Chapter 110: Wish Fulfilled
Marine Headquarters, Marineford
The Fleet Admiral's Office
"Crocodile plotted to steal a country but was defeated on the spot by Momousagi's student?"
"Even you couldn't match Rhodes?"
"And it was two against one?"
After hearing Momonga's report, Sengoku gasped in amazement.
He didn't underestimate Crocodile, but he knew Momonga's strength intimately. He was definitely among the elite of Headquarters' Vice Admirals, one of the Marines' most distinguished officers. With his age and capabilities, he could have been an Admiral candidate if he had pushed himself further!
Yet he was still defeated head-on by that seventeen-year-old boy, Rhodes!
What kind of monster had Momousagi recruited as her student?
While shocked, Sengoku couldn't help but feel somewhat regretful, because Rhodes wasn't a Marine.
The Navy was currently in a period of transition.
While there were many Vice Admirals at Headquarters, there were few new Marines with the potential to become Admirals.
Sengoku was deeply concerned about the Marine Corps' future leadership.
He and Garp—the older generation—could probably hold their positions for several more years, while the middle generation was supported by the three Admirals: Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji.
But the younger generation... was genuinely worrying.
Thinking of the younger generation reminded him of his old comrade Zephyr, the former Chief Instructor with exceptional teaching abilities.
Unfortunately...
Sengoku sighed softly, feeling the weight of responsibility.
The situation on the seas was becoming increasingly complex. The Yonko were as immovable as mountains, while the Marines felt a growing sense of decline.
With this thought, Sengoku glanced at Garp, who was sleeping peacefully with gentle snoring, and felt so frustrated he wanted to transform into his Daibutsu form and smack him.
Pop!
The malicious stare, like some kind of physical attack, instantly burst the snot bubble.
Garp opened his eyes drowsily, smacked his lips as if savoring something delicious, then pulled out another bag of rice crackers, treating the Fleet Admiral's office like his personal break room as he prepared to continue his feast.
Then again, a mere Shichibukai incident couldn't possibly capture the attention of this naval hero.
"How enviable..." Sengoku shook his head slightly, quickly dismissing the thought. The Marines needed his strategic leadership.
A contemplative look crossed his features as he quickly reached a decision.
"There's solid evidence of Crocodile's conspiracy. He should be stripped of his Shichibukai status and imprisoned in Impel Down. That much is certain."
"However, the Shichibukai system is indispensable. We must immediately fill the vacant position to continue deterring ordinary pirates and maintaining stability on the seas..."
The Shichibukai were originally a group of powerful pirates willing to accept World Government appointments, recruited from pirate ranks to reduce overall piracy.
While the Shichibukai and World Government maintained mutual wariness and exploitation, their primary function was maintaining maritime stability and deterring lesser pirates from criminal activities.
Sengoku began considering the various established masters and recent Supernovas across the seas. After careful deliberation, he couldn't identify a single candidate who would likely accept Shichibukai status.
Most established masters had their own allegiances and were unlikely to join.
This year's crop of pirate Supernovas was of mediocre quality and lacked sufficient reputation. After extensive consideration, he couldn't find anyone suitable.
The more Sengoku pondered this, the more his headache intensified. This ridiculous Shichibukai system should be abolished entirely. He truly couldn't fathom what the World Government officials were thinking.
"Garp, do you recall any formidable masters out there?" Sengoku asked casually while rubbing his temples.
"Hasn't Momousagi trained an excellent student? Have him take the position," Garp replied, glancing at Sengoku sideways while munching on rice crackers.
"Huh?" Sengoku was momentarily stunned, realizing he'd been overthinking the situation. He hadn't seen things as clearly as this old fool Garp.
There was no rule stating that Shichibukai had to be pirates.
Rhodes possessed both reputation and strength.
And with Momousagi's connection, his allegiance would undoubtedly lean toward the Marines, allowing him to serve as their advocate within the system. It was simply... perfect!
"Have Momonga ask Rhodes about his intentions."
Rain Dinners
When Momonga approached Rhodes and conveyed Sengoku's proposal, Rhodes couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.
It was true—when you're drowsy, someone brings you a pillow.
But this made perfect sense.
Rhodes had been subconsciously building his reputation throughout his journey, and his strength had been fully demonstrated in battle against Momonga. It just happened that few powerful unaffiliated masters had emerged in recent years.
It was logical that Sengoku would consider him.
Seeing Rhodes's silence, Momonga assumed he was reluctant and quickly explained the benefits:
"The Shichibukai have virtually no restrictions except responding to official summons. They enjoy tremendous freedom and can travel wherever they wish."
"Furthermore, with such a prestigious position, you could request nearby Marine units or World Government forces to provide combat assistance upon application."
At this point, Momonga seemed uncertain of his persuasive power and directly invoked the special authority granted by Sengoku:
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku holds you in high regard and says that if you become a Shichibukai, you'll gain access to Marine Headquarters and permission to study our archived texts."
The Marines' centuries-old heritage naturally contained vast collections of swordsmanship and martial arts knowledge.
Free access to these texts might not instantly boost Rhodes's power, but it would certainly broaden his path to greater strength considerably, laying solid foundations for his ascent to the pinnacle.
Even if Rhodes hadn't desired Shichibukai status, he would likely accept after hearing about this privilege.
The strategic genius Sengoku truly understood human nature. He had seen through Rhodes's martial obsession and recognized that only the promise of greater power could entice someone like him.
Of course, this cost the Marines very little.
Knowledge was both priceless and cheap.
Using archived texts to win over a future great swordsman was undoubtedly an extremely cost-effective arrangement.
Seeing Rhodes's agreement, Momonga breathed a sigh of relief, unable to suppress a smile.
As a veteran Marine, Momonga deeply despised the Shichibukai—these "legal pirates" created by the World Government to maintain stability.
But Rhodes was different.
Although they'd only spent brief time together, Momonga could see that Rhodes possessed a moral compass and wasn't someone who killed indiscriminately.
"If only all the Shichibukai were like Rhodes," Momonga thought, yet he understood how difficult that would be.
Ever since Gol D. Roger ushered in the Great Pirate Era, piracy had tragically become synonymous with "dreams."
Currently, the most powerful and skilled warriors on the seas were almost exclusively pirates.
Piracy often became young people's first choice, which was one reason the Marines struggled with succession.
The pirate world was ultimately a realm where power ruled supreme. One person could rival an entire nation; one individual could dominate an era. The appeal of figures like the Yonko, who commanded the world through unparalleled strength, was simply overwhelming.
Becoming a Shichibukai didn't require visiting Marine Headquarters or similar ceremonies to accept the appointment. It simply involved completing paperwork, after which the World Government would announce Rhodes's status to the world.
This process would take one to two months.
Rhodes wasn't in any hurry, nor could he be.
Over the following days, he and Vivi visited both the rebel forces and the Alabasta royal family.
After peaceful negotiations, Alabasta's situation was instantly stabilized.
As a knowledgeable modern person familiar with the Dance Powder situation, resolving Alabasta's drought was relatively straightforward for Rhodes.
With the kingdom's primary conflicts resolved, Princess Vivi traveled extensively to reassure her people, and soon the entire nation was flourishing.
Witnessing all this firsthand, Momonga felt completely reassured and developed genuine respect for Rhodes.
He recognized that Rhodes was not only powerful but also possessed profound wisdom.
Not only was he skilled in governance, he had even mastered the complex applications of Dance Powder to perfection, resolving the widespread drought crisis.
(End of Chapter)
If you enjoyed this chapter, leave a Power Stone or Review!
P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)
Buy me coffee - ko-fi*com/soulforger01