Brrruu~ brrruu~
The distinctive sound of a Den Den Mushi echoed through the open corner of the warship's deck.
Aokiji (Kuzan) stood there, one hand holding the transponder snail, the other resting on the railing. His gaze was deep, fixed on the far stretch of sea.
Whooosh—
The sea breeze blew past, stirring faint ripples across the calm surface. Waves rolled and broke, lifting little crowns of foam over the reef-lined waters.
The wind tugged at Kuzan's long black coat; even the dark-purple bandana on his head fluttered. A faint, pale-white chill drifted from his body — even without actively using his Devil Fruit, his body still leaked cold air.
A moment later—
Click.
The line connected.
A steady, powerful voice came from the other end — the voice of Fleet Admiral Steel Bone Kong.
"Hello? Kuzan?"
"It's me, Fleet Admiral Kong," Aokiji said directly. "The Demon Pirates have been completely wiped out. I request that Headquarters dispatch a unit to Chuanliu (Flowstream) Island to take custody of the prisoners and escort them all to Impel Down."
"If we leave the Demon Pirates locked up only in the local branch's prison on Chuanliu Island… I don't feel very reassured."
Kong replied without hesitation:
"Understood. I'll send people right away to take over custody on Chuanliu Island and have them all transported to Impel Down."
For the past while…
the first half of the Grand Line had been in turmoil because of the Demon Pirates.
Now, at last, that trouble was gone.
Even as Fleet Admiral, Kong could finally let out a small breath.
Then he said:
"Kuzan, good work. There are no urgent assignments for you at the moment. You can return to Marineford first."
Aokiji paused.
Then, after thinking about it, he spoke frankly:
"Fleet Admiral Kong… I think you misunderstood something."
"This time, the one who actually decided the fate of the Demon Pirates… wasn't me."
"Hm?"
Kong's tone shifted.
"What do you mean it wasn't you? If it wasn't you, then who was it? I don't recall ordering anyone else to handle the Demon Pirates. Don't tell me some bounty hunter got involved? There's no way a bounty hunter just happened to be there in the first half of the Grand Line."
His confusion was obvious.
Aokiji shook his head slightly.
"I only took down their captain — Oren the Demon."
"But the rest of the Demon Pirates…"
"…over three thousand men…"
"…were not defeated by me."
"In terms of contribution, I accounted for only a small part of their destruction."
Even now, Kuzan still found it unbelievable.
He continued:
"The other members of the Demon Pirates… were wiped out in an instant by someone else."
"...Who?"
Kong's voice grew sharper.
To him…
The Demon Pirates weren't among the Four Emperors' crews, but in the first half of the Grand Line, they were definitely a top-level pirate crew. Their captain alone had a 60 million Berries bounty — that was no small thing in these seas.
So for such a crew to be destroyed…
…and not by Kuzan…
Then who?
Aokiji said:
"On the way…"
"…I happened to run into Vice Admiral Garp's warship."
"...What?!"
"So that old brute Garp made a move?"
"That's the only way it makes sense."
That was the first thought that came to Kong.
But—
Aokiji shook his head.
"No."
"It wasn't Vice Admiral Garp."
"It was Vice Admiral Garp's grandson — Kai."
"A four-year-old monster."
"He single-handedly killed three pirates with bounties in the tens of millions…"
"And—"
"It was a total crush."
"The three division captains of the Demon Pirates — men with bounties of several tens of millions —"
"—in front of that monster Kai, they had no chance to fight back."
"He killed them in three punches."
The other end went silent.
Even Steel Bone Kong — a man who had seen the age of Rocks, who had seen Garp and Roger rise — was stunned.
After a while, his voice came through again, incredulous:
"You… what did you just say?"
"Garp's grandson, Kai?"
"A four-year-old brat wiped out the Demon Pirates?"
"You're sure you're not exaggerating?"
"If I remember correctly, the Demon Pirates had over three thousand men!"
