Chapter 9: Ripples Across the Seas
"The Marines have added a new Admiral? This guy looks… really young. Any of you heard of him? Any notable feats?" Marco the Phoenix held the newspaper with a casual smile, his tone light but his eyes sharp.
The command deck of the Moby Dick was abuzz. "Never heard the name," one commander grunted. "But he must have something special. Those Marine bigwigs aren't idiots. You don't get handed an Admiral spot for nothing, let alone a whole new fourth chair."
"I've got the latest intel," said Haruta, holding up a sheaf of papers, his expression serious. "Word is, this guy specializes in Conqueror's Haki. The kind that… knocked out the entire Marine headquarters?"
Marco's smile vanished. "You joking? Marineford isn't some rookie pirate gathering. Not even Red-Hair could knock out the whole place with a burst of Haki. Is your source solid?"
"It's from a deep-cover agent. Usually reliable," Haruta confirmed. "Can't guarantee there's no exaggeration, but one thing's clear: this new Admiral's Conqueror's Haki is supposed to be off the charts."
"So what?" another commander scoffed. "Compared to Pops, he's still far behind!"
"Exactly. Aside from Red-Hair, we've never seen anyone match Pops in Haki."
The crew's confidence in Whitebeard, the Strongest Man in the World, was absolute.
"Still, stay alert," Whitebeard's deep voice rumbled, cutting through the chatter. "Sengoku is a cunning old fox. If he broke tradition for this boy, there must be a reason. A formidable one."
"I know, Pops," Marco nodded, his demeanor turning professional. "We'll focus on gathering intel on this 'Black Crow.'" In the New World, keeping tabs on Marine movements wasn't optional; it was survival.
In the fortified lands of Wano Country, Kaido, the King of the Beasts, took a massive swig from his gourd. "A Fourth Admiral?!" he roared, his voice a mix of anger and a strange, pained amusement. He glared at the young face in the report. "What the hell are the Marines playing at?!" The news seemed to physically pain him, and he clutched his head with a groan.
"The Fourth Admiral of Marine Headquarters," Queen confirmed, waddling nearby. "Not good news for us. Rumors say his Conqueror's Haki is Red-Hair level. Knocked out the whole base in one go. Only the Admirals and Garp stayed conscious."
"Tch… The Marines grow stronger," Kaido grumbled, the strategic part of his mind cutting through the alcoholic haze. "We need every scrap of information on this one. Our plans… must accelerate. We cannot afford to lag. Contact that clown Doflamingo. Ask him if he can increase the production of the SMILEs. Our forces need more strength!"
"Yes, Lord Kaido!"
On Whole Cake Island, Charlotte Linlin swallowed another mouthful of cake. "Mamamama~! What is Sengoku thinking, promoting a fourth Admiral now? Isn't he afraid of tipping the balance? A young Admiral… how troublesome~." Despite her words, she didn't seem overly concerned. Her dream was a utopia for all races, not the Pirate King's throne. As long as the Marines stayed out of her way, she'd mostly stay out of theirs.
On the Red Force, Shanks read the report, a thoughtful look in his eyes. Benn Beckman exhaled a plume of smoke. "The youngest Marine Admiral in a century, most likely. This era… it's brewing a true storm."
"If the rumors about his Haki are true," Shanks said, a spark of interest lighting his gaze, "then he might just be the one I've been looking to meet. I'd like to see that power for myself."
The news reverberated through every power center. The Supernovas causing chaos on Sabaody Archipelago, the enigmatic Warlords in their domains, the shadowy giants of the underworld—all reached the same conclusion. This was a historic, meteoric rise. A recruit to Admiral was the stuff of legend.
But belief was mixed with skepticism. Some doubted a mere youth could truly possess Admiral-level strength. Opinions were divided across the Grand Line.
Out on the open sea, riding his bicycle across the calm waves, Admiral Aokiji Kuzan stared at the news in his hand, his usual lazy demeanor replaced by blank astonishment. "Ah la la la… I only left headquarters a little while ago. How did this happen?" An unknown Fourth Admiral? It was baffling.
In a Marine office thick with the smell of cigars, Admiral Akainu Sakazuki crumpled the report in his fist, the paper smoldering and melting into slag from the heat of his rage. "A Fourth Admiral?! Is this a joke?!" He had clawed his way to his position through decades of brutal, unwavering dedication to Absolute Justice. And now, some unknown, practically teenage boy was just… handed the title in his absence? Was he some World Government noble's spoiled brat, gilded with a title? The thought was an insult to everything the Marines stood for.
And if he was genuinely powerful… then he needed to be tested. Tested properly. To see if he understood true justice. To see if he was worthy of standing beside them. I will see for myself when I return to headquarters, Akainu vowed, his jaw tight. I will measure this 'Black Crow' myself.
As the world simmered with the news, its implications rippling through every faction, a more immediate crisis erupted.
Two days after the announcement shook the seas, a major incident exploded at the Sabaody Archipelago.
A Celestial Dragon had been attacked.
The culprits: the Straw Hat Pirates.
(End of Chapter)
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