Marineford!
The conference room where Sengoku and the others were located was extremely quiet.
Sounds kept coming from the den den mushi on the table, with various screams and shouts constantly.
"That's great, the Gate of Justice is finally closed! We finally escaped!"
It wasn't until a faint voice like that came from inside that.
Sengoku finally couldn't suppress the doubt in his heart and asked,
"What was that astonishing bang just now? Was it an explosion?"
"What exactly happened?"
Sengoku's heart was filled with doubt at this moment.
Even through the den den mushi, that loud bang had made all of them incredibly alarmed.
If that explosion-like sound was really a bomb, how terrifying would its power be?
Sengoku dared not imagine.
Just then, a response finally came from the den den mushi.
The voice sounded as if the speaker was still reeling from shock.
"Reporting, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
"That sound just now was an explosion!"
"It was an explosion that occurred on Enies Lobby!"
Upon hearing this reply, Sengoku and everyone else present were startled.
It really was an explosion.
How terrifying would the power of such an earth-shattering sound be?!
After the shock, Sengoku immediately asked,
"How could there be an explosion on Enies Lobby?"
"Wasn't the Buster Call already canceled?"
"Besides, our Marine bombs couldn't make such a huge commotion, could they?!"
"What exactly is going on?"
Sengoku fired off a continuous stream of questions.
Ever since he received this call, he had already asked countless questions that shocked him to the point of disbelief.
The Marine on the other end swallowed, his eyes filled with terror and recollection.
Before the explosion, he had personally seen Straw Hat standing in mid-air, looking at them.
Then, a cannonball flew from beside him towards Enies Lobby.
After that, came the explosion that stunned everyone.
After recalling the scene that filled him with terror and disbelief, the Marine immediately reported,
"It… it was Straw Hat!"
The moment he heard that name, Sengoku's brows furrowed even tighter, his eyes burning with rage.
The others were also similarly shaken, but their expressions varied.
Akainu frowned in anger.
Kizaru had a frightened expression.
And Aokiji looked thoughtful and confused.
However, everyone became more serious after hearing that name.
At this point, the Marine continued to report,
"Straw Hat fired a cannonball at Enies Lobby!"
"And then the entire Enies Lobby…"
At this point in the report, the Marine's voice temporarily stopped.
He sounded incredibly terrified and incredulous.
However, this time Sengoku had no patience left to wait for him to compose himself.
He immediately roared in fury,
"What happened to Enies Lobby?!"
"Answer me quickly!!!"
The Marine trembled all over upon hearing Sengoku's furious roar.
He immediately snapped out of his incredulous terror and said tremblingly,
"En… Enies Lobby…"
"Has been completely blown up!"
"Straw Hat only used one cannonball…"
"And made the entire Enies Lobby completely disappear!!!"
Boom!
Sengoku and the Three Admirals were once again struck by lightning.
One cannonball, destroying an island!
What kind of concept was this?
It made them think of the legendary ancient weapon.
They knew that ancient weapons had not yet appeared, otherwise, they would not have failed to receive news.
But now, the Straw Hat, without an ancient weapon, had already managed to destroy an island with one cannonball!
This made all of them, at this moment, deeply feel the fear emanating from the Straw Hat.
Bang!
Sengoku seemed to lose all strength at once, sinking down and plopping back into his chair.
The intelligence about the Straw Hat brought by this Buster Call was too shocking for him!
It had even reached a point where he couldn't process it.
Even after a long time, he still hadn't recovered from the shock.
The entire conference room was so quiet it was suffocating.
No one made a single sound.
After a long while!
"Hoo…"
Sengoku suddenly let out a long breath.
He sat up properly in his chair again, then looked at everyone present and asked,
"What do you… think?"
As the Fleet Admiral, he had to take the lead.
So even though he hadn't recovered from the shock at this moment.
He still had to force himself to pull himself together and face reality.
Upon hearing Sengoku's words, the others finally stirred.
Akainu was the first to speak, frowning and saying in a deep voice,
"We… underestimated the Straw Hat!"
After a long silence, Akainu, who was always arrogant and looked down on everyone, surprisingly said such a thing for the first time.
This slightly shocked Sengoku and the others.
They had never seen Akainu like this, saying such words.
But thinking about it carefully, it was no wonder even Akainu would be like this.
The shock the Straw Hat brought them was too great!
Akainu continued,
"According to the reports, the strength displayed by the Straw Hat is already approaching the Four Emperors of the New World."
"From now on, we should treat the Straw Hat as the number one pirate crew below the Four Emperors with seriousness!"
