One Piece: Investing In Whitebeard At The Start.

While Vane and the others dived into the sea, a new day began.

The Navy had stayed up all night—both at Headquarters and on Sabaody Archipelago.

When Garp and the others made landfall, they were shocked to learn that Akainu had been defeated and sent flying into the sea. But what truly shook them—what bordered on terrifying—wasn't just that. It was that, in addition to the Explosion-Explosion Fruit, Vane also seemed to possess a mysterious freezing ability.

"What the hell is that?"

"Isn't the power of freezing Aokiji's domain?" someone asked. "Aside from the Ice-Ice Fruit, no one else has shown abilities like that."

After regaining consciousness, Akainu confirmed that Vane's freezing power seemed stronger than Aokiji's. Perhaps the fruit itself was a higher-tier ability. Vane had created icicles from thin air—whereas Aokiji typically only formed a few spears of ice.

"Is it an evolved form of a Devil Fruit? I've never even heard of that," Garp muttered, puzzled.

Kizaru frowned. "What higher form of the Ice-Ice Fruit could there be? There's no mention of such a thing in any Devil Fruit encyclopedias. Only the World Government holds the complete versions of those books, and even then, only a few copies exist in the world."

Akainu's voice was cold and seething with anger. "That brat's power is monstrous. Even without his Devil Fruit abilities, his fists alone are terrifying."

He was referring to Vane's technique: "First Bone" and "Second Bone"—two techniques that exponentially enhanced the strength of his punches. A single "First Bone" strike could level entire city blocks. The "Second Bone" was several times stronger. Naturally, the destructive power was overwhelming.

Now, Akainu was swathed in bandages from the chest up. The final punch he took from Vane had left him concussed, and the force behind it caused him to cough blood. Though Akainu tried to hide it behind pride and refusal to admit defeat, the truth was undeniable—he'd been beaten. Badly.

Kizaru, as usual, seemed detached: "It's pretty terrifying, huh? I visited Areas 25 through 27. They're basically rubble now. Rebuilding's going to take a while. But hey, those are illegal zones in Sabaody. It's not like there's much to protect anyway. You think the Fleet Admiral's going to blame us for failing to protect civilians?"

"A man with two Devil Fruit powers... That's supposed to be impossible," Garp said, staring out the window. "Even if it's reported in the newspapers, no one will believe it."

"What if it's something like the Quake-Quake Fruit paired with the Ice-Ice Fruit?" Kizaru asked.

Akainu's face darkened. "If he stood outside Marineford, he could create a tsunami, flood the entire island, and freeze it before the water receded."

As he spoke, Akainu crushed a vial of medicine in his hand. Before the glass even hit the floor, lava erupted from his fists. His entire body burned with fury—only his face was visible now, and even then, it was twisted with hate and fear.

He had looked down on Vane as just another pirate, yet not only had the man escaped—he had defeated him. Though Akainu refused to accept it, he'd been utterly overpowered. His injuries were no minor matter.

"This is serious," Kizaru muttered, sipping a glass of water. "I didn't think it would escalate so fast. Two months ago, he was barely known. He disappeared for a month, probably training. And now? He's on another level. That kind of progress in a month is unreal."

Garp nodded. "He's entered the New World now. And you know as well as I do—we can't control that sea. On the surface, it's balanced, but monsters rule the depths. Headquarters doesn't have the reach to stop someone like him there."

Though often easygoing, Garp was serious when it mattered.

Akainu growled, "Let him make trouble. He'll eventually pick a fight with one of those monsters—and when they kill him, I'll retrieve his corpse myself."

The New World wasn't ruled only by the Four Emperors. When one emperor fell, another rose. Power was always shifting. To claim the title of "Pirate King," a pirate had to conquer the seas and subdue rivals to become an undisputed overlord.

"The easiest way for him to die would be to piss off Kaido or Big Mom," Kizaru said casually. "The guy's crew has only two people, a woman of average strength and him. They're in no shape to compete with emperors."

Just then, Vice Admiral Mole entered, supporting Ghost Spider. Ghost Spider looked pale and weak, barely conscious. He had been slashed near the heart during the battle and was lucky to survive. But he now knew the truth—Vane's strength was in a league beyond his own.

Garp stepped forward. "You okay?"

Ghost Spider responded weakly, "I'll live… just need rest…"

---

Marine Headquarters – Fleet Admiral's Office

"Ugh..."

With a heavy sigh, Sengoku rubbed his temple. Just earlier, he'd been working through documents with ease, but since receiving the report from Sabaody, he hadn't been able to relax.

"Not only did they take down Ghost Spider and Mole… but Sakazuki too? In just two months? That's not growth—that's monstrous evolution."

Sengoku frowned deeply. "If he grows this strong in two months, what's he going to be like in a year or two?"

"Is he going to be the next Emperor of the Sea?"

"It's been just over two years since that red-haired bastard entered the New World… and now another one's rising?"

Vane—had defeated an Admiral. Whether through sheer power or some trick didn't matter. The public only cared about results, and the result was clear: Admiral Akainu had lost.

This wasn't just Akainu's personal defeat. It was a humiliation for the entire Navy—and by extension, the World Government. Sengoku didn't care much about public image himself, but this wasn't going to go away quietly.

Aokiji, reading a paper nearby, commented dryly, "Today's paper is full of fluff. Just wait until tomorrow—then the real headlines hit."

He rubbed his shaved scalp. His hair had been burned off in battle. He hadn't even bothered to regrow it.

"Tomorrow's headline will be something like: 'Akainu Defeated—Navy Headquarters in Crisis—Celestial Dragon Killed!'" Aokiji said. "They'll exaggerate the story to make it sell. But facts won't change. Everyone around the world will know what happened."

Aokiji narrowed his eyes. "But what I don't get is—how is he using my power? Or something like it?"

Sengoku's tone was grim. "Whether it's your freezing ability or Whitebeard's shockwaves, the fact he can use both is terrifying."

He added, "The real mystery is how someone can wield two Devil Fruits. It should be impossible. Everyone knows that eating more than one kills you."

Sea water was deadly, and Devil Fruit users could only consume one fruit. A second would result in death—usually by the body violently imploding.

"Exactly," Sengoku muttered, more frustrated by the second.

He sighed again. "The Navy's had some good new recruits lately, but none have stood out like this. And now there's someone like him among the pirates. If he stays independent, that's bad enough—but if he joins one of the Yonko? That would be catastrophic."

Aokiji leaned against the wall. "Someone like him won't join anyone. He's the type who builds his own crew—his own legend."

"If he continues to grow, he'll clash with the emperors eventually. Maybe we can take advantage of that," he added.

"But it's going to be a real headache," Sengoku admitted. "I thought he was just another pirate… but this guy's got the potential to become one of the most dangerous men alive. And this whole 'double fruit' thing—it's unprecedented."

Aokiji touched his burned scalp again. "And don't forget his sword—it's somehow consumed a Flame Fruit. You don't know how terrifying that blade is until you face it yourself."

He chuckled bitterly. "This is the first time I've been scalped."

"So that makes three powers…" Sengoku muttered.

But they didn't yet realize—Kalifa, now traveling with Vane, had secrets of her own.

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