World Recruitment Reception.
The Office of the Chief Inspector of the Navy.
At this time, Sengoku the Buddha, who is no longer a Fleet Admiral, was carefully reviewing the list of strong candidates for the Admiral selection.
Although he had stepped down as a Fleet Admiral, Commander Kong had repeatedly emphasized the need to closely oversee the Navy, especially to ensure the World Recruitment could fill the vacant Admiral positions.
Aokiji had disappeared, Akainu had been promoted, and now two of the three Navy Admiral seats were open. These needed to be filled urgently.
Strictly speaking, Kizaru was no longer an Admiral either, having been reprimanded by the World Government. However, his dismissal was more of a formality, and it was expected that Borsalino would soon return to his position.
Given the current state of the world, especially with Shiro, the Navy could not afford to lose its martial prowess. The balance of power at sea, which the Navy maintained, would collapse without sufficient strength to enforce it.
As Sengoku flipped through the list of candidates, his disappointment grew. Though many people had applied, the pool of truly powerful individuals was small. The top powerhouses were even rarer.
From the list, Sengoku could only identify two strong candidates: Issho and Ryokugyu. Both were already favored by Navy Headquarters and were expected to be promoted to Admirals.
Still, only these two had a real chance. The rest, even those who met the qualifications for the Admiral selection, were only at the level of Vice Admirals. None were close to the strength of Momousagi or Tokikake.
Sengoku sighed, reminiscing about the glorious past of the Navy. If Shiro had remained with the Navy, it would have undoubtedly ushered in an era of unprecedented strength.
"Report! Inspector Sengoku, something terrible has happened!" A Navy hurried into the office, interrupting Sengoku's thoughts as he fed application forms to his goats.
"What's happened now?" Sengoku's brows furrowed as his nerves tensed.
Could it be that Shiro had returned to stir trouble once again? Impossible! The Navy Headquarters and World Government had set up countless layers of surveillance.
"Sir, it's the Admiral assessment. There has been a serious issue. Four candidates passed the test. One of them was fortunate enough to face only a Rear Admiral, but the other three defeated Vice Admirals and passed the test!"
Sengoku's frown deepened. "Isn't that a good thing? Why are you panicking?"
The Major continued, his face pale with anxiety. "Sir, it's not just that they passed the assessment. The Vice Admirals who oversaw the test were seriously injured!"
Sengoku was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
"Vice Admiral Smoker sustained severe back injuries, Vice Admiral Bastille was found unconscious and badly burned, and the worst was Vice Admiral Momonga. After being revived, he was beaten again and is now expected to remain bedridden for quite some time!"
Sengoku was momentarily stunned. Three Vice Admirals, incapacitated in such a short span? And this was just an assessment!
"How could this happen? Could the candidates be agents sent by hostile forces?" Sengoku asked, his expression tense.
The sailor shook his head. "No, sir. Based on our information, these four don't belong to any known faction. They claim that the Vice Admirals underestimated them due to their youth, which led to such devastating outcomes."
Sengoku sighed. Even though he no longer held his post as Fleet Admiral, his reputation within the Navy was still formidable, and he held considerable authority. However, it seemed even he couldn't prevent such incidents.
"What did Akainu say about this?" Sengoku asked.
The sailor hesitated before replying, "Fleet Admiral Akainu is actually pleased. He says he will train these four into weapons of 'absolute justice' and later use them to eliminate Shiro."
Sengoku exhaled slowly. "Let's hope things proceed without any further disruptions."
Meanwhile, after the test concluded, Hancock walked up to Shiro, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Husband, I broke Vice Admiral Momonga's legs! It was so satisfying!"
Shiro glanced around cautiously, though he noticed no strong presences nearby. Still, he reminded her in a low voice,
"Hancock, be mindful of your identity."
The Empress grinned, satisfied with her victory.
"Yeah, hahaha! Boss, I knocked out my opponent too!" Enel boomed with laughter, clearly proud of himself.
Shiro rubbed his forehead, looking at Enel with a resigned expression. "Enel, don't use your Mantra or Thunder powers unless absolutely necessary."
Enel pouted. "I get it, I get it."
Shiro let out a long sigh. In contrast, Robin remained silent but obedient, standing gracefully by his side.
"Robin, don't worry. The truth about Ohara will be revealed soon. The whole world will remember the scholars who perished and the importance of the knowledge they safeguarded."
Robin nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude. The Empress, however, looked slightly aggrieved, but she restrained herself. After all, she couldn't afford to get too emotional—not when her husband was such a powerful and attractive man.
"Congratulations to the four who passed the test," a voice interrupted.
"Please follow me. Someone important wishes to meet you."
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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg