Chapter 132: Admiral Selection

New World.

On an island where the World Military Draft is taking place.

Inside the exclusive lounge for Admiral candidates.

After Shiro left, one of the Admiral candidates, Fujitora, fell deep into thought.

Although he had remained vigilant about the identity of the young man from Central Authority (the Shiro's organization) , he couldn't deny that his mindset had shifted significantly.

When the other party revealed his true identity, Fujitora's heart remained unshaken. After all, the so-called Central Authority, in his eyes, was nothing more than an evil organization created by the world's most notorious criminals.

But as he listened to the young man introduce the goals of Central Authority and the ideals of the world's most infamous criminal, Shiro, Fujitora felt a stir within him.

Now, because of the Celestial Dragons, the rule of the World Government, and the chaos spreading across the seas, these thoughts caused a ripple in his heart.

Of course, what shook him the most was something else.

When he questioned his own choice to join the World Military Draft, Shiro proposed a wager.

Remarkably, in the final round, Fujitora won—by a wide margin.

This naturally left him in shock, as he could guarantee that there was absolutely no chance for Shiro to cheat in the process.

Could it be… that this old man's choice was truly wrong? Was the Navy not the platform for him to showcase his ambitions?

That night, under the silent sky, Fujitora looked upward. Even though he had lost his sight, he always believed that he could see the world clearly.

But now, for the first time, he questioned himself.

Perhaps, a better path truly awaited him.

Implementing a new order sounded like an incredibly challenging task.

Time flew by.

The next day, the final battle for the Admiral selection would be held as scheduled!

As this was the most critical part of the World Military Draft process, in addition to Fleet Admiral Akainu and Kizaru, the Navy's Inspector General, Sengoku the Buddha, and most of the Navy's elite gathered for the event.

The Navy was about to welcome two new Admirals. After the defeat during the Summit War, the new Admirals would inspire the Navy and reinvigorate its morale.

Thus, a massive crowd of Marines arrived to witness the battle.

At this moment, the island was filled with more than 100,000 Marines!

And that's not even counting the nearly 100,000 participants from the World Military Draft!

Such a scene was truly grand!

Standing in the arena, Enel felt a bit overwhelmed. After all, whether it was on Skypiea or on the Moon, he had never experienced such a large-scale battle.

However, Shiro stood with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, looking quite excited.

Once upon a time, he had dreamed of rising through the Navy's ranks—from Rear Admiral to Admiral, and maybe even Fleet Admiral—until he could change the Navy itself.

Although that dream had not come to pass, standing here in the final battle for Admiral selection was quite satisfying.

As for winning or losing, Shiro wasn't too concerned.

If he ended up facing Fujitora, it might take some effort. If it was Aramaki, the fight would be more manageable.

As for Enel, Shiro didn't think it was likely.

Fujitora and Aramaki were clearly the two candidates favored by the Navy Headquarters for the Admiral positions.

Of all the World Military Draft candidates, excluding Shiro, Fujitora and Aramaki were clearly the strongest.

At this moment, Shiro could feel Fujitora occasionally casting glances at him, but he paid no attention. He wasn't worried about Fujitora revealing his true identity.

First, Fujitora had a trustworthy character.

Second, even if it were exposed now, it wouldn't be a serious problem.

Everything was ready, and the event was about to begin!

As for whether Fujitora would pursue more information about Central Authority, Shiro wasn't sure. But judging by Fujitora's performance so far, it seemed quite likely.

"Everyone quiet!"

Fleet Admiral Akainu announced loudly, his voice booming across the arena.

"The final battle for the World Military Draft and Admiral selection is about to begin. The two victors will be exceptionally promoted to Admirals!"

When the time came, Akainu's gaze shifted unconsciously toward Shiro.

He wondered if the young man would be able to create yet another miracle and claim the rank of Admiral.

Although the odds were slim, Akainu still had a glimmer of hope.

After all, Shiro was not weak. In fact, he was comparable to Shiro himself.

If the young man could ascend to Admiral, he would become the youngest Admiral in the Navy's history!

And perhaps the Navy could regain some of its lost dignity.

Although they had lost Shiro, the so-called youngest and strongest Rear Admiral in history, the Navy could soon gain the youngest Admiral.

Of course, Akainu knew this was wishful thinking. Even he had to admit that Shiro, who had created Central Authority, now possessed power beyond that of an Admiral.

Killing Shiro and washing away the Navy's disgrace had become Akainu's obsession since the war.

As long as it could be done, the means didn't matter.

As expected, when Akainu announced that the matches were about to begin, the order was revealed.

Shiro and Enel would be fighting Aramaki and Fujitora respectively.

This was the best possible arrangement in Shiro's mind.

Fighting against Aramaki who possessed wood-based abilities, would be favorable for Shiro. The Aramaki's fruit abilities would be suppressed, and when it came to Haki and physical combat, Shiro believed he had the upper hand. Aramaki knew nothing about him, and Shiro could end the fight with a decisive first strike.

As for Enel and Fujitora, the outcome was hardly in doubt.

Enel was not yet on the level of an Admiral.

Shiro and Enel didn't come here to fight a life-or-death battle. They simply wanted to show that Central Authority was full of talents and capable of gathering powerful individuals.

Soon, the first round was announced by the Inspector General, Sengoku the Buddha!

The battle: Enel VS Fujitora!

Fujitora had originally wanted to face Shiro, as it was clear that infiltration was primarily led by him.

But since the Navy had arranged things this way, Fujitora couldn't change it.

Still, he was curious to know how powerful Central Authority had become and how many strong individuals had joined its ranks.

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg