The vast plaza was instantly swallowed by dead silence.
Luoyu's question had clearly caught everyone off guard.
Even Fleet Admiral Sengoku had swallowed his pride and was willing to personally petition the World Government for a Devil Fruit.
Was that kind of sincerity and consideration something that could be measured in mere money?
"Hahaha! Luoyu, your questions are always so unexpected!" Garp burst out laughing first.
"Don't worry. If you really want a Devil Fruit, Sengoku would sell everything he owns to get one for you. But be mentally prepared—Devil Fruits are rare to begin with, especially the Ancient Zoan, Mythical Zoan, and Logia types. They're incredibly hard to come by."
"If you're looking to rely on a Devil Fruit to quickly boost your strength... that path won't be easy."
Zephyr's eyes lit up. Garp's words didn't completely reflect his thoughts, but they at least expressed part of what he wanted to say—laying out both the advantages and downsides of Devil Fruits.
Sengoku's cheek muscles twitched for quite a while before he finally forced down his irritation and nodded in agreement."Luoyu, Garp is right. The Devil Fruit is only a suggestion—whether or not it works out depends on luck. As Fleet Admiral, I also don't want to see you neglect your training because of it."
"And as for the matter of salary—don't worry. A single Devil Fruit is well within Marine Headquarters' budget. You won't lose a single coin from your pay."
"Hmph. Fleet Admiral Sengoku, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving," Akainu snorted coldly and turned to leave.
Now that the matter of appointing the fourth Admiral was settled, there was no point in him lingering.
Watching Akainu's retreating back, Sengoku and the others finally relaxed a little.
After the intense clash earlier, they had genuinely feared that the new and old Admirals would start another brawl at the slightest provocation.
"Pardon me, Admiral Sakazuki—wait a moment."Luoyu adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and suddenly spoke up.
Everyone's freshly eased nerves tensed again in an instant.
To stop Akainu at a moment like this—wasn't he poking the tiger right in the eye?
Was he trying to get himself killed?
"Brat, I may not oppose your appointment as Admiral, but that doesn't mean I acknowledge you."Akainu suddenly halted, and the magma on his body began to churn once more.
"If you're stopping me now, you'd better have a damn good reason. Otherwise, don't blame me for picking up where we left off."
Hearing this, both Sengoku and Zephyr instantly grew anxious.
A single Devil Fruit—they could afford.
But a full-on clash between two Admirals? That might very well burn Marine Headquarters to the ground.
"Luoyu, don't be reckless," Zephyr quickly stepped forward, placing himself between the two, clearly worried things would erupt again at the slightest spark.
But Luoyu seemed unconcerned. He pulled out a wine gourd, took a swig of rough rice liquor, and smiled.
"Instructor Zephyr, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, there's no need to worry. I didn't stop Admiral Sakazuki to pick a fight."
"I just wanted to ask... that Conqueror's Haki Admiral Sakazuki mentioned earlier—would it happen to be this gust of wind?"
BOOM!!
The moment the words left his mouth, the dormant Conqueror's Haki inside Luoyu suddenly erupted like a broken dam.
A crimson shockwave roared out like a Category 12 hurricane.
The massive plaza was instantly swept clean.
Centered on Luoyu, the already-damaged arena was completely obliterated.
Even buildings in the distance cracked and shattered like glass under the invisible pressure.
In the face of this overwhelming burst of Conqueror's Haki, over ten thousand Marine soldiers were left reeling.
Their minds were hit by a thunderous roar—as if their very souls were struck by an invisible hammer.
Their thoughts went blank. The next second, their eyes rolled back, and one by one, they collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.
Like leaves in the wind, they fell en masse.
In an instant, not a single one remained standing.
Every soldier exposed to the Haki's force dropped like a sack of bricks.
It was a scene so shocking that it defied description.
At that moment, in the entire Marineford plaza, only a few hundred people were still standing.
Surrounded by bodies strewn all over the ground, they stood like isolated peaks above a battlefield.
Staring at the sea of fallen figures, everyone was stunned—utterly speechless.
Even Akainu, who had just been speaking so boldly about Conqueror's Haki, stood frozen.
A moment ago, Luoyu had caught him off guard with dual Haki.
So, to save face, he casually mentioned Conqueror's Haki, hoping to challenge Luoyu further.
Who would've thought...
That he had just talked himself into another slap in the face.
Was this... was this gust of wind really Conqueror's Haki?
Looking at the devastation across the plaza, Akainu had no words.
On these seas, dual Haki users were common.
But those who wielded all three types—Observation, Armament, and Conqueror's—were rare beyond belief.
And anyone who awakened all three was considered worthy of ruling a sea.
Look at the Four Emperors ruling the New World—every single one of them possessed all three.
Faced with Luoyu's repeated, overwhelming displays, even if Akainu still harbored resentment—
There was no longer any doubt.
Luoyu had completely earned his place as the fourth Admiral.
"Cough... Sorry about that. I accidentally knocked out half the base," Luoyu cleared his throat, retracting the blazing Conqueror's Haki around him. "First time using that gust of wind. That was Conqueror's Haki, right?"
"Oh, and... this won't affect my salary, will it?"
"I'll deduct your head instead!!"Garp appeared behind Luoyu in a flash, smacking him hard on the shoulder.
His speed and precision startled even Luoyu.
Despite mastering all three types of Haki, Luoyu had still underestimated the strength of these old monsters.
He'd need every bit of his salary if he was going to keep fighting these guys...
"Haha! You little rascal—you really are the one I've got my eye on! A total genius!""That's three types of Haki! Do you know how few people in the world can do that?"
"Luoyu, about what I said before—have you thought it over? I happen to be missing a grandson. Why don't you call me Grandpa real quick? If anyone gives you trouble in the future, I'll personally sneak up and whack 'em for you. That's my specialty!"