Chapter 15: Qualified leeks must know how to develop themselves!
"By the way, where's that guy Krige? The old man remembers he's around here," Kahn inquired directly.
Zeff's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know?" Zeff couldn't help but ask.
"Why would you think the old man wouldn't know?" Kahn retorted.
"Pochi, go and bring that guy here. He has a bounty of over ten million," Kahn instructed.
Zeff and the others remained subdued.
Kahn turned and left the scene.
Of course, he took the money with him.
Inside the warship's office, Kahn was in high spirits.
Another 200 million Berries had just been added to his account.
"It seems I was a bit foolish before. If I had been doing this all along, I'd probably have amassed over 10 billion by now."
At Baratie Restaurant.
"Curse the Navy!" Sanji exclaimed.
"Enough with the complaining, the important thing is that we survived," Zeff interjected.
The others looked at him, surprised by his comment.
"Did you notice something? That Navy officer earlier had a bandage on his right hand. It appeared to be a recent injury, and he had a clear objective from the start. We were too far away during the battle, so we couldn't hear what they said, but I can speculate."
"What's the connection?"
"Think about what Hawkeye said when he asked for a boat."
The revelation left everyone stunned.
When Zoro questioned him, Hawkeye mentioned he had just fought against a seasoned Navy veteran.
Although he mentioned it casually without divulging further details, the combination of 'veteran,' 'injury,' and 'clear objective' painted a coherent picture.
Everyone except Luffy wore expressions of incredulity.
"What? What's going on?" Luffy felt the shift in the atmosphere and inquired.
However, he was met with silence from everyone.
"Could that have been the person who fought Hawkeye earlier?" Sanji questioned in disbelief.
"I see, that explains his immense strength!" Zoro commented seriously.
"The Dragon, you say?" Usopp asked, still puzzled.
"It's possible. Or maybe it's a result of his Devil Fruit ability," Sanji responded, taking a drag of his cigarette.
"Indeed, that's the most plausible explanation. Within the East Blue, there are scarcely any pirates capable of injuring a Headquarters Vice Admiral," Zeff added.
"Are Headquarters Vice Admirals really that powerful?" Sanji asked skeptically.
The conversation was riddled with doubt.
"No, the average Vice Admiral isn't on his level. I'm certain he's an exceptional case."
The clarification brought a sense of relief to the group.
If all Vice Admirals were as formidable, they might as well give up on being pirates.
"Did you mean that he is Dragon?" Luffy was still clueless.
All eyes turned to him.
"Luffy, he's the one who faced Hawkeye earlier," Usopp explained, relief etched across his face.
Finally grasping the situation, Luffy looked surprised.
"Oh, so it's him!"
The group's exasperation was palpable.
Simultaneously, explosive news spread like wildfire throughout the world.
In the relatively placid East Blue, an astounding battle had erupted.
One of the participants was none other than the world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk.
The other contender was a mysterious newcomer, their identity yet to be confirmed.
However, one thing was certain: their strength was unparalleled on a global scale.
This conclusion was drawn from eyewitness accounts of their battle.
According to rumors, the confrontation between the two produced a slash that cleaved through the sky, causing monstrous waves to surge.
The fiery dragon's explosion of power was such that even Mihawk was injured in the skirmish.
In essence, news of the clash quickly garnered the attention of the world's most influential figures.
Nonetheless, their inability to approach the battlefield left them lacking details. The new combatant's identity remained uncertain. But one certainty remained: the individual was affiliated with the Navy.
The World Government's domain, Mary Geoise.
Five Elder Stars' chamber.
"What's your assessment of the mysterious powerhouse that emerged in the East Blue?" inquired the blond Elder Star.
As figures at the summit of world power, they were swiftly informed about the battle.
Given the level of the conflict, their attention was captured. Although the sea was populated by numerous formidable figures, only a select few could be considered at the pinnacle.
"Likely affiliated with the Navy," the knife-wielding Elder Star replied.
"Displaying such strength indicates the culmination of their Devil Fruit's development. Additionally, it seems this particular fruit hasn't been encountered before," the curly-haired Elder Star stated, exuding caution.
"It's possible the power originates from a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, signifying a troublesome individual," the goatee-wearing Elder Star contributed.
"At present, it's best not to fret about this matter. The Navy should handle it, considering the opponent is within their ranks. Our current concern is the Revolutionary Army. Intelligence from CP0 indicates they've initiated action," the bald Elder Star asserted.
"Indeed, these troublesome 'D' individuals."
Despite the situation demanding their attention, the level of combatant was clear.
It was the Sengoku responsibility to manage, as they dealt with individuals of this caliber.
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