Chapter 23: The Three Admirals of the Marine Are All Devil Fruit user

Lucas rejected Whitebeard's proposal. He had no intention of recklessly risking his life.

There was no mythical dragon in this world to magically replenish his stamina. Even if Kakarot were here, he would still be beaten to death by Majin Buu if he exhausted himself.

Lucas: "Blackbeard is now a dual-fruit ability user, a legitimate Emperor of the Sea, and he has a crew of formidable allies. I need to be more careful."

Whitebeard: "How long are you planning to be 'careful'? My sons won't be able to hold out forever."

Lucas: "I understand... I have an idea. Shiki, send me your Float-Float Fruit."

Golden Lion Shiki: "Why should I?"

Lucas: "The remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates are hiding in your old hometown, Whitebeard. If I gain the power of the Float-Float Fruit, I can lift the entire island into the sky, keeping them out of Blackbeard's reach."

Golden Lion Shiki: "That's an interesting plan, but why should I give up my fruit for you? I'm not Whitebeard—I don't care about the fate of his crew!"

Whitebeard: "Shiki..."

Golden Lion Shiki: " Shihahaha! Whitebeard, if you want my help, beg me! Shihahaha!"

Even through the chat group screen, they could all feel Shiki's smug tone and the satisfied grin that was surely on his face.

Fire Fist Ace: "Shut up! Dad, things haven't reached that point yet. And even if Marco and the others knew about this, they would never allow you to lower yourself to beg the Golden Lion. You are our pride!"

Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Ace, you silly boy..."

Whitebeard sighed, but he didn't say much more. If the Whitebeard Pirates truly faced annihilation, then his pride meant nothing.

Lucas: "Don't worry. Give me a few more days. I can feel myself getting stronger. Soon, I'll be able to fight for three days and three nights without rest."

While Lucas desired the Float-Float Fruit's power, he wasn't in a hurry. After all, Shiki was in the chat group—how could the meat in the pot escape his grasp?

Fleet Admiral's Office

Fleet Admiral Sengoku furrowed his brows as he skimmed through Lucas's file. "This Lucas... when he first joined the Marine, all his test results were unremarkable."

Black Arm Zephyr, intrigued, took the file and examined it. After a moment, he shook his head. "Maybe that was just a disguise. Perhaps he hadn't truly decided to commit to the Marine at the time."

Sengoku pondered this. "You think so?"

Zephyr spread his hands. "What other explanation is there? His talent and strength couldn't have just appeared overnight."

He meant it as a joke, but ironically, he had spoken the truth—though it was a truth too absurd to believe.

Sengoku nodded. "Indeed. His power didn't appear out of nowhere, so he must have been hiding it. If he was concealing his abilities, he may have had ulterior motives. Now that his strength is revealed, at least we can monitor him more closely."

Zephyr mused, "We all know how the World Government operates, and the Marine itself isn't without its blemishes. Perhaps he experienced something that made him wary of trusting us."

Sengoku folded his arms. "If that's the case, we need to take a more careful approach in guiding him."

Half a Month Later

Time passed quickly. Over the past two weeks, Lucas had fought both Garp and Zephyr every other day. The sheer physicality of these battles, along with his mastery of Haki, thrilled the two legendary marines, stirring memories of a bygone era.

This kind of direct, no-holds-barred combat reminded them of the old days—when the seas weren't dominated by Devil Fruit users but by those who trained their bodies to perfection.

But times had changed.

Now, the three admirals of the Marine were all Devil Fruit users.

In addition to the training, Sengoku frequently checked in on Lucas, engaging him in what he called "cordial and friendly discussions." These conversations were filled with stories of the Marine's glorious history and its noble mission. However, to those watching from the chat group, something felt off.

Whitebeard: "Lucas, you're not seriously buying into their words, are you?"

Golden Lion Shiki: "Yeah! If you truly plan on becoming a loyal marine, we won't know what to do with you."

Pirate King Roger: "No, I trust Lucas. He's not the kind of man who would willingly serve the World Government."

Lucas: "No wonder among you three legendary pirates, Roger was the last to claim the title of Pirate King. When it comes to judging people, Whitebeard and Shiki still have a lot to learn."

Pirate King Roger: "See? What did I say? Lucas has too much power to let himself become a pawn for the Celestial Dragons."

Lucas: "That's right. Sengoku and the others have been talking to me a lot lately, and I think my sudden increase in strength has caused some misunderstandings."

Whitebeard: "Misunderstandings?"

Lucas: "Yes. When I first joined the Marine, I hadn't yet obtained the abilities I have now. Back then, I was just an average recruit. But after suddenly displaying this overwhelming strength, it's natural for them to be suspicious."

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