Chapter 54: The Major Forces Are Shaken And The Situation Is Confusing

Warden's Office

Magellan, Kizaru, and four CP0s waited outside the door.

Saint Satan lounged on the sofa, sipping tea, and cast a satisfied glance towards the others.

"The Beasts Pirates were completely wiped out, Kaido was imprisoned in Impel Down, and the Big Mom Pirates were also severely injured."

"You've done an excellent job on this mission. Tell me what reward you want."

Reward?

Treasures and such are of little use to him.

Let's not even consider the 500 million Berries we previously requested from Stussy.

Just twenty Devil Fruits are an immeasurable wealth.

He doesn't lack much in the form of Dark Thunder, Enma, Second Generation Kitetsu, and swords.

Carlos thought silently for a moment, then raised his head and said in a deep voice:

"I need a Zoan-type Devil Fruit."

Saint Satan frowned slightly.

"Are you referring to a mythical Zoan?"

"You know that these are even rarer than Logia-type Devil Fruits, and acquiring one is not easy."

As one of the Five Elders, the highest authority in the World Government, he was unable to grant rewards from his subordinates. This made him feel a little awkward, so he quickly explained.

"Phantom beasts are different from ordinary Devil Fruits. They have their own consciousness and can choose their masters. They cannot be forced."

"Let's make another request."

Carlos was slightly disappointed but understood that Saint Satan was speaking the truth.

"In that case, I'd like to be promoted."

Saint Satan smiled and set his teacup down.

"Since you joined the World Government, we have observed all your accomplishments. There's no doubt about your abilities, and you are certainly qualified to be the Commander-in-Chief of the CP0. However..."

He continued, shifting the subject:

"Previously, to cooperate with the Marines' actions, we deployed many elite agents to ambush the Big Mom Pirates in Punk Hazard. Unfortunately, we underestimated their strength, and all our agents were annihilated."

"If you exclude the members responsible for protecting the Celestial Dragons, there are very few usable personnel left."

"With the CP0 included, we will need to focus on recuperating and training new recruits for some time."

"You are naturally suited to be an undercover agent, and we don't want to waste your talents."

Carlos nodded thoughtfully. He didn't rush to speak, waiting patiently for the next words.

Saint Satan nodded in understanding and then looked towards the door.

"Magellan, you may go about your duties."

"We finally captured Kaido, but we can't afford a repeat of the Golden Lion Shiki incident."

"As you command!"

Saint Satan cleared his throat and continued:

"Borsalino, you don't need to stay here. Go to the port and prepare for sailing."

After dismissing the two waiting outside, he turned back to Carlos with a serious expression.

"I have discussed it with the others, and we are planning to promote you to Marine Admiral!"

"Marine Admiral?"

Carlos was stunned and looked at Saint Satan in surprise.

To be honest, he hadn't expected this.

"You heard me correctly."

"In the Battle of Punk Hazard, the Marines had a significant intelligence advantage at the beginning of the conflict."

"And the result? We were deeply disappointed."

Saint Satan's tone was filled with dissatisfaction.

If Kaido hadn't been captured, the failure with Charlotte linlin might have been overlooked. But what was unexpected was that only two of the twenty warships survived the encounter with Big Mom's cadres.

The entire fleet was nearly wiped out!

This performance greatly disappointed the Five Elders.

Saint Satan took another sip from his teacup.

"Whether it's in terms of combat power or strategic command, the Marines have revealed many issues this time."

"On one hand, we will publicize this operation to boost the influence of the Marines and the World Government, recruiting more strong individuals to join."

"On the other hand, we hope you will become a high-ranking member of the Marines. With our support, even becoming Marine Marshal is within reach."

He grew serious.

"Whatever it takes, we expect you to take full control of the Marines and make it a powerful tool for the World Government!"

Carlos weighed his options carefully.

It was clear what Saint Satan was implying.

Joining the Marines was also advantageous for him.

Carlos wasn't repulsed by the idea; in fact, he was eager to give it a try.

