"9,998…"
"10,898…"
"98,998…"
Arthur was drenched in sweat, immersed in his daily training routine—completely unaware that because of him, a tidal wave was about to sweep across the seas.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
At that very moment, the atmosphere within Marineford was deathly silent.
Tap!
Tap!
A frail, aged hand, belonging to a man over ninety years old, lightly tapped the tabletop. Despite his advanced age, his aura remained terrifyingly oppressive. His gaze swept over everyone present as he said solemnly:
"Everyone, the destruction of the G1 Branch—you should all understand just how great an impact this will have on the Navy."
"Sir Dawn!"
"This is entirely my failure!"
Standing up without hesitation, Vixon took full responsibility. "I am willing to step down as Admiral. This time—"
"Enough!"
Fleet Admiral Dawn raised his hand, interrupting Vicson's self-blame.
"You always insist on fighting evenly matched opponents and escalating force gradually. That's a flaw in your personality. G-1 has already been destroyed—if another Admiral resigns now, the damage to the Marine's authority would be immeasurable!"
"…Yes, sir."
Vixon sat back down.
Sengoku and Zephyr remained silent. They knew they too shared responsibility for the incident, but Vixon had taken it all upon himself. That left them no room to object.
Dawn continued, "Gray. Kong. You were intercepted by Ōchoku (Wang Zhi), Captain John, and Silver Axe?"
Admiral 'Green Demon' Gray.
Admiral 'Steel Bone' Kong.
Gray, Kong, and Vixon—these three composed the fearsome trio of Admirals in this era, each one a monstrous powerhouse.
Dressed in a green suit, Gray replied calmly, "Yes. The Rocks Pirates dispatched three officers to ambush us beneath the Red Line. We were prevented from reaching the G1 Branch in time."
Dawn nodded. "Understood. What about your end, Garp?"
Garp stood up.
Though still young, he had already revealed terrifying combat potential. He spoke seriously, "I encountered a pirate who had just entered the New World. He was extremely strong—Gol D. Roger of the Roger Pirates. Though new, his power was... overwhelming."
"…Hmm?"
Dawn's gaze sharpened immediately. "Garp, are you joking?"
Garp answered with a steely seriousness. "Sir Dawn, I would never joke about something like this. His strength is very real."
Admiral-level power.
Everyone in the room understood—if Garp was right, then this newcomer wielded strength on par with an Admiral. That was a grave concern.
"Alright," Dawn nodded. "I'll have someone gather full intelligence on the Roger Pirates. Now, on to the most important matter."
"Arthur Pendragon."
"Kaido."
"These two were the apprentice recruits taken in by the Rocks Pirates this year. Does anyone have something to say about that?"
The destruction of the G-1 Branch had been within Dawn's calculations—even if Rocks himself made a move, countermeasures were prepared.
Yet unexpectedly, the entire operation was derailed… by two rookies—Arthur and Kaido.
It was inconceivable. And yet, also undeniable.
The new generation.
That was the key.
Garp, Zephyr, Sengoku—they were the pillars of this current rising generation. But what about the next?
Gion and Gaji were part of the emerging youth, but their defeat had been… utterly devastating.
The Navy didn't seek quick victories. Their dominance came from raising powerful forces every generation.
Hooo...
Vixon exhaled deeply and said with seriousness, "Sir Dawn, failing to neutralize those two was indeed my mistake. It's not that their current strength is overwhelming—but their potential and unique traits are terrifying."
"…Go on."
"Yes, sir!"
Vixon explained, "The one who destroyed the G1 Branch—Arthur Pendragon—possesses incredibly advanced Observation Haki and an invisible weapon of immense power. That final strike… I suspect he may wield a weapon equivalent to one of the Supreme Grade Blades."
"Moreover…"
"His regenerative capacity is monstrous. Perhaps not quite on the level of an awakened Zoan-type, but not far off."
"As for Kaido—his strength is certainly frightening, but compared to Arthur's uniqueness, he's a tier lower. That said, his recovery ability is also extraordinary."
"Hmm…"
Kong folded his arms. "Sounds like another monster like Big Mom—frightening natural talent."
Gray nodded in agreement. "Indeed. We must remain cautious. If monsters like that gets enough time to grow… they'll be far more troublesome."
No one in the room dared underestimate Arthur or Kaido because of their youth.
In fact, quite the opposite—the Marine valued them.
They understood better than anyone else: the potential of the new generation is the scariest thing of all. No one could predict just how powerful they might become.
Take Kaido, for example.
A mere apprentice now… gifted, yes—but who could've imagined he would one day rise to become an Emperor of the Sea, standing alongside Edward and Linlin?
Unthinkable.
And yet—it had happened.
"…Alright."
Dawn's voice turned resolute. "Return to your duties. I will personally handle this matter."
"Yes, sir!"
The three Admirals, the young elites, and Vice Admiral Tsuru all departed one by one.
This had only been a small-scale meeting, involving only the Navy's core personnel.
---
*Every 200 Powerstones = Bonus Chap