One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 195: On How to Kill Kaido?

At Naval Headquarters, Marineford, the Prometheus had docked once again, bringing Claudius to witness a major transition in Marine's leadership. Marshal Kong had already departed for Mariejois to assume his new role, while Sengoku was set to officially become the new Marine Fleet Admiral.

Today was a historic moment, not only because of Sengoku's promotion but also due to the reorganization of Marine's highest combat force. For the first time in years, the long-vacant positions of the "Three Admirals" were about to be filled.

In the Fleet Admiral's office, Claudius sat casually, sipping tea as he spoke with Sengoku.

"Hahahaha! Congratulations, Sengoku! Or should I say, Fleet Admiral Sengoku now?" Claudius said with a hearty laugh.

Sengoku chuckled, his tone relaxed but filled with pride. "Not quite yet. The inauguration ceremony still needs to be completed. Once that's done, then I'll truly hold the title of Fleet Admiral."

"After all these years of hard work, you've finally made it," Claudius said, smiling warmly.

Sengoku nodded, a trace of nostalgia crossing his face. "Yes, it's been a long road, but I've finally reached the top."

"And the Three Admirals? Has the selection been finalized?" Claudius asked.

Sengoku's expression softened further. "Yes, it's all set. With my promotion, the Admiral ranks were left vacant, so we're replenishing all three positions at once. Fortunately, Marine has no shortage of talent. We've been preparing for this moment for years."

"That's true. Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan, right?" Claudius inquired knowingly.

Sengoku nodded, his tone proud. "Exactly. All three are Logia users, and their strength is top-tier even by the standards of this sea. Over the years, we've focused heavily on developing their abilities. Now, they're more than qualified to serve as the face of Marine's highest combat power."

"With a new Fleet Admiral and a fully replenished Three Admirals, Marine must be eager to make a statement and establish its authority," Claudius remarked.

"You're not wrong," Sengoku admitted. "But we're still figuring out where to start. Do you have any suggestions, Your Highness?"

Claudius smirked. "What do you want me to say? Go take down Whitebeard?"

Sengoku's expression turned wry. "Starting with something that big would be... ambitious."

"In terms of strength, he's formidable. Very formidable," Sengoku admitted. "Although Kaido has lost to Whitebeard several times, there are persistent rumors that Kaido is the strongest in single combat."

"Whitebeard has beaten him multiple times and still gets called the strongest man alive. Are those rumors just pirate nonsense, or is Kaido relying on gang fights to get his reputation?" Claudius asked skeptically.

Sengoku chuckled. "When Whitebeard was in his prime, there was no question he was stronger. But now he's in his sixties. He's aging, and his health is declining. Kaido, on the other hand, is still in his prime—his peak, really.

"As for the rumors, let me ask you this: do pirates care about how they win or lose? The Whitebeard Pirates are famous for their unity. It's practically their trademark. A group fight is nothing unusual for them."

Claudius smirked. "That doesn't sound great for Newgate's reputation."

Sengoku shrugged. "It's not as bad as you think. Kaido often resorts to sneak attacks, and many of his defeats against Whitebeard started that way. Let me ask you this: if someone launched a sneak attack on you, would you insist on a fair one-on-one fight?"

"I'm not that foolish. If I had the opportunity, I'd crush Kaido in the quickest, most efficient way possible," Claudius said, grinning without a hint of shame.

Sengoku nodded approvingly. "Exactly. And that's why Kaido remains a mystery. Even if we capture him, we don't know how to kill him. If we did, we'd have done it already. His immortality is the real problem."

"What about Devil Fruits?" Claudius suggested. "Couldn't you force him to eat a second one and have him explode? That's supposed to kill anyone, right?"

Sengoku's expression turned thoughtful. "We tried that the first time we captured him. But it didn't work."

"Why not? Are you telling me no one in Marine was strong enough to force him to eat one?" Claudius asked, amused by the thought.

Sengoku shook his head. "It's not that. Kaido's body is... different. His internal organs are structured in a way that allows him to resist. If he doesn't want to eat something, his body won't 'digest' it. It's like the Devil Fruit was placed in a sealed container inside him, it doesn't activate."

Claudius stared at Sengoku, dumbfounded. "That's... ridiculous. There's actually a defense like that?"

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