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

"Negotiations? Sure."

Natsu's lips curled into a faint smirk as he casually seated himself atop the Celestial Dragon lying beneath him, waiting for Sengoku to show some sincerity.

"You—!"

A nearby marine, outraged by Natsu's audacity, was about to shout when Vice Admiral Chaton shot him a warning glance. Now was not the time to provoke Natsu.

If the Celestial Dragons were harmed, the Navy would face severe consequences from the World Government.

The area surrounding the Smile Pirates, stretching across several streets, was heavily fortified with layers of elite Navy soldiers, all awaiting orders from Marine Headquarters.

"Two Celestial Dragons, 10 billion berries."

Natsu's tone was calm, yet his demand was anything but. He spoke as though the Celestial Dragons were mere trinkets, no different from how they viewed commoners.

"Impossible. The Navy doesn't have that kind of money!"

The voice of Sengoku, deep and restrained, crackled through the Den Den Mushi. In all his years of service, no one—not even the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger—had dared to make such bold demands of him.

"Is that so? Then negotiations are over. Let's fight!"

Natsu stood up, and the Smile Pirates immediately shifted into battle stances, ready to give it their all. After all, their captain had spoken.

"Wait! The Navy can't offer such wealth, but perhaps we can negotiate other terms."

Sengoku was forced to relent. With the Celestial Dragons as hostages, the Navy had little choice but to tread carefully.

More importantly, Natsu's power posed a significant threat. Even an admiral couldn't guarantee victory over him. Sengoku knew that strength dictated the course of negotiations.

"Other terms? I want to become the Pirate King."

"Natsu, be serious! This isn't a joke!" Sengoku's voice erupted from the other end, his frustration spilling into a roar that echoed through Marineford.

"I am serious. A pirate either seeks treasure or the title of Pirate King. What else is there?"

"Is there no room for negotiation?"

"None."

"Kill them! Marines, kill these insolent pirates for daring to insult the Celestial Dragons!"

Before Sengoku could respond, one of the Celestial Dragons, Saint Charlos, had awoken. Upon seeing Natsu nonchalantly sitting on Saint Rosward, his face twisted in rage as he barked orders at the Navy.

"Annoying. Let's quiet him down a bit, shall we?"

Natsu's gaze hardened. He lazily picked at his ear as his tone grew cold.

In a flash, Gin moved.

Slash!

"AAAHHH! MY FINGER!"

Saint Charlos's screams pierced the air as Gin severed one of his fingers. Writhing on the ground like a wounded beast, his cries echoed across the battlefield.

"Marines, my patience has limits. If you delay any longer, I can't promise what'll happen next."

"Don't do anything rash, Natsu! Give me a moment to reconsider!"

"Fine. You have five seconds."

"Five."

"Four."

"Three—"

"Enough! Kill them!"

"Now, now, that wouldn't do. Letting the Celestial Dragons die under my watch would be quite troublesome."

BOOM!

A beam of light streaked down as Kizaru intercepted Gin's hammer mid-swing. The resulting shockwave rippled through the air, pressing down on the Celestial Dragons below with a weight as heavy as a mountain. Their bones creaked under the immense pressure, leaving them barely able to move, let alone speak.

"Yehahaha! Marines, come on then!"

Enel's laughter rang out as he raised his arms. Thunder rumbled, and in an instant, the skies darkened with swirling storm clouds.

CRACK!

A deafening bolt of lightning split the heavens, unleashing a torrent of electricity that surged outward indiscriminately.

Lightning pillars rained from above, reducing everything in their path to rubble. The surrounding marines, their faces pale with fear, could do little but tremble as the chaos unfolded.

"Natural Devil Fruit abilities…" one whispered, paralyzed by the realization of the overwhelming power before them.

"One-Sword Style: Blooming Flowers!"

Rear Admiral Momousagi unsheathed her blade, Kimpira. With a swift charge toward Natsu, she unleashed a dazzling flurry of petal-like slashes.

"Hmph. You think you can strike our captain?"

Gin stepped in once more, his Onibashira form fully activated. His otherworldly wings sliced through the air, conjuring a storm of wind blades that clashed with Momousagi's attack, deflecting it and launching a counterstrike.

"This one's mine!"

Kumo volunteered, his hefty frame shaking with determination. He waddled toward Vice Admiral Chaton, who prepared himself for the panda's assault.

"What a ferocious pirate!"

Chaton deftly shifted his body, narrowly avoiding Kumo's attack. With a swift gesture, a wall of earth rose from the ground, quickly followed by several more, forming a fortress of earth around the panda.

"A Devil Fruit user?!"

Kumo's plump face scrunched in frustration. He hadn't expected to face such a tough opponent. In just a single exchange, he could tell—this man's strength was far beyond that of an ordinary vice admiral.

Powerful. Too powerful.

While the main Navy forces were being held at bay by the Smile Pirates, Natsu, the captain, moved effortlessly among the elite marine soldiers. Each punch he threw sent dozens of marines flying, their bodies crashing heavily onto the ground.

At this moment, Natsu was like an unstoppable war god. In no time, he had cleared a path through the ranks of the Navy. Watching their soldiers being taken down so effortlessly, Kizaru and his companions felt a mix of emotions. They wanted to provide support, but their hands were tied.

"This was a mistake, Sengoku-san! The Smile Pirates' strength is far beyond our expectations! We're struggling to hold them back!"

Chaton's voice was serious as he spoke into the Den Den Mushi, all the while dodging Kumo's relentless attacks. Before arriving, Chaton hadn't taken this rookie pirate crew too seriously. Now, he realized how gravely he had underestimated them.

"Tai Chi: Striking Bull Through the Mountain!"

"Pointless! There's no way you can break through my defens—"

Before Chaton could finish, a sharp pain erupted in his abdomen. He stumbled back, his face a mix of disbelief as he stared at the odd panda before him. He couldn't comprehend how this strange technique managed to strike him through the wall.

"Heh heh, now you see how awesome I am!"

Kumo puffed out his chest, pride written all over his face.

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