"You must have paid a huge price to come back from the dead. You must be very weak now!"
Akainu stared at the fully restored Caelan and spoke with certainty.
He couldn't believe someone could resurrect without consequences. Caelan had to be faking his composure. As long as they attacked again, the truth would show.
Garp and Borsalino both nodded slightly. What Akainu said made sense.
So I have side effects? Since when?
Caelan felt the power surging through his body and found it laughable.
He himself didn't know of any side effects, but Akainu sure sounded confident about them.
If anything counts as a side effect, maybe it's just increased resistance to magma and lasers.
"Haha, come on then!"
The massive sword wrapped in Armament Haki was raised high again.
He slashed fiercely at Akainu, who stood firm and ready.
"Hellhound!"
Akainu gritted his teeth, his entire right arm turning into magma.
"Light-Speed Kick!"
"Fist Impact!"
Borsalino and Garp joined in at the same time, launching coordinated attacks at Caelan.
The resurrected Caelan was ferocious beyond reason, wielding a giant sword capable of splitting mountains, with devastating power.
With his explosive speed and A-rank Observation Haki, Caelan blocked many of the incoming attacks.
But even under a three-way siege, though he was struck from time to time, he never seemed in danger.
Every time he was hit, he only paused for a moment before charging back in without hesitation.
Even when at a disadvantage, that unmatched and terrifying strength of his allowed him to deliver heavy blows to the trio again and again.
Forcing the three Admirals to stay constantly alert, never daring to let their guard down.
"Damn it, am I imagining things? Why does it feel like this brat is even stronger now?!"
After narrowly dodging Caelan's blade, Garp's face showed disbelief.
Based on his strength before death, Caelan should already be taking damage.
But now, he only had a few minor scratches.
"It's not your imagination. My and Kizaru's attacks are doing less damage now."
Akainu wiped the blood from his mouth, his tone filled with dread.
Caelan had come back from the dead, and his strength hadn't dropped at all. It was exactly the same as before.
In fact, it even felt like he'd gained magic resistance. What was going on?!
If the fight continued like this, Caelan might lose his second life… but one of them would definitely die first.
Who would it be?
Akainu looked around and felt a chill run down his spine.
Borsalino looked tired like an old dog, but aside from some lost stamina and dirty clothes, he was otherwise unscathed.
Garp, though old and sturdy, didn't appear seriously hurt either.
Only Akainu had six broken ribs and countless other injuries.
Are these two playing me?
Akainu's heart sank.
If this went on, he would be the one to die.
For the sake of Marine justice, maybe he could accept that.
But to die for two Celestial Dragons and CP9? It didn't feel worth it.
For a brief moment, even the iron-willed Akainu hesitated.
"What do I do now? Keep fighting?"
Borsalino knocked Caelan back with a Light-Speed Kick, his expression filled with frustration.
Most of Caelan's previous injuries had been caused by him and Akainu.
Now that their attacks were doing less damage, Caelan had become even harder to handle.
"Fight. At least until the Celestial Dragons are dead, we have to fight."
Akainu gritted his teeth and pressed forward.
Now he understood. Caelan didn't leave the Celestial Dragons alive as a way out for himself. He kept them alive on purpose—to trap them.
Borsalino and Garp exchanged glances, clearly understanding what Akainu meant.
"Ah…"
The three of them sighed, then charged in again.
But this time, though their attacks were still powerful, the killing intent was gone.
They couldn't win, and they couldn't run. So now… they were just going through the motions.
At that moment, Akainu and Garp unexpectedly began mimicking Borsalino.
…
On Garp's warship, the Straw Hat Pirates were stunned by the battle raging on the island.
"Incredible… that's insane!"
Usopp stammered, his eyes practically bulging out of his skull.
The other Straw Hats were equally dumbfounded, each one completely shocked.
The battle playing out before them shattered everything they thought they knew about strength.
Those four on the island—every single attack they unleashed had the power to reshape the landscape.
Compared to that, their fight with Lucci back at Enies Lobby felt like child's play.
At that moment, Rayleigh, who had been pretending to be dead, stood up and locked his gaze on the island.
The Marines nearby, including Bogard, looked at Rayleigh warily, but there was nothing they could do.
