Chapter 195: On How to Kill Kaido?

At Naval Headquarters, Marineford, the Prometheus had docked once again, bringing Claudius to witness a major transition in Marine's leadership. Marshal Kong had already departed for Mariejois to assume his new role, while Sengoku was set to officially become the new Marine Fleet Admiral.

Today was a historic moment, not only because of Sengoku's promotion but also due to the reorganization of Marine's highest combat force. For the first time in years, the long-vacant positions of the "Three Admirals" were about to be filled.

In the Fleet Admiral's office, Claudius sat casually, sipping tea as he spoke with Sengoku.

"Hahahaha! Congratulations, Sengoku! Or should I say, Fleet Admiral Sengoku now?" Claudius said with a hearty laugh.

Sengoku chuckled, his tone relaxed but filled with pride. "Not quite yet. The inauguration ceremony still needs to be completed. Once that's done, then I'll truly hold the title of Fleet Admiral."

"After all these years of hard work, you've finally made it," Claudius said, smiling warmly.

Sengoku nodded, a trace of nostalgia crossing his face. "Yes, it's been a long road, but I've finally reached the top."

"And the Three Admirals? Has the selection been finalized?" Claudius asked.

Sengoku's expression softened further. "Yes, it's all set. With my promotion, the Admiral ranks were left vacant, so we're replenishing all three positions at once. Fortunately, Marine has no shortage of talent. We've been preparing for this moment for years."

"That's true. Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan, right?" Claudius inquired knowingly.

Sengoku nodded, his tone proud. "Exactly. All three are Logia users, and their strength is top-tier even by the standards of this sea. Over the years, we've focused heavily on developing their abilities. Now, they're more than qualified to serve as the face of Marine's highest combat power."

"With a new Fleet Admiral and a fully replenished Three Admirals, Marine must be eager to make a statement and establish its authority," Claudius remarked.

"You're not wrong," Sengoku admitted. "But we're still figuring out where to start. Do you have any suggestions, Your Highness?"

Claudius smirked. "What do you want me to say? Go take down Whitebeard?"

Sengoku's expression turned wry. "Starting with something that big would be... ambitious."

"If you're not aiming high, how are you supposed to demonstrate your prowess as Fleet Admiral Sengoku?" Claudius teased.

"Your Highness, please don't mock me. The Whitebeard Pirates are a serious matter, and we're not ready to take them on yet. The timing just isn't right," Sengoku said, shaking his head.

"Timing, huh?" Claudius murmured thoughtfully.

Marine was clearly biding its time, waiting to consolidate its strength under Sengoku's leadership. With the new Three Admirals in place and ongoing collaboration with CP-X, it was clear that Marine was laying the groundwork for future action.

"You're waiting, but so are the pirates in the New World. Doesn't that make the situation worse?" Claudius asked.

Sengoku sighed. "You're right. The Big Mom Pirates and Kaido's Beasts Pirates are growing rapidly. They're inching closer to Whitebeard's level, almost like rival emperors.

"Initially, we thought Whitebeard would suppress them, that the New World wouldn't tolerate more than one ruler. But Newgate hasn't reacted at all. It seems as long as they don't provoke him, he has no intention of taking action."

"Interesting. And frustrating," Claudius mused. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about CP-X? You've been rather quiet lately. Do you have any plans for the New World? If you do, perhaps we could collaborate on something."

Claudius smiled faintly. "We've been busy enough working alongside Marine lately. As for new plans... I've been a bit aimless lately. I'm not quite sure what I want to do next."

Sengoku chuckled. "Your Highness, aimless? That's a rare sight. I thought you were the type who always had a plan."

"Come now. Who isn't a little lost in this chaotic world every now and then?" Claudius replied with a shrug.

"Fair enough," Sengoku said, nodding in agreement.

After a moment of contemplation, Claudius suddenly asked, "What about Kaido? Should we go after him?"

Sengoku blinked, surprised by the suggestion. His brow furrowed as he considered the idea. "Kaido... He's troublesome. Honestly, Kaido is one of the easiest targets to capture. Marine has arrested him numerous times before. The problem is, he's almost impossible to kill, and equally impossible to keep locked up."

"Immortal, huh?" Claudius mused, his curiosity piqued. "Just how strong is he, anyway?"

"In terms of strength, he's formidable. Very formidable," Sengoku admitted. "Although Kaido has lost to Whitebeard several times, there are persistent rumors that Kaido is the strongest in single combat."

"Whitebeard has beaten him multiple times and still gets called the strongest man alive. Are those rumors just pirate nonsense, or is Kaido relying on gang fights to get his reputation?" Claudius asked skeptically.

Sengoku chuckled. "When Whitebeard was in his prime, there was no question he was stronger. But now he's in his sixties. He's aging, and his health is declining. Kaido, on the other hand, is still in his prime—his peak, really.

"As for the rumors, let me ask you this: do pirates care about how they win or lose? The Whitebeard Pirates are famous for their unity. It's practically their trademark. A group fight is nothing unusual for them."

Claudius smirked. "That doesn't sound great for Newgate's reputation."

Sengoku shrugged. "It's not as bad as you think. Kaido often resorts to sneak attacks, and many of his defeats against Whitebeard started that way. Let me ask you this: if someone launched a sneak attack on you, would you insist on a fair one-on-one fight?"

"I'm not that foolish. If I had the opportunity, I'd crush Kaido in the quickest, most efficient way possible," Claudius said, grinning without a hint of shame.

Sengoku nodded approvingly. "Exactly. And that's why Kaido remains a mystery. Even if we capture him, we don't know how to kill him. If we did, we'd have done it already. His immortality is the real problem."

"What about Devil Fruits?" Claudius suggested. "Couldn't you force him to eat a second one and have him explode? That's supposed to kill anyone, right?"

Sengoku's expression turned thoughtful. "We tried that the first time we captured him. But it didn't work."

"Why not? Are you telling me no one in Marine was strong enough to force him to eat one?" Claudius asked, amused by the thought.

Sengoku shook his head. "It's not that. Kaido's body is... different. His internal organs are structured in a way that allows him to resist. If he doesn't want to eat something, his body won't 'digest' it. It's like the Devil Fruit was placed in a sealed container inside him, it doesn't activate."

Claudius stared at Sengoku, dumbfounded. "That's... ridiculous. There's actually a defense like that?"

***

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