Grand Line, Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Fleet Admiral Kong was bent over his desk reviewing documents. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the entire office in a bright, warm glow. Just then, the golden Den Den Mushi on the desk began to ring with a distinctive "Bururu bururu."
Kong set down his pen and picked up the receiver. The Den Den Mushi immediately morphed into a comical appearance wearing a dog-head cap—the signature feature of Garp's personal Den Den Mushi.
"Speak, Garp. Well? Did you capture that arrogant pirate?" Kong got straight to the point, a note of anticipation in his voice.
There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before Garp's slightly awkward voice came through. "Uh... about that... Kong-san, sorry. I fought that Kaido bastard for five days and five nights, but in the end, the jerk still ran off with his crew."
Kong's brow instantly furrowed, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desk. "What? Garp, even you couldn't defeat Kaido?" His voice was filled with disbelief.
You had to understand, the current Garp could be called the absolute strongest in the entire Marine force. Even Kong himself wasn't entirely confident he could beat Garp. And yet, a Marine Hero of that caliber had personally taken to the field and couldn't even apprehend a pirate with a bounty of 540 million Berries?
The Den Den Mushi's replicated Garp face suddenly turned unusually serious. "Kong-san, you can't judge Kaido just by his bounty. His current strength... Forget defeating him, you could probably count the number of people in the entire Marines who can match him on one hand. His level of threat right now is definitely not below Whitebeard's, Shiki's, or Roger's."
"What? That strong?" Kong's voice lowered, his fingers ceasing their tapping to clench into a fist instead.
"That's right," Garp's voice grew even graver. "That guy, after the battle at God Valley a few years back, ate the Mythical Zoan Type, Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon Devil Fruit. That fruit boosted him way too much. After the fight ended, I could hardly believe the monster before my eyes was the same apprentice from the Rocks Pirates back in the day."
Kong stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the calm sea in the distance as Garp continued his analysis. "While his raw power isn't as terrifying as Whitebeard's, his attacks aren't as sharp as Shiki's, and his defense might not even match that natural-born monster Charlotte Linlin's... Kaido's strength lies in how well-rounded he is—power, speed, offense, defense, recovery... there's no weak point. In a sense, he's even more troublesome to deal with than Whitebeard or Shiki."
The sound of Garp gulping water came through the Den Den Mushi, followed by an addition: "And on top of that, Kaido's recently recruited a bunch of rookies with serious potential. That guy's ambition is no smaller than Shiki's."
Kong let out a deep sigh, turning back to his desk. "Is that so... It truly is a turbulent era. Garp, I will reassess Kaido's threat level. For now, you are to immediately take a warship and head to the G-1 branch in the New World! The New World hasn't been peaceful lately either. Shiki's been causing quite a stir again. We need you to hold the fort."
"What?" The Den Den Mushi's eyes suddenly widened. "Kong-san, I still have to chase Roger! When do I have time to hold the fort at G-1? And before coming to the West Blue this time, you promised me a proper vacation! Can't Sengoku go instead?"
Kong rubbed his temples. "Garp, the situation has changed. Maybe the standoff with Kaido at Fish-Man Island earlier provoked Whitebeard. That guy's taken an interest in Paradise lately, cruising around there. Sengoku has been intercepting Whitebeard in Paradise these days, trying to drive him back to the New World. He can't get away."
"But... but my vacation!" Garp's voice was full of grievance.
"You know full well that ever since Zephyr retired, the Marines have been critically short on top-tier combatants," Kong's tone softened. "I promise, once we get past this period, I'll make it up to you."
The Den Den Mushi's replicated lips pursed. "Kong-san, you said that last time when you sent me to the West Blue."
Kong smiled wryly. "This time I mean it. Zephyr's Elite Marine Training Academy has been recruiting promising recruits from Marine bases worldwide. They've already found a truly outstanding young man. His potential isn't inferior to yours or Sengoku's. Once he matures in a couple of years, you can have a nice, long vacation."
"Potential not inferior to mine and Sengoku's?" Garp's voice suddenly jumped an octave. "Kong-san, are you sure? What's his name?"
"Positive," Kong affirmed. "His name is Sakazuki. He's a master swordsman."
Silence reigned on the other end for a few seconds before Garp's hearty laugh burst through. "Hahaha! Interesting! I'll hang on for another two years then! But Kong-san, you have to keep your word this time!"
"Don't worry," Kong said with a smile, hanging up the call. His gaze sharpened once more. "Attendant! Immediately convene a meeting of the Strategy Department! We are redrafting operational plans targeting Kaido!"
Outside the office, an aide immediately acknowledged the order and left. Kong stood before a world map, his eyes shifting between the New World and Paradise. He muttered to himself, "The storm... is approaching."
West Blue, Moscowe Sea. Sunlight danced on the sparkling sea, casting a shimmer of golden ripples.
Seven days had passed since the battle with Garp. After several days of recuperation, Kaido's injuries had long since completely healed. In fact, due to the prolonged, high-intensity combat, while his overall strength hadn't increased much, his control over his power had become far more precise.
It was at this moment.
Enel, now merely seven years old, excitedly held up a newspaper, skipping and hopping his way over to Kaido. Uncontainable joy radiated from his young, childish face.
"Captain, your bounty went up again!" Enel stood on his tiptoes, straining to hold the newspaper higher, worried his tall captain might not see it clearly. The sea breeze swept across the deck, ruffling the bangs on his forehead.
Kaido took the newspaper, his thick fingers carefully unfolding the thin sheet.
Sunlight filtered through the clouds, illuminating the words on the wanted poster with exceptional clarity. His deep chuckle echoed in the sea breeze. "Wororororo... Did it now?"
The wanted poster clearly stated: [Beasts Pirates Captain, King of the Beasts, Kaido. Bounty: 850,000,000 Berries. Dead or Alive.]
Kaido's gaze lingered on the poster for a moment, a satisfied curve lifting the corner of his mouth. He recalled how, during his clash with the Marine Hero Garp a few days prior, he had specifically complained that the Marines couldn't even come up with a decent epithet. He hadn't expected them to actually take his suggestion.
***
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