Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Fleet Admiral Sengoku's Move
Upon hearing that Lin Yan was willing to join the crew, Whitebeard was ecstatic. The more strong fighters they had on the Moby Dick, the stronger their foundation would be. However, Lin Yan had one condition: a man should only kneel to heaven, earth, and his parents. As such, he wouldn't call Whitebeard "Dad." Whitebeard didn't mind at all, understanding that Lin Yan had just joined their big family and was naturally feeling out of place. Whitebeard was accustomed to such situations and knew that his actions would earn Lin Yan's trust and approval.
"Gurararara, let's have a feast to welcome Lin!" Whitebeard shouted enthusiastically. A lively banquet was held on the Moby Dick, and everyone came to toast Lin. The crew were all heavy drinkers, and after a few drinks, any earlier misunderstandings were forgotten, and the atmosphere became jubilant. The shouts were loud, and everyone lived in the moment.
People are social creatures. Although Lin Yan wasn't a heavy drinker, he couldn't resist the crowd's enthusiasm, and one cup after another, they kept drinking. Whitebeard laughed and raised his cup. The banquet was just an excuse; Whitebeard wanted a good drink himself! The ship's doctor, Marco, was anxious. "Dad, that's enough!" Marco tried to stop Whitebeard from overindulging.
"Hey, Marco, that's not right. It's rare to have Lin join us, so let's not spoil the fun!" Whitebeard laughed, continuing to drink. Marco and Jozu usually prohibited Whitebeard from drinking, which made him crave it more. Today, he wanted to indulge! After all, Whitebeard's health issues were evident, and taking care of him was Marco's daily task. Seeing Whitebeard letting loose, Marco held his forehead, feeling it was hopeless.
While the Whitebeard Pirates were having fun, on the other side, news about them reached Marine Headquarters. The Whitebeard Pirates, being one of the Four Emperors, were closely monitored by the Marines, who even had spies in the surrounding waters. At this moment, a colonel, holding a Den Den Mushi, quickly entered the Fleet Admiral's office.
"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral! There's news about the Whitebeard Pirates!" The colonel handed over the Den Den Mushi. Inside the Marine office, three people sat solemnly. One of them, draped in robes adorned with honors, was munching on rice crackers, making crisp sounds. With white hair and a face full of wrinkles, he appeared strong and resolute. He was the "Marine Hero," Iron Fist Garp, who had cornered Roger and chased the Pirate King around the world! Behind Garp, another man, wearing an eyepatch, leaned back in his chair, legs crossed, half asleep. He was one of the three Admirals of the Navy, Kuzan, codenamed Aokiji.
In the very center of the office, under a large banner with the words "Justice Gate," sat the current Fleet Admiral, the supreme authority of Marineford, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Buddha Sengoku, a strategic genius and a king of the old era. Alongside Garp and Tsuru, they formed the Iron Triangle of the Navy. With his ability to strategize and decide battles from a thousand miles away, he once made legendary pirates like Golden Lion, Whitebeard, and Roger gnash their teeth in hatred!
Hearing the commotion from the Whitebeard Pirates, Garp stopped eating his senbei. Aokiji lifted half of his eye mask. Sengoku calmly said, "Bring it up!" Soon, the news of the Whitebeard Pirates recruiting a new crew member was known to Sengoku, Garp, and Aokiji.
Ordinarily, the Whitebeard Pirates recruiting a new crew member wouldn't be an unusual event. After all, the Navy recruits soldiers globally every year, which is not extraordinary. But here's the catch! When they learned that this new recruit had just boarded the Moby Dick and swept through the entire Whitebeard Pirates, even defeating Jozu, Vista, Izo, and other squad captains, the three of them exchanged looks with a hint of curiosity.
"Oh? It seems like Whitebeard has recruited quite an extraordinary guy!" Aokiji straightened up and said. "Taking down several squad captains in a row, this strength is at least top-tier!" Garp nodded slightly.
"Lin..." Looking at the name, Sengoku pondered. He had never heard of such a person before: "Who is this person?"
"Fleet Admiral, our people investigated before coming, and this person doesn't appear on the Navy's bounty list!" The Colonel had done his homework. Listening to the Colonel's words, this person is neither a Marine nor a Pirate, but seemingly a neutral entity. Taking down several squad captains in a row, and the key is, what are the levels of those squad captains? Not to mention Izo and Vista, Jozu is one of the few with a bounty exceeding a billion in the Whitebeard Pirates. Preliminary estimates put this new recruit's strength at a billion at least!
A billion at least. What's that concept? Moreover, randomly grabbing someone from the sea, and you hit the jackpot. How lucky is Whitebeard? Why can't the Navy recruit such talent?
"Darn Whitebeard, he just lost Fourth Division Captain Thatch recently, and now he got someone on par with other squad captains, Lin!" Sengoku frowned, with a concerned look on his cold face. He rubbed his temples. Over the years, since Roger announced the One Piece and started the Great Pirate Era, the Navy's dominance over the sea has waned, especially with the increasing number of pirates. Strong individuals are countless, and the Navy's control becomes increasingly strained.
All over the Four Seas, Grand Line, and New World, pirates have reached astonishing numbers, posing great trouble for the Navy. Because of this, Sengoku realized that as a Fleet Admiral, it's time for him to act.
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