"It is indeed a troublesome matter."
"A treasure rivaling the wealth of nations is enough to make those commoners risk their lives."
"The sea is likely to become turbulent again."
After careful analysis, the joy on the faces of the Five Elders vanished completely.
They could already foresee that soon, a greater number of pirates would emerge on the seas... killing, looting, and causing endless unrest.
They didn't care about the lives of commoners, but they cared about the stability of their rule.
"Compared to that, I'm more worried about something else."
"Before Roger was executed, the very last sentence he spoke!"
Here, the blonde Elder, arms crossed on the sofa, emphasized his tone: "He mentioned Reynolds!"
Hearing this long-lost name, ripples of unease surged in the hearts of the other Elders present.
Ever since the God Valley Incident, they had searched the world for Reynolds under Im's orders.
But in the end, they found nothing.
Reynolds and his crew seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving no trace.
Ten years passed. Im was furious but helpless.
Just recently, she had fallen into slumber again.
After failing to find Reynolds for so many years, amidst their anger, the Five Elders held a sliver of hope: perhaps Reynolds wasn't interested in overthrowing the World Government or taking that highest seat.
But Roger's last words before death shattered their defenses completely.
"Reynolds! You want to dominate this world too, don't you?!!"
When they heard this sentence through the video Den Den Mushi, the last shred of hope in their hearts vanished into smoke.
That's right. How could Reynolds be someone without ambition?!
If he truly had no ambition, why did he appear at God Valley?!
And why did he kill the Celestial Dragons?!
Just to oppose them for the sake of it?!
It was precisely because they realized this that they became even more distressed.
An enemy in the open is not terrifying.
An enemy in the shadows is the most lethal.
Currently, they knew absolutely nothing about the whereabouts of Reynolds or the other members of his crew.
No one knew what Reynolds had been plotting during these fourteen years.
But one thing they could be certain of was that when Reynolds reappeared on the sea, he would inevitably unleash a storm of blood and violence.
They had to prepare in advance to be safe.
"We absolutely cannot sit and wait for death!"
"Notify Kong and CP0. Send more personnel. Spare no cost to find Reynolds for me through every channel available!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Warrior God of Defense tapped his cane.
"That's right. Even if we can't find Reynolds, finding the others is the same."
"I don't believe it. For so many years, has the entire Reynolds Pirates just been hiding in one place?!""As long as we find one, we can follow the vine to the melon and find that bastard Reynolds."
The sword-wielding Elder, resting his chin on his hands with a dark gaze, added.
"Seconded!" "Seconded!"
"Then it's decided." "Send out the order!"
...
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
After more than a decade of development, Marineford had not only returned to its former glory but even surpassed it.
Simply put, as long as Reynolds didn't come out to wreak havoc, the Navy's development improved day by day.
Brand-new warships were docked at the shore, larger in scale and higher in specifications than before.
On the towering walls, elite soldiers, armed to the teeth with live ammunition, stood ready, scanning the surroundings with hawk-like eyes, prepared for any sudden situation.
On the training grounds, loud and resonant voices echoed throughout Marine Headquarters once more.
Through the World Military Draft, the Navy not only replenished the troops lost in the Battle of God Valley but also added tens of thousands more.
The current Marine Headquarters truly deserved to be called an impregnable fortress.
At the same time, through rigorous selection from tens of thousands of soldiers, the Navy picked out those with good aptitude.
Spending several times the manpower, resources, and money to cultivate them, the number of Vice Admirals was now significantly higher than in the past.
Thanks to the full support of the World Government, Kong wouldn't have been able to afford such massive military expenses otherwise.
What relieved the high-ranking Marines the most was that after Zephyr's death, they had worried about a lack of successors in the coming decades.
But unexpectedly, three promising seedlings capable of becoming Admirals in the future actually appeared within the Navy.
They were Sakazuki, user of the Magma-Magma Fruit; Kuzan (Aokiji), user of the Ice-Ice Fruit; and Borsalino (Kizaru), user of the Glint-Glint Fruit.
Although the three were only Vice Admirals in rank, their strength far exceeded that of other Vice Admirals. They were the cream of the crop.
Given time, there was a huge possibility they would become Admirals.
Fleet Admiral's Office.
Several years ago, Admiral Kong was promoted to become the first Fleet Admiral of the Navy.
Sengoku and Garp naturally ascended to the positions of Admirals.
It must be mentioned here that initially, Garp refused.
