Chapter 92: Demon Fruit Power Army! The Strongest In History!

at this time.

At this moment, Sengoku, known as the "Resourceful General" and the Marshal of the Navy, stood in shock, his eyes reflecting disbelief—something rare for the usually composed commander. 

Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Chief Advisor and often regarded as the brain of the Navy, also wore a grim expression, as though she'd glimpsed something terrifying. 

Never before had both of these high-ranking Marines shown such a reaction simultaneously.

"Sister Tsuru, Marshal, what is going on here...?" Gion, sensing the growing tension between Sengoku and Tsuru, spoke up nervously, unease weighing on her voice. She had never seen the two pillars of Marine intelligence so unsettled over a single issue.

"Sengoku, Tsuru, what's with you both?" Garp, frowning, cast a curious glance at his comrades. "What did you realize about Ace from what I just said?"

Tsuru's voice, heavy with concern, broke the silence: "The Mera-Mera Fruit, the Thunder Fruit, the Bird-Bird Fruit—Phantom Beast, Suzaku form... these extremely rare and powerful Devil Fruits have all fallen into the hands of the Entei Pirates."

She paused, her eyes widening. "In other words, these Devil Fruits were all acquired by Portgas D. Ace."

"And that's not all..." Tsuru continued. "His crew has a Paramecia Devil Fruit user who can control sound, and another Paramecia user capable of healing injuries and diseases—both incredibly rare and valuable powers, serving as his crew's musician and doctor, respectively."

"All these Devil Fruits, including some of the most powerful in existence, just happen to be in Ace's possession! Do you understand what this means?!" Tsuru's voice grew more intense.

"The sheer quantity and rarity of the Devil Fruits he's gathered could rival those in the possession of our entire Naval Headquarters!"

"Even the Four Emperors, who dominate the New World, can't boast such a treasure trove of Devil Fruits in their crews!" 

"Could it be..." Tsuru's voice dropped ominously, "that Ace has some unique ability to draw Devil Fruits to him? Perhaps even from the depths of the sea itself?"

The weight of her words hung in the air as she continued, her tone growing darker. "If that's true, Ace might be able to summon any Devil Fruit he desires. Do you realize the implications of that?"

Sengoku's voice cut through the silence, his teeth clenched and veins bulging on his forehead. "And then there's the Sand-Sand Fruit, the one Crocodile possessed..."

"When a Devil Fruit user dies, their abilities vanish, only to reappear somewhere on the sea after a time. But never in the same place where the original user perished."

He sighed deeply. "The World Government has developed technology that can replicate Devil Fruit powers after the death of the user, but it's limited to the most basic Zoan-type Fruits. The Paramecia and Logia types, especially the rarest, remain a mystery in how they re-emerge."

"Yet somehow, Ace's crew obtained the Sand-Sand Fruit, the very same power Crocodile wielded, shortly after his death. That's far too much of a coincidence!"

Sengoku's expression darkened further. "Ace has the ability to hunt Devil Fruit powers, even those belonging to deceased users!"

"He is building an army, a Devil Fruit army stronger and more terrifying than Kaido's Zoan army!" Sengoku's voice trembled as he continued, the weight of his realization crashing down on him. "And that army will be made up of the most powerful and rare Devil Fruits in the entire sea."

Sengoku's trembling worsened, his words growing more frantic. "Portgas D. Ace can hunt down and claim the greatest powers this sea has to offer. In time, he will create a pirate crew more fearsome than even the Four Emperors of the New World!"

Gion, who had been quietly listening, felt her body tremble in shock. Her expression shifted as her mind raced, her eyes now locked on Garp. 

"Hey, Garp-chan... building an army of Devil Fruit users—wasn't there someone who tried that before? The reason you're called a hero of the Navy..." Gion's voice trailed off, filled with wonder.

Garp's face twisted into a grim smile. "Rocks?"

The name alone carried enough weight to silence the room.

"Yes... the Rocks Pirates," Garp muttered, his voice heavy with the memory of that tumultuous time, forty years ago. 

"But Ace is far more dangerous than Rocks ever was. Rocks didn't have the ability to attract Devil Fruits," Tsuru interjected. "And he certainly wasn't born with the overwhelming power Ace has—Conqueror's Haki-Tangle at age seven and an overlord's strength by seventeen? No... Ace is far more terrifying than Rocks could have ever been."

"Given enough time," Sengoku growled, "Ace will create a pirate crew far more powerful than the Rocks Pirates—more powerful than any crew in history!"

His body trembled as he imagined the consequences. "Garp! You fool! What kind of monster have you raised?! And let him become a pirate?!" Sengoku yelled. "This will be a force capable of overturning the sea and threatening the very concept of justice itself. It will be more dangerous than anything the world has ever seen!"

Sengoku's voice grew louder, but Garp refused to back down. His eyes locked with Sengoku's, filled with defiance. "Ace isn't what you think," Garp shot back. "He's a kind, good boy. Has he ever harmed innocent people?!"

