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After returning to the empty island, Arthur couldn't find the scientists right away. For matters that were more challenging or involved powerful adversaries, he usually handled them himself.
Thus, he decided to have his intelligence organization conduct a covert search and let the Shadow Stream Legion abduct a select group of scientists, as that was their primary function.
However, he knew he needed to be discreet; an obvious move would alert the Marines and the World Government, raising their suspicions.
Although it might be impossible to uncover everything, there were still many obstacles standing in the way of Arthur's next plans.
After all, he aimed to slowly unveil unique technologies specific to the sky island, which would easily draw the attention of the World Government.
Regarding the sky paradise and recruitment from around the world, six interview halls had been set up. All selected candidates were required to find a merchant ship or any vessel to make their own way there.
Because the New World waters were too treacherous, Arthur dispatched a legion to assist in this matter.
Arthur had decided not to intervene directly, allowing the government departments of the empire to take charge. This freed him up to focus on his own priorities. His first goal was to establish contact with someone at Navy Headquarters, as the Angel Empire was still not fully operational.
"Jessica, let's go!" Arthur called out upon reaching the Isle of Gods.
Moments later, Jessica, straddling her two swords, flew out to join him.
"Where are we headed?" she asked, curious.
"Don't you want to practice your swordsmanship? I'm taking you to Navy Headquarters. There's something important happening there, and I can also help you find a place to train. Navy Headquarters has many kendo masters," Arthur replied.
"That sounds amazing!" Jessica's enthusiasm for kendo was evident.
Soon, the two figures soared into the sky from the Isle of Gods, making their way to Navy Headquarters, located at Marineford.
From a distance, they appeared to be flying freely.
Arthur seldom used his wings to fly; while it looked impressive, their size could be cumbersome. Unless in battle, he preferred to keep them tucked away. This also had its advantages: the sudden appearance of his wings during a fight could catch an opponent off guard, providing him with a tactical edge.
The distance from Marineford to the Sky Island was significant. Traveling by ship would take about three days, while the yacht from the sky island could cut that down to one day. However, flying allowed them to reach their destination in just two hours.
Despite not flying at full speed, Arthur could have made the trip in mere minutes, and Jessica would have needed less than an hour.
After two hours, they were nearing Marineford, home of Navy Headquarters. As they approached, Marine soldiers finally noticed the two figures flying overhead.
"Two flying humans spotted at eleven o'clock!" a soldier shouted, alerting his comrades below.
"What's going on?" one of the officers in a cloak of justice demanded.
"Major General! A man and a woman are flying towards us!" The major general furrowed his brow and grabbed his binoculars. "That's... King Arthur!"
"Garp, you're in charge of this. I need to inform Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately!" The major general ordered a nearby colonel before using Shave to disappear from sight.
The presence of Arthur—who not only held the title of king but was also a top-tier powerhouse with a record of defeating Kaido—was significant enough to warrant immediate notification to the Fleet Admiral.
However, before he could relay the message, Arthur and Jessica, just a few kilometers away, had already reached Navy Headquarters.
With a soft thud, they landed gracefully on the ground. Arthur understood the importance of maintaining a respectful demeanor while on enemy territory.
At that moment, he kept his surroundings monitored within a 50-kilometer radius, a habit he had developed from his time in the outside world.
Standing side by side, Arthur—tall and handsome—and Jessica—tall and beautiful—made quite the striking pair.
The surrounding soldiers regarded Arthur, younger than most of them, with a mix of vigilance and awe. Despite having started as a Marine underling, he had risen to become one of the world's top powers. The disparity in their statuses was undeniable.
Just as Arthur chose not to seek out Sengoku, Sengoku, as the host, would naturally not come out to greet them.
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After returning to the empty island, Arthur didn't find the scientist he was looking for on his first attempt.
In cases like this, aside from the more powerful adversaries or those who are difficult to handle, Arthur prefers to take care of things himself.
So he tasked the intelligence organization with conducting a discreet search in the shadows and ordered the Shadow Stream Legion to abduct a selection of these scientists. After all, that was their purpose.
