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At the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, four elders stared down at the latest intelligence report on the table, their expressions becoming increasingly unsightly.
"We were still too gentle! Three kingdoms were not enough to make them fear us and obey our commands completely!"
"How dare they go seeking the protection of the Marines! Eliminate them! We must completely erase their traces from the world!"
A series of cold statements echoed through the palace, their grim and icy tone enough to make anyone who heard them tremble. But after only a moment, the four elders calmed down.
"Arashi's ambition is already glaringly obvious! Just like eight hundred years ago!"
At this point, the four fell silent, their faces ugly and solemn.
In the past, the twenty kingdoms had united to erase the existence of that kingdom, subsequently replacing it, creating the massive organization known as the World Government, and ushering in their era of glory.
"Which clan's remnant is he, exactly? In my memory, no family possesses such a bloodline!"
"An indestructible body, a powerful talent!" A deep voice spoke up.
They had already lost count of how many times they had puzzled over Arashi's bloodline and identity.
Moreover, the four were certain that he was of the Nefertari clan!
But in all of the historical records, that clan had never had a legend of immortality; the bloodlines of Nefertari Cobra and his daughter both seemed perfectly ordinary.
"Where in the world did this monster come from?" There was no answer to this question.
"But isn't the more serious problem the rapid expansion of the Marines' power after he recruited twenty nations?"
"Are you all deciding to destroy those twenty nations to make a point? And then fight a decisive battle to the death with the Marines?"
"Does he truly have Pluton in his hands?"
"It's hard to say. For many years, there have indeed been rumors in the outside world about clues to the Ancient Weapon Pluton in Wano Country," the four spoke one after another, their expressions uncertain.
"If he truly has mastered this weapon, given his personality, wouldn't the first thing he'd do be to retaliate for our last attack?" the elder holding the long sword said in a deep voice, his face filled with doubt.
They were all very clear on Arashi's personality; the man was domineering, his spirit was unparalleled in the world, and he was not one to suffer a loss.
As soon as these words were spoken, the other three all frowned. "Either he does not have Pluton in his hands, or he currently does not wish to start a large-scale war with us!"
"But if he hasn't mastered Pluton, why would twenty nations willingly submit to his command and seek his protection?"
The conversation continued, and the doubt and confusion on the faces of the four elders grew even deeper.
"Regardless, this is also a good thing for us! With twenty nations under the Marines' command, we indeed cannot act rashly."
"The current World Allied Forces have not yet accumulated enough strength. Coordination and unification will take time; they have not yet formed a powerful fighting force!"
"Moreover!" At this point, the elder with the long white beard paused, his eyes turning sinister.
"We still have many major problems to deal with internally!" The other three elders fell silent.
For them, the World Government, with its long eight-hundred-year history, was indeed facing numerous difficult problems, or predicaments.
These were absolute issues left over from the accumulation of history, and they were unavoidable.
For a long time, the contradictions between various classes and the numerous problems within the 140-plus member nations had erupted one after another with the changing world situation.
The energy accumulated from this, as well as its impact, was shocking even to the four of them.
To deal with the Marines, they had to solve all the troubles right in front of them first.
It could be said that their internal problems had also provided the Marines with a relatively peaceful and rapid space for development.
The four elders sat there with grim eyes, unmoving for a long time.
They knew very well that the outbreak of a world war in the future was not a coincidence, but a historical inevitability.
.....
At this moment, the entire world was waiting for this war to arrive. The integration of twenty nations into the Marine forces did not cause a major stir.
When many people saw the news, they only thought that, just like the World Government, the Marines had also created a large-scale joint organization.
No one had ever thought that these twenty countries would all merge into the Marines to become one empire!
With the same language, the same system of weights and measures, the same school textbooks, the same ideology, and so on.
As time went on, the people of this empire would become a complete and unified whole.
Even if they could not live on the same continent due to the limitations of the world's geography, they would share the same beliefs and will.
This would be terrifying and would, at a certain moment, erupt with dreadful power. Time continued to pass.
One year and six months after Arashi took office as Fleet Admiral, the Marine research institute made new progress with clones and the Lineage Factor.
