BOOM!
A thunderous impact echoed across the battlefield.
Violent shockwaves swept outward in every direction.
Everyone’s pupils contracted.
The sight before them left them utterly stunned.
He had blocked it.
A strike that even Vice Admiral Momonga couldn’t withstand...
Had been stopped effortlessly with one hand.
The scene was nothing short of unbelievable.
Even Cavendish, who had been preparing to intervene, stood frozen in shock.
Against that attack, he had estimated that merely surviving a single blow would have been difficult.
Yet in Lucas’s hands...
It had looked completely effortless.
"Admiral... Admiral Lucas?"
Momonga stared in disbelief at the naginata that Lucas had casually stopped.
"When did you get here?"
During the past month, Momonga had remained stationed at Marine Base G-93 and hadn’t returned to Marine Headquarters.
Even so, he had heard countless rumors about the newly appointed Admiral.
Still...
He had never taken them seriously.
He didn’t understand why Lucas had been promoted directly to Admiral.
In his mind, the only Admirals truly worthy of respect were the original three.
How could someone so young compare to veterans like them?
But after seeing Lucas casually block Weevil’s attack...
That certainty began to waver.
"Headquarters received your request for reinforcements."
"No one else wanted to deal with this troublesome assignment."
"So I came."
Lucas adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses before looking up at the towering figure standing before him.
"So... this is Whitebeard Jr.?"
"The pirate worth a 15-million-Berry bonus?"
"No..."
"I suppose I should call him the World Government’s chosen candidate for the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
A 15-million-Berry bonus?
Momonga blinked.
The imposing image he had just built of Lucas instantly crumbled.
He had long heard rumors that the new Admiral was obsessed with bonuses, loved clocking in for work, and treated every mission like paid overtime.
But he never imagined...
That Lucas had come here not for justice...
But for a 15-million-Berry bonus.
Momonga quickly collected himself.
"Admiral Lucas!"
"Did you just say..."
"This pirate—the one who slaughtered Instructor Zephyr’s recruits and severed one of his arms—has actually been chosen by the World Government as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
"That can’t be true!"
"We already submitted a joint protest to the World Government!"
"There has to be some mistake!"
As one of Zephyr’s former students, Momonga understood better than most how devastating that tragedy had been.
Not only for Zephyr himself...
But for Marine Headquarters as a whole.
When he had first heard that Whitebeard Jr. was being considered as a Warlord candidate, he and many of Zephyr’s former students had immediately protested.
Yet now...
The confirmation had come directly from a Marine Admiral.
"It’s true."
"The documents came from Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the World Government."
"Ain will show them to you later."
"This idiot really is the next candidate for the Seven Warlords."
"But let’s deal with the situation in front of us first."
Lucas replied calmly.
Looking at the heavily wounded Momonga, he rubbed the bridge of his nose helplessly.
If memory served him correctly...
Among all the Vice Admirals...
Momonga truly had the worst luck.
In the original story, he appeared frequently.
With his distinctive mohawk, split mustache, striped suit, and Vice Admiral’s coat, he always projected the image of a stern, dependable Marine officer.
Among Marine Headquarters’ Vice Admirals...
He was practically the model professional.
Yet somehow...
Every single appearance ended badly for him.
Against Boa Hancock, he had been forced to stab his own hand just to escape the effects of the Mero Mero Mellow.
In the One Piece Film: Red storyline, he accompanied two Admirals in pursuit of Red-Haired Shanks...
Only for the entire Marine fleet to be wiped out by a burst of overwhelming Haki.
Aside from the two Admirals...
Momonga himself had been knocked unconscious on the spot.
And now...
He had been beaten half to death by Weevil.
Lucas seriously suspected that half the reason Vice Admirals had such an unfortunate reputation was because of Momonga.
If Marine Headquarters ever held a vote for the unluckiest Vice Admiral...
Lucas would nominate Momonga without hesitation.
Feeling the strange sympathy in Lucas’s eyes, Momonga stiffened awkwardly before speaking again.
"Admiral Lucas..."
"Perhaps you’re joking."
"Why don’t we return to Marine Headquarters first and clarify everything?"
"If Instructor Zephyr learns about this..."
"He’ll never be able to accept it."
"Hehehe..."
Miss Bakkin interrupted before Lucas could respond.
"So you’re the Marine Admiral who’s been making such a stir lately."
"I originally planned to make defeating the new Marine Admiral my precious son’s stepping stone to fame."
"I never expected that after refusing CP0’s invitation before..."
"A real Marine Admiral would deliver himself to our doorstep."
"What a pleasant surprise."
She looked toward Momonga with a smug grin.
"You heard him yourself, didn’t you?"
"Everything I said was true."
"My son is about to become one of the Seven Warlords."
"Not only did he slaughter your Marine recruits..."
"He even cut off that old man’s arm."
"Even if he destroys your Marine bases one after another..."
"The privileges of the Seven Warlords will wipe it all away."
"And besides..."
"My Weevil is just a child."
"Children can’t do anything wrong."
"That includes killing a newly appointed Marine Admiral."
Her shrill laughter echoed throughout the ruined town.
Everyone’s expression changed.
Especially after hearing those final words.
None of them knew exactly how powerful Lucas truly was.
But this old woman...
Actually intended to kill a Marine Admiral?
Wasn’t that far too arrogant?
Or...
Did she simply see this newly appointed Admiral as an easy target?
"Just a child?"
Lucas looked up at Weevil.
The man was over two heads taller than he was.
Lucas let out a helpless sigh.
Sure enough...
To an overindulgent parent, even a thirty-eight-year-old man was still "just a child."
He’s just a child.
A sentence that had excused far too much in this world.
Still...
Lucas rather liked that line.
"So..."
"You’re planning to kill me."
"Then use the privileges of the Seven Warlords to erase the crime."
"And use that opportunity to make his reputation soar."
Lucas took another drink of strong liquor.
Miss Bakkin bared her mouthful of oversized gold teeth before bursting into sinister laughter.
"As expected of a Marine Admiral."
"You young people are quick-witted."
"But this is merely a friendly spar."
"My precious son simply wants to show you..."
"That his blade is heavier than your justice."
"Weevil."
"Do it."
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