However, he had to be careful, as such actions could easily draw the attention of the Marines and the World Government.
Even if they couldn't trace the abductions back to him, there were still many obstacles to Arthur's next plan.
He intended to slowly develop some unique technologies specific to the Sky Island, which would inevitably attract the notice of the World Government.
For recruiting talent from the world, Arthur had set up a total of six interview halls. All selected candidates were required to find a merchant ship or some other vessel to reach the Sky Island on their own.
Given the ferocity of the New World seas, Arthur dispatched a legion to assist in the journey.
In this regard, Arthur would not intervene; the various government departments of the empire would handle the operations, freeing Arthur to focus on his own duties.
The first thing on his agenda was to find someone at Navy Headquarters. The Angel Empire was still not fully established.
"Jessica, let's go!" Arthur called out upon arriving at the Isle of Gods.
A moment later, Jessica, who had been straddling her two swords, flew over.
After landing, she looked at Arthur curiously. "Where are we going?"
"Don't you want to practice your swordsmanship? I'm taking you to Navy Headquarters. There's something important I need to discuss there, and I'll also help you find a place to train. Navy Headquarters has many skilled swordsmen," Arthur replied.
"That sounds great!" Jessica exclaimed, her enthusiasm for kendo evident.
A short while later, the two figures soared into the sky from the Island of Gods, heading directly for Navy Headquarters, located at Marineford.
At a glance, they appeared to be flying freely.
Arthur rarely used his wings to fly, as they were large and somewhat cumbersome. Unless in battle, he preferred to keep them hidden.
This had its advantages, as revealing his wings unexpectedly in combat could catch opponents off guard.
The distance between Marineford and Sky Island was considerable. If traveling by ship, it would take about three days due to the rough seas. However, a yacht from the Sky Island could shorten that to a day.
Flying, Arthur and Jessica could cover the distance in just two hours.
If Arthur had opted for rapid flight, it would have taken only a few minutes, while Jessica would have needed less than an hour.
Two hours later, the duo spotted the island of Marineford, home to Navy Headquarters.
As they approached, Marine soldiers finally noticed the two figures flying overhead.
"Two flying humans spotted at eleven o'clock! Two flying humans spotted at eleven o'clock!" one soldier shouted urgently.
Immediately, the Marines on the ground became alert.
"What's going on?" one of the cloaked officers demanded.
"Major General! A man and a woman are flying towards us!" The Major General frowned and grabbed his binoculars, focusing on the figures. "That's... King Arthur!"
"Garp, you handle this. I need to report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately!" the Major General commanded a nearby colonel before disappearing with a Shave technique.
The visitors weren't just any king; Arthur was a top-tier powerhouse with a proven record against Kaido. Such a visitor warranted immediate notification to the Fleet Admiral.
However, before he could make the call, Arthur and Jessica, still a few kilometers away, landed at Navy Headquarters.
Thud.
As they touched down, Arthur maintained a habit of keeping his aura concealed, covering a radius of fifty kilometers.
Standing tall, Arthur and Jessica made a striking pair: Arthur handsome and imposing, while Jessica was tall and beautiful.
The surrounding soldiers regarded Arthur with a mix of vigilance and awe. Once merely a Marine recruit, he had risen to become one of the world's top powerhouses—a significant gap to bridge.
Just as Arthur chose not to seek out Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral wouldn't come out to greet them either.
After a while, the Major General returned from his call.
"Your Majesty King Arthur, please follow me," he said, gesturing respectfully. Though Arthur was over a decade younger, the Major General treated him with deference.
This was the way of the world: strength commanded respect. When one's power and national strength reached a certain level, more privileges followed.
As they approached the Navy Headquarters building, Arthur felt increasingly at ease. However, it was only a modest improvement, as the government headquarters of the Sky Island was far superior, rivaling even Mary Geoise.
Upon entering, Arthur observed various Marines in ranks from Lieutenant Colonel to Major General bustling about, appearing quite busy.
The sight of Arthur caused them to pause momentarily, but they quickly resumed their duties, awestruck and reverent.