"Old Man! You're okay!"
Luffy leaned happily against Rayleigh.
"Watch closely. Don't talk."
Rayleigh glanced sideways at Luffy, replying impatiently.
This kid's really something. Garp's grandson, yet he became a pirate and wears the straw hat Roger passed to Shanks…
But now wasn't the time to think about that. The fight on the island mattered more.
"What a monster…"
Rayleigh stared at Caelan, who was battling three people at once, and was utterly stunned.
Those were three Admiral-level fighters. Rayleigh would have trouble defeating even one. Yet Caelan was holding off all three.
"Why does it feel like he's way stronger than when he fought me?"
Rayleigh rubbed his chin, puzzled.
When he'd fought Caelan before, sure, the guy was strong—but it hadn't been overwhelming.
But now? Garp couldn't even block one of his sword strikes. It didn't make sense.
"Was he going easy on me back then?"
Rayleigh's eyes widened as if he'd just discovered the truth.
"It's probably for the best. If he'd gone all out… I'd be dead right now."
Rayleigh laughed bitterly at the realization.
…
Above the island, a news bird with a camera kept snapping photos and transmitting them straight to Morgans' office.
"Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent!"
Morgans watched the footage frame by frame.
"One man, fighting three top-tier powerhouses… beaten to the brink of death, yet he survives and grows even stronger. Is this Caelan some kind of monster!?"
"This level of combat… I doubt even the Four Emperors could pull it off."
Morgans was truly stunned.
He had thought that Caelan's defeat of Rayleigh in the Sabaody Archipelago was already groundbreaking news. But this? This was even more explosive.
Attacking the Celestial Dragons. Fighting Borsalino, Akainu, and Garp. On the verge of death… and still alive!
Not only did he survive—he came back stronger, forcing all three into passive defense!
This kind of headline could rival the public execution of the Pirate King.
"It's time to publish again!"
Morgans' eyes gleamed with excitement.
He immediately gave orders to his editorial team to begin producing the article.
He wondered what kind of expressions the Four Emperors would have when they read this.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 104: Buster Call
On the island, Akainu, Garp, and Borsalino stood back-to-back, forming a defensive formation like an ironclad barrier.
Borsalino's laser attacks had become sparse, Garp's iron fists had lost some of their force, and Akainu's magma was noticeably cooler.
Aside from occasionally stepping forward to show they were still in the fight, the three were effectively in retreat.
"You're three people, and I'm only one. Can't you fight me seriously?"
Caelan looked at the trio who kept pulling back, a helpless expression on his face.
He wanted a good, satisfying battle, but these three couldn't even take out his second life and had already retreated together. It was honestly disappointing.
"Haha, kid, you can surrender if you can't beat us!"
Garp said shamelessly, a smug grin on his face.
To anyone who didn't know better, it would seem like they were the ones pressuring Caelan.
"You're seriously injured. You should stop."
Borsalino looked at the light marks on Caelan's body and spoke seriously.
"…"
Akainu's face twitched but he said nothing.
He wasn't as thick-skinned as the other two. He couldn't bring himself to say things like that.
All three of them knew they couldn't do anything to Caelan. But they also couldn't ignore orders from the Five Elders or let the Celestial Dragons die, so they were stuck buying time.
Even Akainu and Garp had learned from Borsalino and started slacking off in battle, trying to avoid getting any more seriously injured.
"I really don't know what to do with you guys."
Caelan looked at the three of them shrinking back and sighed.
He could understand Borsalino and Garp. They had reputations for pulling their punches.
But you, Akainu—with your straight-laced face and iron-blooded style—how could you be shrinking back too?
Faced with their solid defense, there wasn't much Caelan could do.
He still didn't have the combat power to break through three Admirals going all-out on defense.
Just as Caelan was deep in thought, ten warships appeared on the horizon.
"They're here!"
Caelan's eyes lit up, a smile forming on his face.
The show he had prepared was finally about to begin.
"Buster Call?!"
Akainu and the other two were stirred.
Could this be backup from the Five Elders?
Though Buster Call was practically useless against true top-tier combatants, it was still military support.
