"Hehehe! Well done, Roy!"
Upon receiving the news, Kaido laughed and drank heartily in his castle.
"Looks like I made the right choice in choosing my ally!"
With them holding the line in the north, I can expand eastward and southward with more confidence!
Tell Jhin to speed up the conquest of ' Kurozumi Island '!
After learning of the battle report on Whole Cake Island, Big Mom Charlotte Linlin licked the cream from the corner of her mouth, her interest growing even stronger.
"Mamamama~ You really have some skills."
Looks like he's not just a kid who got lucky.
Perospero, keep an eye on them and see what they do next.
Perhaps... we could really talk about a marriage alliance? That Roy, or one of his promising young men...
The Whitebeard Pirates, aboard the Moby Dick.
"Gurararara! It seems that Garp and Sengoku, those two old guys, have backfired this time!"
The Whitebeard took a swig of wine and laughed loudly.
"The attempt to flatter him backfired, instead helping that brat Roy establish his authority!"
The New World has gained another interesting little fellow!
Marco adjusted his glasses and calmly analyzed the situation.
" Pops, the growth rate and strength of the Roy Pirates have indeed exceeded expectations."
They now enjoy the geographical advantage of Hachinosu, internal stability, strong leadership, and the ally Kaido.
They've become a force to be reckoned with. We need to adjust the defenses on some of the islands along the northern edge.
Whitebeard nodded, his gaze fixed on the sea chart of the northern New World, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
"Yes, the tide of the new era is coming stronger than we imagined."
Tell Vista and Jozu to increase patrols along the ' Fish-Man Island ' route and in the surrounding waters.
Hachinosu isn't too far from Fish-Man Island. Although there seems to be no conflict now, who can predict the future?
Upon learning the news, Golden Lion Shiki merely gave a disdainful snort.
"A bunch of useless trash!"
They can't even take down a kid who's just gotten his footing!
Hahaha! But that's fine too, let the navy and those old guys have their headaches first!
I'll continue dealing with traitors and seizing territory!
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, was even more somber.
Sengoku looked at the detailed report on the defense of Hachinosu, his face turning ashen.
"Five thousand allied troops, five captains with bounties over a hundred million, all gone in one night?"
Akainu's voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, and the surrounding air seemed to distort slightly because of his anger.
" The Roy Pirates are stronger than we anticipated!"
"It's not just about strength."
Vice Admiral Tsuru's face was serious.
The report shows that their defense system operates efficiently, command and dispatch are smooth, rank-and-file soldiers are well-trained, and they can respond to sudden attacks very quickly.
This level of organization is beyond what ordinary pirate crews can achieve.
This Roy is not only a powerful individual, but also a qualified leader and builder.
"And,"
Aokiji leaned against the wall, his tone tinged with complexity.
"They don't seem to be inflated by the high bounty and this victory; instead, they are more focused on internal development."
Our "praise to the point of destruction" has limited effect.
It's too early to say that the effects will be limited.
Sengoku took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"A single victory will only make them more famous and attract more attention."
The true hegemons of the New World will not tolerate the rapid and unrestrained growth of an emerging power.
The conflict was bound to erupt sooner or later.
Sengoku looked at Akainu and Kizaru.
" Sakazuki, Borsalino, you've seen the situation in the New World."
The navy is not able to intervene on a large scale for the time being, but we must be prepared.
How is the conscription work going?
Akainu replied in a deep voice, "The response from the Four Blues and the first half of the Grand Line has been positive."
The first batch of recruits has begun basic training, but it will take time for them to develop combat capability.
Kizaru tilted his head.
"On the Science Unit side, Dr. Vegapunk's joining..."
Upgrades to weapons and warships have already begun; they might be able to help soon!
Sengoku nodded.
"Speed up the progress."
In addition, the recruitment of the Shichibukai should be expedited.
We need to utilize all available resources to balance the situation.
He looked again toward Hachinosu, a cold glint in his eyes.
" Roy... I'll let you be smug for a little while longer."
Wait until the navy is ready, wait until the flames of the New World burn you...
Let's settle the score now!
In Hachinosu,
The Roy Pirates did not dwell too much on their victory.
After dealing with prisoners and spoils, and repairing facilities that had sustained minor damage in the battle,
Everything quickly returned to normal, and the islanders' confidence and support for the pirate crew even increased because of the victory.
Roy devoted more of his energy to training and guiding his companions.
Deep within the Trial Island, in the gravity training zone.
Roy, Bullet, and Hawk Eyes are engaged in extremely intense combat training under gravity conditions.
Without using Devil Fruit abilities or unleashing Haki, it was purely a clash of physical skills, swordsmanship, and combat instincts, with fists and blades clashing at a speed too fast for the naked eye to discern.
Kyros, Savi, Enel, Pea, and others were conducting their respective specialized training in a slightly more distant area.
Charon, meanwhile, honed his Fish-Man Karate and Observation Haki in a specially designed large tank.
The CP Five, especially Lucci and Kaku, were assigned special "sparring partners" by Roy.
Bullet released several ferocious Ancient Zoan experimental subjects into the jungles of Trial Island.
In the life-or-death battles with these monsters, Lucci and Kaku's potential and ferocity were further unleashed, and their strength improved rapidly.
During a break from training, Roy called Lucci and Kaku over.
"You've all made great progress recently, especially Lucci. You've already grasped the basics of combining your Six Powers with your Devil Fruit abilities."
Kaku, your physical skills are becoming increasingly refined.
Lucci and Kaku stood ramrod straight, their faces expressionless, but a glimmer of approval flashed in their eyes.
After this period of time, their resistance and alienation towards the Roy Pirates have lessened considerably.
More than anything, it's a desire for power and a complex sense of belonging to this community that provides shelter and a platform for growth.
"Strength is fundamental, but strength alone is not enough."
Roy looked at them,
"You were originally CP9 elites, proficient in infiltration, reconnaissance, assassination, and intelligence analysis."
These skills are just as important, if not more important, in the world of One Piece.
Lucci's eyes flickered slightly, as if he understood something.
" Crocodile is building our intelligence network, but he's short-handed, especially lacking specialists skilled in these dark methods."
Roy said directly,
"I want you to assist him temporarily, and use the skills you learned in CP9 to serve Hachinosu."
Of course, cultivation cannot be neglected.
This is trust, and also a test.
Giving them access to core intelligence work signifies further acceptance and entrusting them with important responsibilities.
Lucci and Kaku exchanged a glance and simultaneously knelt on one knee.
"Yes, Captain Roy."
Lucci's voice remained low and calm, but with an added touch of solemnity.
"I will do my best, Captain!" Kaku nodded earnestly.
"Very good."
Roy nodded. "Go find Crocodile; he'll take care of things."
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Roy pondered to himself.
Lucci and Kaku have potential worth investing in, and if they can pass the test, they may be given more important responsibilities in the future.
As for Devil Fruit... let's wait until we gather the main members together and then distribute them!
Roy walked to the side, picked up his Black Blade Shusui, and gently stroked the blade.
"Our strength... needs to be even greater."
Roy could sense that as Hachinosu gained a foothold and his own reputation grew, so did the pressure he felt.
The navy, the World Government, the rulers of the New World... the enemies we will face in the future will only grow stronger.
We cannot let our guard down.
He took a deep breath and stepped back into the gravity training field, beginning a new round of arduous training.
Swordsmanship needs to be refined, Haki needs to be more concentrated, and the development of Telekinesis Fruit needs to be further advanced...
The path to becoming stronger is endless.