One Piece: Groudon the Beasts

Chapter 332 The Leaders Challenged Each Other!

Chambord Islands.

The news that the Straw Hat crew had been resurrected and were openly recruiting subordinates spread throughout the lawless zone, causing quite a stir.

However, another unexpected event drew everyone's attention, causing them to completely forget about the Straw Hat crew.

"Fleet Admiral Aokiji of the Hoenn Navy challenges Fleet Admiral Akainu to a duel!"

"Hey, this is a big deal!"

Location: Punk Hazard!

Not long ago, the Hoenn government moved its headquarters to All Blue in Reverse Mt., and its actions have since changed from being low-key to being extremely flamboyant.

In a short period of time, Hoenn and the Navy have clashed several times, with each side confronting the other and refusing to give way.

To capture the same group of pirates, the two sides would even arrange a fight beforehand, with their respective captains battling it out and the winner taking the pirates away.

Now, even the marshal is challenging him to a duel!

A bar.

Aokiji held the newspaper, his face darkening.

"I never intended to be that high-profile!"

He was on his way to Marine Headquarters, indeed to challenge Akainu to a duel, because if he didn't fight now, he was worried he wouldn't have another chance.

After all, the navy is on the verge of disintegration.

Nowadays, the Hoenn Navy is strong and well-equipped, and it no longer acts with the same restraint as before. Its reach has expanded, and every now and then, naval branches within its jurisdiction will join the Hoenn Navy.

For example, the Luoge Town branch in Donghai.

The dramatic changes in the North Sea have made Hoenn's legitimacy increasingly unshakable, and as time goes on, the internal divisions within the Navy will only intensify.

As far as he knew, the naval officers had split into two factions.

One side is the conservative faction, which advocates maintaining the status quo, while the other side is the radical faction, which advocates joining the Hoenn government and clashing with the World Government.

Akainu is considered a conservative.

In short, civil war is on the verge of breaking out.

In the end, the Navy may not even be able to maintain its nominal justice, and will completely degenerate into a group of vested interests, that is, the private army of the Celestial Dragons.

Therefore, he challenged Akainu to a duel!

He had waited more than twenty years for this battle.

It wasn't just for justice; it was also out of anger from back then. He would never be able to let go of the past until he settled things with Akainu.

He originally planned to infiltrate the Marine Headquarters, secretly find Akainu, and then find a secluded place to have a fight, thus putting an end to the years of open and covert struggles.

But he didn't intend to be so ostentatious!

"It must have been Goode who spread it!"

Aokiji touched his leg, and veins bulged on his forehead.

Only Goode knew his plans!

"If I lose to Sakazuki, how can I face going back!"

Aokiji reluctantly picked up the sherry, gulped down a large mouthful, and then let out a long sigh with a smile.

The impact of an open decisive battle on the soldiers of both sides is self-evident; it can be said that the outcome of his battle with Akainu represents the outcome of the battle between two major military forces.

The winner will represent "justice".

Clearly, Goode intended to resolve the naval conflict between the two sides through this duel between the admirals, thereby reducing the fighting.

Even today, there are still countless righteous people in the navy; they simply haven't adapted to the rapidly changing world.

The same goes for Akainu.

He was simply dissatisfied with Akainu's overly radical ideology, but he never denied Akainu's sense of justice, nor did he believe that justice only took one form.

But justice should stand together.

Furthermore, even though he was tricked, he would feel great if he could defeat Akainu in front of the whole world.

"Oh dear, we're out of wine."

The Straw Hat crew's gathering should have attracted the attention of many forces, but they haven't even made a ripple.

All eyes were focused on the upcoming "battle for the marshal's position," which would be the decisive battle between the two legions.

The Holy Land, the Hall of Power.

"Refuse this duel?"

Akainu, a cigar dangling from his lips, had a gloomy look in his eyes.

"What a joke! The enemy's challenge has already been delivered to my desk. If I refuse, how can I, as a marshal, still have the face to stand on?!"

"Don't spout nonsense, Sakazuki!"

What does your pride matter to you?!

"What the navy needs now is stability!"

The Five Elders coldly rebuked him, showing no respect whatsoever to Akainu. The ever-sinking Red Line had long been causing them anxiety, and now the Hoenn Navy's open provocation was undoubtedly an attempt to hasten the war.

Times are different.

This duel between marshals must not be fought!

If they win, that's fine, but if Akainu loses this match, the Navy will be completely demoralized, and the consequences could be even more severe.

They can't afford the gamble.

Nasujuro said coldly, "The former admiral has now become the fleet admiral of Hoenn and even dares to challenge the navy. With such a loss of composure, what right does the military have to talk about dignity!"

".!"

Akainu's veins were bulging!

"If it weren't for your series of miscalculations, which gave that Goode an opportunity, how could this have happened—"

"Watch your mouth, Sakazuki!"

The five men glared at each other angrily.

"Humph!"

Akainu snorted coldly, not retreating an inch.

"Even if I have to disregard the Navy's reputation, I must participate in this duel. The Navy has no way out!"

"."

The Five Elders paused in their breathing.

Akainu's concerns are not unreasonable.

One step back, one step back.

The situation between the two major regimes has been reversed without anyone realizing it. Hoenn has not only gained two powerful warriors, Dragon and Fujitora, but more importantly, it has won the hearts of the people.

Hoenn's ideology was already superior, and now it has created a future for humanity. It can no longer fool the public by manipulating public opinion.

After all, the truth will come out.

If Akainu wins, the Navy can hold out for at least a few more years, relying on the World Government's financial resources and influence to complete its transformation.

The useful slogan of "justice" will soon become unreliable; only absolute interests and violence can maintain the existence of a world government.

The five elders exchanged a glance and nodded silently.

"Sakazuki, we can allow you to fight Kuzan, but on one condition!"

"."

On the other side, the Sabaody Archipelago.

"Setting sail!!!"

With Luffy's shout, the Thousand Sunny sank into the sea, heading towards Fishman Island, which lies 10,000 meters below the surface.

The Straw Hat crew reunited, and their first crew meeting was held.

"Listen up, Luffy!"

Sanji took out the Groudon symbol and repeatedly warned, "Never mess with anything that has this symbol on it!"

"Uh huh huh!!!"

The crew members nodded in unison.

In the past two years, they have heard a lot about Hoenn and Groudon, and the consequences of provoking them would be unimaginable.

"and this!"

Sanji then took out a pattern of all the beasts.

"The Fishman Island we are heading to is protected by this flag. If we encounter bad guys, we can fight back, but we must never cause trouble!"

"Uh huh huh!!!"

The other crew members nodded in agreement.

The Four Emperors and all the Beasts are equally terrifying, and they are all in cahoots with the Groudon Company; they are all forces under that man's control.

Luffy looked completely bewildered.

"Are they great?"

"of course!"

Everyone responded in unison, including Zoro.

The only people in this world who don't know how terrifying that man is are probably super idiots like Luffy.

It's better to kill a Celestial Dragon than to mess with Goode!
Luffy laughed.

"That sounds interesting!"

"."

(End of this chapter)