The Germa family's Raid Suit technology matured and was integrated with the power of Devil Fruits.
An ordinary elite officer, if they wore a Raid Suit, would possess even stronger and more versatile abilities.
The only pity was that its production was still insufficient. At the same time, with the stockpiling of vast amounts of Sea-Stone mineral resources, new research was also being conducted on Sea-Stone weapons.
Furthermore, Vegapunk had even developed a technology to integrate Sea-Stone into the bodies of the Pacifistas, giving these androids the terrifying power to restrain Devil Fruit users.
Interestingly, the new batch of Pacifistas was based on Kuma, possessing tall bodies, eyes that could shoot lasers, and palms that could emit lightning.
Compared to the old version, their strength was even greater. What was even more welcome was that this type of Pacifista could be fully mass-produced.
The Seraphim, with the cooperation of numerous powerful individuals within the Marines, had also become more perfect, wielding immense power.
The strength of the Marines was rapidly accumulating, with its powerhouses.
By the time Arashi had been in office for one year and eight months, the flying fleet had already grown to a scale of nearly a hundred ships, the number of shipyards was unimaginable, and the Marines had achieved a massive surge in forces.
The five major regions were established, with Marineford managing the Four Blues, the various Marine branches in the Grand Line, and the four sections in the New World.
The economy, politics, education, and other sectors were all rapidly expanding and developing, achieving common prosperity.
What was even more shocking was that within this Marine empire, regardless of race or group, the people's way of thinking was being subtly changed.
The five words, "Equal Justice," on the plaque in Arashi's office had become a mantra for everyone.
Among the various races, true basic equality was being achieved!
....
In the blink of an eye, two years had passed since Arashi took the position of Fleet Admiral.
The Marines were firmly entrenched in the New World, having completely become a massive power. The world called it the Nefertari Empire, after Arashi's surname!
At Dressrosa, the new Marine Headquarters, a voice suddenly spoke up in an office. "The island of Lulusia seems to be rather unsettled recently."
"The Lulusia Kingdom?" Hearing this, Kizaru looked up, a hint of surprise on his face.
"What happened there?" Opposite him sat a man with a Vice Admiral's rank and a white pigeon on his shoulder.
It was none other than the current supreme commander of the Marine intelligence department, Rob Lucci.
Having skillfully mastered the three types of Haki, and even mastering techniques like Conqueror's Haki Infusion under the guidance of his superiors, he was now without a doubt a star in the Marines with a great future ahead of him.
"Under the surveillance of the intelligence department, we discovered six months ago that a new power has long been entrenched in this country. The Revolutionary Army is hidden within, inciting rebellion," Rob Lucci said in a deep voice.
"This sort of thing was already happening before the King of Lulusia came to us," Kizaru said with great interest.
"This old man thought they would have had the sense to withdraw after the Marines took jurisdiction over the island!"
"Unfortunately, they did not," Lucci replied.
"Perhaps the conflict between the noble class and the commoner proletariat of the Lulusia Kingdom gave them hope!"
"The Fleet Admiral's policies and laws have not been thoroughly implemented in this kingdom."
"This is also why, among the twenty nations, their economy was the worst, and their domestic situation was the most chaotic." Rob Lucci's voice was very heavy.
The words he spoke made Kizaru frown and stare at him. "You came here specifically to see me, didn't you?"
Rob Lucci nodded. "I need to see Fleet Admiral Arashi!"
"The Lulusia Kingdom requires his attention?" Kizaru was even more surprised.
This rising star of the Marines, given the special position he held, would not appear in person unless it was for a major incident.
This was because the team he led was the very same SWORD squad once led by Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru.
Today, this squad still exists and is responsible for intelligence gathering, enemy assassinations, internal surveillance, and many other duties.
Not only were their enemies terrified of them, but even within the Marines, they were greatly feared.
"Yes!" Rob Lucci nodded, a solemn look appearing on his face.
"Now this is interesting!" Kizaru laughed. "Even this old man is getting a little curious."
"We have found traces of a Revolutionary Army commander in the Lulusia Kingdom."
