The Marines' Shock

"What... what did you say?"

King wondered if he had misheard.

"Young Master Lynn? He drove off those three Marine Vice Admirals, along with all those Marines?!"

What kind of joke was that?!

Those were three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals!

They were not just random nobodies!

"Absolutely true, Boss King!"

Sasaki was so excited that his face and neck had turned red. Spittle flew as he began recounting everything that had just happened.

From Young Master Lynn's godlike entrance and the terrifying Conqueror's Haki that cleared the field.

To the unbelievable Eight Gates, with which he sent Dobberman flying with a single punch.

And finally, the crimson steam that terrified every last Marine out of his wits!

Every word, every sentence, was like a heavy hammer smashing viciously into King and the others' hearts!

Listening to Sasaki's disjointed yet thrilling account, everyone was completely dumbfounded.

Their minds buzzed, and their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

A little brat not even two years old...

Knocked out over a thousand Marines with Conqueror's Haki?

Opened the Eight Gates?

Crippled a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral with one punch?

And finally erupted with crimson steam powerful enough to crack space itself?

This... was a myth, wasn't it?!

King stared fixedly at Lynn in Sasaki's arms. His breathing was weak, his little face pale, yet his delicate, doll-like features were still apparent.

For the first time, King's towering body trembled faintly.

Not from fear.

But from a tremendous shock that came from the depths of his soul...

That power... that form...

An ancient, long-buried name flashed uncontrollably through King's mind.

A name that existed only in legend.

Joy Boy...

Could it be...

King's gaze became incomparably complicated, filled with horror, disbelief, and... a trace of wild anticipation that even he himself had not noticed!

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The Fleet Admiral's office.

The atmosphere was grave.

Sengoku the Buddha, the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, was discussing a matter that could shake the entire world with the Marine hero Garp, Chief Staff Officer Tsuru, and the three Admirals—Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji.

"Marshall D. Teach actually dared to commit such a heinous crime aboard Whitebeard's ship..."

Sengoku rubbed his temples, his expression solemn. "Whitebeard Newgate will never let this go! Issue strict orders: during this period, no Marine is to provoke the Whitebeard Pirates!"

Garp picked his nose and said indifferently, "Wahahaha! That old guy must be so mad his beard's standing on end!"

Tsuru shot him a glare. "Garp! At a time like this, you're still making jokes? The repercussions of this are impossible to predict!"

Kizaru wore his usual lazy look, his signature lecherous smile curling his lips. "My, my, how frightening~ Blackbeard really is a troublesome fellow~"

Akainu's face was dark as water. He said nothing, but the killing intent in his eyes was nearly tangible.

Aokiji leaned against the sofa with his eyes closed, resting, though no one knew what he was thinking.

Just then.

Someone appeared at the office door.

A Marine Vice Admiral, covered in blood and looking utterly miserable, stood in the doorway.

"Momonga?"

Everyone turned to look.

Their expressions were full of surprise.

"F-Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"

Momonga's voice was hoarse, and his face bore undisguised shame... along with lingering fear.

Seeing his miserable state, Sengoku's brow jumped sharply. "Momonga? How did you end up like this?! What about G-58 Island? Did you take it? Where are Onigumo and Dobberman?!"

Momonga lowered his head even further.

"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral... G-58... the mission failed!"

"We... we lost!"

"What?!"

Sengoku shot to his feet, and the temperature in the office plummeted!

Garp stopped picking his nose, and Tsuru's expression turned grave as well.

The three Admirals all turned their eyes toward Momonga.

"You lost?!"

Sengoku was furious. "It was only Sasaki! The three of you Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals led over a thousand elite troops, and you still lost?!"

"Where are Dobberman and Onigumo?"

Momonga's body shook even harder. "Vice Admiral Dobberman... he was severely wounded by the enemy and fell unconscious on the spot. Whether he lives or dies is unknown!"

"Vice Admiral Onigumo and the rest of us... were forced to retreat!"

Boom!

Everyone in the office felt their minds explode!

Dobberman had been severely wounded and knocked unconscious?!

Three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals had actually been forced to retreat?!

How was that possible?!

"Who was the enemy?!"

Sengoku forcibly calmed himself and asked in a deep voice, "Did Kaido personally make a move? Or did the Beasts Pirates' All-Stars come out in force?!"

Other than that, he truly could not imagine what sort of power could reduce three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals to such a state!

Momonga swallowed with difficulty and raised his head, his eyes filled with extreme terror and absurdity.

"Neither, Fleet Admiral..."

"The one who acted... the one who acted..."

"Was Kaido's son!"

"A child... possibly not even two years old!"

Silence.

A deathly silence so complete that a needle dropping could be heard.

The fury on Sengoku's face froze instantly.

Garp's mouth fell open, his eyes nearly bulging out.

Tsuru sucked in a sharp breath.

Even Kizaru's ever-present lecherous smile froze on his face.

Akainu and Aokiji both widened their eyes at the same time, revealing expressions of utter disbelief.

A... a child?!

He had beaten three Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals until one was down and two fled?!

What kind of international joke was this?!