At the very least, it meant reinforcements. That alone was enough to ease their tension slightly.
The three of them let out a subtle breath of relief.
"More reinforcements?"
The two Celestial Dragons were in disbelief.
After being tossed around and nearly killed by Caelan again and again, they were already mentally broken.
But the sight of the ten mighty warships gave them a small glimmer of hope.
"Heh."
Caelan sneered, ready to enjoy the show.
This Buster Call had been triggered using the Golden Den Den Mushi, which only knew firepower and didn't care who was on the ground. It would bomb even Enies Lobby without hesitation, and this would be no different.
The Marines bombing the Celestial Dragons themselves? The Five Elders should be thrilled with such a grand performance.
…
Onboard the ten Buster Call warships, soldiers were loading the cannons and preparing to open fire.
"Admiral Akainu and Vice Admiral Garp's ships are already there? Did they call the Buster Call?"
Gion stood at the bow, frowning slightly.
"Who cares who called it? We're here to bomb, so let's bomb."
Tokikakke shrugged and spoke casually.
Their orders were simple: lead the fleet to the target and carry out saturation bombardment.
As for the rest, it wasn't their job to ask questions.
"Right. Maybe we're covering up some government secret."
Gion nodded without hesitation.
"Fire!"
The two gave the order simultaneously.
As for the people on the island, they didn't matter.
Akainu and Garp's strength wasn't something mere cannon fire could affect anyway.
"Yes, ma'am!"
The ten warships responded, and thousands of elite soldiers sprang into action.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Hundreds of cannons fired at once, and thousands of shells with blazing tail flames rained down toward the island where Caelan stood.
…
On the island, watching the sky fill with incoming shells, Akainu, Garp, and Borsalino were dumbfounded.
"I'm such an idiot. Seriously."
"I've been tricked so many times, and I still believed those clowns in the Navy."
The two Celestial Dragons turned pale, staring at the incoming firepower in despair.
With Caelan keeping the three Admirals occupied, they had no time to react. The Celestial Dragons died instantly under the bombardment.
"They went for a full bombardment, without caring whether the Celestial Dragons lived or died?"
Garp punched a shell away and muttered in shock.
"This Buster Call feels… off."
Borsalino scratched his head, clearly confused.
Normally, a Buster Call would support them first before opening fire.
This looked more like the annihilation-type Buster Call used by CP organizations.
"Could it be that one of the Celestial Dragons or CP0 activated the call?"
Akainu made a bold guess.
It was possible that the Celestial Dragons, driven to desperation, had pressed the button themselves.
After all, the authority to initiate a Buster Call wasn't given to just anyone. Only Celestial Dragons and direct agents of the Five Elders had the clearance.
"Wait. Look at what he's holding!"
Borsalino suddenly pointed at Caelan, his face full of shock.
Garp and Akainu followed his gaze, and sure enough, Caelan was holding a Golden Den Den Mushi in his hand.
For a moment, the three were completely silent.
As high-ranking Navy officers, they recognized it immediately. It was the same model used to initiate a Buster Call.
Sengoku had a silver version meant to receive such orders. This golden one was used to send them.
"This Den Den Mushi is pretty convenient. Call for support, and they come right away."
Caelan lifted the Golden Den Den Mushi and admired it under the sunlight.
It was a shame the thing could only be used once. He kind of wanted to press it a few more times for fun.
"You… you called the Buster Call?!"
Akainu pointed at Caelan, hands trembling.
"Yep."
Caelan nodded openly, admitting it without hesitation.
Every Golden Den Den Mushi had a unique code. Even if he wanted to deny it, he couldn't.
"You—!"
Akainu's face turned bright red. Magma began seeping from his body.
The Celestial Dragons had been bombed by their own Navy. Even if it was Caelan's setup, the Five Elders would absolutely punish the vice admirals who carried it out.
He could only pray that none of the vice admirals belonged to his faction.
Otherwise, in his current injured state, he might end up as a commander with no troops.
"Haha, Sengoku's going to have a headache over this."
Garp laughed heartily, unconcerned.
Something this massive wouldn't just affect a few vice admirals. The entire Navy would be held responsible.
Borsalino also felt deeply troubled. The failure of this mission would definitely affect his salary and workload.