From any angle, the Marines' strength surpassed that of the Beasts Pirates.

In other words, it was at least a top-tier force.

The rewards for a successful betrayal would also be more generous.

And from now on, he could legitimately form a fleet, have his own subordinates, and exercise authority.

No more dangerous solo missions.

The value of having subordinates was evident.

Had it not been for the help of Yamato, Denjiro, Shutenmaru, and others, he wouldn't have been able to defeat Kaido one-on-one in the end.

Many tasks could be delegated to his subordinates, allowing him to focus on growing stronger while enjoying the sun.

Without much hesitation, Carlos readily agreed.

"If you want to convince the public, you need qualifications and achievements. I need to recruit subordinates and form my own fleet."

"No problem. I'll have Sengoku make the arrangements."

The group parted ways at the port.

Saint Satan was escorted by Kizaru and the CP0s to the Holy Land Mariejois.

Carlos boarded a warship headed for Marineford.

The Beasts Pirates were destroyed, and Kaido, the Emperor of the Sea, was captured and imprisoned in Impel Down.

"Big News" Morgans naturally couldn't ignore such an explosive event.

With intelligence support from the World Government,

In just a few days,

Countless newspapers were spread around the world by messenger birds.

The world was shaken!

Moby Dick

"Glala lala! That guy Kaido was actually captured by the Marines and imprisoned in Impel Down?"

Whitebeard, seated on his enormous chair, took a swig of wine while shaking his head in disbelief.

Whitebeard was deeply impressed by this trainee from the Rocks Pirates. He had been missing for a long time since Rocks disbanded.

When he reappeared, he had formed the Beasts Pirates and was making a name for himself alongside King.

He even occupied Wano Country ten years ago and became one of the Emperors of the Sea.

"Akainu, Aokiji? These two Marine brats are quite capable!"

"Huh? Garros was also captured and sent to Impel Down?"

"Marco, it would have been better if we had invited him to join us."

Whitebeard shook his head sadly.

He had also been impressed by this young man. He had even considered adopting him as his son and making him the captain of his second division.

Unfortunately, by the time he got the news, Garros had already joined the Beasts Pirates.

"Dad, things may not be as they seem. News just came in from Izo."

"Oh? He's arrived in Wano Country?"

Marco nodded, his expression growing serious.

"The one who truly defeated Kaido wasn't the Marines but Garros!"

Whitebeard raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What? Are you serious?"

Marco affirmed:

"Yes, by the time Izo arrives in Wano, the war was over."

"After investigating, he learned the truth."

"Just a few months ago, after Garros joined the Beasts Pirates and became their leader, he secretly allied with Kozuki Oden's daughter and the original retainers to launch this uprising."

Whitebeard frowned and asked:

"Why would he do this after joining the Beasts Pirates?"

Marco's expression became complex.

"According to the warriors, Garros identifies himself as a member of the Whitebeard Pirates and Oden's best friend."

"He returned, in part, to avenge his former friends and, in part, to help Oden's descendants—the Kozuki clan—revive Wano."

"Garros? Whitebeard Pirates?"

Everyone on the deck looked at each other, speechless.

Whitebeard scratched his head, doubtful.

"Garros? If I remember correctly, we didn't have anyone by that name on board back then, right?"

Bista crossed his arms, leaning against the mast, and nodded.

"Of course not. This must be a false identity he created to gain the Kozuki family's trust."

The crew began discussing it among themselves.

"Oden was a great man. It's a shame what happened later..."

Whitebeard's eyes grew nostalgic.

This samurai from Wano was generous, loyal, and very strong. They were close, He had considered him as his own son and considered making him the captain of his second division.

Thinking back on that harmonious time, Whitebeard couldn't help but sigh.

When he received news about Oden again, it was always bad news.

After a moment of reflection, Whitebeard spoke in a deep voice:

"I guess this kid was impressed by Oden's deeds and wanted to save his country, so he faked his identity."

"Even though he never met Oden personally, he went to such lengths for him..."

Kaido had killed Oden and taken over Wano.

