The Golden Dragon ship turned and headed toward the North Blue at its maximum speed.
At the same time.
The Navy Headquarters.
Fleet Admiral Kong was attending a meeting, a rather coincidental one, called due to the Beast Pirates.
"Ian the Skyfire has already defeated the Third Fleet under Ochoku, completely driving Ochoku's pirate crew out of that sea area!"
The person hosting the meeting was a green-haired navy officer, wearing the insignia of a lieutenant. It's hard to imagine how such a small role could have ended up in a meeting where even the Fleet Admiral himself was present.
"But this war may not end so easily! Latest news!"
The lieutenant said loudly, "Ochoku is furious on Hive Island, vowing to retaliate. From now on, even if it's not an all-out war between the Ochoku Pirates and the Beast Pirates, this struggle for hegemony will likely continue."
"Ochoku might take direct action, and when that happens, this battle for control in the New World will reach its climax!"
The lieutenant let out a sigh of relief before continuing, "However, Ochoku's chances of winning are slim. Apart from Kaido, the key factor is Ian the Skyfire, the Winged Dragon of Beast Pirates and his crew!"
"Let's take a look back at how many troublesome individuals have emerged on that ship, the Golden Dragon, in just under three years!"
"First!"
He slapped a bounty poster onto the blackboard behind him. "Bomber Drake!"
It was a photo of Drake piloting a bomber, taken at an unknown time.
"Bounty: 120 million Berries! Personal strength unknown, but he's the leader of the Beast Pirates' aerial division, yet he's always been aboard the Golden Dragon, with Ian!"
"Next, the Black Widow, Black Maria!"
The second bounty poster was of Black Maria, who had transformed into a Human-Beast Form, wielding her enormous, flame-wreathed weapon with wild abandon.
"Bounty: 315 million Berries! A user of an Ancient Zoan DF! Extremely powerful!"
The third bounty is for Jack. On the wanted poster, he stands atop a sea beast, his eyes indifferent and his aura overwhelming.
"Giant Elephant Jack! Ian's right-hand man, leader of the Fish-Man Brigade of the Beasts Pirates, and has always stayed on the Golden Dragon ship just like Drake! Exceptionally powerful, bounty: 472.3 million Berries!"
At this point, the lieutenant takes a brief breath before raising his voice even higher, "And now, we have the real monsters!"
Bang!
Another wanted poster is slammed onto the table.
The poster features an unbelievably beautiful black-haired girl, her chin slightly raised, seemingly looking down at something.
"Witch Hancock! Ability unknown, all enemies who've fought her have turned into stone! Suspected to be a user of the legendary Love-Love Fruit!
During the past two years of war, no one has been able to stop her! Her initial bounty was 400 million Berries, but it has now been increased to 700 million! A true monster!"
The naval officers in the large conference room begin to whisper among themselves.
"And then, the second-in-command of the Golden Dragon ship!"
Another wanted poster is revealed, showing a smiling white-haired girl. If one didn't know she was a terrifying pirate, they might think she was just a cute neighbor girl.
"Yamato of the Frozen Sea! Ian's childhood friend, Kaido's daughter! Inherited his powerful Oni bloodline! A Mythical Zoan ability user! She once froze the entire sea during a battle a year ago! Her strength is unimaginable! Bounty: 780 million Berries!"
The lieutenant pauses again, pulling out the final wanted poster.
For a moment, all the attendees in the room straighten their backs.
"And lastly, the captain of the Golden Dragon ship, the undeniable second-in-command of the Beasts Pirates, the King of Wano, and the actual ruler of the Beasts Pirates' territories, the Emperor Kaido's heir!"
The lieutenant slams the final wanted poster with immense force onto the board, the loud sound echoing through the spacious conference room. "Ian the Skyfire!"
On the wanted poster, the handsome young man smiles lightly, as if the world were beneath him.
"Three years ago, during the Battle of Hive Island, he made a name for himself. In the subsequent fierce battles with the Whitebeard Pirates, he shone brilliantly. He defeated Vice Admiral Gion in the North Blue and sent Vice Admiral Akainu back empty-handed from Amazon Lily. His first bounty was a staggering 800 million Berries! A monster among monsters! Over the past two years, he has fought all over the New World. Whether it was the Charlotte family's monsters or high-ranking officers of the Whitebeard Pirates, no one could stop him! Now his bounty is—"
"1.2 billion Berries! It's already the second-highest in the world, only below Whitebeard, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Ochoku! And he's just fifteen this year!"
The naval officers fell silent.
No matter how many times they saw it, they couldn't help but feel this way—this guy, Ian, is he really that exaggerated?
Such a bounty truly makes him a legitimate prince of pirates.
The lieutenant took a deep breath, calming his overly excited emotions. "It's no exaggeration to say that, excluding Kaido, the Golden Dragon Ship alone accounts for more than half of the Beast Pirates' power! We even believe that, even if Kaido doesn't intervene and he doesn't request support from Onigashima, Ian, with just the Golden Dragon Ship, could already be a match for Ochoku!"
"Without a doubt, the Beast Pirates have become the strongest pirate crew in the New World, no, in the entire world!"
Fleet Admiral Kong furrowed his brow.
Too fast.
The rate at which the Beast Pirates' territory is expanding can't even keep up with how quickly these damn brats are growing.
"Fleet Admiral! Latest news!"
At that moment, a messenger hurriedly rushed into the Fleet Admiral's office. "The Golden Dragon Ship has gone to the North Blue!"
"What?"
The massive Fleet Admiral turned around in surprise. "Are you sure?"
There was still an important, world government-authorized transaction going on in the North Blue.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Kong!"
The messenger shouted. "The Tech Division intercepted a communication between Ian and Morgans. Morgans was reporting the position of the Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo, to Ian the Skyfire."
Kong's brow instantly tightened.
Is Morgans' communication really that easy to intercept?
But the information is certainly not false.
Damn it!
Kong immediately clenched his fist.
Has he set his sights on the Op-Op Fruit?
That pesky brat who won't leave us alone!
"Tsuru is in charge of this transaction in the North Blue. She and Gion don't have enough strength," Kong thought.
"Borsalino is hunting the Sun Pirates in the first half. Sakazuki and Sengoku are at G-1 base. Kuzan and Garp are at headquarters. They can't make it in time."
"Send Zephyr to the North Blue! Isn't he leading the trainees in the New World? Let him go to the North Blue and meet with Tsuru!"
As for Doflamingo, Kong didn't worry about him. Doflamingo wouldn't dare offend Ian, let alone go directly against the Marines.
"Yes! Admiral Kong!"
**********
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