The Pirate Era: My Immortality Starts with Maxing Out Conqueror's Haki Chapter 29

Xia Le shook his head.

"Haha, the Celestial Dragons have always been like this."

Simboo laughed.

"Let's go!"

Xia Le nodded.

Everyone headed toward the edge of the island, but before long, they heard commotion behind them, along with shrill whistles. Large numbers of Marines were also pouring toward Block 24 from all directions.

The scene left them stunned.

"It seems something happened."

"Should we go take a look, too?"

Xia Le said.

Saron scratched the back of his head. The others did not object.

A moment later, they arrived at Block 24 and saw the middle-aged Vice Admiral standing there, frantic and overwhelmed.

"It's Vice Admiral Laku!"

Saron recognized him.

Xia Le nodded and walked over. After glancing at the bloodstains on the ground, his expression turned extremely solemn.

"Vice Admiral Laku!"

"I'm Xia Le, a newly promoted Rear Admiral under Vice Admiral Garp."

"May I ask..."

"What happened?"

Vice Admiral Laku heard him and swept him with a glance.

"You're that disciple of Garp's, aren't you?"

"You can't help with this."

"You should return to Headquarters and attend your commissioning ceremony!"

After a pause, he added irritably,

"Right now, I don't have time to deal with you."

Chapter 34: Three Logia Devil Fruits

The young Marine standing before him had naturally heard some rumors about Xia Le at Headquarters recently.

As Garp's last and most prized disciple, that alone was enough to draw the attention of old veterans like them. Not to mention the strength he supposedly possessed—strength that had already surpassed that of the three young monsters.

It could be said that this kid's future was boundlessly bright. Becoming an Admiral was practically a certainty.

Under normal circumstances, he would have taken the opportunity to get closer to him.

But now...

He truly was not in the mood. The Celestial Dragon had been shot in the head, and he could already foresee the aftermath. The entire world would be shaken.

How many years had it been? Nothing like this had ever happened before!

"Then I'll visit you again when I have the chance, Vice Admiral Laku."

Xia Le bowed politely, then turned and left.

"Go on!"

Laku waved his hand.

On the way back, Saron and the others were clearly shocked by what had happened. At the same time, they felt inexplicably excited.

"Who could it have been?"

"To dare attack a Celestial Dragon, do it so silently, and succeed—he must be an incredibly powerful man!"

"He shot him right in the head. That was ruthless!"

The heated discussion behind him reached Xia Le's ears, but his face remained calm.

A Celestial Dragon?

Stripped of that lofty status, once the bubble covering their heads was shattered, they were just as fragile as ants.

At that moment, Xia Le was filled with countless emotions.

Once one possessed enough power, even the Celestial Dragons whom he had once been unable to approach within ten meters had heads as fragile as paper.

When they returned to the Warship, Garp was already snoring loudly beneath his dog-head hat.

Bogard glanced at him and nodded in greeting.

Soon afterward, the Warship left the harbor.

Xia Le leaned against the side of the ship and gazed at the slowly receding Sabaody Archipelago, feeling indescribably moved.

He suddenly felt as if he had been reborn. From this moment onward, everything connected to Sabaody had moved away from him, and an entirely new life was about to begin.

At that moment, Kuzan and Sakazuki suddenly walked over.

"Haha, Xia Le, have you heard?"

"After we return to Headquarters, the higher-ups may reward outstanding young talents with Devil Fruits!"

Kuzan said with a grin.

"Really? Then congratulations."

Xia Le smiled.

"You should congratulate yourself, too. With your strength, you'll definitely receive a powerful fruit."

Kuzan hooked an arm around Xia Le's neck and laughed loudly.

"I'm not very interested in Devil Fruits."

Xia Le shook his head.

He had not even maxed out the Six Powers yet, and he had not seen even a trace of Armament Haki or Observation Haki. At the same time, he understood clearly that Devil Fruit abilities might improve and assist one in certain areas, but when it came to the final battle strength, everything still came down to Haki.

"Don't be like that! Devil Fruits can greatly increase your combat power!"

Kuzan said with a playful grin.

Sakazuki was also filled with anticipation. If he could obtain a powerful fruit, perhaps this man before him would no longer be his opponent.

Looking at their expressions, Xia Le naturally understood what they were thinking.