"How can a four-year-old possibly deal with over three thousand vicious pirates — and even kill three pirates with bounties in the tens of millions?!"
Kong clearly couldn't accept it.
Aokiji's voice remained serious:
"Because…"
"He's already completely mastered Conqueror's Haki."
"You didn't mishear."
"Kai didn't just awaken it."
"At four years old…"
"…he fully controls it."
"That's why he did something even I can't do."
"With just one burst of will, he knocked out more than three thousand Demon Pirates."
"Wh—what?!"
Kong almost cursed out loud.
"That brat… already has full control over Conqueror's Haki?!"
"Is this real?!"
"It's only been a few days!"
"A month ago, that old bastard Garp reported that his grandson had just awakened Conqueror's Haki."
"And now you're telling me…"
"In one month, that kid has mastered Conqueror's Haki?!"
Kong remembered it clearly.
About a month ago,
Garp had submitted a report — his grandson had just awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Under normal circumstances…
someone who just awakened it needed at least half a year to a year to refine it, to use it properly, to control the output.
But now—
Aokiji was telling him:
A four-year-old had already reached the point of large-scale suppression.
That wasn't just genius.
That was unnatural.
"And that's not all."
Aokiji continued:
"To kill those three pirates with bounties in the tens of millions…"
"Kai used our own Marine techniques."
"The Six Powers — Rokushiki."
"He's not just dabbling in it."
"He's already proficient in Rokushiki."
"And from what I saw…"
"He's even using the Rokushiki secret art — Life Return (Seimei Kikan)."
"He used Rokushiki + Life Return to push his body far beyond what a four-year-old should be capable of."
"That's how he crushed those three."
From the other end…
Aokiji vaguely heard the sound of glass shattering.
Then silence again.
After a long moment, Kong's voice came back — completely shaken:
"So you're telling me…"
"Not only has that four-year-old brat mastered Conqueror's Haki…"
"But he's also mastered the Marine Six Powers…"
"And even Life Return…"
"—at four years old?!"
"That's… far too shocking!"
"That old bastard Garp… looks like he really has an outrageous grandson now!"
"A monster like this… you don't see one in a hundred years!"
"No — this is the kind of talent that appears once in an era!"
Even across the Den Den Mushi,
Aokiji could clearly imagine the look on Fleet Admiral Kong's face right now.
It was the same expression he himself had, back on Chuanliu Island, when he watched three thousand men fall at once.
"Kuzan."
Kong's tone suddenly became extremely solemn.
"I'm giving you an important order right now."
"Whatever happens…"
"You are to keep an eye on that brat."
"Do not let anyone interfere with his path."
"Do not let anyone lure him away from the Marines."
"I admit it — Garp's grandson is a terrifying monster."
"His talent is enough to reach Admiral level in the future."
"A seed like that absolutely cannot be allowed to fall to the pirates."
"So—"
"No matter what happens…"
"You make sure that brat joins the Marines."
"There must be no mistakes in this matter."
Aokiji nodded.
"Rest assured, Fleet Admiral. I know what to do."
As a Headquarters Vice Admiral, even he didn't dare imagine how scary the future would be…
…if a four-year-old who had already mastered Conqueror's Haki, Rokushiki, and Life Return…
…one day stood against the Marines.
Just imagining it…
sent a cold chill down his back.
A moment later, the call ended.
Meanwhile, far away in Marineford, inside the Fleet Admiral's office…
Steel Bone Kong was still holding the Den Den Mushi in midair, frozen.
He hadn't put it down yet.
He muttered:
"Garp, you old monster…"
"This might be the best thing you've ever done for the Marines."
"You actually gave us…"
"…a never-before-seen monster."
"A four-year-old who has already mastered Conqueror's Haki…"
"…and even brought the Marine Six Powers and Life Return to perfection…"
"This level of talent…"
"Even in all my years as Fleet Admiral…"
"…this is the first time I've seen it."
At that moment—
Kong made up his mind.
No matter what…
Monkey D. Kai must remain with the Marines.
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