"Especially since they also have a bomb that can destroy an island with one shot."
"Although Enies Lobby is just a small island, the power of a bomb that can destroy such an island with one shot should absolutely not be underestimated."
"The danger level of the Straw Hat…"
"Definitely deserves the attention of our Marine and those old men in the Government!"
Upon hearing Akainu's rare serious analysis, everyone else nodded in agreement.
After Akainu finished speaking, Sengoku looked at Kizaru, awaiting his opinion.
However, Kizaru, who always slacked off, lived up to expectations and once again showed a startled expression.
"Oh! How scary! The Straw Hat!"
Sengoku continued to stare at Kizaru, waiting for more.
But he found that Kizaru had already closed his mouth, apparently having finished expressing his opinion.
Immediately, Sengoku couldn't help but feel an urge to curse.
He glared fiercely at Kizaru, then finally looked at Aokiji.
Aokiji then analyzed seriously,
"The strength of the Straw Hat indeed exceeded all of our imaginations."
"There is absolutely no dispute in considering them the number one pirate crew below the Four Emperors."
"But right now, none of us know Straw Hat's true strength."
"Back then, we thought that he crushed Crocodile and displayed the world-shocking Haoshoku, which should have only reached a level above Vice Admiral but not yet Admiral."
"However, now Straw Hat defeated Aramaki with one move."
"This is worth our deep consideration."
"Although we don't know Aramaki's true strength."
"But even for a Four Emperors, it would probably not be easy to achieve such a feat!"
"So I think Straw Hat's overall strength might have already reached or approached the level of a Four Emperors, or even be stronger!"
Saying that, Aokiji looked at everyone present and said seriously,
"I suggest that we temporarily treat Straw Hat as the Fifth Emperor."
"Although the overall strength of the Straw Hat may not be comparable to a Four Emperors crew, Straw Hat's personal strength should not be underestimated."
After Aokiji finished speaking, everyone else nodded in agreement.
After briefly summarizing Aokiji's and Akainu's words, Sengoku spoke,
"Alright! I already know your opinions!"
"Next, I will have Yamakaji immediately prepare a detailed report for me, and then I will organize it and report it to the Gorosei!"
"You all can adjourn and go back for now!"
Upon hearing Sengoku's words, everyone else stood up, concluding the meeting.
...
Holy Land Mariejois!
Inside a huge room!
The Gorosei sat together, with a den den mushi that was currently on a call in front of them.
What came from inside was Sengoku's compiled report.
After all the reports were finished, Pitte Saint replied.
"We know!"
Then, he hung up the den den mushi.
However, from the moment he hung up, the atmosphere in the entire room became incredibly eerie.
Quiet, oppressive, even emanating a powerful aura.
In short, it was extremely suffocating.
After a long silence.
Pitte Saint was the first to speak.
His face was grim, his brows tightly furrowed, his eyes filled with intense shock and anger, as he said in a deep voice.
"I didn't expect Aramaki, whom we had high hopes for, to be defeated by Straw Hat in a single move!"
"Furthermore, members of the Straw Hat actually successively defeated three Vice Admirals."
"They also possess a super bomb capable of destroying an island with one shot."
"All this time, we have greatly underestimated Straw Hat and the Straw Hat!"
Saint Warcury frowned, his expression extremely solemn, and said.
"What's most shocking isn't their strength!"
"But their growth rate!"
"It hasn't been long since the Alabasta live broadcast incident, and the strength of the Straw Hat members has advanced by leaps and bounds."
"Sengoku even said that two members of the Straw Hat ate powerful Devil Fruit."
"From his report, one of those two fruits should be the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, one of the strongest Logia-type Devil Fruits."
"The other one, we haven't even heard of, but based on the description, it should be a Mythical Zoan-type."
"And what concerns me most is this."
"Sengoku reported that Vice Admiral Yamakaji and the other Vice Admirals could clearly feel the Straw Hat getting stronger with visible speed during their battles with them."
"Considering all this, not only is the Straw Hat's growth rate incredibly fast."
"They must also possess some secret we don't know about that allows people to quickly become stronger."
Saint Nasujuro's brows were tightly furrowed, and he gritted his teeth, saying.
"This pirate crew poses too great a threat to us!"
"They openly insulted the Celestial Dragons and the World Government in front of the Marine."
"If we let them go unchecked."
"In the future, they will definitely become a major enemy for us."
Saint Mars also nodded in agreement with these words, and said coldly.
"We should seriously consider how to deal with Straw Hat and his pirate crew."
