Chapter 27: Resource Conflict
In recent years, the Rocks Pirates have grown increasingly powerful. The Marines are currently still in a recovery phase and are not prepared for a head-on confrontation with the Rocks Pirates.
It is also true that a massive group like the Rocks Pirates cannot easily gather; they require a suitable opportunity.
Otherwise, the Marines wouldn't even be able to return to the New World.
Fleet Admiral Black also hopes that the younger Marines can grow quickly. For this purpose, he specifically applied to the World Government for a batch of precious supplies.
Those few top-tier Devil Fruits were sent over by the World Government.
In the past, the Marines rarely had the chance to obtain precious Devil Fruits. Even if they did, they would quickly be exchanged, either eaten by themselves or saved for the next generation.
In most cases, Devil Fruits found on the Great Sea would be personally collected or eaten directly.
Therefore, although the Marines have collected quite a few Devil Fruits, truly rare ones are still very scarce.
This was something Black had to humble himself and request from the World Government.
The World Government also sent a batch of Devil Fruits to change the Marines' weak situation.
Now, these Devil Fruits have been targeted by many people, mainly Marine officers from the Four Seas Faction.
This is very unfavorable for the Marines and something Black does not want to see. Giving the precious Devil Fruits for them to eat would simply be a waste of the Devil Fruit's potential.
Therefore, Black hopes Steel Bone Kong can exchange these precious Devil Fruits to cultivate young and promising Marines, adding bricks and mortar to the new generation of the Marines.
With their combined merit, there is basically nothing in the Marine's secret vault that cannot be exchanged.
Black also needs to quickly suppress the negative thoughts within the Marines. The appearance of two new Admirals has both pros and cons for the Marines currently.
They are Admirals who were promoted relying on Devil Fruits, and their strength is not enough to command widespread respect.
Compared to Kong, their strength is significantly lacking.
However, they will become an obstacle to the future development of the Marines. Kong has high prestige within the Marines.
But sometimes, only benefits can win people over. Many Marine officers are willing to get close to the other two Admirals.
More and more people are also moving towards them.
If Kong becomes Fleet Admiral, he cannot guarantee control over those below him.
And this is what Black least wants to see, especially with an external threat like the Rocks Pirates.
Although the internal faction struggles within the Marines have always been very intense, now is not the time for it.
He needs to help Kong quickly gain ruling status within the Marines, which requires focusing on the new generation of Marines and cultivating a next generation that is close to Kong.
In fact, this is exactly what he did. With Black's authorization, Kong promoted many excellent Marines within the organization, and these will become the future backbone of Kong's direct lineage.
Only with internal unity can the Marines deal with the even more terrifying Rocks Pirates.
Black chose Kong as his successor. He represents the Dove Faction, while Kong represents the Hawk Faction!
The two belong to different factions, but Black is first and foremost a Marine.
Facing a Criminal Army like the Rocks Pirates, the Marines can only win under the leadership of the strong-willed and powerful Kong!
As for the Four Seas Faction, Black has already decided on suppression. He believes that after Kong takes office, he will likewise not miss the opportunity to suppress the Four Seas Faction. He is merely doing some things for Kong first.
He will send the other two Marine Admirals to guard the New World to prevent them from causing trouble.
At the same time, he will also summon the Marine officers and Marine elites from the Four Seas to Marine Headquarters.
The World Government already has plans to rearrange the Marines in the New World to counter the increasingly terrifying Criminal Army.
Under the orders of the World Government, even the Governors of the Four Seas would absolutely not dare to refuse.
The Marines are about to launch an all-out war against the Rocks Pirates. Are you trying to rebel if you don't come?
Steel Bone Kong has already left. Having received Fleet Admiral Black's approval, he wants to get his hands on those precious Devil Fruits first.
After all, the Marines he cultivates will be his own direct lineage.
The office door closed, and Black sighed, looking at the intelligence on his desk.
The Rocks Pirates have produced a few more young monsters, such as Edward Newgate, the "Super Strength Kid".
There's also the young Two-Sword Style swordsman Shiki, who now holds the title "Lion Ghost".
They are both newcomers to the Rocks Pirates, having joined not long ago, but they are already starting to show their potential. In time, they will become enemies of significant threat.
There is also the young female Pirate named Charlotte Linlin. The Marines have intelligence on her; she is a born monster.
Originally, she had the chance to become one of the Marine's highest combat power.
But something went wrong, and she disappeared for so many years. Now, upon her appearance, she has already received a bounty of fifty million.
Black knows that such a bounty is far from enough and will soon see a sharp increase.
Now, there is also Tartarus Hades, with the Kronos Kingdom, a world superpower, standing behind him.
He knows about the World Government's actions, but they are useless.
Unless absolutely necessary, he does not wish to go to war with the Kronos Kingdom. Not to mention that it is a tough nut to crack that cannot be taken down without the full force of the Marines.
Furthermore, the Kronos Kingdom is a nation with a population of up to eighty million, possessing a standing army of three million.
The Grand General of the Kingdom is also a powerful individual whom few can match in the New World.
If they were to truly make a move, the negative public opinion around the world alone would be enough to put the Marines and the World Government in for a rough time.
Although many kingdoms have been destroyed due to Celestial Dragons or Pirate invasions, the World Government's influence was behind them.
But these were just small countries with little influence, unable to even pay the Heavenly Tribute.
These destroyed countries have never included Member Nations of the World Government. Even if they did, it could not be exposed.
Member Nations are most wary of the World Government interfering in their internal politics, regardless of whether they are World Government Member Nations or not.
Those small countries might not matter, but the Kronos Kingdom is different; it possesses immense influence in the world.
Located in the New World, its power extends throughout the entire world.
Its ten massive Island Turtles can pass through the Calm Belt to the Four Seas, transporting massive amounts of supplies each time, and it has close trade relations with many kingdoms in the New World and even the Four Seas.
With such ability, many forces in the New World have trade cooperation with the Kronos Kingdom.
Through these connections, the benefits the Kronos Kingdom can obtain are far beyond what those Underworld Forces can compare to.
Especially the benefits in politics and economy, which give the Kronos Kingdom a unique status.
As a superpower, the Kronos Kingdom's powerful military strength allows it to stand firm in the chaotic New World.
This is not something that "JOKER," who will become the king of the Underworld solely through the arms trade in the future, can compare to. The fundamental difference is immense.
(end of chapter)