Chapter 120

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"I've heard much about you, but this is the first time we've met. It's an honor to finally meet you, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."

As soon as Sengoku and Lieutenant General Tsuru stepped into the banquet hall, they heard a youthful voice.

Looking toward the source, they saw Arthur, the God of the Angel Empire, whom they had seen many times in video broadcasts.

"It's an honor, indeed," Sengoku responded, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

Arthur, reportedly just in his twenties, was already among the strongest fighters in the world, rivaling the might of Sengoku's generation. He had built a vast empire and gathered numerous talented individuals under his banner.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Tsuru," Arthur nodded gracefully at Lieutenant General Tsuru, whom he had met once before.

After exchanging a few polite words, Arthur invited Sengoku and Tsuru to sit down, and then ordered the servants to bring out delicacies from the Sky Island.

As soon as Sengoku sat and waited for the dishes to be served, he got straight to the point.

"King Arthur, the recent attack on this island by Kaido was caused by a failure in our intelligence network. As a representative of the Marines, whose mission is to maintain peace at sea, I must apologize."

Sengoku continued, "I've also heard about the deaths of the Celestial Dragons. I understand their remarks were inappropriate, but those statements don't represent the views of the entire World Government. Despite their excesses, the government still hopes to maintain friendly relations with other races."

"I even rushed to Mary Geoise to meet the Five Elders after hearing about the incident. Their so-called demand for accountability was more of an attempt to appease the Celestial Dragons. After all, as descendants of the World Government's founders, they are afforded the highest status and privileges. This is recognized by all nations that join the World Government."

Arthur didn't argue. He knew that by joining the World Government, his empire had implicitly acknowledged their rules, even if he had his own plans.

"But what about my anger? Who will address that?" Arthur's voice grew sharp, his eyes filled with suppressed rage and humiliation as he stared directly at Sengoku.

Where was Arthur's anger really coming from?

The three Celestial Dragons involved were already dead, so there was little use in being furious now. It's not like he could storm Mary Geoise and kill more Celestial Dragons.

In reality, Arthur saw the return of his five main legions from the Kaido conflict and realized he had an opportunity he wanted to seize.

Sengoku hesitated, his thoughts swirling. His conversation with the Five Elders had centered on convincing Arthur to give the World Government and the Celestial Dragons a way to save face. But the situation was tricky. What did Arthur really want? An apology from the Celestial Dragons was out of the question.

Tsuru, sensing the tension, decided to speak up.

"King Arthur, what is it that you want?" Tsuru asked, stepping in for Sengoku.

"Let me be clear. The Celestial Dragons' deaths are not my fault. Kaido's attack caused chaos, and we couldn't protect everyone. And their purpose for coming here—threatening the sovereignty of my empire—was unacceptable. I've also heard that more Celestial Dragons were planning to visit the Sky Island, but after hearing what happened, they backed off."

"If I hadn't defeated Kaido and shown overwhelming force, I doubt you'd be sitting here talking to me now," Arthur said with a sharp tone.

Sengoku took a breath. He could sense what Arthur was getting at: *Give me something in return, or I won't let this go easily.*

Arthur continued, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you are known for your wisdom. You understand my strength and the power of my nation. Whether it's pirates or your biggest concern—the Revolutionary Army—I would give any adversary of yours a serious headache."

Sengoku's expression changed as Arthur pressed on.

"At first, due to the attitude of the Celestial Dragons, I considered withdrawing my country from the World Government. With our island's unique geography, it would be nearly impossible for you to attack us."

"Not only that, but I could become a pirate. With my strength, I could easily gather countless pirate crews under my banner."

"Or, I could join the Revolutionary Army. With my combat power and the strength of my nation, I could rank as a deputy leader and increase their threat tenfold."

"But since you've come in person, and the World Government doesn't want to lose such a powerful ally, I'm willing to negotiate."

Arthur leaned back slightly. "I've heard that the Marines have a technique called Marine Six Styles..."

"Absolutely not!" Sengoku's face darkened as he instantly interrupted.

"Marine Six Styles is a secret technique of the Marines and the World Government. It cannot be shared with any member nation. That is non-negotiable. I urge you to ask for something else, King Arthur."

