NOVEL NEXT Chapter 228: Chapter 228
Once inside the meeting room, Gion released Kujaku, who looked up with a mix of irritation and embarrassment. Ignoring her indignant glare, Gion calmly took the first seat on the left, right behind the two admirals. Her place at the front spoke volumes about her status as an admiral candidate, a position that no one in the room questioned.
Luffy, meanwhile, guided Hancock, Hina, Ain, and Kujaku to seats further back, intending to blend in. But before he could settle, Sengoku spoke up, catching everyone's attention.
"Luffy, as the main contributor to this incident, you deserve a seat at the front. And Hancock," Sengoku continued, "as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, we've arranged a seat for you as well."
At Sengoku's gesture, a plush sofa was brought in and placed on his right. Hancock cast a glance at Luffy, then confidently took her seat, settling gracefully on the sofa. Hina and Ain exchanged glances filled with envy, but they reluctantly found seats toward the back.
Luffy, feeling slightly put out, glanced at Hancock, who merely gave him a knowing smile. After all, as a Warlord, her status was nearly on par with the top Marine officials—a sign that Sengoku had come to view her as one of their own. For Luffy, it was a good sign; Hancock's acceptance meant her role in Marine affairs was secure.
Seeing this seating arrangement, a few Marine officers looked surprised but quickly accepted it. If any other Warlord had been given such treatment, there would surely have been complaints. But Hancock was different. She had not only fought alongside Vice Admiral Garp and the admirals, but she was also still recovering from her injuries, as evidenced by the bandage on her head. To many, she was practically one of their own by now.
Once everyone was seated, Sengoku cleared his throat, and the room fell silent. With a sharp look, he turned to Garp. "Before we discuss the events in Wano, Garp, I want to hear about the fight with Kaido. How did things end up this way, with both admirals sustaining such serious injuries?"
Garp glanced at Aokiji and Kizaru, but both admirals quickly looked away, leaving him to face Sengoku's questions alone. How was he supposed to explain this? He certainly couldn't tell Sengoku that they'd exaggerated their injuries to secure some extra leave.
Aokiji, sensing Garp's discomfort, slowly raised his head and tried to keep his tone steady. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we initially had the upper hand against Kaido. We were managing to hold him back… until he suddenly went into a frenzy. Something happened that pushed him over the edge, and he became unpredictable, ignoring all our attacks and charging at us wildly."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes. "Something? What happened to set him off? Was it because of our strike on Wano?"
Aokiji shook his head, bracing himself. He glanced at Luffy, giving him a look that made Luffy's heart sink. Oh no… Kuzan, what are you up to?
Aokiji turned back to Sengoku. "Actually, Fleet Admiral, the catalyst was Rear Admiral Luffy. He fought with bravery and precision, even managing to severely injure Kaido with a single blow. And then, he awakened his Conqueror's Haki, matching Kaido's own. That display of power both impressed and infuriated Kaido, pushing him to unleash everything he had."
Why are you making it all sound like it was my fault?! Luffy screamed internally. My Conqueror's Haki awakened ages ago—you know that!
Seeing the astonished and admiring looks from Sengoku and the other officers, Luffy had no choice but to smile sheepishly, offering a modest wave as he mumbled, "Oh no, no… you're exaggerating, Mr. Admiral."
Bang!
"Excellent! You're truly a rising star in our Marine ranks!" Sengoku exclaimed, his mood lightening instantly. He slapped the table, beaming. "Garp, you've truly raised a worthy successor!"
Garp, caught between pride and embarrassment, scratched his nose, grinning foolishly as he avoided Luffy's resentful gaze. Meanwhile, with the spotlight now on Luffy, Kizaru decided it was the perfect moment to chime in, breaking his earlier silence.
"That's right," Kizaru added, sounding remarkably sincere. "Luffy-san's technique was something to behold. I believe he called it an 'Rail Gun ? He blasted half of Kaido's shoulder clean off with it. If Kaido hadn't dodged the follow-up, we might not have had to intervene at all."
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