Chapter 232: A Great Disturbance
The next day, the results of the war were carried to every corner of the world by the unstoppable News Coos.
In the depths of the New World, on a dilapidated, deserted island.
Hawkeye Mihawk and a tall, winged man sat opposite each other in front of a still-smoldering bonfire.
"The Marines gathered so much combat power, and they still couldn't win?" Mihawk's hawk-like eyes quickly scanned the newspaper in his hand, a look of surprise on his face. In his hand, the newspaper, which still smelled strongly of ink, was written in very conspicuous font:
[The World Government's First Operation After the World Military Draft Has Been Foiled!]
[The Newly Joined Logia Monster, Vice Admiral Ryokugyu, and the Former Marine HQ Admiral, "Black Arm" Zephyr, have Unfortunately Died in Battle After a Fierce Fight with Archangel Louis!]
[Marine Admiral Aokiji, after killing the World's Strongest Woman, the Captain of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Linlin, was attacked by the Sea Emperor, Archangel Louis, and has unfortunately died in battle!]
[Marine Admiral Candidate Fujitora and Marine Hero Garp were defeated by the Sea Emperor, Kaido of the Beasts, after multiple fierce battles, and are seriously injured!]
"I'd like to know, as the 'Marine Hunter,' do you have any special thoughts after seeing this news?" Opposite Hawkeye, Arcordon asked with great interest while wiping his twin blades.
To this, Hawkeye, who always maintained a serious demeanor, replied very seriously, "Kaido of the Beasts and Archangel Louis are very strong, above the other top-tier powerhouses."
"Is that all you feel?" Arcordon was a little surprised.
Then, Hawkeye's gaze fell on the Seven Star Sword in Louis's hand. "He's holding the legendary Seven Star Sword," he said thoughtfully. "Is he also a swordsman?"
Arcordon waved his hand and explained casually, "No. Although he also uses a sword, he is not a swordsman as we know it." Although Louis could produce terrifying slashes that could split mountains and seas, making him look no different from a top-tier great swordsman to an uninformed outsider, he was indeed not a swordsman. His slashes were all the effect of brute force.
"Is that so?" Hawkeye put down the newspaper and turned his gaze to Arcordon. "Compared to the changes in the Marines, I'd like to know more... why would a swordsman like you choose to eat a Devil Fruit?"
Hawkeye's hawk-like eyes fell on the tall, burly, twin-winged man before him. Not only was this man's identity and race very special, but even his swordsmanship preferences were quite strange. He didn't seem to like flying slashes, preferring to use his blades for close-quarters slaughter. What was even stranger was that he was also a Devil Fruit user.
The number of great swordsmen in the world was very small, and the number of those who were both a Devil Fruit user and a great swordsman was even smaller. Besides the man before him, there was only the Golden Lion Shiki. Therefore, Hawkeye was a little curious as to why he had eaten a Devil Fruit.
To this, Arcordon explained, "With my talent in swordsmanship and physique, it might have taken half my life to become a top-tier powerhouse. But after eating this fruit, I am only one step away. I don't have that much time to grow, so I could only give up the dignity of a swordsman!"
Hearing this, a subtle change came over Hawkeye's expression. "Is that so? It seems I had some misunderstandings about you—"
"Another round?"
A confident smile appeared on Arcordon's handsome face as he slowly raised his twin blades. "I'd be more than happy to."
In the depths of the New World.
In a small town tavern, a clamor of noise was heard.
"WOAH! Big Mom was taken out!"
"Boss! Let's go and fight for the fourth Sea Emperor spot!!"
A rookie pirate held a newspaper up to Shanks's face, his snot-nosed eyes shining. "Big Mom was taken out. Ochoku and the Golden Lion have formed an alliance, becoming an existence on par with him. Now, the only one who can match you, Boss, is that giant named Loki! As long as you take him out, you'll be an Emperor of the Sea!"
However, after the rookie's voice fell, the entire tavern fell silent. One after another, they cast "you're an idiot" looks at the rookie, as if to say, "How could you have such an idea? Did you drink some bad booze and go stupid?"
Just then, Shanks, his body wrapped in several layers of bandages and with a few more scars on his face, turned around. He extended his one remaining arm and wrapped it around the rookie. While pouring sake into the rookie's mouth, he said with a brilliant smile, "An Emperor of the Sea? That's not something a free pirate should do!"
On the other side, Benn Beckman, while spreading out a newspaper and reading it with a cigarette in his mouth, said in a deep voice, "Louis... he's getting more and more terrifying. He's only fifteen, yet he's achieved a record that all the top-tier powerhouses would find difficult. This time... he actually killed Zephyr and Aokiji in a row?"
