Chapter 390 – The Actions of the New Five Elder!
On the Dragon Hunter Pirates' ship, everyone was staring in awe as the scenery around them shifted rapidly.
One moment, their destination was far ahead. The next, it flashed by right at their side.
The Ship of the Gods was moving at a speed that defied comprehension.
Thankfully, the instant it activated, Ryuunosuke and Chrollo had already used their telepathic ability to form a protective shield around the crew. Without it, anyone careless enough could have been blown away by the sheer force.
"Captain, when did our ship get this fast?" Najenda asked, her eyes full of confusion as she gazed at the world rushing past.
Ryuunosuke scratched his head, clearly embarrassed. He knew the ship had been upgraded, but he hadn't really studied it carefully. This sudden burst of speed caught even him off guard.
"I… don't really know." He paused. "Better ask Nojiko about this—"
Before he could finish, Nojiko emerged from the control room with a calm smile. In her arms was a tiny glowing figure.
"Captain," she said, "this is also our partner. I thought it was time you all met."
Everyone blinked in surprise.
"Who's that?"
"What's that little thing in your arms?"
"Wow, it's so cute!"
"This is Gaino," Nojiko explained. "He's the spirit of the Ship of the Gods."
The tiny being lifted its head and spoke in a clear voice. "My name is Gaino. I am the spirit of this ship. Please take care of me from now on."
The crew erupted in chatter.
"A talking ship spirit? Incredible!"
"He's kinda like our mascot!"
"Does that mean the ship itself is alive?"
"Interesting little guy," Merlin leaned in with a playful smile. "Mind if I study you? Who knows, I might even find you a girlfriend."
"Don't want," Gaino replied flatly, eyeing her warily. Pretty or not, this woman was dangerous.
"Alright, Merlin, don't tease him," Ryuunosuke cut in with a laugh. "Gaino isn't just a mascot—he knows every control and ability of the ship better than any of us. That warp just now must have been his doing."
The truth was more complicated. The spirit was no separate being, but rather the Ship of the Gods itself manifested in spiritual form. Ever since Ryuunosuke had fused the Heart of Eternity with the ship, it had transformed into this state.
It was tied to mysteries of the Infinity Stones, but for now, the important thing was this: the ship had changed. And it was a change that seemed very much in their favor.
The crew surrounded Gaino, poking and prodding curiously. The spirit endured it with remarkable patience. Ryuunosuke almost laughed—this wasn't just a ship spirit anymore, it was practically their mascot.
---
Meanwhile, on a massive vessel elsewhere at sea, a very different conversation was unfolding.
"Lord Findus, aren't we being a little hasty, going straight to Navy Headquarters like this?" Ilok, deputy commander of CP and aide to the newly promoted Elder, spoke with unease.
"In the war against the Dragon Hunter Pirates, the navy fought with everything they had. If we strip them of their authority now, it could cause serious consequences."
Findus, one of the new Five Elders, sat calmly, listening.
Ilok pressed on. "The navy already has our men embedded within. We could erode them gradually. Why replace them outright? This approach is… extreme."
Findus' expression didn't change. "Our time isn't as plentiful as you think. The navy is no longer a sharp sword in our hands—not even a proper front anymore."
He glanced at Ilok, his voice calm but firm. "Do you know why?"
Ilok hesitated, then answered slowly. "Because… the navy has become too weak. Too weak to suppress the sea's chaos, especially against the Dragon Hunter Pirates."
Findus gave a faint nod.
It was true. The Dragon Hunters had shattered the balance that had kept the seas in check. Now, the navy's deterrence was little more than the level of the Seven Warlords. Worse, the government's attempts to reel the Warlords back had failed. Buggy was the only one chased into hiding, while the others fought back head-on.
The navy, hesitant to commit fully, feared provoking the Dragon Hunters or leaving themselves vulnerable to other threats. The result was a string of half-measures and failures.
Findus' tone sharpened. "If a dog is beaten until it cowers, it can no longer guard the house. That is what the navy has become. The only way forward is to replace it with a new one."
Ilok frowned. "But… many of the senior officers won't obey us. The older generation especially. If we force this change now, the navy may collapse outright. Zephyr's new force could absorb them all. Then we won't just lose our tool—we'll face a formidable enemy."
"You mean Sengoku and the rest of those relics?" Findus waved a hand dismissively. "They're nothing to be afraid of. Old dogs who've already lost their bite."
Ilok fell silent, realizing further protest was pointless.
Neither man noticed the small news bird perched high on their mast, recording every word.
Not long after, that information reached Morgans.
The great newsman leaned back, wings tapping the desk as he read the report. "Replacing the navy, are they? Hah… that's quite the story. Should I let Ryuunosuke know?"
His bird also carried images of the Ship of the Gods racing across the sea at impossible speed. At this rate, the Dragon Hunters would cross paths with Findus' ship within a day.
If that happened, Findus might never even reach Navy Headquarters. He and his crew would be sunk before they could make their move—robbing Morgans of what could have been the scoop of the century.
But if he warned Ryuunosuke, the Dragon Hunters might act differently, robbing the story of its chaos.
As he wrestled with the choice, a familiar voice cut through from the Den Den Mushi on his desk.
"Well? You've gone quiet. What is it you want to tell me?"
Ryuunosuke's calm, cutting tone jolted Morgans upright. In his excitement over the news, he had nearly forgotten he was still on the line.
"W-Well… actually…" Morgans composed himself quickly, feathers ruffling as he grinned. He had weathered storms before.
Best to tell Ryuunosuke first. Whatever trouble followed… well, that would only make tomorrow's headlines all the bigger.
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🔥 New Release – Naruto: Aizen Sōsuke 🔥
Three souls. One destiny.
A genius from modern Earth, the original Aizen from Bleach, and an Aizen born in the Naruto world — three minds merge into a single, transcendent being.
With unmatched intellect, godlike power, and the calm of a man who's already seen the truth of every world… he begins his quiet domination of the Shinobi era.
In a world bound by chakra and deception, Aizen stands above all — the perfect strategist in a land ruled by war.
✨ When knowledge meets ambition, even the gods must kneel. ✨
Read Naruto: Aizen Sōsuke now and witness the birth of the ultimate mind.
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