Chapter 406: Sakazuki Is Going to Be the Fleet Admiral?!

At the end of the Sea Circle Calendar year 1519, one and a half years had passed since the last Reverie, and the newly established World Government was operating efficiently.

A year may be long or short, but during this time, the world had indeed undergone significant changes.

The lingering effects of the Great Pirate Era seemed to be gradually fading, and the living standards of people across various nations had seen noticeable improvement.

In the waters near Windmill Village in the Goa Kingdom, located in the East Blue, a ship bearing the flag of the World Government was sailing.

Onboard was a high-ranking official of the World Government— Sabo.

Sabo was once the Chief of Staff and second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army.

However, after the Revolutionary Army successfully came ashore in one swift move, it was naturally impossible for him to continue holding that position.

With the new World Government implementing a strict anti-corruption campaign, Sabo had now taken on the role of East Blue's Chief Anti-Corruption Commissioner, effectively serving as a special envoy.

He had just departed from the Goa Kingdom, his homeland. The current king was his younger brother, a rather shrewd and stubborn individual.

The Goa Kingdom was renowned as the most beautiful nation in the East Blue. However, beneath its surface lay a deeply entrenched darkness.

The kingdom strictly enforced isolationist policies, sealing off all "trash" from its borders to maintain its so-called beauty. As a result, it had earned its reputation as the most beautiful nation in the East Blue.

But Sabo's visit shattered that isolation policy. He directly ordered the Goa Kingdom to restore normal governance, safeguard national institutions, and executed several high-ranking nobles who refused to comply. At the same time, he conducted a thorough purge of corrupt officials.

Additionally, Sabo placed several former members of the Revolutionary Army into the kingdom's administrative system, assigning them to oversee reforms.

This move was directly authorized by Claudius, and it was precisely such decisive and popular measures that had brought about sweeping changes to the world in just one and a half years.

"Chief, where are we heading next? The East Blue matters are mostly settled, and you don't need to personally oversee the remaining details. Isn't it time to return to Mariejois and report to His Highness?" a World Government official asked with a smile.

Like Sabo, this official had also come from the Revolutionary Army. He never imagined that in the blink of an eye, he would become an official of the World Government.

"I told you, stop calling me 'Chief.' Just call me Sabo," Sabo replied with a smile.

Then, gazing at the distant sea, he continued, "We're heading to Windmill Village. My brother is there—I haven't seen him in a long time. He used to dream of becoming a pirate, but now I need to talk him out of it."

The official was momentarily stunned before laughing. "Piracy is a dead-end career. Once the nations stabilize and the internal issues are dealt with, His Highness will surely turn his attention to the pirates…"

Hearing this, Sabo fell silent for a moment before saying, "Yes… Perhaps you haven't heard yet, but Marine Headquarters will soon relocate to the New World. Fleet Admiral Sengoku is stepping down and will be promoted to Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces."

"Huh?" The official was taken aback but quickly grew excited. "This is it, isn't it? The prelude to a major offensive?"

"That's right," Sabo replied softly. "The next Fleet Admiral will be Admiral Sakazuki. Sakazuki is a well-known hardliner. Appointing him as Fleet Admiral at this time… The intent behind it is obvious."

"The pirates in the New World are doomed. They even went ahead and formed a so-called 'Four Emperors' system. Ridiculous. If His Highness had had the time to intervene earlier, they wouldn't have had any room to grow," the official sneered.

Indeed, the pirate forces in the New World had undergone significant shifts over the past year and a half. First and foremost, Charlotte Linlin and Kaido had formed an alliance.

Although they initially clashed, they eventually came to terms and reorganized the Big Mom Pirates.

Linlin had not abandoned her ambition and was preparing to reconstruct Totto Land.

The Big Mom Pirates, at their core, revolved around Charlotte Linlin. Without her, they were nothing more than scattered sand. But with her in command, they remained a formidable force. Now, they had established themselves as one of the so-called "Pirate Emperors."

Another major development was the return of Golden Lion Shiki. Dissatisfied with the current state of affairs, he swiftly reassembled the Flying Pirates. Shiryu of the Rain and several other powerful individuals had joined his ranks.

With Shiki's legendary reputation, his influence rapidly expanded, elevating him to the status of a Pirate Emperor.

However, Shiki cared little for titles. In fact, he despised them. He held no respect for Kaido or Charlotte Linlin.

To Shiki, these were just "kids" who had somehow risen to his level, something his pride could never accept.

But in this world, personal grudges meant little. Unless he could eliminate the other three, he had no choice but to coexist with them.

Over the past year, Shiki had actively sought conflict, engaging in skirmishes with all three of the other Emperors. However, he ultimately gained nothing from these battles.

And so, the Four Emperors of the New World had officially taken shape, each vying for dominance.

Of course, Claudius was well aware of these developments. However, he had been too preoccupied with internal affairs to concern himself with the pirates' infighting.

Now, although there were still many unresolved issues, the anti-corruption campaign had entered a more stable phase, and early resistance had been largely suppressed.

With the administrative structure gradually falling into place, Claudius was finally able to delegate responsibilities to subordinates. Soon, he would be free to shift his focus outward.

The anti-corruption measures and governmental stabilization efforts were aimed at "cleansing internal chaos," while the upcoming war against piracy was meant to "eliminate external threats."

In the New World, relatively few nations were aligned with the World Government. This was because the region had long been a breeding ground for piracy, producing countless notorious figures.

As a result, the countries that had survived there were generally strong. The weak had either been wiped out or forced to submit to the World Government.

Many nations in the New World remained independent, operating as "non-affiliated countries."

For Claudius to incorporate them into the World Government, he would first have to deal with the overwhelming influence of the pirate factions.

At Marine Headquarters in Marineford—though technically an archipelago now—the base had yet to be relocated, so it remained operational. After more than two years of reconstruction, order had been fully restored.

Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku was packing his belongings.

He was in excellent spirits. Over the past year, Saint Claudius had kept his word, supporting the Marines wholeheartedly and entrusting them with significant authority.

Even though Sengoku was "only" the Fleet Admiral, he had often been invited to high-level governmental meetings, where his input was valued.

What did this mean? It meant that His Highness was a man who valued loyalty.

Humming a cheerful tune, Sengoku even swayed his hips slightly as he packed. Clearly, he was in a great mood.

At that moment, the office door swung open, and Garp walked in with his usual carefree demeanor, followed by Sakazuki and Kuzan.

Sengoku froze for a moment before quickly straightening his posture. "Garp, could you at least knock next time?"

"Ahahahaha! You won't be the Fleet Admiral much longer!" Garp laughed.

Sakazuki glanced around the room and asked in mild surprise, "Fleet Admiral, are you already packing up?"

Sengoku smiled. "I want to clear the way for you before we move Marine Headquarters."

"So soon?" Sakazuki frowned slightly, puzzled.

"The relocation of Marine Headquarters is crucial—it will help solidify your authority as Fleet Admiral. I, for one, will stay out of it," Sengoku said with a grin.

(To be continued.)

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