"You mean Ryūjin?"
Sengoku fell silent for a moment before fixing his gaze on Dragon and speaking slowly.
"Besides Ryūjin, who else can suppress this vast sea?" Dragon replied casually.
The three admirals, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru, exchanged glances but remained silent. They were already aligned with Ryūjin and had no objections to Dragon's proposal.
Only Garp found it completely unacceptable.
"What kind of nonsense is this? The man who trampled the Navy's dignity and destroyed the World Government, and now we're supposed to rely on him? That's ridiculous!"
Garp's voice thundered through the room.
"The Navy serving the Celestial Dragons like obedient dogs is what truly lacks dignity. Ryūjin destroying Mary Geoise is the first step toward restoring it," Dragon shot back without hesitation.
"Dogs? How dare you speak about the Navy like that!" Garp grabbed Dragon by the collar, fury evident.
"The truth doesn't change just because you dislike how it sounds," Dragon replied, meeting his father's eyes without flinching.
"That's enough, Garp. Now is not the time for this," Sengoku intervened, his voice firm. "This isn't about dignity. The Navy is standing at the edge of collapse."
Garp took several heavy breaths before finally letting go.
"Right now, the entire world sees Ryūjin as a god. Only he can stabilize the seas and restore order."
"I've said what I needed to say. The choice is yours."
With that, Dragon transformed into a raging wind and vanished.
Silence settled over the room as Sengoku and the others exchanged glances.
"Sengoku… you're not actually considering this, are you?" Garp asked, unease creeping into his voice.
"This is our only option," Sengoku answered gravely.
"I won't accept it. If you go through with this, I'm leaving the Navy," Garp declared before turning and walking out.
Sengoku watched his old friend leave, then sighed.
Once Garp was gone, the others spoke freely.
"From our current position, inviting Ryūjin-sama into the Navy is the best solution," Aokiji said seriously.
Ryūjin's reputation had reached an overwhelming level. Across the world, he was revered as a god. His presence alone could suppress the entire sea.
That level of deterrence surpassed both the Navy and the former World Government.
And it was exactly what the world needed.
It was not just his strength that mattered. His actions and character also played a role in their decision.
Despite repeatedly humiliating the Navy, Ryūjin had shown restraint. The three admirals had been defeated by him multiple times, yet none had been killed.
Even during the assault on Marineford, when one hundred fifty thousand Marines had prepared for death, Ryūjin simply threw them into the sea. Not a single life was lost, and Marineford itself remained untouched.
There was nothing about him that made him unacceptable.
"Call a high-level meeting," Sengoku decided.
When the proposal was presented, the room erupted.
At first, many reacted like Garp, dismissing the idea as absurd. But as the discussion continued, opinions began to shift.
The Navy had closely monitored Ryūjin ever since his rise in the East Blue. Their intelligence on him was extensive.
Though reckless at times, he never harmed others without reason. Whether Navy or pirate, anyone who did not provoke him was ignored.
Even when the Navy launched repeated attacks, casualties were minimal, aside from those who initiated a Buster Call.
Given his ability to slay massive dragons and summon enormous meteorites, such restraint was almost unbelievable.
Debate continued, but the outcome surprised many. Most supported the proposal.
If the Shichibukai system could exist, then accepting Ryūjin was not impossible.
Compared to the ruthless pirates within that system, Ryūjin was far more reliable.
The real challenge was not whether to accept him, but how to do it.
Still, the meeting marked a decisive beginning.
"If there are no objections, I will contact Ryūjin," Sengoku concluded.
Back in his office, he took out a Den Den Mushi and made the call.
"Ryūjin-sama, the world has no other way. Only your prestige can restore order. Please do not refuse. Otherwise, chaos will consume everything."
"Fine, I'll do it," Ryūjin replied without hesitation.
After all, the current chaos was partly his doing.
"Use my name however you want. If you need anything, say it."
He ended the call immediately.
Sengoku understood.
After further discussions, the Navy reached a final decision. Ryūjin would become the new Fleet Admiral.
Given his status, no lesser title would suffice.
As for Kong, the former Fleet Admiral, he had perished along with Mary Geoise, swallowed by the sea.
The position granted to Ryūjin was largely symbolic, with no real authority attached. Even so, it was enough.
Ryūjin did not care about power. It was nothing but a hassle.
"Alright," he said when informed, offering no further comment.
Soon after, the announcement spread across the world.
The Navy declared that Kong had retired due to age, and Ryūjin the Demonic Eye was now Fleet Admiral.
The reaction was immediate.
"A man who destroyed Mary Geoise is now Fleet Admiral?"
"This has to be the biggest joke in history."
"The Navy has no shame left."
Mockery spread everywhere.
Everyone understood the truth. The Navy lacked the power to control the seas and was borrowing Ryūjin's reputation.
But understanding did not change reality.
The moment Ryūjin accepted the position, it sent a clear message.
The chaotic seas fell silent.
Pirates no longer dared to act recklessly. Any provocation now meant challenging Ryūjin himself.
Even Big Mom, who had grown into the strongest among the Four Emperors, restrained herself.
A few defiant individuals attempted to challenge him, but they were swiftly eliminated by the Navy.
With large scale chaos prevented, the Navy could easily handle smaller threats.
Order returned.
Peace followed.
After briefly appearing at his inauguration, Ryūjin ignored all Navy matters and set out with Nami, Nico Robin, and the others to find the final Road Poneglyph.
The search took time. He explored nearly every possible location before finally uncovering it.
Without his extraordinary Observation Haki, it would have been impossible.
"Great, Lord Ryūjin, we've gathered all four Road Poneglyphs!" the crew cheered.
Excitement filled the ship.
Robin's hands trembled as she held the rubbings, her breathing uneven.
She quickly deciphered them, connecting the coordinates.
Laugh Tale had been found.
"This is it… Laugh Tale," she said.
"Let's go already!"
Half a month later, they arrived at the location.
There was nothing.
Only an endless stretch of ocean.
"Did we get it wrong?" Nami muttered, frustrated.
"No. The coordinates are correct," Robin said firmly. "The island is here. It's just hidden."
Ryūjin agreed.
If all four Poneglyphs pointed here, there was no mistake. The island simply was not ordinary.
In eight hundred years, only Roger had found it.
That alone proved it.
Ryūjin expanded his Observation Haki, scanning deeply.
Finally, he found it.
A massive island, hidden fifteen hundred meters beneath the sea.
Without hesitation, he brought Nami, Robin, and Crocodile with him using Kamui.
They appeared on the island.
"This is Laugh Tale? That's it?" Nami looked around in disbelief.
It was barren. Empty.
No treasure. No history. Nothing.
"So it really is just an empty island? Is that why Roger laughed?" Ryūjin muttered, unimpressed.
He scanned the island again.
Then he found something.
A black box.
Using Yomotsu Hirasaka, he pulled it into his hand.
Inside was a piece of paper and a notebook.
He glanced at the note first.
A single line was written on it:
"That's right, the notebook contains the secret of this island. But I advise you not to open it, or you will regret it."
At the bottom was a name.
Roger.
===
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