In the God Valley Incident, to avoid unnecessary repercussions, the World Government unilaterally erased the fact that Garp and Roger had teamed up, attributing all the credit to Garp alone.
They proclaimed to the world that Garp single-handedly stopped the entire Rocks Pirates, earning him the title "Hero of the Marines."
Garp always held a grudge about this matter and found it hard to let go.
But since an Admiral was needed and Zephyr was dead, Sengoku alone couldn't uphold the Navy's prestige. Under heavy pressure from Kong and persuasion from his two close comrades, Garp reluctantly accepted the position, becoming a Marine Admiral.
Actually, there was a more important reason.
In the original story, Garp didn't want to become an Admiral for two reasons.
The reason mentioned above was secondary.
The most important reason was that although he teamed up with Roger to eliminate Rocks, solving a major threat, he had also indirectly protected 200 Celestial Dragons.
Garp had always despised the Celestial Dragons. If possible, he would have wished to eliminate those guys himself.
But in this timeline's God Valley Incident, all 200 Celestial Dragons were killed, so that reason naturally didn't exist anymore.
The newly renovated Fleet Admiral's office was grander and larger, capable of accommodating more Marine officers.
This also signified that the Navy's cause was thriving.
At this moment, all officers with the rank of Vice Admiral and above stationed at headquarters were present.
Looking at the room full of officers, Kong nodded with satisfaction.
These were the backbone of the Navy, the core force protecting the peace of the sea.
Besides Sengoku and Garp, his gaze lingered on Sakazuki, Aokiji, and Kizaru for a moment longer.
These three potential Admirals must be cultivated well.
The officers below were discussing in low voices, mostly talking about Roger's execution.
With Roger dead, a heavy burden was lifted from their hearts.
Now, only Whitebeard and Shiki were still causing trouble on the seas. As for the others, they were not worth fearing.
Of course, this was the thinking of most of the new generation of Vice Admirals.
Those Vice Admirals who had survived God Valley were not so optimistic.
"Gentlemen!"
The whispering officers stopped their discussions immediately and sat upright.
Fleet Admiral Kong scanned the officers below and spoke slowly: "I have gathered everyone here today for three things."
"First thing."
"I presume everyone already knows the news of Roger's execution. However, not long ago, someone reported to us that in the year before Roger surrendered, his behavior on Baterilla Island was not like a Pirate King at all, but more like a father."
"Therefore, we have reason to suspect that he got married on Baterilla and that someone is already pregnant with his child."
Sitting in the front row, Garp's eyes flickered slightly upon hearing this.
But he quickly concealed it well.
Here, Kong's tone became much heavier: "Roger was the most vicious pirate in the world. Neither he nor his bloodline can be allowed to exist in this world."
"Sakazuki!"
"Fleet Admiral!" Sakazuki stood up immediately upon being called.
"I order you to deduce the approximate time of Roger's child's birth, find him, and root him out completely!"
Kong said coldly, his face full of killing intent.
Sakazuki, who upheld Absolute Justice, suited his taste perfectly.
He was the most suitable person for this task, and for Sakazuki, this was also a great opportunity to earn merit.
"But..." Sakazuki hesitated slightly. "Fleet Admiral, what if there are many infants during that time period? How should I judge?!"
He didn't have the ability to accurately identify which infant was Roger's child among all of them.
"Sakazuki, it seems you didn't hear what I just said clearly. I said Roger's child absolutely cannot remain in this world!!"
"Anyone with Roger's blood in their veins absolutely cannot survive!"
"If, as you say, you cannot make an accurate judgment among those infants during that time period, then it means all the infants are Roger's children. Do you understand now?!"
Kong's words caused all the Marine officers present to widen their eyes in disbelief.
This... didn't this mean that any woman pregnant at the same time as Roger's wife would have her child killed?!
According to Kong, the informant only felt Roger's behavior was suspicious.
There was no substantial evidence.
Were they really going to commit such an inhumane act based on vague speculation?!
"Fleet Admiral, I disagree with this!" Garp, unable to hold back any longer, spoke coldly.
He was the only person here who knew the truth: Roger indeed had a child.
And before Roger died, he entrusted the child to Garp to take care of.
Leaving aside Roger's child, the other infants didn't deserve to die.
"Garp, shut your mouth!"
"Roger's matter is no small trifle. This is a direct order from the Five Elders!"
"Do you really want to see Roger's child grow up decades later to become the next Pirate King?!"
