Zefa's report contained a meticulous account of everything concerning Ares, written entirely from his own perspective and immediate impressions.
From their first encounter, to clashing with Ares, to the repeated battles they had fought every visceral feeling and observation was faithfully recorded without omission.
Fleet Admiral Kong read through the report word for word. Between the lines, he could feel the shock… and fear… that had gripped Zefa at the time.
It was Ares's unimaginable rate of improvement and ability to learn that had left Zefa so shaken.
The unfiltered honesty in Zefa's words hit Kong like a heavy blow. Time slipped by unnoticed as he finished reading the thick report in full.
Tap, tap, tap…
His fingertips rapped against the desk. Even after putting the file down, the name "Ares" filled his mind entirely those three characters appeared more than anything else in the report.
"An exceedingly rare Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit… exceptional talent and learning capacity… overwhelming combat prowess and unyielding will… growth rate that defies belief."
"Only… fifteen years old."
"As Zefa wrote in his remarks this kid is a monster through and through."
Supreme combat instinct. Mastery of martial skills. The ability to transform into a massive azure dragon thanks to a Mythical Zoan. Unparalleled recovery. Boundless stamina.
When it came to Tengetsu Ares's combat capability, there was hardly a flaw to be found he was a perfect "monster."
And this monster was still growing at a staggering pace.
Even Kong himself was starting to feel a headache coming on. "Rocks, Newgate, Shiki, Big Mom… those four are already trouble enough. And now there's an Ares."
"How did all these monsters end up gathering under the Rocks Pirates? That bastard Rocks really hit the jackpot…"
The ever-composed Fleet Admiral couldn't stop himself from swearing under his breath.
"That little golden monkey of ours doesn't feel like enough of a trump card anymore…" Kong frowned. In sheer overall numbers, the Navy far outstripped the Rocks Pirates. But it wasn't possible to deploy the Navy's entire global force just to destroy them.
Such a large-scale mobilization would cause a worldwide stir.
Besides, Rocks and his crew wouldn't sit idly by and let the Navy gather its forces they'd respond immediately. What truly worried Kong was that, at the level of top-tier combatants, the Navy might not actually be able to match the Rocks Pirates as they stood now.
This failed operation had driven home just how thinly stretched the Navy's upper echelon of fighters really was.
But top-tier power wasn't something you could produce overnight. Monsters like Tengetsu Ares were vanishingly rare on this sea.
After a moment's thought with his eyes closed, Kong muttered to himself, "Looks like I'll have to propose to the World Government that the Navy work with the CP organizations this time."
The Cipher Pol units were secret intelligence agencies under the direct authority of the World Government, based on Enies Lobby. They had existed for centuries perhaps even longer and ranged from CP1 to CP9, with the so-called "strongest intelligence agency in the world," CP0, standing above them.
CP0 was the highest echelon of Cipher Pol, directly under the Celestial Dragons themselves.
Kong knew a few things about these organizations. They scoured the globe for children with special talents and in the darker corners of their work, they trafficked them as well.
Hand-picked from the start and further refined through ruthless selection, CP operatives were far beyond ordinary in both skill and potential. Many of them were terrifyingly strong.
But it wasn't raw fighting skill that made Cipher Pol so dangerous. Their true deadliness lay in infiltration, concealment, and living as shadows their ability to strike from the darkness.
Kong had always despised these sewer rats lurking in the dark. Yet to deal with the Rocks Pirates, even he had to make such a distasteful choice.
"All for the sake of justice."
He stood from his chair, as if reassuring himself with those words.
A change of scene.
Over the endless blue of the open sea, on a battered pirate ship…
"This ship is falling apart. We're going to have to get ourselves a bigger vessel. Our original plans will have to be put on hold for now," said Roger, his arm and head both swathed in white bandages.
The ever-smiling captain now wore an expression clouded by sorrow and pain. In their last battle, they had lost more than ten crewmates. Every survivor bore wounds, some worse than others.
The ship itself had been blasted to pieces by cannon fire. Even after repairs, it was barely seaworthy. If they encountered rough seas or severe weather, it might break apart entirely
tossing everyone into the ocean.
Getting a new ship was now a matter of urgency.
Footsteps sounded behind Roger, breaking his train of thought. He turned quickly to see Gaban approaching.
"Gaban, how's Rayleigh doing?" Roger asked at once.
Bandaged in several places himself courtesy of Silver Axe, Gaban walked straight up to Roger.
"Rayleigh's out of immediate danger," he reported. "But his recovery will take time months, at least. The bad news is… our ship's doctor was killed in that last battle."
The low, heavy tone made Roger's face shift slightly. Without a skilled doctor aboard, the crew's healing would be much slower.
Roger exhaled in relief, though. "As long as his life's not in danger. That bloody-handed Ares left him with far too many wounds. Good thing Rayleigh's tough enough to pull through. I wonder how Ares himself is doing now…"
"In my gut, I feel that man will be our greatest obstacle to our dreams."
Rayleigh had been the first person Roger ever invited onto his ship they were as close as brothers. Roger knew his strength inside and out, which was why he trusted him so completely.
And yet, a newly-rising pirate named Tengetsu Ares had managed to hand Rayleigh such a bitter defeat.
"I've never seen an ability like that," Gaban admitted, still uneasy. "A Mythical Zoan's power really is extraordinary. We'll have to be careful if we cross paths with him again."
The image of it alone was enough to send chills down his spine.
Roger glanced toward the deck, where a few bandaged crewmates milled about. The rest were still below, recovering from their injuries.
Just a day ago, they'd been singing, drinking, and feasting together. Now…
"Gaban," Roger said, his voice low but firm, "I've decided to withdraw from the New World for now. Our strength is far too lacking compared to the Rocks Pirates."
Gaban's expression changed instantly. "Withdraw from the New World?!" he blurted out.
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