Navy Headquarters
"Warring States! Why did you agree to such an outrageous demand for compensation on behalf of the Navy?"
"Do you realize you've humiliated the World Government?"
In the Fleet Admiral's office, the transponder snail on Sengoku's desk let out an angry screech, its voice carrying unmistakable fury and frustration.
"Humiliated?" Sengoku scoffed. "Don't give me that crap."
"You lost your right to talk about humiliation the moment you implemented the Shichibukai system. That was the real disgrace to the World Government."
"I agreed to compensate them, but that doesn't mean I'm here to clean up your mess."
"If this gets leaked to the press, you won't be able to show your faces. The World Government and the Navy will be mocked across the globe!"
His voice boomed back with equal force. After all these years dealing with the Five Elders, he knew better than to show weakness—especially now. If he did, they'd only try to squeeze more out of him.
His firm stance left the Five Elders silent on the other end of the line.
Of course they knew their system had serious flaws. Crocodile, one of the Shichibukai, had nearly overthrown a sovereign nation. If he had succeeded, it would've crushed the World Government's reputation, grinding it into the dirt.
"…Fine," one of them finally muttered. "We'll allow the compensation."
"But there's another matter. Our intelligence reports indicate that Red-Haired Shanks had a Haki clash with another Emperor-level figure in Alabasta. Since your Navy personnel are still in the area, have them investigate this immediately."
"We want to know—who was powerful enough to lock horns with Red-Hair?"
Having conceded on one front, they quickly shifted the topic.
Shanks' sudden appearance in Alabasta—leaving the New World to enter the first half of the Grand Line—had caught the attention of not just the Navy and the World Government, but many other factions across the globe. Some powerful nations had already sent agents to gather intelligence.
Unfortunately, those agents had failed spectacularly. When the clash of Conqueror's Haki occurred, all of them passed out instantly. By the time they regained consciousness, Shanks and his crew were already gone.
And as if that wasn't enough, another major event occurred that same day—Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords, was found dead. His body was publicly pulled from the ground by King Cobra himself.
Clearly, someone had orchestrated this to maximize impact.
And the most damning detail? Crocodile had been taken out by a single sword slash.
That pointed to only one man—Red-Haired Shanks, known not only for his overwhelming Haki, but also for his elite swordsmanship.
Killing a Logia-type Devil Fruit user like Crocodile with a single blow meant the attacker possessed terrifying strength. And in Alabasta at the time, Shanks was the only one who fit that description.
The Five Elders didn't care so much about Crocodile's death—but they did care about the possibility of a secret alliance between Shanks and King Cobra. If a founding member of the World Government like Alabasta broke away or acted against them in secret, the implications could be catastrophic.
This is why they wanted the Navy to keep a closer watch.
"…Understood," Sengoku said, and without waiting for a reply, he hung up.
He glanced down at a dossier in front of him.
The name Kairos Flint was stamped on the cover. A photo was attached, alongside pages detailing his recent activities in the East Blue.
"A greenhorn from East Blue, yet he awakened Conqueror's Haki in such a short time?" Sengoku muttered. "Are the younger generations this gifted?"
"A bounty hunter, huh… Might be worth recruiting into the Navy."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Even though Kairos had helped Alabasta squeeze compensation from the Navy, his talent was undeniable. According to reports from Commodore Tashigi and Captain Tina, he had not only awakened Conqueror's Haki, but already had some measure of control over it.
If nurtured properly, he might one day reach admiral-level strength.
But Sengoku wasn't the only one thinking about Kairos Flint.
Out on the Grand Line, Kairos was entirely unaware that the Fleet Admiral had taken an interest in him.
Not that he would care if he knew.
Sure, there were good people in the Navy who genuinely fought for justice. But promotions were rare, and even if you made it to admiral, you'd still be nothing more than a glorified errand boy for the Celestial Dragons.
Work for those scumbags? No way.
No salary was worth that.
So joining the Navy was completely off the table for Kairos Flint.
Right now, his ship sailed toward Skypiea—the fabled Sky Island. He wasn't worried about political games or world power struggles.
He was focused on something else entirely—strengthening his team.
He had a stockpile of rare ability crystals—items that granted tremendous power. But at his current strength—Emperor level—even the most potent crystals only offered marginal benefits.
Instead, he'd decided to use them to empower his companions. It was time for them to stop being spectators.
He had plenty of epic-grade crystals, and even a few legendary ones.
Except Robin.
She was still too new to be trusted. Giving her a power boost before he understood her loyalties would be a massive gamble—and if she took the crystals and ran, he'd suffer a huge loss.
So for now, only Nami, Vivi, and Uta would receive the upgrades.
He prepared:
3 Epic Body Crystals
3 Epic Soul Crystals
3 Epic Talent Crystals
3 Epic Physical Skills Crystals
3 Legendary Armament Haki Crystals
3 Legendary Observation Haki Crystals
It was a massive investment.
But considering what awaited in the New World, Kairos knew he'd make it all back. This was the calm before the storm.
"Nami, these are for you—along with Vivi and Uta."
He divided the crystals into three sets and handed them out. The girls already knew what they were—Kairos had explained his power to create ability crystals long ago.
Without hesitation, they took their portions and consumed them immediately.
"I'll reward you tonight," Nami said with a sly grin, planting a kiss on his cheek.
Vivi blushed but wasn't about to be outdone. "Thank you, my love," she murmured, her tone sweet but shy.
Off to the side, Uta's face was flushed red as she witnessed the exchange. The boldness of the other two left her flustered.
Still, after a moment of internal struggle, she stepped forward, gently pecked Kairos on the cheek, and scurried off to her room in a panic.
"Not bad at all," Kairos chuckled. His mood was clearly lifted.
Robin, curious and observant as ever, raised an eyebrow. "Those crystals you gave them—what exactly are they?"
"Crystals that boost your strength instantly, with no side effects," Kairos replied matter-of-factly.
She looked surprised. "You're telling me this openly? Aren't you afraid I'll leak your secret?"
"You're on my ship now. You're part of my crew—for now. I don't need to hide this from you. But if you betray me, you'd better be ready for the consequences."
His tone was calm, but the underlying threat was crystal clear.
Robin smiled, though her voice betrayed her doubt. "I don't think I'll betray you…"
She couldn't say it with confidence. After all, her entire life had been filled with betrayal and manipulation. Trust didn't come easy anymore.
Kairos understood. Anyone who'd been through what Robin had would be just as guarded.
Robin asked another question. "So how powerful do those crystals make them, exactly?"
"Each crystal enhances one trait—body, soul, talent, physical skill, and more. The ones I gave them will elevate all of those to the Emperor level. Plus, they'll immediately awaken Armament and Observation Haki—both at General level."
Robin's jaw dropped.
"Emperor level? You're not joking?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?" Kairos said calmly.
Her thoughts were in chaos.
Just those tiny crystals could give someone the strength of an Emperor?
It sounded impossible.
And yet… she knew Kairos had no reason to lie.
She'd know for sure soon enough—when Nami and the others emerged from their rooms, transformed.