"But before that, we must first decide how to handle this Enies Lobby incident."
"The World Government's direct judicial court was invaded and destroyed by the Straw Hat, and the Marine's Buster Call was completely defeated."
"Furthermore, the Straw Hat publicly humiliated the Celestial Dragons and the World Government."
"Any one of these incidents, if exposed, would be an insult to our World Government and would damage our image in the eyes of the world."
Satan Saint nodded in agreement upon hearing this, then said.
"Such a major event as the destruction of Enies Lobby definitely cannot be kept secret."
"I think we should make some changes."
"Report to the public that the Straw Hat invaded Enies Lobby."
"The Marine, in order to eliminate the Straw Hat, launched a Buster Call without hesitation."
"Ultimately destroying Enies Lobby completely."
"But the Straw Hat managed to escape by luck!"
"This will not only maintain our image but also demonstrate our determination to strike down pirates to the world."
As soon as Satan Saint proposed this plan, it immediately gained the approval of everyone present.
After all, the only parties involved were the Straw Hat and the Government's Marine.
The world would certainly not believe the words of a pirate crew.
At that time, the report they put forth would be able to cover up the truth and become the real news in people's minds.
They were already extremely skilled at such things.
So they were very confident that they could salvage their image.
...
Dressrosa!
Doflamingo sat at a table, with a den den mushi in front of him giving a detailed report.
Listening to the report coming from it, Doflamingo's eyes grew brighter and the smile on his face became wider.
Until all the reports were finished and the den den mushi hung up.
Doflamingo finally couldn't help but burst into excited laughter.
"Fufufufu…"
"It's astonishing!"
"It's truly astonishing!"
"Straw Hat, you really surprise me!"
"I didn't expect to see another world-shaking event before that grand event that is about to shake the world arrives!"
"The 293rd pirate crew under the Four Emperors!"
"Openly defying the World Government!"
"Completely defeating the Marine's Buster Call!"
"Every single one of these…"
"Is a major news that is about to shake the world!"
"Fufufufu…"
Doflamingo laughed incessantly, unable to stop his excitement.
After a long while, he finally calmed down slowly.
Suddenly, a smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and he chuckled to himself.
"Those old geezers will definitely try their best to cover up this incident again."
"However…"
"A new era is coming!"
"Who knows who will become the master of this world in the new era?"
"Straw Hat will definitely shine brightly in the new era!"
"How could I let those old geezers obscure the brilliance of such a supernova of the future new era?!"
"Fufufufu…"
Doflamingo chuckled to himself, then dialed a den den mushi.
The den den mushi was quickly answered, and a voice immediately sounded from it.
"This is Morgans News Agency!"
...
Luffy's side.
The Straw Hat, riding a Government ship, was gradually leaving Enies Lobby.
However, Enies Lobby had now completely vanished.
From the outside, one could only see a bottomless abyss in the sea, with no trace of land remaining.
The ship they were currently on was one that Luffy had asked the two Giant Race members, Kashi and Oimo, to prepare in advance.
After repelling the Buster Call and destroying Enies Lobby, Luffy contacted Kashi, asking them to pick up the Straw Hat and head towards Water 7.
On the Government ship.
Kashi and Oimo listened to Usopp exaggerate their deeds, their faces filled with awe and admiration, constantly exclaiming in praise.
Chopper and Karu gathered around, listening with great interest, and occasionally joining in with exclamations.
Zoro, however, sat leaning against the edge of the deck, somewhat despondently, holding one of his swords and looking at it silently.
The sword was broken in the middle, and the remaining part was heavily rusted.
This was after he defeated Mole, when he was suddenly surrounded by a large group of Navy Captains, and one of them, a Navy Captain who had eaten the Rust-Rust Fruit, used his ability to destroy this sword, Yukibashiri.
Luffy was beside Zoro, and seeing this scene, he suddenly said.
"Perhaps this is also fate!"
"Maybe another famous sword is waiting for you in some place we're going next!"
Upon hearing Luffy's words, Zoro couldn't help but smile and put the ruined Yukibashiri back into its sheath.
"If that's really the case, then that would be for the best!"
Seeing Zoro's mood recover a little, Luffy then shifted his attention to Aramaki, who was lying on the deck.
Looking at Aramaki, Luffy smiled slightly and called out to Nojiko.
"Nojiko!"
Nojiko looked over upon hearing him.
The others, upon hearing Luffy's call, also turned their heads.
When they noticed Luffy looking at Aramaki, everyone immediately understood something and spontaneously gathered around.