Arthur wasn't fazed by the interruption. Instead, he calmly nodded and made another demand.

"Alright, if not Marine Six Styles, then how about letting me choose five Devil Fruits from the World Government's internal stock?"

Sengoku's eyes widened at the audacity of the request. He had thought Arthur was being reasonable at first, but now the young king was showing his true colors.

Devil Fruits were incredibly rare, and while the World Government did have a few in storage, they were reserved for only the most trusted individuals to bolster their high-ranking forces. To allow Arthur to claim five of them would be dangerous.

Sengoku shook his head, making it clear that this was also out of the question.

"What about five Mythical fruits?" Arthur asked next, knowing they were even rarer.

Sengoku's face twitched. He didn't even bother replying this time, simply shaking his head again.

"Neither this, nor that. If you won't give me what I ask for, then perhaps we're done here," Arthur said coldly, standing up, signaling that the meeting was over.

"Wait!" Sengoku quickly called out.

The potential of Arthur joining the Revolutionary Army was too dangerous to ignore. If he did, the World Government would face a crisis ten times worse than what they currently dealt with.

"This is a serious matter. I need to discuss it with the Five Elders," Sengoku said, his face now grim.

"By all means," Arthur replied, sitting back down and gesturing toward a nearby room.

Sengoku signaled to Tsuru to stay with Arthur while he made his way to the side room.

Once inside, Sengoku carefully scanned the area to ensure there was no eavesdropping before taking out a Transponder Snail and calling the Five Elders.

What Sengoku didn't know was that Arthur had already prepared for this. Following Kaido's attack, Arthur had deployed surveillance devices throughout the empire, covering a radius of 300 kilometers with an electromagnetic field that could track and monitor everything.

Without needing much effort, Arthur was able to listen in on the conversation between Sengoku and the Five Elders.

When Sengoku relayed Arthur's demands, the Five Elders were furious and initially insisted that Arthur's nation should be destroyed. However, as Sengoku carefully explained the might of the Angel Empire, the Five Elders fell into silence. 

"I've heard your name for a long time, but this is my first time meeting you. It's an honor, Fleet Admiral Sengoku." 

As Sengoku and Lieutenant General Crane entered the banquet room, they heard a youthful voice. It was Arthur, the god of the Angel Empire, a figure often seen in videos.

"I'm honored to meet you as well," Sengoku replied, his eyes widening in surprise. 

Arthur was reportedly only around twenty years old, yet his combat power was on par with Sengoku's own generation. He had built a massive country and gathered many talented individuals.

"It's nice to see you again, Ms. Crane," Arthur said, gracefully nodding at Lieutenant General Crane, whom he had met before.

After exchanging polite remarks, Arthur invited Sengoku to sit down and asked a maid to bring some specialties from the sky. 

Once Sengoku was seated and waiting for the sky island delicacies, he spoke up: "King Arthur, I must apologize for the incident where Kaido attacked your island. This was due to an error in our intelligence agency. As the Marines responsible for maintaining sea stability, I feel ashamed."

Sengoku continued, "Regarding the death of the Celestial Dragons, I've heard about their purpose for coming here and their inappropriate comments. However, those are just a small part of the issue. The World Government still hopes to unite other races and doesn't want this incident to harm our relationship."

"I quickly went to Mary Geoise after Aokiji informed me about the situation to speak with the Five Elders. They seem more concerned with pacifying the Celestial Dragons than addressing the consequences of their actions.

The Celestial Dragons are descendants of the founders of the World Government, enjoying the highest power and status, as recognized by all member countries."

Arthur couldn't dispute this; becoming a franchise country meant acknowledging those rules. Though he had his own plans, joining the World Government required acceptance of its norms.

"But what about my anger? Who will address that?" Arthur's expression sharpened as he fixed his gaze on Sengoku.

What Arthur felt was frustration; the culprits were already dead, and getting revenge was futile. He couldn't simply storm Mary Geoise and take down the Celestial Dragons. Instead, he intended to use the current situation to his advantage.

