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The projection screen was still frozen on the image of Kaido holding up a Devil Fruit just before the broadcast ended, its strange patterns glowing ominously under the light.
Admiral Tsuru lightly tapped the table, her calm voice particularly striking in the heavy atmosphere, breaking the suffocating silence.
She slightly frowned. "This is no longer just a simple recruitment method. Three Devil Fruits... that's enough to drive every desperado in the New World insane."
Images of pirates who would stop at nothing for profit and power came to her mind. If these Devil Fruits fell into their hands, the seas would descend into even greater chaos.
"Hmph!"
Akainu slammed his fist onto the desk, his magma-like fist instantly burning a charred hole through the surface.
"This is a blatant provocation against the Marines! We must immediately dispatch troops to suppress them!" He then crossed his arms over his chest and said coldly. "The person who created these phones must also be thoroughly investigated. Their intentions are malicious, disrupting the order of the seas. I recommend issuing a warrant for their arrest!"
Sengoku: ...
He remained silent, just standing there quietly, his gaze deep and complex. In his heart, he was thinking about countermeasures. This sudden crisis made him feel unprecedented pressure.
Aokiji leaned lazily against the window, but frost had unknowingly crept all over the window frame.
"Oh dear... the problem is, where did he get so many Devil Fruits?"
Although his voice still sounded lazy, he had hit upon the crucial point.
"According to intelligence, the Beast Pirates have already distributed at least dozens just this year..." an intelligence officer added carefully.
His forehead was covered in sweat, clearly shocked by this amazing number as well.
Kizaru was casually playing with his phone, his glasses glinting with a cold light.
A seemingly relaxed smile hung on his face. "How scary~ Someone must be supplying them secretly."
Sengoku suddenly stood up, his coat of justice billowing behind him without wind. He grabbed the tea on the table, which had already gone cold, and drank it in one gulp, saying in a deep voice,
"Immediately start the highest level investigation order."
His gaze swept over every admiral present. "I want to know about every transaction Kaido has made in the past six months, every force he has contacted, especially..." He pointed to the Devil Fruit on the screen. "The source of these fruits!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood!"
"...."
The intelligence officers in the corner of the office immediately became busy, the "buru buru buru" sounds of encrypted Den Den Mushi rising and falling.
Their fingers flew rapidly across the keyboards, their eyes fixed on the screens, not daring to relax for a moment.
Because they knew that time was life, and every second of delay could make the situation even worse.
Because of Kaido's Devil Fruits, the seas had already gone mad.
The entire world seemed to be swept into a giant whirlpool. No one could remain outside of it.
The first thing was to buy phones!
In streets and alleys, whether in busy cities or remote fishing villages, people were frantically rushing to buy phones.
Long queues formed in front of stores. People were willing to pay extremely high prices to get a phone.
Phones had become an essential part of people's lives and had also become an important tool.
The second thing was to watch the Beast Pirates' live broadcast!
The third thing was to win a Devil Fruit and join the Beast Pirates!
Countless people, harboring dreams and desires, hoped to become members of the Beast Pirates.
...
Wano Country,
The sea breeze gently touched the ancient streets, and the air was filled with a unique traditional atmosphere.
Inside the Shogun's mansion, candlelight flickered, and light and shadow danced among the carved beams and painted pillars.
Orochi, wrapped in a luxurious kimono, paced back and forth, his expression shifting between light and shadow.
Moonlight filtered through the paper door, casting spotted shadows on his twisted face.
In his mind, the confusing scenes from the party kept flashing back.
The pirates let out strange, foolish laughter towards that small, square object.
Their eyes revealed an unexplainable obsession and fanaticism. The laughter still echoed in his ears, driving Orochi to the point of extreme irritation.
"Someone!" Finally, Orochi couldn't bear it anymore, and he suddenly screamed.
Several guards, hearing the Shogun's call, immediately reacted as if facing a great enemy, hastily kneeling on the ground. Their foreheads were pressed tightly to the floor, not daring to show the slightest carelessness.
However, Orochi was currently in a state of extreme rage.
He suddenly lifted his leg and forcefully kicked over a ceramic vase beside him.
The vase, which had been placed neatly, was now shattered on the ground, the crisp sound of breaking particularly jarring in the silent night.
"Go and find out for this Shogun! What exactly are those demonic things!"
The guards couldn't help but shiver, not daring to hesitate for a moment. They quickly responded "Yes, sir" and then hurried away to carry out the Shogun's command.
Time flew by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
During these three days, the entire Shogun's mansion was covered in a tense atmosphere.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere within Orochi's private chambers was particularly bizarre.
Orochi sat cross-legged on a silk cushion, the silk soft and smooth, giving off a faint shine.
His thick, stubby fingers were clumsily sliding across the phone screen, his eyes revealing a hint of curiosity and confusion.
He was clearly not very familiar with this novel gadget.
When he saw his own large, square face on a video call again, he was so startled he nearly threw the phone into his soup bowl.
"This... this..." His pupils got smaller violently, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. "It's even more terrifying than sorcery!"
Suddenly, a lustful glint flashed in his eyes.
He immediately summoned Komurasaki. Komurasaki, dressed in magnificent attire, walked in slowly with light steps, her face as exquisite as a painting, her eyes clear and bright like stars twinkling in the night sky.
Orochi eagerly handed the phone to Komurasaki, a flattering smile on his face.
He began patiently teaching Komurasaki how to use the phone, explaining every step in great detail.
Komurasaki was stunned at the time. Her thin fingers gently tapped the screen, as if exploring a brand new world.
When she showed how to send a voice message, Orochi's breathing became noticeably heavy, the rough sound echoing in the silent chambers.
"Wonderful... simply wonderful..." Orochi stared greedily at Komurasaki's delicate profile, his eyes revealing an undeniable desire. The corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards. "Komurasaki, follow me first. From now on, this Shogun can hear the beauty's voice anytime..."
"Yes, Lord Orochi."
Meanwhile, in a dark alley in the distant Flower Capital, the night was deep and silent.
Denjiro, using the faint light from a lantern, carefully examined the new phone he had bought. His face was disguised as a merchant's, but his eyes revealed a hint of shock.
He gently played with the phone, feeling the convenience this novel object brought.
"This is a hundred times more convenient than the ninjas' communication scrolls!" Denjiro muttered to himself, his voice very low but remarkably clear in the silent dark alley.
"It's very necessary for others to use this. I just don't know about its security. We need to wait and investigate."