"Do you even understand how serious the consequences of your actions are?!"
Akainu was completely red now, and the surrounding temperature rose sharply.
"Of course I do. I did it on purpose."
"If you're not happy about it, come fight me."
Caelan shrugged, his expression full of defiance.
He was deliberately provoking a rift between the World Government and the Navy.
Otherwise, if the two remained united, he'd have no chance to get involved at all.
"You—!"
Akainu clenched his fists, wanting to rush forward and punch Caelan.
But the six broken ribs and all the injuries covering his body reminded him—
This Caelan was not someone he could defeat.
Akainu gritted his teeth, completely unwilling to back down.
"Goodbye, everyone."
"I'd really love to know which 'hero' abandoned darkness for light and killed the Celestial Dragons!"
Caelan laughed loudly, turning and sprinting toward the ten warships in the distance.
Akainu, Garp, and Borsalino's faces all turned dark as they immediately gave chase.
They couldn't let him get away and cause any more damage.
Caelan sprinted across the sea like an arrow loosed from a bow, charging straight toward the flagship of the Buster Call fleet.
Akainu and Garp chased from behind, but they couldn't catch up.
Borsalino was fast enough, but he didn't dare get too close to Caelan. He pretended to be exhausted and maintained a position only slightly ahead of Akainu.
The next moment, Caelan landed on the flagship where Gion and Tokikakke were stationed, under the shocked stares of tens of thousands of elite Marines.
The moment he boarded, he was met with hundreds of black gun barrels aimed at him and the wary eyes of Gion and Tokikakke.
Caelan was in a great mood. Since this Buster Call was under Gion's command, he could now abduct her in broad daylight.
"Long time no see, Gion, Tokikakke-aniki!"
Thinking about the Gion he was about to take, Caelan grinned and greeted them cheerfully.
"Who's your brother?!"
Tokikakke replied with disgust.
If someone was trying to steal his goddess, there was no brotherhood left to speak of.
"Caelan?! Are you the one fighting Admiral Akainu and the others?"
Gion asked in shock.
She had departed from Marineford in a rush and hadn't yet heard of the chaos Caelan had caused—destroying CP9 and attacking the Celestial Dragons.
"That's right. I just took out a CP9 team a few days ago and captured two Celestial Dragons. I didn't expect them to send so many people after me. It's just too much."
Caelan said, looking sincerely aggrieved.
"…?"
Gion and Tokikakke looked completely bewildered, unable to make sense of the situation.
As soon as the report about Caelan reached Sengoku, they were deployed with the Buster Call. They hadn't even been briefed on what Caelan had done.
"You know, those two Celestial Dragons were of such high status, I didn't even dare to lay a hand on them."
"Thankfully, it was the two of you who killed them with your cannon fire."
Caelan looked at them earnestly and offered sincere thanks.
Though confused, Gion and Tokikakke quickly pieced together the story.
Caelan had destroyed CP9, taken the Celestial Dragons hostage, and was being hunted by Akainu and the others.
And their Buster Call had just killed those same Celestial Dragons!
Two of them!
"You mean… we killed two Celestial Dragons with our bombardment?!"
Tokikakke's already-wrinkled face twisted in horror, his voice cracking in disbelief.
Gion's face also went pale with shock.
"Yes, exactly."
"If you don't believe me, ask them."
Caelan nodded and pointed toward Akainu, Garp, and Borsalino, who had just arrived.
The three Admirals surrounded Caelan but didn't attack, wary of his destructive power.
"Vice Admiral Garp, did our shells really kill the Celestial Dragons?"
Gion looked at Garp, hoping he'd deny it.
"As much as I'd like to say no… you did kill two Celestial Dragons."
Garp sighed heavily, his tone helpless.
Why were Gion and Tokikakke the ones to show up?
Not only were they candidate Admirals, they were also his friends.
Now, thanks to this, their futures were basically ruined.
"Ah?!"
Gion and Tokikakke both staggered, feeling like a massive burden had fallen out of the sky onto them.
Even if it had been unintentional, killing two Celestial Dragons would never be taken lightly.
They could only hope the incident would be handled quietly within the government, or the consequences would be dire.
