TitoVillar
patreon
OPI Chapter 226: Preparing for the Unknown Future
🕑 Added 2024-08-25 20:10:06 +0000 UTCV. Nusjuro didn't want to continue talking about Ymir, so he changed the subject. "Alright, let's talk about the details. Since it was mentioned that we must prepare for winter, it can be determined that the next world should have a very cold climate, so let the people below begin preparing countermeasures."
"That's easy to handle. Even if the other world's climate is too cold, we can send Borsalino to disperse all the snowstorms with his awakening ability. It shouldn't be a problem for us."
"We can also send Sakazuki to melt the existing layers of ice and snow with magma, and then send Aramaki to grow vegetation and absorb the melted water."
Saturn and Mars began to argue about the issue.
At this point Warcury intervened: "I think we can still use the other seer under our control."
V. Nusjuro looked calmly at his companions and spoke seriously: "Exactly, although Kagaya Ubuyashiki's ability requires some of his precious 'Pillars' to serve as a medium, whether in the Army or Cipher Pol, those 'Pillars' are already there. Furthermore, to ensure their immediate access to the other world, they were assigned as advance members."
"Therefore, if Kagaya uses his ability, he will be able to see images of the future in the other world through the 'Pillars'. The only disadvantage is that he cannot control the time or subject of his precognition, which introduces some uncertainty."
"But for us, no matter what scenes he sees, they are actually valuable information."
"Then, it is decided. Since this is future information, Cipher Pol will be in charge of contacting Kagaya Ubuyashiki." Warcury concluded.
"However, Kagaya's precognition ability consumes a lot of vitality. So he can only use it a few times a year." Mars pointed out.
V. Nusjuro coldly suggested, "Then, give him a cell-strengthening serum to improve his constitution, and send him Sea King meat, to maximize the number of times he can foresee the future."
"And he also has a son, right? Let's give him a dose of the serum as well. His abilities are an invaluable special resource. We shouldn't be stingy in this regard. While we're at it, let's motivate Kagaya to have more children."
Warcury smiled and said: "Good idea. The more males the Ubuyashiki family has, the more future scenes they'll be able to see. In that case, the result won't be that different from what Ymir can do."
...
August 12.
After nearly a week of qualifiers, the Top 100 of the first World Tournament was finally announced. The list was revealed live to millions of viewers across the four worlds.
It was to be expected that names like Muzan Kibutsuji, Ben Beckman, Yasopp, Amatori Biba, Levi Ackerman, Horobi, Tengen Uzui, Tokito Muichiro and Sanemi Shinazugawa, among others, would be on the list.
However.
The cursed Krieg, along with Arlong's companions Kuroobi and Hatchan, were also fortunate enough to defeat their opponents, thus securing their place among the Top Hundred.
On the other hand, Arlong and other fish-men were not so lucky and were eliminated.
As for the hundred-plus subordinates Krieg had brought with him, they had already perished in the preliminary rounds.
Now, those who managed to get through will board the flying warships and head to Elbaf.
Then, in the legendary giant kingdom, the final one-on-one ranking competition will be held to determine the final ranking of everyone!
...
Navy Headquarters, Marineford.
[Knock! Knock! Knock!]
Hearing the knock on the door, Sengoku looked away from the Top Hundred list projected on the virtual screen.
"Come in."
"Sorry to interrupt, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Issho gently pushed the door and entered the office.
Sengoku smiled kindly.
"I was the one who invited you. There's no need to apologize, Issho, please sit down."
"Then, with your permission."
Issho replied politely before sitting down.
"The reason I asked you to come is because I heard that you want to stay at Marine Headquarters and not join other military corps. Could you tell me why?" Sengoku said with a gentle smile on his face.
"After doing some research, I realized that in the World Government's campaign against other worlds, the Navy, compared to the Army and Air Force, has the primary responsibility of protecting the security of our world and maintaining order on the seas."
"..." Sengoku's smile froze upon hearing Issho's words, and for a moment he thought he was being sarcastic.
But he quickly noticed the seriousness in Issho's attitude, so, with some curiosity, he asked: "You don't want to join the Army or Air Force because you don't want to participate in the war against other worlds?"
"That's right." Issho nodded calmly.
"I didn't really want to enlist. But the day I saw the images of the troops of giants from another world crossing the Dimensional Gate into our world, I realized that not only would the World Government invade other worlds, but other worlds could invade ours as well."
"After some thought, I decided that although I cannot stop the World Government's conquests, I do not want our world to be invaded. Therefore, I prefer to use my power to protect our homeland."
