As Luffy reflected on his growth, a mix of pride and frustration filled his heart. Despite training under his teacher Zephyr for six years, his mastery of Armament Haki remained surface-level for a long time. The outward flow of Armament Haki was something he only achieved after years of accumulation and countless battles—particularly his brutal fights against Jack, the "punching bag."
Originally, Luffy believed it would take him years to break through to the next stage of Armament Haki. However, his encounters with Kaido, particularly those painful moments of being struck by Kaido's kanabo, had changed everything. The experience had been both physically excruciating and mentally enlightening.
Through those crushing blows, Luffy had unlocked a deeper understanding of destroying the internal structure of targets with Armament Haki. He felt he was just a step away from a full breakthrough.
"Thank you, Teacher Kaido," Luffy muttered, a wry smile on his face. However, he couldn't help but sigh. "The only pity is that the old men in the government wouldn't let us capture him when we had the chance. With our combined strength at the time, we could've taken him down."
Luffy's smile faded into a frown as he continued. "Alas, next time we go after Kaido, I can only imagine how many Marine lives will be lost."
Sentomaru, who had been quietly listening, remained silent for a moment. As someone whose primary duty was to protect Vegapunk rather than serve as a frontline Marine, he didn't share the same level of personal frustration. However, he could empathize with Luffy's disappointment.
"Well," Sentomaru began, attempting to change the subject, "at least it wasn't a total loss. Didn't the newspapers say the Marines have taken control of Wano Country? I heard the government plans to establish a naval base there. That's huge. Wano produces seastone, and with that under our control, the government and Marines will never face a shortage again."
Luffy, already familiar with the government's opportunistic nature, chuckled lightly. "You're not wrong," he admitted. "I was mad at first, but it's hard to stay angry when you know what to expect from them."
Adjusting his mood, Luffy leaned closer to Sentomaru and whispered conspiratorially, "Hey, here's a secret. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has recommended me to be the base commander of the Wano base. Once I leave Punk Hazard, I'm headed there to take up my post."
Sentomaru's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, you're going to be the base commander? But you're still a Rear Admiral! Don't tell me..."
Luffy smirked. "That's right. I'm due for a promotion to Vice Admiral."
Sentomaru gaped at him. "Damn! You're climbing the ranks fast! The last time I saw you in the news, you were a Captain. How long ago was that? A few months? And now you're on the verge of becoming a Vice Admiral?"
Luffy shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? It's still slower than some. I once brought back an uncle from Alabasta who went from nothing to Vice Admiral in a single day!"
He laughed at the memory but suddenly froze mid-laugh. His eyes widened as if struck by a realization. "Wait… Issho!" he exclaimed, slapping his forehead and jumping to his feet.
Sentomaru looked at him curiously. "Issho? You mean Fujitora? The new admiral candidate?"
"What?!" Luffy's jaw dropped. "Admiral candidate? When did that happen? Why wasn't I told?!"
Sentomaru pulled a newspaper from his bellyband and handed it to Luffy. "It's in today's headlines," he explained casually.
Luffy snatched the paper, not bothering to ask how Sentomaru had stored it, and quickly scanned the front page. The headline read:
"Rag to Riches! Civilian to Admiral Candidate in Under Six Months!"
It was unmistakably one of Morgans' sensationalist headlines, complete with the usual exaggeration and flair. But amidst the hyperbole, the core fact was undeniable: Issho had been appointed as an admiral candidate.
"Sengoku, you sly old fox!" Luffy growled, his face darkening. "You promised me Issho would return to me once I reached the New World. And now, he's been made an admiral candidate?!"
Luffy paced back and forth, fuming. "How am I, a Vice Admiral, supposed to command someone who's already an admiral candidate?!" He clenched his fists, shaking his head in disbelief. "Sengoku, you backstabber!"
Sentomaru, seemingly oblivious to Luffy's rage, nodded thoughtfully. "You know, I've heard about Issho's exploits. He joined the G-1 Branch only a few months ago, but he's already earned the admiration of everyone there.
"In that short time, he's led missions to annihilate over a dozen pirate groups coming through Fish-Man Island into the New World. Many of those pirates had bounties exceeding 100 million berries, and some even reached 500 million."
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