"Don't be too upset. You've done a good thing for the people."
"And don't worry—News Bird already captured the whole incident. The world will remember your sacrifice."
Caelan looked at the flock of News Birds circling in the sky and consoled the devastated Gion and Tokikakke.
"What?! They got it on camera?!"
Both Gion and Tokikakke were stunned.
They had just been thinking about internal damage control. Now it was already broadcast to the entire world. What a nightmare.
News that they had killed two Celestial Dragons was now global. The Five Elders would absolutely demand severe punishment, given the Celestial Dragons' so-called supreme status.
"My condolences."
Akainu stood quietly to the side, suddenly not feeling the pain from his injuries anymore.
His own subordinates were untouched, while two of the dovish faction had landed themselves in serious trouble.
From a political standpoint, Akainu had come out ahead, even in defeat.
Morally, it was disgraceful, but Akainu found some comfort in it.
"Gion, Tokikakke-aniki, I'm afraid you won't be able to stay in the Navy much longer."
Caelan shook his head with feigned regret.
"This is all your fault!"
Tokikakke clenched his teeth, practically shaking with fury.
All of this happened because of Caelan.
Gion also gritted her teeth, glaring at Caelan with frustration.
"It's all my fault."
Caelan admitted it calmly, his tone very sincere.
"???"
Everyone was left with question marks over their heads, wondering what Caelan was planning next.
"Gion, to make up for my mistake… I'll take you and flee together!"
Caelan looked at Gion with complete seriousness.
"You wish!"
Tokikakke spat, furious.
Taking Gion and disappearing across the sea… if anyone was going to live that fantasy, it should've been him.
Caelan simply smiled.
Before anyone could react, he moved like lightning and scooped Gion up by the waist.
"Ah!"
Gion cried out in surprise, instinctively trying to struggle. But Caelan's grip was like iron, making resistance impossible.
In the next instant, Caelan stomped down on the warship's deck.
Boom!
The entire ship tilted 60 degrees from the force. Thousands of Marines stumbled, unable to keep their footing.
Before anyone could regain balance, Caelan, holding Gion in his arms, dashed across the sea as if it were flat ground.
Garp, Akainu, and Borsalino immediately gave chase, starting a new pursuit.
Tokikakke tried to follow but couldn't keep up. The gap between them grew with every step.
"Tokikakke-aniki, you stay with the Navy for now. I'll take good care of Gion!"
Caelan shouted, his voice echoing across the sea.
He then unleashed over a dozen Haki-infused slashes, kicking up massive waves and blocking off the chasing Admirals.
Before long, Akainu and the others returned to the Buster Call flagship with grim expressions.
"No!"
Tokikakke screamed, his eyes bulging in despair.
His goddess had been stolen by Caelan right in front of him, and he was powerless to stop it.
Caelan's parting words echoed in his mind like a cruel taunt.
When the Buster Call had just begun, Gion had still looked at him with cold indifference, even as he offered her roses again and again.
Now, just hours later, she had been snatched away and vanished into the distance.
He had confessed nearly a hundred times. The woman he had pursued with all his heart was gone. The next time he saw her, she might already be pregnant.
"It hurts… it hurts so much!"
"Gion, why did you leave me?!"
"How am I supposed to live without you?!"
Tokikakke fell to his knees on the deck, tears streaming down his face, arms stretched hopelessly toward the sky.
"Well… let's focus on the Celestial Dragons."
Garp patted Tokikakke on the shoulder and turned to leave.
"Ahhh!"
Tokikakke screamed even louder.
Gion was gone, and now he was the one left behind to shoulder the blame.
"AHHH! AHHH! AHHHHH!"
Tokikakke raised his head and howled at the sky, venting his grief and despair.
This day's pain would take a lifetime to heal.
When Garp returned to his dog-headed warship, he found the Marine officers who had been knocked unconscious.
Silvers Rayleigh, who had been pretending to be dead, had vanished. The Straw Hat Pirates were also nowhere to be seen.
"Bogard, what happened?"
Garp sighed and woke Bogart.
"Vice Admiral Garp, Rayleigh woke up while you were fighting Caelan and watched the battle with Luffy and the others."