Hearing these words, Sengoku felt conflicted.
He doesn't want to invade other worlds, he only wants to protect his own. That's Issho's mindset.
Honestly, Sengoku found Issho somewhat naive and idealistic.
Does he think that by joining the Navy he can avoid war against other worlds?
It's impossible, since many of those worlds also have oceans.
Once Issho joins the Navy, sooner or later, he will be forced to participate in the conquest of another world, because he will be a soldier.
However, Sengoku did not dislike this naivety, this logic. In fact, he appreciated it, because he himself could not allow himself to think like that. For all these years, he had engraved in his soul the words 'obey orders'.
At the same time, perhaps because he had the opportunity to speak face to face with the Fleet Admiral, Issho couldn't help but express his hidden thoughts.
"Two years ago, seeing so many despicable and vile people, I even considered blinding myself, thinking that if I didn't see a world so full of evil, it would be a relief."
"But on September 15th, 1498, there was an event that changed my perspective forever. It was the date of the previous Levely, and also Liberation Day."
"That day, the World Government not only passed the 'Communiqué on the Establishment of Equal and Friendly Relations between Humans, Merfolk and Fishmen' at the Levely, but also passed the even greater 'Total Prohibition of Slave Trade and Total Liberation of World Slaves'!"
Issho was visibly emotional as he spoke.
"I actually suspected that it was just a superficial propaganda."
"But when I traveled from kingdom to kingdom and island to island and saw with my own eyes so many slaves freed from their chains and collars by the Navy, I knew that the World Government had truly changed."
"And when I arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago again and saw the beautiful scenery there, I decided to keep these eyes because I want to see more changes and a better world!"
Sengoku listened patiently before speaking.
"I will report your ideas to the higher-ups and fully support you to stay in the navy, but the result cannot be guaranteed, because your gravity fruit ability can make objects fly, which is more suitable for the air force."
Hearing this, Issho frowned, feeling guilty.
"It was a carelessness on my part. The other day, while I was training with Vice Admiral Momonga, Admiral Garp suddenly threw a punch, which made me feel a strong sense of danger. Instinctively, I made the stone slab under my feet fly to dodge it..."
"???"
Three big golden question marks appeared on Sengoku's head.
...
“Issho wants to stay in the Navy Headquarters?”
Imu looked at the report written by Sengoku in surprise.
"Okay, I shouldn't put too much pressure on people like him. Forcing him could lead to trouble and turn a good deed into something bad."
Imu pondered for a moment before accepting the request.
At that moment, Stussy entered the throne room. In his hands he held a small golden model, which looked like a flat hourglass with a narrowing in the middle.
"Lord Imu, the experiment you ordered me to try has been a success!"
"Hmm?"
Imu looked up upon hearing her and, seeing what she was carrying, he gave an expectant smile.
"Then show me."
Stussy carefully placed the gold model on the red carpet and deactivated the ability that kept it shrinking, allowing it to return to its original size.
A golden hourglass-shaped tunnel with a height of nearly 20 meters at both ends, a width of nearly 5 meters, a length of about 8 meters in the middle, and a height of only 2 meters appeared in the open space.
"This is the Reduction Tunnel, a special artifact made with Metal Punk and the Less-Less Fruit." Stussy explained with a beaming smile.
"I have set the Less-Less Fruit's ability in the inner space of the tunnel, and the effect of disabling the ability at both ends."
"Thus, any object or living being measuring more than three meters and less than twenty will shrink to two meters upon entering the tunnel and will return to its original size upon exiting at the other end."
Imu was very satisfied after hearing this.
“Did you mention Metal Punk?” Imu asked.
"Yes, Lord Imu. In fact, my Less-Less Fruit awakened last month."
"However, even though my ability awakened, and I could apply it to objects, I needed to stay close to hold it, which didn't meet his expectations."
"So I contacted the Academy of Sciences to see if they could solve the problem, and that's when Dr. Vegapunk told me about Metal Punk."
"It is said to be a memory alloy that contains the Lineage Factor, and by fusing with a bit of my Lineage Factor, it can sustain the awakened ability of the Less-Less Fruit for a long time."
Imu understood what Stussy had explained.
"How many more of these artifacts can be made?"
Stussy replied regretfully: "Unfortunately, I don't know if it's because of lack of practice or because this awakened ability has a singularity that limits me, but after trying several times, I was only able to create one."
"I understand."
Imu nodded.
