The gaze and tone of the Admiral Akainu revealed a deep sense of disdain and playful mockery. He had deliberately said those words to provoke Vice-Admiral Garp.
Akainu could never get used to Garp's laid-back personality. Normally, there was never an opportunity to challenge him in either work or private matters. But now, with this chance before him, he wouldn't let it slip away.
Yet, he couldn't fathom how easily Garp could be provoked.
A single glance from Garp silenced Akainu and made him swallow the words he had intended to speak. There was something in Garp's eyes that left him lost for words, a feeling akin to indigestion after a hearty meal.
Compared to Akainu, Vice-Admiral Momonga was much more diplomatic. "Ah, Vice-Admiral Garp's grandson is quite formidable, and he's grown remarkably fast."
"The young lad who recently set sail managed to take down millions of Beri's worth of pirates, and with each battle, he undergoes significant growth. Impressive."
Vice-Admiral Doberman nodded in agreement. "Indeed, every battle he enters seems to push him to his limits, and it's undeniably dangerous. Let's not forget..."
"...that his bounties keep increasing with each victory, which signifies that his opponents are getting stronger," finished Momonga.
Upon hearing this, Akainu couldn't help but display a more pronounced look of disdain.
"Growth, you say?"
"No matter how much he grows, he's still playing with these small-time riffraff. He's not even worthy of me bothering to step in; I could easily dispatch a subordinate to deal with him."
As the three admirals engaged in conversation, Garp and Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood in front, paying them no heed. The waters of East Blue remained silent, both out of respect for the location and the fact that Luffy was their current focus.
Unlike Akainu, who was taken aback by Garp's reactions, others in the room were unfazed by Luffy's actions. They were accustomed to Garp's antics and didn't see any reason to engage with the provocations of the naval hero.
Akainu continued to gaze at Luffy in the sky, his disdain unabated. However, his next sight would shatter his previous assumptions.
[The live broadcast warm-up has concluded, and the official list will commence shortly!]
[The protagonist of this list is none other than the legendary Monkey D. Luffy!]
[Monkey. D. Luffy's Top Ten Pinnacle Battles are about to begin!]
[Special note: The order of these battles is not chronological, nor are all of them victories. They are ranked based on excitement and strength.]
[Top 10: Moonlight Moria vs Nightmare Luffy!]
"What!?" exclaimed Moria as soon as the announcement played. He had never expected to transition so suddenly from being a spectator to the main event.
Moonlight Moria... Wasn't that himself? What was happening?
Garp's grandson was now fighting his first battle against a notorious Shichinukai? But wasn't Luffy just a novice pirate with a meager 10 million Beri bounty?
Moria himself was a notorious pirate with a bounty of 320 million Beri, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and arguably one of the strongest!
How could he possibly face off against a greenhorn like Luffy?
This couldn't be happening. Perhaps there was someone else with the same name and surname as him, but that was highly improbable.
But obviously, that was not the case.
Doflamingo couldn't resist mocking him, saying, "Well, Moria, who would've thought you'd be the first to appear? What a surprise!"
Even Crocodile joined in, a smirk on his face. "It's quite the embarrassment to be defeated by a rookie!"
With these words, Moria's pale face turned crimson, a feat nearly as astonishing as his own abilities.
"No, it's impossible!"
"I won't lose to him!"
"The announcement said battles aren't all determined the same way; it's bound to be me who wins!"
Doflamingo continued to taunt, "But the announcement also stated that battles are ranked based on excitement and strength."
"That means even if you win, it's because the fight was close, not to mention... as the protagonist, you're ranked tenth!"
Doflamingo's sharp words left Moria speechless, and he felt a deep sense of humiliation. Regardless of the outcome, being listed was a blow to his pride.
A shame!
The onlookers regarded Moria with a mixture of pity and amusement. After all, as a member of the Seven Warlords, losing to someone so inexperienced was indeed a humiliation.
However, Moria was not the only one suffering. The same could be said for Akainu, whose expression was priceless, a delightful sight to behold.
Moments ago, Akainu had arrogantly dismissed Luffy as unworthy of his attention. Yet now, Luffy was going head-to-head with one of the Seven Warlords, which was a slap in the face delivered at lightning speed.