While Whitebeard deeply resented this, he had to admit Kaido's strength. Kaido was known as the strongest creature in the world and an Emperor of the Sea. His power was extraordinary.

Even if the Beasts Pirates weren't as strong as Whitebeard's crew, being fellow Emperors of the Sea meant they were formidable opponents.

The fact that Garros dared to challenge such a powerful adversary alone—and succeeded—was truly remarkable.

"I am honored that such a noble man is willing to call himself a member of the Whitebeard Pirates!"

"It's a shame he's imprisoned in Impel Down."

Whitebeard's eyes narrowed.

A powerful aura of unstoppable energy radiated from him.

"Since we failed to protect Oden and his family back then, we must act this time!"

"Marco, call all the pirate captains immediately!"

"Target Impel Down and rescue Garros!"

Kingdom of Totto Land

After investing considerable money and manpower, the BIG MOM Pirates have rebuilt Cake Island, which was almost in ruins.

It was a pity that the countless treasures collected were burned. It made Big Mom feel heartbroken.

"Mom! The latest news!"

Big Mom put down the dessert she was holding and took the newspaper from Perospero.

After a quick glance, she laughed heartily.

"Well, well, well!"

"Kaido and Garros captured in Impel Down?"

"Fantastic! This is what happens when you go up against the BIG MOM Pirates!"

"The Marines did a great job this time..."

Although she was disappointed not to have taken revenge personally, she still felt extremely proud.

"By the way, how is Caesar's experiment going?"

"The human enlargement experiment isn't complete yet. However, the technology for artificial Devil Fruits has matured; we just need more raw materials."

Big Mom's face darkened.

"Split the forces into two groups. Katakuri, take some people to Dressrosa, deal with Doflamingo, and gather the raw materials for producing artificial Devil Fruits."

"The rest of you come with me to Wano."

"Kaido, I'm taking over your territory!"

Sabaody Archipelago

Inside a bar with the sign "Shakky's Rip-Off BAR."

The bar was small, less than ten square meters, with a simple layout—just a semicircular wooden bar and five high stools.

A tall woman with short black hair, whose age was hard to determine, stood at the bar, casually wiping a glass.

"Shanks, I didn't expect you to come. You're a rare visitor."

A red-haired man with a broken arm walked straight to the bar.

"Shakky, long time no see. Isn't Rayleigh here?"

Shakky set the rag and cup down, leaned against the wall, and lit a cigarette.

"Rayleigh?"

"Since he was tricked by Garros last time, the Marines are still searching for him. Who knows where he's hiding now."

Shanks scratched his head, looking regretful.

"That's a bit troublesome. We're heading to the New World and were hoping to ask him for help with coating..."

"Oh? After wandering around the world for so long, you're finally set on going to the New World?"

Shanks glanced at Yasopp, Beckman, and others beside him, smiling.

"Yes, I'm ready to become an Emperor of the Sea."

Shakky took a drag from her cigarette and leaned forward slightly, murmuring:

"That red-haired kid from back then has grown into quite a man..."

"But becoming an Emperor of the Sea isn't easy."

"Personal strength, the power you command, and your influence on the sea are all essential."

Shanks nodded slightly.

"Shakky, you're well-informed. I'd like to ask you about the current situation in the New World."

Shakky exhaled a puff of smoke.

"Beehive Island, the former base of the Rocks Pirates and a pirate paradise, is now occupied by Silver Axe Ochoku."

"If you can defeat him, the fame and wealth you gain will be enough to help you become the Pirate King."

Shanks frowned.

"I'm not interested in that kind of dirty place."

"Then there's Wano."

"You know it was originally Kaido's territory."

"The terrain is dangerous and rich in seastone and samurai. With Kaido imprisoned, the remaining Kozuki clan shouldn't be too difficult to handle."

Seeing Shanks deep in thought, Shakky smiled.

"Many are eyeing this lucrative territory, and I've heard the BIG MOM Pirates are assembling a fleet."

"You'd better make a decision quickly. It may be too late if you wait."

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