One Piece: Rising to Power as a Warlord of the Sea

Kadil Kingdom, Sound Island Sea Area

The news that the rapidly rising Smile Pirates seized the Heavenly Tribute had already spread far and wide. Morgans, ever eager to make big headlines, ensured the story made waves with articles like:

Shock: Rookie Pirate Crew Clashes with Marine Admiral, Heavenly Tribute Seized!

Impressive Strength: Newcomer Pirates with Dual Admiral-Level Power?!

Admiral Kizaru Withdraws! What are the Smile Pirates Planning?

These sensational headlines circulated around the world, carried by seagulls in newspaper bundles, igniting a fervor among the pirates. Even the renowned veteran crews rarely dared to provoke the Celestial Dragons by stealing their treasure. Facing a Marine Admiral was no small matter, but not only had this upstart pirate crew provoked one—they escaped unscathed.

The rumors made many pirate crews restless. The Heavenly Tribute—a treasure containing the wealth of an entire kingdom—was tempting indeed. Some reckless individuals, filled with ambition, began to think that maybe even a Marine Admiral was no match for them.

Little did they know, without the strength to back it up, "give it a shot" could easily mean "give up the ghost."

Meanwhile, this surge in boldness among pirates was giving both the Marines and the World Government a major headache. Though many of these would-be treasure hunters weren't particularly strong, quelling their activities was still diverting Marine forces. In just a few short days, over a thousand criminals of notable power were locked up in Impel Down.

Inside the Fleet Admiral's Office

Sengoku cast a glance at Kizaru, who looked somewhat sheepish, while he directed a question at him.

"Kizaru, you're sure you didn't hold back this time?"

"Of course, Sengoku-san! I always fight with my full power. I'm a Marine full of positive energy, after all!" Kizaru answered, his face twitching slightly. Internally, he worried: Did they find out I was slacking? Impossible—I hid it so well!

"Then it's true that they have two fighters with Admiral-level power?"

"Indeed!" Kizaru replied seriously, the memories fresh in his mind. "Though I hate to admit it, the captain of the Smile Pirates, Natsu, along with Enel, who has the Rumble-Rumble Fruit power, can definitely match my strength. We couldn't settle it in a short fight."

Sengoku's expression darkened. He would've preferred to believe that Kizaru let them go out of some hidden loyalty, rather than facing the troubling reality that two powerful individuals had risen within the Smile Pirates. This group had already defeated two members of the Seven Warlords, and now they dared to seize the Heavenly Tribute. What if they began targeting Celestial Dragons next?

Sengoku shook his head, pushing the grim thoughts aside. He clenched his fists and turned to Kizaru again.

"What do you think is a suitable bounty?"

Kizaru looked at Sengoku, a bit overwhelmed. "Sengoku-san, maybe you could consult the advisory team?" he replied, wanting no part in this decision.

Sengoku let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine. You may go."

As Kizaru left, Sengoku turned his attention to Vice Admiral Garp, who was engrossed in a bag of donuts, entirely unbothered by the growing crisis.

"Garp! Your grandson's trouble is spiraling out of control. He's even daring to take the Heavenly Tribute now!" Sengoku's bellow echoed through the office, startling Marines outside.

"Uh… Want a donut, Sengoku?" Garp looked up, holding out a donut, grinning.

"You have the nerve to eat? Do you know how deep your grandson's gotten into this mess? Now he's practically waving a flag in the Celestial Dragons' faces!" Sengoku's voice was thunderous, making even the surrounding Marines stop to listen.

In typical Garp fashion, he only shrugged. "You already said it—I'm a failure as a grandpa. I'm not great at teaching my kids or grandkids. So it's out of my hands!" He leaned back, entirely unfazed.

"Garp, you irresponsible fool!" Sengoku fumed, looking ready to explode.

But Garp waved him off. "Don't ask me about the bounty—you can decide that yourself."

Defeated, Sengoku pounded his fist on the desk, shattering it in frustration. After regaining his composure, he instructed a Marine to gather the high-ranking officers for a meeting to discuss the Heavenly Tribute situation.

"The Smile Pirates, truly a relentless bunch!" Vice Admiral Tsuru murmured as she looked up at the bounty posters on the wall. Beside her, Akainu smoked a cigar, directing a harsh glare at Kizaru.

"How did you let rookie pirates get away, Kizaru?" Akainu demanded.

"They're no ordinary pirates," Kizaru shot back, defending his pride. "The captain has mastered Haki at a young age, and there's a Logia-type Devil Fruit user among them. These are not just any rookies!"

"On top of that, there's another individual who, from my observations, likely has the powers of an animal-type Mythical Zoan fruit," Kizaru added.

"What?!" The assembled officers were stunned. They understood the rarity and power of Mythical Zoan fruits—something even more valuable than Logia fruits.

"This pirate crew must be eliminated! We can't let them grow any further!" Akainu growled, his fierce determination clear in his hardened expression.

Sengoku shook his head. "It won't be easy. Based on their power, we'd need at least two Admirals to capture them. And right now, with the New World's uncertain situation and the Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom, and Shanks crews staking claims, we can't afford to pull our forces from their positions."

After extensive discussion, the Marines still hadn't found a solid solution. For now, all they could do was raise the bounty on the Smile Pirates.

Just then, a den den mushi on Sengoku's desk started ringing.

"Sengoku, the Five Elders are on the line!" an officer announced.

Sengoku took a deep breath, mentally preparing for the reprimand he knew was coming. He answered the call.

"Sengoku! How could the Marines let the Heavenly Tribute be taken?" The Five Elders' voices thundered on the line, their wrath palpable even through the receiver.

"We're handling it…"

"No excuses!" they snapped, cutting him off. "This time, we'll overlook it, but there cannot be a repeat. You understand the consequences."

Then, they switched to the main point: "What's the Marine's proposed bounty for Monkey D. Natsu?"

"Ten billion Berries. He's proven to have Admiral-level power," Sengoku replied.

"Unacceptable! Keep it at five billion Berries—they're already attracting enough attention."

"Understood." The call ended abruptly, leaving Sengoku seething but determined.

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