"He saved Cocosia Village from Arlong and Alabasta from Crocodile! Those were Marines' mistakes, not Ace's!"

At this, Sengoku was left momentarily speechless, his rage simmering, yet tempered by Garp's words.

"Enough!" Tsuru interjected. "You two won't solve anything by fighting each other. Calm down before I force both of you to cool off!"

The room fell silent, Sengoku and Garp immediately stiffening at Tsuru's threat. Both of them had experienced her Devil Fruit powers before and knew she wasn't one to take lightly.

"I do have a suggestion," Tsuru said after a pause, her eyes flickering with thought. 

Garp, Sengoku, and Gion all turned their attention to her.

"Why don't we consider making Portgas D. Ace a Shichibukai?" she proposed, her voice solemn.

Sengoku and Gion's eyes widened in shock at the idea.

"Allow Ace, who killed Crocodile, to take his place and become a Warlord of the Sea?"

Garp remained silent—not because he didn't want Ace to become a Warlord. In truth, no one wanted it more than him. 

He had thought about this from the moment Ace set sail as a pirate. After all, Ace's lineage would inevitably draw him into a storm of conflict. Becoming a Warlord would provide him with an extra layer of protection.

However, Garp knew Ace too well. He understood that with Ace's ambition, there was no way he'd agree to such a position.

"It's unlikely, Tsuru," Garp muttered. "Getting Ace, who killed a Warlord, to take his place as a new one?"

"Do you think the government would have any objections? As long as it's in their interest, they wouldn't mind appointing someone who killed a Warlord," Tsuru responded.

Her words left Sengoku in thought. It was true—the government wouldn't refuse something beneficial to them.

"But Portgas D. Ace, with his level of Conqueror's Haki and his rare ambition, isn't like other pirates. Many would desire the privileges that come with being a Warlord, but such things hold no meaning for someone like him. Moreover, there's Nico Robin on his crew," Sengoku said, his voice serious.

"Still," Tsuru continued, "we must at least try. Even if he doesn't accept the title, we can use this as an opportunity to gauge his ambition, to understand how far he intends to go."

"As for Nico Robin, there are ways to negotiate. If Ace agrees to cooperate without using her knowledge in any dangerous ways, the government might be willing to compromise."

Tsuru paused before adding, "And besides, do we have any other options? The Navy, as it stands, cannot deal with him."

Her words weighed heavily on Sengoku, who fell silent.

She was right. The Navy was no longer in a position to handle Portgas D. Ace.

He had already become a ruler of the seas in his own right. To confront him would require not just one, but two Admirals—an impossible feat for the Navy right now.

With Aokiji injured and other Admirals needed to guard the headquarters and Mariejois, sending two Admirals to deal with Ace would leave them exposed. There was also the risk that during such a confrontation, other powers might seize the opportunity to act.

Moreover, Ace's crew possessed many rare and formidable Devil Fruit abilities. It wouldn't be a simple battle, but an all-out war against a dominant maritime force. Even for an Admiral, there was a risk of severe injury or death. The Navy couldn't afford the potential casualties, especially not at this time.

Understanding this, Garp remained quiet, knowing the strategic value of the information he had shared.

Sometimes, revealing your strength isn't a weakness—it's a deterrent. Garp had always been a blunt man, but deep down, he knew exactly what he was doing. By disclosing Ace's true power, he made sure the Navy wouldn't act recklessly.

Was this old man trying to balance his loyalty between family and justice? Only he knows.

"Fine. I'll send a Warlord invitation to Portgas D. Ace," Sengoku declared, looking firmly at Garp. "And Garp, you will deliver it!"

"What? Me?" Garp blinked in surprise.

"Who else? Should I send a Vice Admiral? What if Ace doesn't like it and kills them on the spot? Aokiji is injured, and both Kizaru and Akainu are needed to defend the headquarters and Mariejois. Pick up Aokiji on your ship, and don't forget to bring a doctor and burn medicine," Sengoku instructed, feeling a bit smug.

Garp had caused him so much trouble. His son, Monkey D. Dragon, now led the Revolutionary Army, and his adopted grandson, Ace, had become a major power on the seas. If not for Garp's status as a Marine hero and old friend, Sengoku might've thrown him into Impel Down by now.

"Fine, I'll go, but I can't guarantee Ace will accept the invitation," Garp grumbled, scratching his nose. In truth, he missed Ace and was looking forward to seeing him.

"Whether he accepts it or not, at least deliver the message to him. Tell him not to plunge the seas into chaos—do you understand, you old fool?" Sengoku growled.

Luckily, Ace, though reckless, wasn't as insane as Rocks had been. And with Garp having spoken to him before, there was hope that the seas wouldn't erupt into total anarchy—at least not right away. The Navy needed more time to prepare.

"Hmph," Garp grunted, donning on his justice cloak and heading out.

"Portgas D. Ace," murmured Gion as she watched Garp leave. Ace was truly a new power on the sea, a ruler who could negotiate directly with the Navy.