Holy Land Mariejois.

Inside the Hall of Authority, the Gorosei were gathered, the air so heavy it felt like water could drip from it.

Outside the window, sunlight streamed through the stained-glass, casting the five figures' shadows long, like five silent statues.

"Kong will soon be promoted to Commander-in-Chief of the Entire Forces, and the position of Fleet Admiral must be decided as soon as possible," Shepherd Ju Peter Saint said, his voice low and authoritative, his hands clasped.

"There's no need to consider this matter. Currently, Sengoku is the most suitable candidate in the Marine."

Saint Izanbaron V. Nasujuro said coldly, his hand on his sword, "His capabilities and qualifications are impeccable.

And the Marine truly needs a dovish leader; the successor cannot continue to be hawkish."

"But once Sengoku is promoted to Fleet Admiral, all the Admiral positions in the Marine will be vacant," Saint Marcus Mars said, his brows furrowed, his fingertips lightly tapping the table.

"Currently, the suitable candidates in the Marine are Sakazuki, Kuzan, Borsalino… and Gern Reginald Sigma."

When Gern's name was mentioned, the temperature in the hall seemed to drop sharply.

The Gorosei's gazes simultaneously darkened, and the air became suffocatingly still.

"Gern…" Topman Warcury Saint slowly began, his walrus mustache trembling slightly.

"He arrested Roger, and his prestige has reached its peak. The Marine, and even most of the world, call him a 'legend'.

But his relationship with the World Government…"

"Don't forget," Saint Izanbaron V. Nasujuro snorted coldly.

"He completely disregarded the World Government back then, even causing Gringo Saint to lose face!"

"But the Marine needs him," Satan Saint said, pausing and tapping his cane, his deep gaze sweeping over the other four.

"Now that Roger's last words have ushered in the Great Pirate Era, the Marine needs a flag, a symbol that can deter pirates."

"But if he becomes an Admiral, his power will further expand," Saint Marcus Mars said, his gaze sharp.

"His ideals are at odds with ours, and he might even become the next 'trouble'."

Silence fell again.

The Gorosei knew clearly that Gern's achievements could no longer be ignored.

His feat of arresting the Pirate King made him the spiritual pillar of the Marine.

If his promotion were forcibly suppressed, it would not only cause unrest within the Marine.

"Perhaps… we could give him a nominal position?" Topman Warcury Saint tentatively suggested.

"Like 'Admiral Candidate' or 'Special Operations Commander'?"

"He won't accept it," Saint Izanbaron V. Nasujuro sneered. "That man's ambition is more than just a title."

"Then we can only…" Shepherd Ju Peter Saint slowly looked up, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

"Before he becomes an Admiral, assign him a 'cannot refuse' mission."

"You mean…" Saint Marcus Mars narrowed his eyes.

"Don't forget, there are only three Marineford Admiral positions," Satan Saint said lightly.

"We can increase them or not, and among the four, the younger ones are only Kuzan and Gern."

"You want them to fight?" Topman Warcury Saint interjected, his tone meaningful, "To make them turn on their best friends for the Admiral position?"

"Haha, that's a good idea, after all, if he fails, there's nothing that can be done…"

"What if he beats Kuzan?" Saint Izanbaron V. Nasujuro added coldly, his thumb lightly pushing the tsuba of his sword, a cold glint flashing.

"Kuzan isn't weak, and will he really succeed? After all, it's about striking down his best friend.

Besides… in the end, isn't it still up to us?"

…

Grand Line, Lulutak Island.

The entire island was reduced to ruins, warship wreckage impaled like tombstones on the scorched earth, smoke billowing, the air filled with a pungent smell of sulfur.

And at the apex of it all, Douglas Bullet stood like a mountain.

His muscular body was covered in scars, yet he still exuded a suffocating pressure.

"Marine… endless," he sneered, crushing the tattered Marine branch colonel in his hand, his eyes scanning the sea.

"Too bad, no matter how many small fry come, the result is the same…"

Before he finished speaking, a pale particle ray suddenly tore through the air, heading straight for his glabella!

Bullet's pupils constricted, his Observation Haki wildly warning him, and in the nick of time, he sharply turned his head.

"Whoosh!" The ray grazed his cheek with a strong gust of wind, exploding into a hundred-meter-diameter crater on the rock wall behind him, making the entire island tremble!

"This kind of attack…" Bullet slowly turned his head, his gaze like a blade piercing the sea.

He had thought it would be the Glint-Glint Fruit user, however…

At the bow of the warship, Gern withdrew his fingertips, the high-frequency vibrating particles around them slowly dissipating.

The sea breeze lifted his cloak of justice, revealing black blade eight desolations, wrapped in grayish-white bandages, at his waist.

"It seems you've gotten much stronger than back then…" Gern's lips curved into a dangerous smile.

"Little Bullet, who I shattered with one punch."

Looking at Gern's smile, Bullet's pupils trembled, a humiliating scene from back then flashing in his mind.

Especially since the guy who arrested Roger happened to be him!!

"Heaven Quake!!!" Bullet's roar echoed through the sky.

Conqueror's Haki erupted like a tsunami, a dark aura instantly engulfing the entire island!

The ground beneath him collapsed, and the violent air currents swept away all the surrounding wreckage.

Gern, however, remained motionless, merely raising his hand slightly.

"Boom!" Purple-black Haoshoku lightning arcs burst from around him, colliding with Bullet's Haki in the air, instantly tearing the sky in half!

"You couldn't possibly beat Roger, but…" Bullet's eyes widened, then he burst into mad laughter.

"Hahahahaha! This is what makes it interesting! After Roger's death, someone can finally make me serious!"

"You've really gone berserk, haven't you! You're talking like your left and right brains are fighting," Gern took a step forward, his figure instantly vanishing.

"It's just a shame, your 'seriousness'… is probably not enough."

"Black Tremor: Instant Flash!"

Bullet sharply leaned back, Gern's fist grazing past his nose, and wherever the punch-wind passed, the space actually showed spiderweb-like pale cracks!

"Bang!!!" The warship deck beneath their feet exploded, and Gern used the momentum to spin, the moment black blade eight desolations was unleashed—

"Clang!" Bullet's giant fist, covered in Armament Haki, collided with the blade, the shockwave instantly displacing the seawater within a hundred-meter radius!

"Sorry…" Bullet stared at the pale energy flowing along the blade edge, sneering, "I'm not just a little bit stronger than back then! Heaven Quake."