In the Holy Land, on a newly cultivated farmland.
Zephyr skillfully tossed potatoes into the soil, while two soldiers following him quickly used shovels to cover them and water the ground.
Sengoku, not one to idle, planted chili peppers he had prepared beforehand. Leisurely, he remarked, "Xayuki is getting more and more adept at being the Fleet Admiral. Not only does he pay attention to his favorite fruits and vegetables, but he even specifically instructed us to grow Sakazuki's favorite chili peppers. If nothing unexpected happens, Sakazuki will become one of the rotating Five Elders in the next term!"
"By the way," Sengoku continued, sitting directly on the ground after planting the peppers. He turned to Zephyr, who was diligently sowing potatoes, and said, "News just came from the New World. Although the war hasn't reached a conclusion yet, there's a piece of news that I think you'll find interesting!"
"What news?" Zephyr asked calmly, not looking up.
"Gion awakened Conqueror's Haki during the battle!" Sengoku revealed with a chuckle. "It seems her thoughts have become clear now. How about we make a bet? Let's wager on who will be the next Marine to awaken Conqueror's Haki."
"No need to bet. It'll definitely be Sakazuki," Zephyr replied decisively.
Sengoku blinked in mock confusion. "Why not Kuzan or Borsalino?"
Zephyr, sharp as ever, explained, "Kuzan is burdened by too many thoughts, and Borsalino lacks ambition. As for why it will be Sakazuki, isn't the answer obvious? His former obsessions stem from his childhood experiences. Over the years, his extreme actions have drawn criticism from many of his colleagues, including you, the former Fleet Admiral, and even those in the Chamber of Authority. They often scolded him, claiming his methods were too extreme."
"Come to think of it, Sakazuki has essentially been fighting alone all these years."
Sengoku nodded in agreement. "True. Back when we were Vice Admirals and Admirals, we looked out for each other, and we had Kong above us to shield us. But after I became Fleet Admiral, I failed to consider things from his perspective. Whenever he acted extremely, my first thought wasn't to support him but to let those old turtles in the Holy Land reprimand him!"
"Finally realizing you weren't a great Fleet Admiral?" Zephyr glanced at Sengoku, delivering a blunt critique. "If we're talking about troublemakers, you and Garp were far worse when you were young! No, Sakazuki isn't a troublemaker; he's just extreme in his methods!"
"Alright, alright, stop scolding me!" Sengoku quickly interrupted, pulling out a box of rice crackers from his pocket like a magician. He chuckled, "Now that Xayuki has his back, the iron-willed young commander and the Admiral who upholds absolute justice—what a match made in heaven, hahahaha!"
Zephyr shook his head, his expression serious. "Xayuki's support is just icing on the cake."
"In this world, strong individuals are as numerous as the fish in the sea. Those who survive the storm rely not on umbrellas but on their own strength!"
Meanwhile.
In the Holy Land, within the Holy Knights' Chamber of Deliberation, the atmosphere was tense.
Figarland Garling, the leader of the Holy Knights, sat leisurely with his legs crossed, trimming his nails. Around him, members of the Holy Knights, including Shamrock and Somaz, wore grave expressions, as if some major event had occurred in the Holy Land.
No one dared to make a sound without Garling's permission, maintaining absolute silence.
Finally, after finishing his nail-trimming, Garling looked up slightly and asked indifferently, "What's the situation in the New World?"
Shamrock immediately stood up, not daring to delay, and reported, "According to the latest intelligence, Admiral Kuzan has somehow triggered Charlotte Linlin's eating disorder. In her madness, she rampaged through Whole Cake Island, nearly destroying it completely."
"Oh?" Garling's interest was piqued. "And what about Kuzan's Aokiji Fleet?"
"Kuzan did not take the opportunity to attack Whole Cake Island. Even though Vice Admirals like Bastille have already arrived, Kuzan has refrained from giving the order to invade. Instead, he used his Devil Fruit ability to freeze the sea around the island," Shamrock explained.
Hearing this, Garling nodded, understanding. "It seems Kuzan's mission is to block the Big Mom Pirates and prevent them from joining forces with the Beasts Pirates."
Turning the conversation, Garling asked, "What about Sakazuki? How is the war with the Beasts Pirates progressing?"
Before Shamrock could respond, Somaz, another member of the Holy Knights, interjected with confusion, "What exactly is Xayuki trying to accomplish? He just seized control of the Marines, and now he's rushing into war with the Yonko—two Yonko at that! Does he really intend to disrupt the balance of the New World and replace the Yonko as its sole ruler?"
"Even we, the Holy Knights, wouldn't dare provoke the Yonko lightly. If the Yonko were so easy to eliminate, the World Government wouldn't have allowed their territories to expand unchecked!"
Garling's brows furrowed slightly, his expression displeased. "Somaz, you're speaking too much today."
Before Somaz could react, Garling turned back to Shamrock. "Continue."
Shamrock nodded slightly and resumed, "According to intelligence, during his battle with Kaido, Sakazuki unleashed Conqueror's Haki. However, considering the incident where Gunshi was blown back to the Holy Land by stored Conqueror's Haki, it seems unlikely that Sakazuki awakened it himself. Instead, it appears that Xayuki stored his own Conqueror's Haki in some kind of vessel and gave it to Sakazuki."
"Additionally, during her battle with King (The Conflagration), Gion awakened her own Conqueror's Haki, becoming a true Admiral and defeating King in a single strike!"
"Furthermore, both the Akainu Fleet led by Sakazuki and the Momousagi Fleet led by Gion have displayed unprecedented courage in their battles against the Beasts Pirates."
Hearing this, Garling's eyes narrowed slightly, and he remarked, "Courage is the anthem of humanity. The Marines are indeed terrifyingly strong now!"
"Most importantly, even Gion has awakened Conqueror's Haki. Can the former three Admirals be far behind? My intuition tells me that under Xayuki's leadership, free from the constraints of the World Government, the Marines will see the emergence of even more powerful individuals."
As he spoke, Garling suddenly chuckled and shook his head. "If I remember correctly, there's a saying in the Grand Line: 'Those with Conqueror's Haki are as common as fish in the sea, but the one who stands above all conquerors is the Pirate King.' If the Marines continue to produce Conqueror's Haki users, then what does that make the Fleet Admiral, Xayuki, who commands them all?"
"The King of the Marines?"
"No, no. His ambition isn't just to command the strong within the Marines. He seeks to stand above all the strong, to become the King of the World!"
"And that is why he has boldly launched this war, taking on two Yonko at once!"
Hearing this, many members of the Holy Knights paled visibly.
The King of the World?
Could Xayuki's ambition really be to…
The thought was too terrifying to continue.
Because if Xayuki's ambition was to become the King of the World, it would mean he intended to overthrow even the one who sits upon the Empty Throne—Imu.
"What are you worried about?"
Noticing the unease among the Holy Knights, Garling stood up slowly and said, "All you need to do is continue monitoring the situation in the New World. Lord Imu will make the final decision!"
End of the second update for today. More chapters to follow! ~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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