"This..." Sengoku hesitated. He had spoken to the Five Elders about persuading Arthur to give the World Government and the Celestial Dragons a chance to resolve the issue, but it seemed that Arthur was not willing to back down.

"King Arthur, what do you propose?" Lieutenant General Crane interjected, trying to mediate.

"Regardless of the circumstances, it was the Celestial Dragons' fault. Their deaths are not my responsibility. Kaido's attack is not surprising, given the situation on the island!" Arthur continued, "When they died in battle, I couldn't intervene.

Their arrival was a threat to my kingdom. I've heard more Celestial Dragons will be coming to the sky island soon, and I doubt they'd come if I hadn't defeated Kaido. Otherwise, I don't think Fleet Admiral Sengoku would be here discussing this with me."

Sengoku listened intently, starting to piece together Arthur's demands.

"I know, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you are a wise leader. You understand the strength of my combat abilities and my kingdom's power. I could become a pirate and attract various pirate groups to my side. I could even join the Revolutionary Army and greatly increase their threat level."

"But since you've come in person, the government would prefer not to lose such a valuable franchise country," Arthur said, then added, "I've heard about Marine Six Styles..."

"That's impossible!" Sengoku interrupted, alarmed. "Marine Six Styles is a secret technique exclusive to the Marines and the World Government. No franchise country can acquire it."

"Then let me choose five devil fruits from the World Government's inner library!" Arthur countered, unfazed by Sengoku's denial.

Sengoku's expression darkened; the World Government had limited resources of such fruits and would not allow anyone to take them freely.

"How about five Mythical fruits instead?" Arthur suggested, pushing further.

Sengoku shook his head firmly; Mythical fruits were even rarer.

Arthur frowned, realizing Sengoku wouldn't easily part with anything valuable. "If you won't give me those, I don't need anything else. Let's leave it here!" With that, he stood up as if to dismiss Sengoku.

"Wait!" Sengoku called out quickly. 

He felt a growing sense of urgency; if Arthur joined the Revolutionary Army, it would create significant problems for the World Government.

"This matter is critical. I need to consult with the Five Elders!" Sengoku said, his face tense.

After Arthur sat back down, Sengoku signaled Lieutenant General Crane to stay with Arthur while he moved to a private room.

Once inside, Sengoku used his observation Haki to ensure there were no eavesdroppers. He then took out a Den Den Mushi to call the Five Elders.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Sengoku, Arthur had equipped his entire empire with instruments capable of monitoring everything through an electromagnetic field.

The conversation between Sengoku and the Five Elders was relayed to Arthur without effort.

Sengoku explained Arthur's demands, and the Five Elders responded angrily, threatening to destroy Arthur's country. But after Sengoku detailed the situation in the Angel Kingdom, the Five Elders fell silent.

They understood that Arthur was a top-tier combatant with immense potential—especially with the Lion Fruit—and that having him join the Revolutionary Army would spell disaster for the World Government.

In the end, the Five Elders agreed to the deal involving Marine Six Styles, but it was to be used solely by the soldiers of the Angel Empire, without any possibility of it being shared.

Arthur was pleased with this outcome, though he maintained a calm exterior.

After Sengoku returned, he looked burdened but composed. He promised to deliver the six forms to Arthur in three days after returning.

Arthur then requested that the six forms include the "Geppo" technique as part of the deal. Though Sengoku hesitated, he begrudgingly agreed.

The conversation turned to artillery shells. Sengoku was particularly interested in the combat-type shells that could significantly boost the Marines' strength.

Arthur took the opportunity to negotiate for benefits, knowing that Sengoku was unaware of the specifics surrounding the artillery shells.

Ultimately, Arthur struck a deal with Marine, gaining advantages at a low price, and both sides found common ground.

Sengoku left the Angel Empire, satisfied with the deal, though concerned about the implications of Arthur's growing power.

After Sengoku departed, Arthur returned to his harem, elated. He had secured Marine Six Styles and made a deal that benefited him greatly.

With the ten Angel Legions trained through the experience of fighting, learning these six forms would enhance their abilities significantly.

As Sengoku returned to Marine Headquarters, news of the Celestial Dragons' deaths and Kaido's escape began to circulate in the newspapers, causing waves throughout the world.