"When the battle ended, he knocked us unconscious and disappeared."
"It's our fault. We didn't keep our eyes on him."
Bogard lowered his head, guilt heavy in his voice.
"Don't blame yourselves. How could you keep watch over the vice-captain of the Pirate King?"
"This one's on me. I was too careless."
Garp sighed again, taking responsibility.
They had underestimated Caelan. They had thought that the strength of three top fighters would be enough to bring him down quickly.
But they never expected Caelan to be so powerful. He had fought evenly against the three of them, even returning from the brink of death to suppress them all.
"This time… the losses were serious."
Even for someone as cheerful as Garp, his mood was heavy.
Rayleigh escaped. Their 3.8 billion Berry bounty was gone.
Caelan escaped and took a candidate admiral with him.
Three top-level fighters couldn't bring him down. The Navy's reputation had suffered a huge blow.
Caelan had manipulated the Buster Call into bombarding the Celestial Dragons, triggering a conflict between the World Government and the Navy.
And the fallout from this incident was far from over. What would Caelan do next? How would they stop him? Would the pirates in the New World go on a rampage?
When Garp, Borsalino, and Akainu returned to Navy Headquarters, Sengoku's head was on the verge of exploding. He immediately convened a high-level emergency meeting.
"Bounty hunter Caelan Alaric destroyed the CP9 organization three days ago and attacked two Celestial Dragons today."
"Admirals Borsalino and Akainu, along with Vice Admiral Garp, were unable to bring him down. Caelan broke through their siege and abducted Vice Admiral Gion."
Sengoku's expression was grave, and every word he spoke made his heart ache.
The man he had once hoped to recruit had ultimately turned against the World Government.
What made it worse was the enormous cost of the mission.
After deploying so many elite forces, they had achieved nothing—no victory, and even lost a candidate admiral. Sengoku couldn't even describe the frustration he felt.
"How is this possible? He was fine before. How did things spiral into something so serious!?"
"Exactly! And two admirals plus Vice Admiral Garp couldn't beat him?!"
The room erupted into disbelief. Many officers were stunned and couldn't believe the report.
But the evidence was right in front of them—detailed battle reports, Akainu wrapped in bandages, Garp with bruises, and Borsalino looking completely drained.
They had no choice but to accept it.
"As much as we don't want to admit it, the three of us really couldn't defeat him."
Borsalino's face was partly hidden as he responded to everyone's doubts.
"Yeah, that Caelan kid's as strong as a monster!"
Garp laughed bitterly and nodded, hiding nothing.
Even Akainu, usually quick to anger, remained silent, only frowning in frustration.
A collective gasp echoed through the conference room.
The three top fighters of the Navy couldn't defeat Caelan. It was beyond anything they had expected.
Admirals were the strongest individuals within the Navy, capable of going toe-to-toe with the Four Emperors.
"To take on three of them at once… even the Four Emperors wouldn't dare claim they could do that. But he actually did."
Vice Admiral Momonga recalled the events on Jaya Island and murmured to himself.
Back then, he had been worried when Caelan clashed with Doflamingo. But now? Caelan had taken things even further—defeating Aokiji, and now holding his ground against two Admirals and a legendary Vice Admiral.
With such combat power, Doflamingo would probably wet himself at the sight of him now.
It was just a shame. How had such a man ended up on a collision course with the World Government?
No matter how disgusting the Celestial Dragons were, couldn't he have just endured it?
Momonga was filled with regret.
It was a loss that a man so powerful and righteous had become their enemy.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what should we do?"
"Can we even fight Caelan, who was able to suppress Admiral Akainu and the others?"
Two vice admirals spoke up, their voices tinged with hesitation.
They understood how powerful Admirals were. For ordinary vice admirals like them, the gap was simply too large.
Caelan, who had held off three top-level fighters, had already become something beyond their understanding.
All eyes turned to Sengoku. Even Garp didn't speak. Everyone was thinking the same thing.
Three top fighters couldn't defeat Caelan.
Was that even reasonable?
A force like his had never existed before—not even among the Four Emperors.
But the facts were undeniable. The records, the witnesses, the injured—they all pointed to one conclusion.