"Furthermore, we've learned that they will be bringing in a large force shortly to exploit the internal conflicts of this kingdom, create turmoil, and overthrow the government!" Rob Lucci did not hide anything.
"At the same time, members of the Whitebeard Pirates, led by the Flame Emperor Portgas D. Ace, have also appeared on this island." He paused. "It's possible these two forces have already joined hands!"
Hearing this, the smile on Kizaru's face vanished. "If it's really as you say, then the island of Lulusia in the future might become a battlefield just like Onigashima. A brand new war will be staged!"
Rob Lucci fell silent. He believed so as well, which was why he had personally come to Dressrosa.
The news quickly reached Arashi's ears. For the Fleet Admiral, who was currently living a life of leisure, this matter seemed unimportant.
He replied with one sentence. "Just keep an eye on them for now. There's no need to alert the enemy."
Rob Lucci departed quickly. He realized that this Fleet Admiral, the great Emperor of the Nefertari Empire, seemed to be casting a long line to catch a big fish.
The world remained calm and peaceful, as if nothing had happened.
.....
At the same time, in the Sabaody Archipelago.
With a splash of water, a burly figure swam out of the sea and slowly stepped onto the shore.
"It took me nearly three days to swim here from Marineford. I swam for less than an hour and was lost for three days," a man with green hair and three swords at his waist muttered to himself, his expression as dark as it could be.
He thought he had a good enough grasp of his tendency to get lost, but he never expected to have underestimated it so severely.
"However!" At this, a smile appeared on the lips of the three-sword-wielding man.
"According to Kuina, my strength has already reached a level where I can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with an Admiral!"
"My swordsmanship has even broken through to a whole new realm. I can be compared to the former World's Strongest Swordsman, Mihawk!"
In two years, under Arashi's guidance, he had comprehended that powerful sword technique and mastered Haki, his strength reaching an unprecedented level.
Today, he was exceptionally strong! His physical stamina allowed him to swim from Marineford to the Sabaody Archipelago, and with a casual swing of his sword, he could cleave through mountains and seas.
"I wonder what level Luffy and the others have reached now!" Zoro laughed, a look of anticipation in his eyes.
"That crappy cook must have been left far behind me!" He was quite pleased with himself.
This immense power was, of course, the result of countless painful training sessions. Just mastering the three types of Haki had made him suffer immensely, even facing life-and-death trials. But all the hardship was worth it!
"Right, where did we agree to meet again?" Then, Zoro quickly scratched his head.
On the other side, on the streets of Grove 24, two figures were walking briskly. "They should all be here by now, right?" a deep voice asked.
"Yes! Don't worry, Luffy, believe in your comrades! Today is the appointed day!" Rayleigh said with a smile.
He held a bottle of liquor in his right hand, looking relaxed like a retired old man. In reality, he could indeed announce his retirement.
In two years, he had taught such a powerful apprentice. The awakening of Nika had given Luffy incredibly terrifying combat abilities, and combined with two types of Haki, it had elevated his strength to an exaggerated level.
Later, the arrival of Dragon had caused Luffy to transform once more, achieving a great leap. The Luffy of today was someone that even he, in his prime, could not ignore.
He already had the look of a young Arashi. "Do you still remember your promise with Dragon and Sabo, Luffy?" Rayleigh asked with a light laugh.
"Of course! I will take my friends and enter the New World! Then we'll head to the Lulusia Kingdom to meet up with Ace and Sabo!"
Taking a deep breath, Luffy raised his hand to adjust the straw hat on his head, his expression confident and calm.
"The era of pirates is not over! I will defeat that man! And become the Pirate King!"
Rayleigh listened silently to the words of the straw-hatted young man beside him, feeling a wave of emotion in his heart.
The Luffy of the past had grown up. The earth-shattering battle that took place on the Sabaody Archipelago two years ago felt like it was just yesterday.
The awakening of Joy Boy, the terrifying power of the Nika Fruit, was able to contend with that man; this was something he could never have believed.
Of course, what was even more commendable was the powerful conviction in Luffy's own heart. In just two short years, so much had happened in the world.
It could even be said that the outside world had become unpredictable, and the situation was completely different from before.
