Chapter 69: Contradiction and Competition
Previously, the most promising individuals in the Marines were Messi and Ronaldo.
Now, Garp and Sengoku, chosen by Admiral "Steel Bone" Kong, have risen strongly and are even more outstanding.
For this, to enhance the competitiveness of the two against Garp and Sengoku, the Four Seas Navy specifically brought out two rare and powerful Devil Fruits for Messi and Ronaldo to eat.
It should be known that the top-tier Devil Fruits in the Navy Secret Vault were all taken by Kong.
One Natural Hurricane Fruit was given to someone unknown, and the Great Buddha Fruit was undoubtedly eaten by Sengoku.
This kind of action caused dissatisfaction among many within the Marines, especially Messi and Ronaldo, who had long set their sights on these two Devil Fruits.
Messi had his eye on the Great Buddha Fruit, and Ronaldo on the Hurricane Fruit.
As a result, they could only look for other Devil Fruits.
The Mythical Zoan: Lightning Mouse Fruit and the Paramecia Type: Movement Fruit.
The support of the Four Seas Great Nations, unwilling to see the decline of the Four Seas Navy, is beneficial for maintaining their interests with the Four Seas.
They even extended their tentacles to the Marine Headquarters.
The current power of the Four Seas Navy also allowed them to see this potential.
Continuously supporting the Four Seas Navy, wanting to make the Four Seas Navy their own, constantly colluding and connecting, using this to challenge the Marine Headquarters supported by the World Government.
This kind of action also triggered dissatisfaction from the World Government.
With a slight oversight, the Four Seas Navy had actually developed to this extent.
Their connections with the various kingdoms in the Four Seas caused the Four Seas Navy to somewhat break free from the control of the World Government and the Marine Headquarters.
The World Government did not expect that while controlling the world through the Marines, the various kingdoms were also eroding the Marines' strength and the World Government's foundation.
Behind the Navy generals of the various Four Seas Factions, how could there not be connections with certain Member Nations?
This situation is very detrimental to the World Government.
It represents the erosion of the World Government's foundation.
If this continues, the World Government is very likely to lose the Four Seas, their largest base.
It will also shake the World Government's ruling status, as losing the Four Seas means losing the Member Nations of the Four Seas.
The World Government and the Member Nations have never been a master-subordinate relationship.
The competition in the dark is very fierce, and it represents the Member Nations' resistance against the World Government, wanting to break free from the World Government's control.
The world has suffered under the Heavenly Tribute for a long time!
Supporting the Four Seas Navy is just one path; now, various Member Nations have begun looking for a backup plan.
Strengthening the military strength of the kingdoms is one such method, shifting direction to another track.
No one will put all their hope on one path; many Member Nations are prepared for the suppression of the Four Seas Navy.
They even noticed this point when the various Navy generals from the Four Seas were transferred to the Grand Line.
The Four Seas Navy might just be a chess piece used by the Member Nations to probe the World Government.
The deep political maneuvering uses the world as a chessboard.
The Marine Headquarters' resolve to suppress the Four Seas Navy is unchangeable and has received the full support of the World Government.
Although it might cause unpredictable negative impacts, compared to the potential consequences, everything is worth it.
Compared to the sharp and prominent Messi and Ronaldo, the edge of Garp and Sengoku seemed to be concealed.
In reality, it was for the sake of keeping a low profile and also to protect them.
Sengoku trained by Kong's side, Tsuru delved deep into the Staff Headquarters, while Garp was essentially left to his own devices.
Allowing him to deal with the newly risen Great Pirate Crew, the Roger Pirates, whom he calls his lifelong rival.
At the same time, they were secretly suppressing the promotion speed of Garp and Sengoku.
After all, their previous promotion speed was quite conspicuous, and now they needed to lie low and build up strength.
This could help them avoid the attention of the Great Sea as much as possible, while also giving them enough time to grow.
Otherwise, given Garp's personality, who knows what he might suddenly stir up.
This is also what Kong wanted to see.
The greater the fame of Messi and Ronaldo, the more likely they were to become thorns in the side of the Rocks Pirates.
The higher they stood, the harder they would fall.
The Marines' counterattack was more intense than expected.
Four Great Pirates were successively captured by the Marines.
Such a battle result was unprecedented in recent years.
The World Government and the Marines wantonly publicized the results of the Marines' operation, and newspapers were distributed throughout the entire world.
"The counterattack from the Rocks Pirates is coming."
Looking at the information in the newspaper, Hades' expression did not change.
The Marines were never that weak; a counterattack was expected.
Losing four Great Pirates was not enough to cripple the Rocks Pirates.
"There won't be a next time."
The Marines' action had only caught the Rocks Pirates off guard; the Rocks Pirates would quickly react.
Pirates with a sense of crisis would no longer give the Marines a chance to pick them off individually.
The Marines would next face a fierce counterattack from the Rocks Pirates.
The actions of the Rocks Pirates declared the start of a new war.
And the Marines' counterattack represented the Marines truly accepting the challenge; this war had already erupted.
However, none of this concerned him.
Their destination, Hachinosu, was not far, only about three days away.
Soon, Hades would be able to step onto that land he had been longing for.
Titan remained silent, following silently behind Hades.
His gaze occasionally swept around.
Along the way, they had experienced quite a bit of killing and conflict.
Upon reaching here, it was entirely within the Rocks Pirates' territory.
On almost every island, every pirate ship, and even taverns and shops, the flag of the Rocks Pirates was flown.
The purpose of Hades and Titan could be said to be clear.
Their every move was seen by many eyes.
There were quite a few people secretly instigating trouble, looking for problems, and probing them.
Of course, the final outcome was always death under Titan's twin hammers.
Boring probes merely added another batch of corpses to their hands.
It seems the battle results at Kent Island did not convince all the pirates.
"Kill them!"
A hint of death intent flashed in Hades' purple pupils.
It didn't matter if they were hostile; he just wanted to kill.
Kill until everyone is convinced, kill until they fear, kill to establish authority.
Killing pirates, he never had any psychological burden.
Moreover, Titan was there to do it for him.
In this Great Sea, fame is always earned through killing.
The price paid by the future "Non-Killing" Admiral is unknown, but it must be ridiculous.
The journey from Kent Island to Hachinosu was also a process for Hades to accumulate fame.
With a "whoosh", Titan had already charged into the distance.
No reason was needed, just a single word from Hades.
Along this path, Hades and Titan walked over piles of white bones.
The number of pirate crews destroyed by Titan had already exceeded ten.
The unreasonable killing and extremely overbearing style had already spread.
The scared pirates had long since hidden far away.
There were also quite a few pirates who approached, were fearless, or even just observed and watched.
Hades had had enough of these gazes that treated him like a monkey.
In reality, he didn't care, but he just gave himself a reason internally.
He admitted that in his eyes, he didn't see these remnants as people.
Walking along the way, wicked deeds were everywhere, making him truly realize what the vast majority of pirates in this Great Sea were like.
However, is a reason needed to kill?
Especially a group of dregs from the Great Sea.
He was learning how to be a qualified pirate!
(end of chapter)