*Knock knock.*
The Major General knocked on the door. "Fleet Admiral, His Majesty King Arthur and his wife have arrived!"
*Squeak.*
The door opened, revealing Lieutenant General Crane, who greeted them with a smile. "Oh, it's good to see you again so soon, King Arthur."
"Oh, and this little lady is here too!" Lieutenant General Crane added, looking at Jessica.
"Hello, Ms. Crane," Arthur replied with a warm smile. He held a favorable view of Lieutenant General Crane, who appeared kind-hearted.
"Hello, Ms. Crane," Jessica echoed politely, exhibiting the grace expected of nobility.
Inside the room, Sengoku was seated on a sofa, with Garp beside him, focused intently on his food.
"Good to see you again, King Arthur," Sengoku said, standing up courteously, even though his official status was theoretically inferior.
Sengoku's position as a powerful figure made it necessary for Arthur to treat him with respect, especially considering Arthur's own status as a formidable combatant and ruler of the Angel Empire.
Beside him, Garp, noticing Sengoku rising, cheekily snatched a piece of his senbei.
"You idiot!" Sengoku exclaimed, flushing with irritation. He had been looking forward to eating but was thwarted by Garp, who had already claimed half of it earlier.
Garp, oblivious to Sengoku's annoyance, grinned and waved casually at Arthur. "Come, sit down!"
His casual demeanor suggested he considered himself the host. Sengoku's forehead twitched at Garp's behavior as he motioned for Arthur to take a seat.
Once seated, Sengoku asked, "What brings you here today, King Arthur?"
With the recent newspaper publications, Arthur's reputation had skyrocketed; he was now known as King Arthur rather than just King of the Angel Empire.
Arthur replied, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I'm here to borrow someone from Marine and to ask a few questions."
"Borrow someone?" Sengoku inquired, puzzled. "Who do you need?"
"I'm looking for a person who is currently with the former Admiral Z and is said to be a member of the elite training camp," Arthur explained.
"Z? A member of the elite training camp?" Sengoku and the others exchanged curious glances.
Z was an old friend of theirs and had been through life-and-death situations alongside Sengoku and Garp. They were particularly interested in matters relating to him.
"Could it be that one of his students had a meeting with King Arthur?" they wondered.
"I don't know who you're referring to, but I can ask Z for you," Sengoku offered.
"Um... I can't recall the name, but I believe he's a ninja who has eaten the Lush Fruit," Arthur said thoughtfully.
"The Lush Fruit? You mean Binz?" Garp interjected confidently.
Unlike Sengoku and Lieutenant General Crane, who were caught up in their responsibilities, Garp often roamed Navy Headquarters and was familiar with the happenings there.
"Binz, an elite from the training camp? What do you need him for?" Sengoku asked, intrigued by Garp's identification.
"I need his abilities for a specific task. Since I can't locate a Logia fruit user, I'm hoping Binz's Lush Fruit abilities will suffice," Arthur explained.
"Alright, please hold on a moment while I contact Z and have him bring Binz here," Sengoku said, getting up and moving to his desk.
"Okay, thank you," Arthur replied, feeling a bit anxious about whether Binz would be able to assist him as he hoped.
"Hey, Z? Could you bring that young man named Binz from your training camp to my office? We have something to discuss with him," Sengoku said, speaking into the Den Den Mushi.
After a brief exchange, Sengoku hung up the phone and returned to the sofa, telling Arthur, "He'll be here shortly."
A few minutes passed, and less than ten minutes later, the door to Sengoku's office opened.
A tall man with purple hair, dark skin, and strong muscles—over two meters tall—entered, followed by another individual dressed in an eccentric outfit: a black shirt adorned with yellow flowers and a red and pink mesh suit, with a green sword slung across his back.
"Hey, Sengoku, what do you need Binz for?" Z asked as he stepped inside, quickly spotting Arthur and Jessica.
"Huh?" Z was momentarily surprised, recognizing Arthur as the young king who had recently defeated Kaido.
He had been keeping up with the news and felt a mix of disappointment and gratitude—disappointment because such a powerful individual could have strengthened Marine, and gratitude because Arthur was a king and not