Arceus's Pirate Journey

Chapter 444: Chapter 443: The Navy’s Fig Leaf, Sasaki’s Request

Looking at the Plate on Sasaki’s ship, Olga understood that the situation was different. Following a familiar tradition, Olga punched that Plate and could basically confirm it was the genuine article.

”What a lucky kid....”

”Yeah, Arceus’s thing was actually found by some newcomer.”

Gazing at that Plate, the people behind Olga began to whisper. After all, this was the greatest achievement within the Hundred Beasts, and apart from some special battle merits, nothing could compare to this.

With this achievement here, the matter that nearly ruined their big plans before could be turned over, since the final outcome regarding the Seven Warlords of the Sea was not affected much, but this Plate was absolutely real.

”This is the gift I’ve prepared for Master Kaidou as a token of my allegiance. Is this enough?”

”No problem, with this, you are more than qualified to join the Hundred Beasts, and you will also receive excellent rewards. Come with me.”

Due to the Plate, Olga also changed her course, preparing to depart early and return to Ghost Island. This also put Sasaki on certain people’s blacklists.

Originally, Olga would have lingered in the vicinity for a while. Hancock had even invited her to Nine Snakes, and although it was similarly isolationist, Hancock now held significant power, and something so trivial wouldn’t be countered by Gloriosa.

On Nine Snakes’ ship, they were celebrating because of the new position with the Seven Warlords; it meant another safeguard for them.

The identity of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, combined with the Windless Zone and Hancock’s strength, meant Amazon Lily was in an almost absolutely safe state in the First Half of the Grand Line.

However, when Olga’s call came through, Hancock’s expression darkened.

”Hancock, what’s wrong?”

”Granny, do you recognize this flag?”

”This flag... let me think, it seems to belong to this year’s newcomer, ’Full-Sieve Sasaki’, with a bounty of 88 million Belly. Why?”

”Nothing, just remembered him. By the way, Granny, you are always so knowledgeable, aren’t you?”

Upon hearing this, Gloriosa sensed something was amiss. Hancock had started to find her nagging less than half a month after returning to Amazon Lily, so addressing her with honorifics was almost impossible.

”What are you up to?”

”Nothing, I just wanted to ask you, Granny, whether you’ve seen a kind of stone while you were away from Amazon Lily, hexagonal, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom.”

Living on Ghost Island for three years, she had heard a bit about this; for someone like Sasaki, a random pirate, to stir up such a commotion with it, she felt she could also do the same.

”No... no, I haven’t seen such a thing.”

”Tch, waste of time, return to home!”

”Yes, Snake Princess!”

Hancock demonstrated what could be called a lightning-quick change of face, immediately taking Nine Snakes’ pirates back to Amazon Lily.

Olga was still on her way back to Wano Kuni with Sasaki, while at the Navy Headquarters, some were not calm. Inside the Marshal’s office, Sengoku felt extremely conflicted as he looked at the intelligence papers handed over by Kong.

The responses from the pirates came one after another, Hancock actively asking for the position, and Moonlight Moriah and Dracule Mihawk receiving government invitations.

Comil’s transmitted information had already authenticated Hancock’s status as a Warlord of the Sea; though rebellious, her strength was adequate.

Moriah simply didn’t refuse, and he readily agreed to the World Government’s invitation to become a Warlord, even though he was increasingly becoming a recluse; his hatred for Kaidou remained endless.

However, his ability to become a Warlord was also thanks to Kaidou; the World Government did not evaluate his strength, but rather gave him the position because of his battle record with Kaidou.

These two didn’t concern Sengoku, one being Hancock’s first time at sea and the other Moriah after a long period of dormancy, neither would shake him, but the last one, Mihawk, was different.

”Brother Kong, this guy attacked many of our colleagues! Can someone known as the Navy Hunter really become a Warlord of the Sea?!”

Hancock used other pirates as her debut, Moriah relied on past achievements, but Hawkeye left Navy corpses in his wake; the term Navy Hunter was no joke.

”If someone like that can be called a Warlord of the Sea, what about our dignity?”

”This was the decision of the Five Elders, they reached an agreement with him. From now on, the title of Navy Hunter will be concealed, and only Hawkeye-Dracule Mihawk will remain.”

Kong revealed the decision from above, this was also the fig leaf left for the Navy by the World Government; while the Navy is a military force, it is not the only military force of the World Government, and their decisions don’t consider the feelings of the Navy.

Whether it’s Hawkeye’s selection or the original timeline’s selection of Byrnndi, in their view, former great Admirals who dedicated their lives to the Navy didn’t amount to much.

Even getting the Navy Hunter’s title erased was the result of Kong’s persistent arguments.

”.... ”

”Sengoku, you must understand, the Navy today isn’t the Navy it was initially.”

The Navy started as merely a tool for the World Government, but as time went on, the nature of this tool hasn’t changed; however, more and more Navy personnel with individuality emerged, sometimes even making decisions contrary to the World Government.

Today’s Navy possesses a certain degree of independence, but this independence is still within the World Government’s tolerated limits.

”I understand...”

”You’ll understand once you sit in this position, being the Navy Admiral isn’t easy.”

The internal opposition in the Navy had no effect, even with some leaving as a result, Dracule Mihawk still joined the Seven Warlords of the Sea, gaining recognition as the Great Sword Master, Hawkeye.

On the front page of the next day’s newspaper, the names of Moonlight Moriah, Pirate Empress-Boa Hancock, and Hawkeye-Dracule Mihawk once again dominated the headlines.

After a period of sailing, Olga also brought Sasaki to Ghost Island.

Generally, newcomers aren’t qualified to come here, but Sasaki, having brought back a Plate, was an exception, and he even received a special audience opportunity.

”Lord Arceus, the person is brought here, and your item as well.”

”Very good, Sasaki, right? You’ve done well, according to our established rules, you deserve a reward..”

”Hold on, Lord Arceus.”

Sasaki interrupted Arceus, since he had brought a Plate, he wasn’t concerned with such trifles.

”What?”

”I wish to meet Master Kaidou, and I hope to receive a reward from that Master.”

He was ultimately an outsider, unaware of the internal matters within the Beast Pirates and still a fervent fan of Kaidou. Preferring to meet Kaidou over Arceus, the second-in-command in name.