Chapter 2

"Why is it still like this?" Xilan muttered to himself as he stared at his reflection in the mirror, disappointed by the wrinkles that etched his face and the white hair and beard that adorned his visage. Despite spending 200 billion berries on an eternal body, it seemed that no changes had been made to his appearance.

"The eternal body is designed to maintain the host's current appearance, preventing any further aging," the system explained. "Although the host may appear elderly on the outside, their body should be brimming with strength and vitality."

Xilan nodded, silently acknowledging the truth of the system's words. Despite his aged appearance, he could feel a warmth radiating throughout his body, a testament to the rejuvenating effects of the eternal body.

Xilan nodded silently as he attuned himself to his own physical sensations. Sure enough, he could feel a warmth and energy coursing through his veins, a far cry from the weariness and fragility of old age.

Appearance may be fleeting, Xilan thought to himself. In this world of strength and power, one's looks hold little sway. What matters is the strength that lies within.

Blue blue blue! ! !

As these thoughts ran through his mind, the phone on his desk began to ring. A quick glance revealed that it was a call from Sengoku.

He answered the call, and the familiar voice of the fleet admiral came through.

"Xilan, the Five Elders have approved your retirement report, and you are free to step down at any time," Sengoku said, his tone laced with concern. "When do you plan to retire?"

Xilan hesitated before replying, "This...I'm thinking about it."

Xilan hesitated, feeling reluctant to leave his lucrative position as a Marine Admiral, especially considering his recent financial struggles. 

Sengoku on the opposite side of the phone bug had a slightly stiff face, and said," Alright then, you can think it over, and you can notify me anytime!"

Xilan could sense Sengoku's frustration through the phone call, Sengoku seemed a little dissatisfied?

but the thought of retiring and potentially becoming poor again was a daunting prospect.

After speaking, Sengoku hung up the phone bug.

"Quick, go and burn all the report letters!" Sengoku's voice was laced with frustration as he barked out orders to his soldiers, his voice dripping with frustration. The desk in front of him was overwhelmed with reports on Xilan, stacked so high that it reached over a meter in height. It was clear that many individuals had taken their time to report on Xilan's actions.

Sengoku knew that if Xilan were to retire, he would be able to settle scores at his leisure, but as long as Xilan was still active in service, he dared not make a move. 

Xilan has been a Marine for decades, and even though he may not have been aware of the situation at Naval Headquarters, his years of experience as a Marine had given him a keen sense of impending danger.

Xilan stood in the doorway, his voice stern as he commanded the guard. "Prepare the boat, I'm heading to Marineford."

However, ten minutes later, his secretary appeared with a troubled expression. "I'm sorry, Admiral Xilan. It seems you won't be able to make the trip to Marineford. Our warships have all been sold to pirates."

Xilan was shocked by the news. "What do you mean, all of them?" he demanded… awkwardly?

"Yes, sir," the secretary replied, looking uneasy.

Xilan's anger boiled over and he slammed his fist onto the table. "Who would dare to sell our warships? They must be out of their minds!"

Xilan was livid with anger as he realized the severity of the situation. He couldn't believe that someone would have the audacity to sell off their own warships, let alone his own personal battleship.

He demanded an explanation from his adjutant, "Mr. Admiral, you sold the warship yourself." The adjutant suddenly said, "Even your own battleship [Chiryu] was sold by you for 300 million berries."

The corner of Xilan's mouth twitched a few times, thinking about it carefully, it seemed that something like this happened.

Xilan's mind raced as he processed the information. He had sold off every single warship in the G0 base, netting a profit of 4.8 billion berries. The remaining 800 million was given to the Marines, while the rest went to Xilan himself.

"Is there still a boat left?" Xilan asked with a furrowed brow, a feeling of unease settling in his gut.

"No, if you want to go to Naval Headquarters, you'll have to rely on oars," the adjutant replied sheepishly. "And we'll have to make the oars ourselves."

Xilan cursed under his breath. He had a feeling that something was amiss at Naval Headquarters, and now he was left with no means of transportation. All he had were a few makeshift oars to rely on.

Xilan's frustration boils over as he realizes that his greed has led to the sale of all the Marine's warships in the G0 base, earning a profit of 4.8 billion berries. Determined to not let this happen again, Xilan decides to visit the prison and let his adjutant contact Sengoku and the pirates, hoping to secure new warships and make a profit at the same time.

He also contacts the pirates, offering them a discount on the new batch of warships if they paid first

"Immediately contact Sengoku and inform him that I require 50 vessels to be dispatched. If he inquires about the whereabouts of the original warships, inform him it was lost to pirate attacks."

"By the way… contact the pirates and tell them that we have a new batch of warships arriving. Whoever pays first will get a 20% discount!"

…

The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the dingy, putrid prison as the inmates stirred awake. In this cramped, fetid space, the only sounds were the scraping of rat claws against the floor and the gnashing of teeth as they feasted on insects, ants, and rot. Suddenly, the door opened, and some pirates braced themselves for a fight..

Tread, tread, tread... The sound of steady footsteps approached the entrance, causing many other pirates to stir and open their eyes.

"Who's there? Come closer and I'll tear you apart!"

"Kill, kill, kill, kill!"

"Damn Marines!" they yelled, their voices laced with hatred for the Marines.

…

Xilan's anger was palpable as he stormed into the dark and dingy prison, his footsteps echoing off the walls. The rancid smell of rot and decay hung heavy in the air, and rats the size of human arms scurried about.

As he approached, the pirates' curses grew louder and more agitated, their hatred for the Marines evident in every word. But as they caught sight of Xilan, they fell silent.

"What's the point in living, trash who can't even pay the ransom?" Xilan spat, his gaze fixed on the prison in the northeast corner where unkind eyes watched him with disdain.

"Red Dragon Emperor's Roar!" Xilan bellowed, unleashing a ball of fiery energy that exploded with a deafening boom.

The sound of the explosion echoed throughout the prison, causing a cloud of dust to rise from the man's body as it disintegrated. The pirates, previously taunting and jeering, now had fear etched into their gazes.

Xilan paid no heed to their reactions as he strode past them. He saw no value in these poor, ransom-less pirates and had no qualms about killing them all once the prison reached capacity. Xilan continued to the depths of the extra-large prison, where the railings and walls were constructed from seastone, a material impervious to Devil Fruit abilities.

Xilan stood before the cell of the prisoner, who had attacked the G0 base a few days prior and had been captured by him.

"Unlock the door," Xilan commanded the jailer.

"Immediately," the jailer replied, hastening to unlock the door, and as it swung open, an oppressive atmosphere flowed out. Inside, a towering man was suspended in midair, his limbs secured by heavy chains and every inch of exposed skin locked in place.

"Xilan, you have arrived," the brawny man growled, his bloodshot eyes narrowed in anger..

Xilan ordered his men to turn on the lights. As the lights were turned on, the muscular and rugged man was revealed, his thick muscles and violent aura still present despite being imprisoned.

Despite his restraints, the man exuded a violent aura, his well-developed muscles revealing his strength.

This man was none other than Kaido, captain of the Beasts Pirates also known as "the strongest creature in the sea, land, and air."

—

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