In the original story, old-generation powerhouses like Zephyr and Garp had all advised the future Three Admirals not to rely too heavily on their Devil Fruit abilities.

But Xia Le understood very well that whether it was Haki or Devil Fruits, both were merely methods at his disposal. He himself was the most important factor; the fruit could only serve as an aid.

Besides, a person's energy was limited. Developing a Devil Fruit and Haki both required choices.

That evening, the Warship arrived at Marineford.

Seeing with his own eyes the largest Marine fortress in the world, Xia Le was deeply shaken.

The enormous Gate of Justice, the glittering inner bay, the black artillery platforms built all around it, and the plazas and successive gates leading to the Headquarters building...

It could be said that this fortress possessed world-class combat power and defenses.

Its terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack, meaning that any enemy who entered would be doomed to die.

After passing through the Headquarters plaza and entering the residential area, Xia Le also witnessed the fortress's vastness.

It had all kinds of entertainment facilities, a town, and shopping centers.

"Your commissioning ceremony has been scheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Get a good rest tonight!"

Garp walked ahead, showing Xia Le around the fortress as he spoke with a laugh.

"Mm!"

Xia Le nodded.

The terrain of Marineford consisted of gentle, rolling hills. From the residential area, one could clearly look down upon the inner bay and the Gate of Justice.

As an outstanding genius of the younger Marine generation, a monster-level fighter, and a powerhouse capable of battling Rayleigh, Xia Le had excellent living conditions. He was given a detached little villa.

Kuzan, Sakazuki, and the others lived in the officers' district not far away, and their conditions were also quite good.

This place could be called an officers' town, with training grounds and all kinds of facilities.

Xia Le strolled along the streets and saw many retired, white-haired veterans sitting in wheelchairs while their young children pushed them along. The atmosphere was harmonious.

The night passed without incident, and soon it was the next day.

For colonel-level promotions, veteran Vice Admirals and internal higher-ups could make the decisions themselves. But promotions to the general ranks had to be handled personally by the Fleet Admiral.

Five other people were promoted to Rear Admiral alongside Xia Le. All of them were older than him; even the youngest was already in his thirties. There were two women and three men.

Under the gazes of Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr, and the others, Xia Le stood ramrod straight.

A burly, dignified man with mountain-shaped white hair and a beard strode toward them. As he drew closer, an iron-blooded and powerful aura instantly swept over them.

He was none other than the current Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Kong.

"You are all officers who have performed exceptionally well in the Marines recently."

"Therefore, after discussions between myself and the other officers, we have decided to grant you the rank of Rear Admiral."

"I also hope that in your future work, you can remain true to yourselves and fight for justice."

Kong was a stern man who rarely smiled.

He was equally serious during the ceremony. He personally placed the Rear Admiral insignia on Xia Le and smoothed the wrinkles on his uniform.

"Young man, the uniform you wear is like your life. Don't let it become untidy in the slightest."

Xia Le was stunned, then solemnly returned the salute.

The ceremony ended quickly. Kong then arranged the positions of the other five. When he reached Xia Le, he said,

"I know you haven't been in the Marines for long. Although you performed exceptionally in the battle against the Roger Pirates and your strength is impressive, your foundation in the Marines is still somewhat lacking."

"So you still need to undergo a period of training at the Marine Academy."

"Of course, outstanding talents like you won't be restricted as strictly as the other cadets."

"During your studies, you may move about freely. However, you must master every course you are supposed to learn."

A faint smile appeared on Kong's face as he spoke softly.

Xia Le nodded.

He had heard Kuzan and Sakazuki mention these courses before. They were not particularly difficult, yet they were very useful. Even now, the three monsters still frequently attended classes.

"Additionally, in the face of young talents like you who have performed exceptionally well..."

"Headquarters will also provide appropriate rewards to help you further improve your strength."

Kong smiled again.

At that moment, the other five Rear Admirals had already left. Only Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and the others remained at the scene.

Xia Le revealed a curious expression.

Kong clapped his hands. Immediately, three Marines carried boxes inside.

"These are three Logia Devil Fruits!"

"You may choose whichever one you want!"

"But you must also understand that after eating a Devil Fruit, you will permanently lose the ability to swim and become hated by the sea."

The three boxes were opened one after another. Xia Le stared at the three fruits that shimmered with different radiances.

Without a doubt, these were the three Logia Devil Fruits that the future Three Admirals would consume.