SPLASH...SPLASH...
The massive creature drew closer to the warship. Even from a distance, Rosinante could now clearly make out what it was—a Sea King.
This particular Sea King resembled a giant zebra, with its enormous body half-submerged and half-rising above the surface of the sea. At its front, Garp was dragging the creature by its tail, swimming effortlessly as if towing a lifeless dog rather than a colossal sea monster.
Eventually, Garp neared the ship, the Sea King's corpse coming to a stop beside the warship. Its body extended several meters longer than the vessel itself, a testament to its sheer size.
Garp soared from the water using Moonwalk as Marines rushed to secure the Sea King's carcass with thick iron chains. Sengoku emerged from his quarters and instructed his adjutant to immediately have the ship's cooks begin butchering the meat today, the entire crew would enjoy a lavish meal.
Of course, even with a ship full of Marines, there was no way they could consume such an enormous Sea King in one sitting. Sengoku ordered the cooks to preserve the remaining meat in cold storage, to be used later for Rosinante's continued nutrition.
The galley crew sprang into action. They worked tirelessly throughout the morning. By noon, all that remained of the once-mighty Sea King was its skeleton; the rest had been carved, cooked, or frozen.
Lunch that day was a feast: boiled Sea King, grilled Sea King, Sea King bone broth…
The Marines, seeing such an extravagant spread, didn't hold back. They dug in with delight, mouths wide, devouring the rare delicacies. After all, Sea King meat was considered a premium ingredient—luxurious and hard to come by. It was also said to be incredibly nourishing, not only strengthening the body but also enhancing physical power over time.
Rosinante, too, received a generous slab of grilled Sea King from Sengoku. He took a big bite and instantly, a warm current of energy surged through his body, replenishing the malnourishment he had long endured.
"Mmm… this meat!"
His eyes went wide after just one bite.
Sengoku chuckled. "Sea King meat is among the most potent in terms of nourishment. For those of us with already-refined bodies, it's mostly just a tasty treat. But for someone like you undernourished and rebuilding, it's practically medicinal. Eat up. Eat as much as you can."
"Wahahaha! That's right, Rosinante!" Garp bellowed with laughter. "I went thirty nautical miles out to bring that meat back, so eat! Eat plenty!"
As he laughed, Garp plunged a ladle into a nearby cauldron and pulled out another hunk of Sea King meat for himself, tearing into it with wild enthusiasm. His table manners were best left unmentioned.
While Rosinante chewed, he could feel the meat's powerful energy soaking into his weakened muscles and bones. As the warmth coursed through his body, a hidden piece of the One Piece world began to make sense to him.
Why were there such massive gaps in physical strength among humans in this world?
After all, some people like Garp could level mountains with their bare fists. Others, by contrast, were no stronger than the average person in the real world. And yet many of these individuals hadn't eaten a Devil Fruit. If their biology was fundamentally the same, then how could the disparity be so vast?
Now Rosinante understood. Beyond sheer dedication and training, diet played a crucial role—particularly the meat of powerful beasts like Sea Kings. For ordinary people, this kind of meat could transform their very constitution. No wonder Luffy was always screaming about eating meat, this stuff was bursting with energy!
In one meal, Rosinante's long-standing questions were answered. More importantly, the Sea King meat replenished his starved body. He could already feel his strength growing and his stamina improving.
"Alright, now that you've eaten—two hundred squats, two hundred push-ups, and two hundred frog jumps! If you can't finish, you'll do five laps around the ship walking on your hands!"
After the meal, most of the crew retreated into the cabin to rest. Only the "Buddha" Sengoku, Garp, and the ever-determined Rosinante remained on deck for more training.
Watching the boy throw himself back into the grind, Garp gave a rare nod of approval. "Sengoku, your kid's got spirit. Way more driven than that lazy brat of mine."
Sengoku couldn't help but smirk. "Of course, he is. He's my son. But compared to Dragon, Rosinante's still a bit on the scrawny side."
…
The warship continued its voyage through the afternoon. By dusk, they finally arrived at their destination—Marine Headquarters: Marineford.
As the ship docked, Rosinante was struck speechless by the majestic sight before him. Towering over the harbor was a grand, classical palace built atop massive stone gates. Blue tiles, red pillars—it stretched up toward the clouds.
Emblazoned across the fortress walls were the bold characters for "MARINE," flanking the symbol of the World Government—a seagull carrying scales of justice, a representation of peace and order.
Below the fortress stood a vast plaza, lined with heavy artillery, ready to defend Marineford from any threat.
Sengoku's warship sailed into the Crescent Harbor; the very same harbor invaded by Whitebeard during the Paramount War. Curiously, the harbor was empty. Not a single other warship in sight. Normally, the place would be packed with vessels.
But times had changed. The New World was in chaos, overrun with powerful pirates. The Grand Line teemed with up-and-comers. The Marines had no choice but to deploy nearly all their forces across the seas to maintain order.
"Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp—Fleet Admiral Kong is waiting for you in his office."
"Understood. We'll head there right away."
Sengoku and Garp exchanged a look, then made their way toward the Fleet Admiral's office. Before leaving, Sengoku gave his adjutant a brief order: "Take Rosinante to my residence. I'll see him later."
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office sat Kong, the former towering general now clad in a brown suit and draped in a Justice cape. His expression was grim as he stared across the desk at the equally stern Sengoku and the ever-carefree Garp.
"Sengoku, what's the latest from the New World?"
"Not good." Sengoku replied. "The situation's a mess. Ever since Rocks fell, the monsters who once served under him have gone rogue, like wild beasts loosed from their chains. They're tearing across the seas, growing their own forces."
"Whitebeard. Golden Lion. Even the younger ones like Kaidou and Charlotte Linlin, they've all founded their own pirate crews and become major threats in the New World. Then there's that lunatic Douglas Bullet, and your old rival, Patrick Redfield, stirring up trouble again. Our defensive lines keep falling back. There's no way we can hold off this many monsters."
Kong's expression darkened until his face looked like the bottom of a scorched pot. He hadn't realized just how dire the situation had become. With Z stepping down and Garp refusing promotion to Admiral, Sengoku was now their only top-tier combat force on paper, a devastating blow to Marine morale.
Stressed and overwhelmed, Kong gritted his teeth.
"Sengoku, you're a better strategist than I am. What do you think we should do next?"
(End of Chapter)
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