of the Dark-Dark Fruit, but in a true top-level duel, every point of difference is a chasm between life and death.

He needs a powerful Devil Fruit to bridge that gap.

No, not just one—he needs the power to stand head-on against those who stand at the top of the ocean.

The Tremor-Tremor Fruit was originally the perfect piece of the puzzle, possessing the power to destroy the world. Combined with his Dark-Dark Fruit, it was enough to make him surpass Whitebeard at his peak, ascending to become the truly unstoppable king of this sea.

Unfortunately, that old man was alive and kicking on Origin Island after being modified by Uchiha Natsu's cells.

Origin Island itself was impregnable—the outer defense line was guarded by tens of thousands of Uchiha ninjas of the lowest Chunin level, six pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan, and tens of thousands of elite soldiers. Even CP0 lost hundreds of soldiers but couldn't even get close to the core area.

A head-on confrontation is pure suicide.

But the ocean is vast; isn't there any other power comparable to the Tremor-Tremor Fruit?

Marco's Phoenix Fruit and Jozu's Diamond-Diamond Fruit —these are top-tier Paramecia or Mythical Zoan, even rarer than Logia- types.

Marco's Phoenix a regenerative ability stronger than any known healing ability. If he could get his hands on it, he would no longer need to fear any direct confrontation.

Jozu's Diamond-Diamond Fruit is ridiculously hard, and when combined with Armament Haki, its frontal defense is comparable to Kaido's dragon scales.

All of these are around Origin Island, right under Uchiha Natsu's nose, and cannot be touched for the time being.

But in the New World, which of the Division Commander under the Four Emperors, or those reclusive old monsters, doesn't possess a few coveted Devil Fruit?

Looking even further back, how many Devil Fruits, unknown to the world, are hidden in the hands of the World Government, the Revolutionary Army, and in those ruins and legends buried by history?

Teach placed his glass on the table, his gaze falling on the large area of sea circled in red— the West Blue, Origin Island, and the Uchiha.

The man who cleaved Marineford two with a single blow, the monster who still sends chills down his spine whenever he thinks about him.

He will have to face Uchiha Natsu sooner or later, and before that, he must make himself stronger.

"Lafitte, we need to find some stronger Devil Fruit and more crew members," Teach said slowly, his voice low and sinister. "With the people we have now, let alone Uchiha Natsu, we can't even withstand a single blow from that monster Kaido. We need stronger Devil Fruit, we need stronger crew members, the more the better, the stronger the better."

He began to meticulously plan his remaining crew— Jesus Burgess, Van Augur, Lafitte, Doc Q, Stronger, and Shiryu of the Rain and the Avalo Pizarro Avaro Pizarro, who had remained silent since being brought out of Impel Down.

The first few were veterans who had followed him since he defected from the Whitebeard Pirates, while the last two were the only remaining fighting force on Level 6 of Impel Down.

As for the other prisoners subdued on the sixth floor, they are either dead or missing; they have long since vanished without a trace.

With this small force, let alone going toe-to-toe with the Four Emperors, they wouldn't even be enough to fill a single Night Owl Guard squad of the Uchiha.

Shiryu is quite strong, and Pizarro is also a veteran powerhouse, but the two of them alone are far from enough.

He needs more monsters crawling out of the depths of hell, he needs madmen whose names even the World Government dares not reveal, he needs old guys who have been forgotten by history for hundreds of years.

The Revolutionary Army possessed this intelligence, as did the Underworld intelligence network.

"Hahaha... Interesting, Uchiha Natsu. I'll get my money back from you sooner or later, with interest." He tilted his head back and downed the last mouthful of rum, then casually smashed the empty bottle against the corner of the wall. A complex light, a mixture of greed and ruthlessness, flickered in his single eye.

"The summit of this ocean will eventually belong to me."

Marine Headquarters, New Marineford.

The expansion project of the G2 Branch has entered its final stage. This medium-sized fortress, which was originally just New World outpost, has now been forcibly expanded to meet the specifications of the Marine Headquarters.

Dozens of newly launched warships were moored in the port, and the sounds of new recruits training on the Training Ground rang out from morning till night—after the World Military Draft was issued, recruits from Four Blues and the Grand Line poured in like a tide, including many formidable individuals whose strength even made the Headquarters Vice Admiral take notice.

Aramaki is the most formidable of these formidable individuals.

When Sengoku first met Aramaki, this man, who claimed to be from a small country in the South Blue that had long been destroyed by pirates, was squatting in the corner of the Recruitment Station, slurping down a bowl of vegetarian noodles.

The other applicants instinctively took a few steps away from him—not because he looked fierce, but because of the aura he exuded, like a beast dozing in the sun, seemingly lazy, but no one knew what he would look like when he opened his eyes.

After his duel with the recruit assessment officer, Vice Momonga Vice Admiral, with a grave expression, wrote the following line on the evaluation report, "His Haki cultivation has reached the level of a top-tier Admiral-Yonko Level. His Devil Fruit ability is suspected to be related to Logia, but its specific upper limit has not been determined." This report was sent directly to Sengoku's desk.

The Sengoku did not hesitate for long.

The Navy desperately needs high-end combat power right now. With Steel Bone Kong, and although the Three Admirals are still alive, having more trump cards means having more confidence to survive when facing a monster like Uchiha Natsu.

He talked with Aramaki all night, and the next day he took him aboard a warship bound for Mary Geoise.

Room of Authority of Mary Geoise, the Five Elders conducted a final evaluation of Aramaki. The result of the evaluation was: pass.

A few days later, the Marine Headquarters released a brief but solemn announcement to the world: the fourth Admiral of the Navy Headquarters had officially taken office, codenamed "Ryokugyu".

In the photo, Aramaki is wearing a crisp, Justice Coat, and his messy black hair has been forcibly tied into a ponytail, but his always squinting eyes still carry a hint of lazy sleepiness, as if he could lean against the wall and take another nap at any moment.

When the news reached Origin Island, Uchiha Natsu was checking the Night Owl Guard's rotation schedule for the next quarter with Fugaku.

He took the intelligence scroll and glanced at it, his gaze lingering for a moment on the line "Ryokugyu, real name Aramaki, from the South Blue, Devil Fruit ability not disclosed," before casually handing it to Fugaku.

Those crimson Sharingan revealed no particular emotion; they simply commented, "The Navy is more proactive than I expected."

Fugaku took the scroll, his brow furrowing slightly. "Another unknown combatant. Should we have Yashiro's intelligence network pay close attention to him?"