On the second layer of the island cloud, in a special banquet room, a group of beautiful angelic women served unique fruits, desserts, and delicacies from Sky Island, Kojima, one after the other.
The entire banquet hall was decorated beautifully with lights and shells, creating a stunning atmosphere.
Lieutenant General Tsuru and Admiral Aokiji sat in their chairs, enjoying the food while listening to the music played by the angels.
"Oh my, these young angels are truly lovely," Lieutenant General Tsuru said kindly, smiling at the angelic women serving them.
"Hmm? What kind of fruit is this? It tastes really good, very unique," Admiral Aokiji said, chewing on a piece of fruit.
Arthur responded, "Sky Island is isolated from the rest of the world. Although some people do make it here, fewer than a thousand visit each year. And those thousand are extremely lucky. If even one in ten ships manages to reach Sky Island, it's considered fortunate."
"So, everything here is special to people from the Blue Sea. But for the angels of Sky Island, the Blue Sea is also full of temptations."
Arthur's words seemed to simply explain how rare it was for people to visit Sky Island, but he was also subtly hinting at the desire of the people on Sky Island to see the Blue Sea.
Hearing this, Aokiji paused for a moment but continued eating. He hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, so he was hungry.
However, Lieutenant General Tsuru, with all her experience, kept smiling as she enjoyed the food and admired the angels playing music nearby.
Then she spoke slowly, "So, you've done quite a bit in the past few years, haven't you?"
Her tone felt a bit probing.
But Arthur remained calm, smiling lightly as he replied, "Yes, I've worked hard for the Angel Kingdom over the past few years."
"The people of Sky Island know very little about the world below, so I've taken it upon myself to explore and learn about the Blue Sea."
Lieutenant General Tsuru didn't comment on Arthur's words directly. A "pioneer," she thought, recalling all of his past actions.
Arthur had ventured to the New World, made contact with Doflamingo, defeated Jack the Drought, and even clashed with Shanks.
Then he visited Fish-Man Island, where huge changes had occurred. How did all these events relate to simply "understanding the Blue Sea"?
Arthur had gone to the Blue Sea twice. The second time seemed to be for two beautiful women, but Lieutenant General Tsuru's instincts told her there was more to it.
And four years ago, he appeared in the East Blue, with his true purpose still unclear.
As the Navy's chief strategist, known for her wisdom, Lieutenant General Tsuru felt certain that Arthur's visits to the Blue Sea, especially to the East Blue, hid deeper secrets.
All of this pointed to the fact that Arthur had more complex motives than he let on.
But there was too much unknown information! Even with all her knowledge, both she and Sengoku felt like they were trying to see through a fog.
"Well, well, so you've been to the Blue Sea multiple times to make sure it's safe for your people?" Aokiji suddenly asked, breaking his usual silence.
Arthur turned to Aokiji. From the beginning, Aokiji had spoken little, letting Lieutenant General Tsuru, the chief advisor, take the lead.
Despite his lazy demeanor and apparent lack of concern, Arthur could sense Aokiji's underlying vigilance.
The way he chose his seat, his sitting posture, and the occasional curious glance told Arthur that Aokiji was keeping an eye on the safety of Lieutenant General Tsuru.
'Is he worried I might threaten her? Or is he here to protect her?' Arthur wondered silently, though his expression remained calm. At Aokiji's question, Arthur paused, tilted his head slightly, and looked thoughtful.
"That might be a bit of an exaggeration," Arthur replied, "but yes, that's part of it. After all, I heard that before the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, was executed 18 years ago, he predicted the coming of a violent age on the seas."
"In recent years, pirate crews have been popping up endlessly in the Blue Sea, and even the Marines haven't been able to stop them completely. It's worrying. Sky Island is a peaceful and beautiful place, so of course, I want to ensure its safety."
"I see," Aokiji and Lieutenant General Tsuru both nodded in agreement.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Lieutenant General Tsuru asked curiously, "You seem to have the power of the Thunder Fruit, don't you?"
"Yes, that's correct," Arthur nodded calmly, with nothing to hide. After all, showing my strength is exactly what I need, he thought.
"Oh my, that's really incredible!" Lieutenant General Tsuru said, surprised. "The Thunder Fruit is one of the Devil Fruits that the World Government has been offering a large reward for. Its power is said to rival that of Kuzan's ice abilities."
"That's true," Aokiji agreed. "In fact, the Thunder Fruit might be stronger than the abilities of any of the three Admirals. Its speed, destructive power, and even its range are terrifying. It's definitely a top-tier ability."
Arthur smiled and nodded. "Yes, I suppose I'm lucky. The Thunder Fruit is one of the strongest Devil Fruits, and its power has many incredible uses."
At that moment, Lieutenant General Tsuru interrupted, "So, it was you who fought the Red-Haired Shanks in the New World more than half a year ago, right?"
Arthur hesitated for a moment, unsure how to respond. But after thinking it over, he realized that it was just a fight, and it didn't necessarily make him a pirate. "Yes," he said finally, "I heard that Red-Haired Shanks is known as the most powerful Haki user in the world, so I wanted to meet him."
"I see," Lieutenant General Tsuru said thoughtfully. "You wanted to meet the most powerful Haki user in the world. And how did that go?"
Arthur frowned slightly. He realized that from the very beginning of their conversation, Lieutenant General Tsuru had been skillfully guiding the discussion, keeping control of the conversation in her hands. This woman is sharp, Arthur thought to himself. But I can't let her lead everything.
Determined to regain control, Arthur smirked and said confidently, "Naturally, I was the more powerful Haki user."
"Huh?" Lieutenant General Tsuru and Aokiji were both taken aback, not expecting such an answer.
Up until now, Tsuru had been carefully steering the conversation, though she could sense that Arthur had deflected or concealed certain details. However, this sudden shift caught her off guard. What does he mean by 'naturally I'm more powerful?' Both of them were stunned for a moment.
But with their vast experience, they quickly composed themselves. And then, they came to a realization.
Could Arthur also possess Conqueror's Haki? The thought flashed in their minds. They glanced at each other, instantly recognizing the same idea in each other's eyes—Arthur had the potential to possess a strong Conqueror's Haki, perhaps even stronger than Shanks'.
Smiling, Lieutenant General Tsuru asked, "My child, do you have Conqueror's Haki?"
Aokiji watched Arthur intently, waiting for his answer.
Arthur nodded. "Yes, I awakened it by accident. I later learned it's called Conqueror's Haki, a rare gift. I heard that Red-Haired Shanks has the strongest Conqueror's Haki in the world, so, being young and brash, I went to challenge him."
Arthur's smile grew a bit wider as he continued, "To my surprise, mine turned out to be stronger."
Both Lieutenant General Tsuru and Aokiji were momentarily stunned by his words. Stronger than Shanks' Haki?
The word "stronger" echoed like a loud bell in their minds, leaving them in shock.
Without saying a word, Tsuru and Aokiji exchanged glances again, both recognizing the seriousness of this revelation. Arthur had faced off with Shanks, one of the world's most powerful figures, and had won in terms of Haki.
It seemed there were more variables at play in this situation than they had initially thought.
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