If three Admirals couldn't bring him down… what could the Navy do?
Would they have to send every high-ranking officer to hunt him down?
And even if Caelan didn't escape, wouldn't he be able to kill at least two of them before dying?
If all their forces were tied up chasing Caelan, who would keep the Four Emperors in check?
The more they thought about it, the heavier the room became.
Sengoku scanned the conference room. It was shrouded in silence. The normally cheerful doves were quiet. The proud hawks looked defeated.
Half of the Navy's strongest had failed against Caelan. The blow to morale was immense.
Sengoku knew he had to do something. He had to rally them.
"Just a few days ago, everything was running smoothly."
"But now, after just two or three days, we've been reduced to this."
"Can the fate of the Navy really be determined by one man named Caelan?"
"Back then, Rocks D. Xebec was in his prime… and we still brought him down."
"This is just one man—Caelan. We can handle him!"
Sengoku slapped the table, his voice deep and firm.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
The vice admirals were jolted back to their senses, their morale reigniting.
Countless monsters had risen in this sea. Many had dominated entire eras. But in the end, it was always the Navy that held the line.
Even Rocks D. Xebec, who once tried to overthrow the World Government, was ultimately eliminated.
Caelan might be terrifying now, but he hadn't even entered the New World. He wasn't on Rocks' level.
"Ah…"
Sengoku looked at the now-energized vice admirals and sighed inwardly.
He didn't feel as confident as he appeared.
Garp, Akainu, and Borsalino had all fought Caelan. They knew this morale boost was just talk.
In truth, none of them were confident in defeating Caelan.
The comparison to Rocks was apt. But unlike back then, there was no Roger to help them corner and eliminate Caelan.
The only consolation was that Caelan's forces weren't extensive yet. And unlike Rocks, he didn't seem to have ambitions of world domination.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 107: Eliminate
The meeting about Caelan dispersed, but Sengoku kept Vice Admiral Tsuru behind.
"Sengoku, if you're keeping me here, it must be about Tokikakke and Gion."
Tsuru sat down calmly, though her heart was turbulent.
Gion was like a child to her, she'd watched grow up. Now that Caelan had taken her, how could she not be affected?
"That's right."
"Although Gion and Tokikakke fell into Caelan's trap, they were still the ones who ended up killing two Celestial Dragons. The Five Elders have always been dissatisfied with us, and they won't let this pass so easily."
Sengoku's expression was solemn, his concern heavy.
Caelan wasn't just strong—he was also cunning.
He manipulated the Buster Call into bombarding the Celestial Dragons and even let the News Coo capture it all on film.
Now, the Five Elders would have no choice but to hand down severe punishment. And given the Navy's poor performance lately, that punishment would be even harsher.
"You want Gion to take all the blame?"
Tsuru's sharp eyes bore into Sengoku.
"Yes."
Facing her gaze, Sengoku wanted to say otherwise, but he couldn't.
"Tsuru, you know me."
"I watched Gion grow up too. If there were any other way, I wouldn't choose this."
He spread his hands, visibly helpless.
"Akainu is seriously injured and needs at least a month to recover. Garp is also down for now. Borsalino tried to slack off, but I forced him to keep working."
"Caelan's threat is massive, and the Navy's current strength is too weak. We really can't afford to lose another admiral candidate."
Hearing this, Tsuru closed her eyes in deep thought.
Indeed, as Sengoku said, the Navy was struggling right now and needed every capable fighter it had.
Besides, with Tokikakke's personality, if he were the only one punished, Gion wouldn't accept it.
She was smart enough to know this was the best move for the Navy.
Tokikakke would face a light punishment, nothing serious, and could still serve.
And since Gion had been kidnapped by Caelan, the punishment couldn't fall on her for now.
"Fine, we'll go with this for now."
"See how the Five Elders respond first. If it doesn't work, then let Gion bear the blame."
After saying that, Tsuru looked drained, as if all her strength had left her.
Gion was missing, and now more blame had to be put on her. She felt like she'd failed her.
"Tsuru, you don't need to worry too much. Gion's safety is still likely intact."
Sengoku tried to console her.
"Last time, Gion said Caelan invited her to join him. Aokiji also mentioned that Caelan invited him too, and didn't kill him."