"Did you see? His one move defeated that newly joined Admiral Candidate," Yasopp said thoughtfully, having stopped maintaining his sniper rifle.
Just then, Shanks, who had already gotten the rookie drunk in a very short time, slowly walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "I never thought that Big Mom would charge into our battlefield that day to snatch two people just to trade with the World Government. Her plan was rational. It's just a pity that she was still taken out by Garp and Aokiji. Now, the Big Mom Pirates are only being held up by Katakuri."
Benn Beckman slowly stubbed out the cigarette in his mouth, his eyes piercing through the smoke as if seeing the distant future. "For the next few years, neither the Marines nor the Charlotte Family are going to have an easy time."
The Big Mom Pirates had a terrible reputation in the New World. Now that Big Mom was dead, they would inevitably be harassed by others, always ready to tear a piece of flesh from them. And the Marines... although they could rely on their massive size to rule the first half and the Four Seas, the World Military Draft had not even ended, and one of the recruited Admiral Candidates had been killed, and two former and current Admirals had died in battle. This was not only a heavy blow to the Marines' strength, but it also made their image in the hearts of the public and the various member nations shrink a few sizes.
New World Entrance, Marine G-1 Branch.
Marine HQ Admiral Akainu walked down a corridor with a grim face, his entire body exuding an extremely powerful aura that almost raised the temperature of the corridor by more than ten degrees. As he walked, all the Marine officers in the corridor saluted him and then lowered their heads, making way for him.
Soon, Akainu pushed open a room and, under the watchful eyes of a group of military doctors, walked in, coming directly before the special freezers that held Aokiji and Zephyr. Then, under the watchful eyes of the doctors, he took off the military cap on his head, revealing a head of neat, short hair.
The two battered and bruised corpses before him moved his heart. Although his expression and eyes did not change in the slightest, at this moment, a rare hint of sadness flashed in his heart.
Zephyr was his instructor, who had taught him much knowledge and experience, and this experience had also allowed him to transform into a top-tier powerhouse through countless slaughters. And Aokiji... although their philosophies were not the same, it did not stop Akainu from believing that he was an indispensable top-tier combat force for the Marines.
Akainu quietly stared at the corpses, his eyes sweeping over their one after another hideous wounds. Relying on his decades of accumulated experience, he analyzed what kind of battle the two sides had engaged in.
After a long while, Akainu put on his military cap, composed his expression, and left the room with a blank face. Soon, he arrived at the infirmary where Garp and Fujitora were, and with a grim face, asked about the detailed course of the war.
Terra, in the castle of the Adam Treasure Tree.
Louis put the newspaper on the table and, in turn, picked up the bounty posters that had arrived a few hours later.
"Over five billion Berries..."
On the bounty poster was written:
"Archangel" Louis
Bounty: 5,440,000,000 Berries.
Dead or Alive.
Louis felt that his bounty had been raised a bit too quickly. In less than a year since entering the Grand Line, his bounty had already ballooned several times. Not even Roger or the Golden Lion had ever received such treatment. Of course, Louis was also quite self-aware. Compared to him, Rocks and Roger seemed too well-behaved.
This time, only his bounty had been raised. The threat displayed by the other members of the Archangel Pirates did not seem to have surpassed the World Government's last assessment, so there was no change at all.
In contrast, the others involved in this incident had also seen a change. Kaido of the Beasts' bounty had also received a considerable increase. The current backbone of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Katakuri, had also seen a large increase in his bounty. And as for Big Mom - Charlotte Linlin, her bounty poster had been directly declared void.
"Lord Archangel, in the underworld now, many people have already placed the title of 'World's Strongest' on you." In front of Louis, Vinsmoke Judge, wearing a gray combat suit and with a head of long golden hair, had a hint of awe in his eyes, and his tone became more and more gentle.
To the question of whether he was the strongest or not, Louis didn't care much. Instead, he looked down at Judge's face and raised the matter he wanted to know about. "The artificial Paramecia fruit... how much time will it take to create?"
Hearing this, Judge's mind went into a brainstorm, and he quickly organized his words. Then, he replied concisely, "At present, the world's research in this area is almost a complete blank. We can't find any reference in the scientific community. It can be said that we are starting from scratch. As for the specific time, I can't give a definite answer either."
Judge's words made Louis's brow furrow slightly, but it quickly relaxed again. "In that case, then let's build the research base first and start the research as soon as possible. I'll give you priority on the funding—"
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