The fall of the Four Emperors among the pirates, the rise of the Marines' five General-Emperors.
Such a drastic change had once led him to say that the era of pirates was over. But in Luffy's heart, this was not the case.
His conviction was unusually firm, and he trained as if his life depended on it, like an unkillable cockroach.
Compared to two years ago, the strength of this straw-hatted young man was on a completely different level!
Rayleigh even praised him, saying that he would likely become the hope and the seed of the next new pirate era.
"I've hidden your ship in a secluded place. Come with me, Luffy!" Rayleigh said with a smile.
"Uh-huh!" Luffy nodded emphatically, a look of excitement and joy on his face.
After a moment, the two of them arrived at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar. Upon entering, Rayleigh's expression froze, while Luffy's face lit up with excitement.
"Nami! Robin! Chopper! Usopp!" His four crewmates were sitting there, elegantly holding their glasses and tasting Shakky's new cocktails.
At a glance, they had all changed a great deal; they were taller and more confident.
Hearing the call, the four turned their heads, and upon seeing Luffy, their expressions immediately changed, and they screamed with excitement.
"Luffy!!" Chopper even leaped down from his chair, crying as he threw himself into Luffy's arms.
Nami also hugged Luffy tightly, while Usopp jumped happily on the side, wanting to hug Luffy but finding there was no room for him.
Robin stood aside with a smile, her face showing a touch of emotion.
The two-year promise was finally fulfilled today as they all reunited, but the situation in the outside world had changed drastically.
Rayleigh, on the other hand, smiled and walked up to Shakky's bar. "Where did you hide the ship?"
"You're the one who coated it, can't you guess?" Shakky said casually with a chuckle.
Rayleigh was taken aback, then he understood, shaking his head with an emotional laugh. "That is a good idea!"
"Hachi and the others have been guarding the ship, so you can rest assured," Shakky said.
"Good!" Rayleigh nodded. Then, he sat at the bar, turned to look at Luffy and his group, and a smile appeared on his face.
Young people were always full of infinite potential and vitality. Watching them made an old man like him feel joy and happiness in his heart.
In a daze, he seemed to recall his youth, his meeting with Roger, and getting to know all his comrades on the ship.
"Now, the old guys all have their things to do and their later years! But Bullet is still active in this world."
"It seems he is now in charge of Marineford. That's truly remarkable; his authority is no different from that of the former Marine Fleet Admiral," Rayleigh thought with deep emotion.
Time always flowed by inadvertently. When you unknowingly walked forward and then looked back, you would find that everything had quietly drifted away and was completely different from before.
Placing his gaze back on Luffy and the others, watching these young people talking happily together, Rayleigh smiled.
Undoubtedly, this group before him represented the hope of the future. Just as some people placed their hopes in Arashi, he had placed his bet on this group of young people.
After a while, the joy of their reunion cooled down, and Rayleigh led the way for Luffy and the others to find their ship. The Thousand Sunny was an excellent pirate ship.
Its essential core structure was almost the same as the Ancient Weapon Pluton.
It had just discarded the original powerful weapon and modified it into a diverse power system.
The performance of this ship was undoubtedly excellent. It could be started using only cola and could unleash tremendous power, with various modes of sea travel.
At this moment, at a sparsely populated port on the Sabaody Archipelago.
The seawater suddenly churned and flowed backward, surging into the air and parting to the sides.
"SUPER!"
With a loud shout, a ship with a sunflower figurehead burst out of the sea, the coating covering its entire body shattering with a pop.
"It's been a long time, Sunny!" Franky shouted, lying on the deck with a look of nostalgia and excitement on his face.
He should have been the first to arrive at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar. After getting news of the ship, he had come here first.
After being coated, the Sunny had been submerged at the bottom of the sea near the shore.
This was a better way to protect the ship. On normal days, Hatchan and the others watched over it to ensure there were no problems.
Just then, a figure on the shore was drenched by the splashing water.
This caused the person to turn their head with a gloomy expression, their eyes staring fixedly at the scene.
But when he saw the familiar ship, he couldn't help but be taken aback.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach top 100)
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