New World.
In the storm, an intense naval battle was raging.
A lieutenant shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Private Second Class Garp, Private First Class Sengoku, quickly get to the port side of the ship—the soldiers there can barely hold on!"
"Yes!"
Two sturdy young men in Marine uniforms got mouthfuls of seawater as soon as they opened their mouths. The sky was completely covered by dark clouds, and those with poor eyesight couldn't even tell which direction they were facing.
If unlucky, one wrong step and they would fall into the sea.
In the distance, they could still hear a man's arrogant roar cutting through the storm.
"World Government lackeys! Want me to become some Seven Warlord, become your running dogs—dream on!"
"Though I can't compare to that bastard Silas, I won't stoop to being your dogs."
"Kill me if you dare!"
The battlefield of top fighters naturally wasn't something recruits like Garp and Sengoku could access, but being able to participate in this level of combat showed their strength far exceeded their current ranks.
In the rolling waves, the warship deck swayed more violently than a roller coaster. Both Garp and Sengoku stumbled forward.
But no one chose to retreat.
"That one's mine! Come at me!"
"That's my opponent!"
Nearly two years had passed since joining the Marine training academy, and they had been Marine soldiers for about a year now.
Sengoku had risen from Private Third Class to Private First Class, while Garp remained Private Second Class.
Not because Garp was weaker than Sengoku, but because Garp's personality was too unruly—he would earn merits only to have them deducted for disciplinary violations.
Otherwise he shouldn't be Private Second Class now. He should be Corporal or even Sergeant.
"Uncle Kong said if we can defeat ten pirates in this operation, he'll make an exception and teach us Six Powers combat techniques."
"This is my big chance!"
Garp clenched his massive fists, grinning widely.
But in his moment of distraction, he found his good brother had already charged to the front.
"Sengoku, you bastard!"
"Sorry, Garp—there's not enough glory to go around. I don't want to stay Private First Class for another year!"
As recruits, accumulating merits was difficult for both Sengoku and Garp—more often they could only rely on seniority.
Private Third Class to Private Second Class after one year. Private Second Class to Private First Class after two years. Private First Class to Corporal after three years.
Without merits, relying on seniority alone, they would need at least twenty years to reach Ensign rank. By then, everything would be too late.
Moreover, this was the New World. Pirates here were formidable—ordinary recruits facing them might be killed instantly, let alone accumulate merits.
Only Garp and Sengoku had outstanding talent.
Then as the new Marine Admiral, Kong had to cultivate his own team. So he made exceptions for both.
But due to Rona's incident, Marine promotion requirements had tightened—only officers could learn the Six Powers.
Kong was already violating regulations. But so what if he violated them?
Kong clearly understood Marines were in a generational gap state.
The Sphinx battle was one thing. Though Sebastian was a Marine Admiral, he was already preparing to retire. Marines had already prepared for that.
What truly devastated Marine strength was the Elbaf campaign. Though they had conquered Elbaf initially, it caused heavy losses among Marine's middle generation, even losing an Admiral candidate.
Plus Rona's defection this time—in just four years, Marine's top combat power had shrunk by at least half.
The World Government still wanted to check Marine power, but Kong had decided to train newcomers Garp and Sengoku early.
He had no time to wait for them to build seniority.
So after discovering their talents, as long as they could handle it, even if he had to force-feed them, he would get merits into their mouths.
That's why they appeared in this naval battle.
Mad Lion Pirates. Captain "Mad Lion" Floyd, bounty 270 million Berry, was among New World's great pirates with bounties second only to Silas.
Floyd's sixty years hadn't dulled his edge; the old lion still possessed near-Admiral level combat power that made him a terror of the New World.
Even Kong needed some time to take him down.
Originally the World Government had extended an invitation, inviting "Mad Lion" to become a Seven Warlord, balancing the rising Silas.
Unexpectedly, Floyd refused.
Coincidentally, the World Government had tracked the Mad Lion Pirates. Thus, this encirclement occurred.
If they could capture "Mad Lion," they could at least deter some restless pirates, letting Marines breathe easier.
"The Seven Warlords system..."
Though not praising this system in his heart, Kong had to admit that with Marine combat power lacking, recruiting some pirates might better maintain sea order.
Kong didn't want to think deeply, because that would only make his fists sluggish.
He had already lost to Silas many times—he didn't want to keep losing.
So his heart couldn't waver. He couldn't even think about why Rona had defected from Marines.
He had to become stronger!
Abandoning thought, firming his beliefs.
Already superior to "Mad Lion" Floyd in strength, with ships surrounded, Floyd had no escape route. He could only fight to the bitter end.
But even facing defeat, he still laughed arrogantly.
"Hahaha, so what if you beat me? This era doesn't belong to you or me, but to Silas."
"Just wait!"
"His ambitions go far beyond this."
"If he could step onto Mariejois once, he can do it a second and third time!"
"The new era has just begun!"
Bang!
Kong's punch slammed down, heavily smashing "Mad Lion" Floyd into his pirate ship, shattering the entire vessel.
Kong's hands trembled.
Because he suddenly realized Silas's existence hadn't just struck Marine and World Government prestige, but awakened many people's rebellious consciousness.
If Marines and World Government were no longer powerful, why should they still bow in submission?
Once world order was destroyed, chaos would follow. Countless tragedies would occur.
"Silas, do you even know what you've done?"
"Or rather, is this what you wanted?"
Kong looked toward his warship, where two young men laughed heartily after defeating opponents. Young people didn't yet know what changes the world would undergo.
Silas couldn't understand Kong's mood.
But at the other end of the New World, Silas's pirate ship was getting closer and closer to their destination.