[Ding, congratulations to the host for completing the task and receiving the physique of a God as a reward!]
…
Sixteen destructive attacks finally landed on the Island of World Military Draft in the New World.
When the light that illuminated the sky faded away, the entire Island—and even the surrounding islands—disappeared. This area, used by the World Government and the Navy Headquarters as a world conscription zone, completely vanished, leaving nothing but a massive underwater abyss with treacherous currents.
The aftermath caused tsunamis across the New World, wreaking havoc in a short span of time and claiming countless lives.
"Inspector General Sengoku the Buddha, why did you stop me!" Akainu's voice rang out in fury and dissatisfaction.
At this moment, inside the Navy Headquarters G-1 base, Fleet Admiral Akainu stood enraged. He had seen with his own eyes the strange device Shiro had used to divert all the rebels, only for it to be destroyed in the final moments. Shiro, having sacrificed himself for a fleeting four minutes of hope, failed to teleport himself to safety in time.
Thus, according to the Navy's speculation, Shiro was gravely injured and on the run. Despite his immense strength, the sixteen devastating attacks were overwhelming.
Akainu believed that this was the perfect opportunity for the Navy to capture Shiro and strike back.
As long as they could apprehend or eliminate Shiro, the Navy would maintain its justice, and absolute justice would once again reign over the seas.
But just as he and Admiral Aramaki were about to lead a fleet to hunt Shiro, Sengoku the Buddha had intervened. He not only stopped Akainu but also ordered the fleet to return to port, bypassing Akainu's authority as an Fleet Admiral.
Akainu, now a fully established Fleet Admiral, felt humiliated. Sengoku's actions undermined his role as an Fleet Admiral, especially when Akainu's actions were in line with absolute justice.
"Sakazuki, the Navy's priority should be to stabilize the branch bases across the world and mitigate the fallout from the Navy's collapse," Sengoku said sternly, confronting the angered Akainu.
In truth, Sengoku believed that Shiro had risked his life for those crucial four minutes, and for the Navy to pursue him now would be disgraceful. However, Sengoku was bound to speak from the Navy's perspective and could not voice these thoughts openly, lest it cause further unrest within the Navy. The Navy was already in a precarious position, and Sengoku, a sailor for life, could not bear to see it crumble entirely.
To Sengoku, this situation represented nothing less than the collapse of everything he stood for. Yet, even with the Navy on the edge of destruction, pursuing Shiro now would portray the Navy as nothing more than the World Government's lackeys. What would it mean if they hunted a man who had saved countless lives?
"Hmph, those matters are not for the Inspector General to handle," Akainu retorted,
"But if Aramaki and I can capture Shiro, the Navy's crisis will be resolved immediately."
Akainu, relentless in his belief, had become obsessed with capturing Shiro. To him, even though Shiro had saved them all, it didn't absolve him from the justice that the Navy upheld. Shiro had only saved rebels, and Akainu's sense of justice dictated that Shiro would have killed him without hesitation if their roles had been reversed.
"Hahahaha, arrest him immediately?" Sengoku's sudden laughter filled the room, surprising both Akainu and Green Bull.
"Sakazuki, Aramaki, do you really think Shiro is gravely injured?" Sengoku asked with narrowed eyes.
During the war, both the World Government and the Navy Headquarters had mistakenly believed Shiro to be incapacitated. But what happened? Shiro single-handedly changed the tide of the entire battle.
"Even if Shiro is injured, with his strength and speed, are you confident you can catch him? If you fail, and the Central Authority retaliates against the Navy's branches across the Four Seas, what will you do?"
Sengoku questioned them firmly. They needed to be realistic. Shiro was no longer just another pirate. He and the Central Authority had surpassed even the infamous Rocks Pirates.
In other words, Shiro and the Central Authority now held power rivaling the greatest forces on the seas.
"If that's the case, let Borsalino go with us. Surely he can catch that kid," Admiral Aramaki suggested after considering Sengoku's words.
But Sengoku shook his head. "Borsalino? He's already taken the initiative to visit the branch bases across the New World to stabilize."
With that, Sengoku turned his back on Akainu and Aramaki, leaving them in frustrated silence.
"Shiro!" Akainu growled, his fists clenched as he watched Sengoku walk away. His frustration boiled over, knowing this would be the Navy's last opportunity to apprehend Shiro. After this, the Navy would no longer be a match for him.
...
Somewhere deep beneath the sea in the New World, a black submarine equipped with advanced technology floated in the depths, its robotic arms busy capturing Sea Kings and preparing meals automatically.
Akainu's assumption was only partially correct. Shiro had indeed been gravely injured by the sixteen devastating attacks, but after acquiring the physique of a God, his recovery was astonishing. Now, Shiro had recovered almost entirely, even surpassing his previous peak combat power.
This meant that Shiro had officially ascended into the ranks of the most powerful individuals in the pirate world.
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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg