The Headquarters' High-Level Meeting

He quickly realized that, without noticing it, he had become a star among the officers at Marine Headquarters—the most talked-about young officer of the age.

Excitement filled the eyes of the many young officers around him. It was the look of people meeting their idol.

"As imposing as Vice Admiral Garp! Just looking at him makes me feel safe!"

"I want to have his children. Our kids would be strong too!"

"Rear Admiral Xia Le!"

In moments, the entrance to Kong's office grew crowded and noisy.

Doors along the corridor opened one after another, and heads poked out.

Clearly, Xia Le had underestimated just how popular he was at Headquarters.

Now that Roger had become the Pirate King, the officers who had once fought him had gained a fresh shine. Apart from Hero Vice Admiral Garp, Sengoku, and the other officers already famous at Headquarters, Xia Le was undoubtedly the brightest.

Faced with all those excited, fervent gazes, Xia Le felt a little lost.

In neither his past life nor this one had he ever faced a crowd of fans.

"Xia Le!"

A deep voice rang out.

"Come in!"

"Everyone else, leave. Don't disrupt the office!"

Kong's stern voice instantly quieted the crowd. The officers filed out, clearing a path for Xia Le.

"Close the door!"

Xia Le entered the room and breathed a sigh of relief. Then he shut the door, blocking out those eager eyes.

"Heh."

"Never dealt with anything like that before, have you?"

A smile suddenly broke across Kong's stern face as he teased him.

"It was a little frightening."

"I'd rather fight an enemy."

Xia Le let out a breath.

"Headquarters hasn't publicized your achievements much, but there's no doubt you've become a role model for the young officers of this age."

"Someone they strive to emulate!"

After a pause, Kong added,

"The Marines need young men like you."

Xia Le shrugged helplessly.

He looked at the mountains of documents piled on either side of Kong and sighed inwardly.

Being Fleet Admiral isn't easy. No wonder Sakazuki barely went anywhere after becoming Fleet Admiral.

"Did the mission go smoothly?"

Kong lowered his head again and began leafing through the documents in his hands.

As Fleet Admiral, he had far too much to deal with. Since Roger had become the Pirate King, pressure from the World Government and countless troubles among the public had only added to his headaches.

"Smoothly enough."

Xia Le took the blueprints, sealed in a plastic bag, from his coat and handed them over.

Kong took them, glanced through them, and set them aside.

"The importance of Seastone Warship Technology to us goes without saying. If our ships can cross the Calm Belt, it will open a route between the Grand Line and the Four Blues, cutting the time it takes our forces to reach them."

Kong drew a breath. Something in the document before him seemed to catch his eye, and he frowned.

"This technology will greatly strengthen the Marines' and the government's grip on the Four Blues."

"It will also give a major boost to our next operation."

Xia Le looked puzzled. "What operation?"

"A sweeping campaign to wipe out pirates."

Kong looked up and slapped the document he had finished reviewing onto the stack beside him.

"Our first target is the East Blue, currently the strongest of the four seas!"

"And the sea where Pirate King Roger was born!"

He exhaled.

"Of course, that campaign will take a long time to complete."

"Separately, we'll be searching the world for Roger and his crew."

Kong grimaced.

"Until those men are arrested, the world won't settle down!"

The Fleet Admiral's words gave Xia Le pause.

He suspected the World Government was putting Kong under tremendous pressure, while pirates and civilians alike had been in an uproar lately.

As long as the Pirate King lived, he was a powerful example to others, just as Xia Le was to the younger Marines. Like a magnet, Roger drew restless people to him, and they kept throwing the world into turmoil.

Capturing Roger and his crew was therefore crucial to both the Marines and the World Government.

With those forces pulling against each other, the whole world would remain in turmoil.

"Eight tomorrow morning. Headquarters conference room."

"All officers must attend. Be on time."

Xia Le nodded. Seeing how busy Kong was, he did not want to disturb him further and left on his own.

On his way out of the Headquarters Building, Xia Le collected countless notes from attractive female officers. Some were bold enough to come up and kiss his cheek.

Clearly, it was not just the young male officers who admired him. The female officers were more than willing to offer him their affection.

"This is insane!"

Only after leaving the Headquarters Building did Xia Le let out a long breath.

Then he shook his head and headed toward the residential area.

When he saw Crocodile, Bullet, Rosinante, and the others again, they were sitting in chairs outside his house, chatting.

"The Marines have a training system far more complete and varied than anything pirates have!"

"When it comes to developing talent, this place is undoubtedly stronger!"

Bullet spoke in a deep voice.

After venturing into Marine Headquarters and seeing its neatly organized, clearly designated training areas, even he had been impressed.

From basic training to advanced instruction and specialized combat, the Marines had a complete system.

"This world belongs to them, after all."

Crocodile smiled faintly.

"What, are you planning to take it from them?"

Bullet laughed.

"I only want to build the world I dream of."

Crocodile replied.

Xia Le walked over and cut them off with a wave.

"Enough talk about ruling the world. Politics isn't our business!"

"Immortality doesn't sound like a bad idea, though," Bullet muttered.

Xia Le ignored him and glanced at the others.

"Have you all settled in?"

"We have," Evens replied. "There's plenty of room."

Rosinante nodded alongside him.

Crocodile rose from his chair. "What did Kong say?"

"The mission went well. There's a meeting tomorrow morning."

Xia Le sat down. "All Flag Officers have to attend."

Bullet's eyes sharpened. "Sounds important."

"It is," Xia Le said. "The Marines are preparing a major operation."

None of them asked for details. The night breeze passed through the yard, and for a moment, everyone fell quiet.

Xia Le knew perfectly well that although the men under his command were now Marines, the spirit they had carried as pirates was still there.

Evens and the other four were well-behaved after joining the Marines. More than anything, they wanted a stable place to belong and a chance to realize their modest hope for peace.

Crocodile's personality had changed after his amnesia. He trusted and respected Xia Le, and even after recovering his memories, he had set aside his old dream.

As for Douglas Bullet, what he was thinking was obvious.

Xia Le's strength had won him over, but Bullet had also recognized that Xia Le was no man who would quietly follow the rules.

That was only natural. Men as strong as Bullet and Crocodile would not submit to someone simply because he was stronger.

They needed to see something in him that they could respect.

Everyone had been assigned rooms in Xia Le's residential compound. The house was large enough to accommodate them easily.

That evening, after dinner, Crocodile and the others continued their punishing training under Bullet's supervision.

Xia Le stood beneath a streetlamp, quietly watching them.

Bullet's background as a professional soldier showed in his approach to training. Even Xia Le had to acknowledge his expertise.

Evens and the other four, especially young Rosinante, had all improved during this time. Their bodies were rapidly approaching superhuman levels.

"Whatever you intend to do, whatever hopes and dreams you carry!"

"Strength is the greatest weapon you have to make them real!"

Bullet stood with his arms crossed and barked at them.

"Even if all you want is to lie around like a fish out of water, you still need the strength to flip yourself over!"

Then his eyes widened as he looked toward Rosinante at the back of the group.

"Rosinante, pick up the pace!"

"Do you want to die on a battlefield someday?"

"How can someone as strong as Xia Le tolerate a weakling like you under his command?"

Rosinante drew a sharp breath and pushed himself to run faster.

Bullet could insult him all he wanted, but he would not allow him to drag Xia Le into it. Rosinante had long held his superior officer in the highest regard!

"Aaaah!"

Rosinante roared as he ran with all his strength.

Under the streetlamp, Xia Le smiled at the sight, nodded, and turned away.

If this training continued, even Rosinante, only eleven or twelve years old, would soon have a superhuman physique.

At his age, it was remarkable. Perhaps that Celestial Dragon blood of his really did count for something.

The night passed in the blink of an eye.

At first light the next day, the Headquarters Building at Marineford was already steeped in a solemn, oppressive atmosphere.

Two rows of elite Marines stood ramrod straight along the steps leading to the building. Their faces were cold and stern, nearly all of them stood over two meters tall, and their gazes remained fixed ahead.

The atmosphere was utterly unlike any ordinary day. Even the Staff Officers in the crowd grew tense, swallowing hard as sweat beaded on their cheeks.

The highest-level meeting at Marine Headquarters would be held today.

Flag Officers who had been stationed across the world were gathering at Marineford for the meeting.

Everyone understood the gravity of it. Whatever was decided here would affect the entire Marine force, perhaps even the whole world.

Suddenly, a sea breeze swept through, lifting the capes of the Marines standing in rigid lines on either side.

The elite Marines' eyes narrowed as they looked toward several imposing figures at the foot of the steps.

"Headquarters Admiral Sengoku!"

"Headquarters Admiral Zephyr!"