"On Caelan's ship, there's Tashigi, who used to be with the Navy, and Kalifa, who used to be a CP9 agent. They both seem to be doing fine."
As he spoke, Tsuru's expression began to ease, but Sengoku's grew darker.
This Caelan clearly had his eyes on the Navy's talent.
"This bastard just wants to poach all our people!"
Sengoku cursed angrily, clearly dissatisfied.
But this time, he had misjudged Caelan. Caelan didn't accept just anyone. At the very least, he definitely had no interest in the deserter Koby.
Hearing Sengoku's outburst, Tsuru's mood lightened slightly.
Buru buru buru!
As they were talking, the Den Den Mushi rang rapidly.
Tsuru and Sengoku exchanged glances, already guessing the call was from the Five Elders.
"Sengoku, get here immediately!"
An angry voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
Under normal circumstances, Sengoku would have argued back, even if just a little.
But given how badly things had gone, he didn't have the energy.
"Yes, Lord Saturn."
Before he could say more, the call was abruptly cut off.
Sengoku sighed and departed by warship for Mariejois.
…
Mariejois, Pangaea Castle.
"Damn Caelan. Useless Navy!"
Saint Saturn slammed the coffee table in rage.
Everything Caelan had done enraged him beyond reason. He'd been furious for two straight hours and still couldn't calm down.
And the Navy? Despite sending so many, they had allowed Caelan to escape without consequence. What a bunch of failures.
"The bloodline of the Creators is sacred and untouchable. From this moment forward, he is the World Government's greatest enemy. Hunt him down with everything we've got!"
Saint Nasujuro gripped the first-generation Kitetsu tightly, filled with murderous intent.
Caelan had crossed the World Government's line. No matter what, he had to be executed.
He had dared to harm the Celestial Dragons. A criminal of such magnitude had to be made an example of to terrify the rest of the world.
"But we couldn't even bring him down with Akainu and the other two. We can't spare any more top forces."
Saint Mars's face was grim, filled with frustration.
Caelan had fought three top-tier combatants and still came out on top.
Unless they sent at least four admiral-level fighters, there was no hope of defeating him.
But even the World Government couldn't afford to dispatch that much power to deal with just one man.
The Four Emperors in the New World were watching closely. If the Government exposed any weakness, they wouldn't hesitate to strike.
"Are we just going to let him get away with it?"
Saint Saturn slammed the table again, even more furious.
They were being slapped in the face, and they couldn't even retaliate. It was humiliating.
The World Government's prestige was being ground into the dirt by Caelan.
"Damn it! If we could take action ourselves, we'd leave him without a burial!"
Saint Warcury's expression was dark with resentment.
The Five Elders, as one, were not just strong—they had extraordinary regenerative powers. If they could fight, they were confident they could bring Caelan down.
But they were confined to Pangaea Castle. Without Lord Imu's approval, they couldn't leave.
The rest of the Five Elders were equally furious. Each of them wanted to kill Caelan personally.
"If we can't handle Caelan for now, then we'll deal with the Navy first."
Saint Saturn spoke coldly.
The Navy's performance had been absolutely disgraceful. Not only had they failed to capture Caelan, but even Rayleigh, who had been in their grasp, had escaped.
And the Buster Call killing Celestial Dragons? That was unforgivable.
The Navy was just a dog of the World Government, a servant to the Celestial Dragons.
Even if Caelan had manipulated the situation, the fact remained—those "dogs" had killed their masters. That could not be tolerated.
"Eliminate those two vice admirals. The Navy must understand that the Celestial Dragons are inviolable!"
Saint Nasujuro raised his Kitetsu, his eyes filled with bloodlust.
The Navy, especially Sengoku's faction, had long shown discontent toward the World Government.
And the two vice admirals responsible this time were part of Sengoku's camp.
This was the perfect chance to send a message.
"Yes. They must be punished. And we should also consider replacing them with more obedient figures."
Saint Mars nodded in agreement.
Not only did punishment need to be dealt out, but replacements should be brought in—loyal ones.
"In my opinion, Akainu…"
Just as the Five Elders were discussing, Sengoku arrived.