"We absolutely cannot let past events repeat themselves. Therefore, those infants must die. This matter is not up for discussion."
"Even if you don't do it, I will have someone else do it."
"I'll go!" Sakazuki responded immediately.
Knowing he could strangle a future Pirate King in the cradle, the only sliver of guilt in his heart vanished instantly.
"Good. That ends this matter."
Kong waved his hand, not wanting to dwell on this any longer.
As long as Roger's bloodline could be severed, a few infants dying was a small price to pay.
"Second thing. Although Roger is dead, his last two sentences have had a profound impact on the sea."
"Vice Admirals from the Four Blues have reported that the number of pirates setting sail recently is much higher than before, and criminal activities are more frequent."
"If nothing unexpected happens, these guys are all after Roger's treasure."
Thinking of this, Kong gritted his teeth in hatred.
"That damn Roger. He opposed us while alive, and even in death, he causes us so much trouble."
"When you go out on missions during this time, if you find these hateful guys, arrest them all for me."
"If they dare to resist, kill them on the spot!"
"For these scum of the sea, we must kill one to warn a hundred!"
The officers didn't object to this. Marines catching pirates was only natural.
The Navy was strong now. If those pirates didn't know their place, they didn't mind teaching them a lesson.
"Arara, Fleet Admiral, what about the last thing?!"
Seeing Kong suddenly fall silent, Aokiji slowly exhaled a breath of cold air, puzzled.
"The last thing is about Reynolds."
"Reynolds?!"
"It's him?!"
The expressions of many Vice Admirals who had dealt with Reynolds changed slightly.
They had forgotten how long it had been since they heard this name in such a formal setting.
Could it be?!
"What? Is this guy really as strong as you say?!"
"Yeah, I heard that even Pirate King Roger and the former Overlord of the Seas, Rocks, couldn't compare to him? Is that true? Aren't you guys exaggerating a bit?!""I don't believe it either."
Some of the newer generation Vice Admirals expressed their skepticism.
They had heard the name Reynolds countless times; it was like thunder to their ears.
But the problem was, they had never seen him.
Roger, on the other hand, was someone they had actually fought against.
They knew Roger's strength all too well.
To say Reynolds was even stronger than Roger?!
They refused to believe it no matter what.
"Fleet Admiral, have traces of Reynolds been found on the sea?!" Hearing Reynolds' name, Garp asked in a deep voice.
Every time Reynolds appeared, the Navy suffered heavy losses, and the sea was plunged into turmoil.
"No," Kong shook his head.
Hearing the word "no," Sengoku and Garp both breathed a sigh of relief for some reason.
It was a subconscious reaction, one they couldn't even explain themselves.
"It is precisely because there are no traces that we should be even more vigilant."
"Leaving Reynolds aside, any of the top-ranking members of the Reynolds Pirates possess strength comparable to Rayleigh."
"But since the God Valley Incident, all of them have vanished without a trace. Do you really think these guys have just retired from the world?!"
"That guy Reynolds... who knows what he's plotting in the dark."
Kong cast an imperceptible glance at his missing arm, a cold killing intent flashing in his lowered eyes.
Back then, if he hadn't run fast enough, he would probably be brothers with Saint Garling in the underworld right now.
Every time he looked at this severed arm, the phantom pain throbbed.
He swore that one day he would kill Reynolds and avenge this grudge.
Calming himself slightly, Kong continued:
"From now on, mobilize all naval forces. Spare no cost to find Reynolds and the members of the Reynolds Pirates."
"Tsuru, contact all World Government member nations. Ask them to cooperate with us and keep a close eye on these guys. Once any trace is found, report it immediately."
"Sengoku, notify the Marine branches in the Four Blues and the Grand Line. Have them issue a bounty: anyone who provides accurate information on any member of the Reynolds Pirates will be rewarded with a bounty ranging from 100 million to 1 billion Berries!"
One billion Berries?!
Many Vice Admirals gasped upon hearing this astronomical figure.
Note that this wasn't a bounty on their heads.
It was a reward simply for providing accurate information on a Reynolds Pirates member—up to 1 billion Berries.
For ordinary civilians, 1 billion Berries was enough to live worry-free for several lifetimes.
"Aokiji, Kizaru. You two find a way to utilize underground forces to help us search for these guys."
"Remember, this is a direct order from the Five Elders. We must find Reynolds in the shortest possible time!"
"If Reynolds is not removed, the sea will never know peace!"
"Does everyone understand?!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!!" "Yes, Sir!!"
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