Chapter 54 - CHAPTER 54 - The Mighty Dugong

"Argh—!" One by one, bodies slammed onto the deck, motionless. A group of desperate thieves, hoping to take advantage of the chaos, had set their sights on a luxurious ship docked at the harbor. Spotting only a handful of guards, they didn't care whose ship it was—they charged aboard to loot it. They figured that once they stole it, they could either sell it off or keep it for themselves. In the vast ocean, who would be able to track them down? Led by their captain, around fifty seasoned fighters stormed aboard the Dawn. But now, they had a problem. They still hadn't breached the ship's defenses. That sea cow—it was absurdly strong. Of the forty-nine intruders, thirty had already been taken down. "Damn it! Where the hell did this pet come from? Captain, we should retreat!" One battered pirate, his face swollen from blows, spoke through gritted teeth. "If we run now, all that effort will be wasted!" The bearded captain snarled, unwilling to accept defeat. "Bring the cannons! Even if we damage the ship, we have no choice!" The kung fu Dugong, with its small green body, raised its hooves in a stance eerily similar to Rosen's Sandstorm technique. Of course, it couldn't actually summon a sandstorm. But it had its own way. With a flick of its little tail, a green flash shot through the crowd, delivering blow after blow. Even Mr. 5 had trouble defending against its attacks. For these ordinary pirates, it was like being caught in a hurricane. More fell. "Captain... CAPTAIN...!" A terrified pirate, staring at the street behind them, nearly lost his soul. "What now—" The captain turned, then froze in sheer terror. "C-C-Crocodile...?!" The color drained from his face. They had just tried to steal Crocodile's ship? In their defense, it had been a dark night when they started. They hadn't even checked the flag. After all, they were thieves—who cared who they were stealing from? It should have been an easy job. Yet they had been stalled for so long by a single sea cow. And now, the infamous Shichibukai Crocodile had returned. They were finished. Among all the ships in the harbor... why did they have to pick this one?! "Sandstorm." Rosen didn't even spare them a glance. A tornado of sand erupted, sweeping through the deck like a broom. Every pirate—including the ones already unconscious—was swept away like trash. "Well done." Rosen praised the kung fu sea cow. Though there were still a few crew members left guarding the ship, most of their focus had been on potential threats from the sea. Some thieves had indeed tried sneaking in from the water, but thanks to their elevated position, the ship's defenses had held strong. The sea cow let out a triumphant "Heh!" and gave a deep martial bow. Then, with its chubby little hooves, it struck another sandstorm stance. It wasn't strong enough yet—but its master was. And just now, Rosen had effortlessly wiped out an entire crew with a single move. Its small eyes shone with absolute admiration. "Ah la~" Robin walked over, effortlessly scooping up the little creature into her arms. But its gaze remained locked onto Rosen, eyes full of awe. "BOSS!" The remaining crew on board quickly gathered to greet Rosen and his group. The children had been hidden away safely in the cabins. "Leave a few people on watch. Anyone who's injured, go see the ship doctor. You've all done well." Rosen glanced at Bones, who had a dying Marine rear admiral slung over his shoulder. "Take that Marine to the doctor too. See if he survives." "If he does, keep him under control." Bones nodded. "Understood." The dying man was Rear Admiral Harry—the one they had found collapsed in the streets on their way back. Despite his condition, he was still clinging to life. His body had been pierced through and even blasted by an explosion, yet he still had a pulse. Tough bastard. Rosen had his own plans for him. But for now... He headed to his cabin. Not long after, the ship doctor arrived to examine Rosen's injuries. The diagnosis: Three broken ribs Dislocated right shoulder Severe muscle strain on his right arm, likely from the final Desert Funeral Slash Various cuts and bruises None of these were life-threatening, but they were far from minor. His missing golden hook was another matter. He had never been too fond of it before. But now that it was gone, his left hand felt strangely empty. Still, the pain was tolerable. If necessary, he could fight another battle. He just wouldn't be at full strength. The doctor applied some mysterious ointments, while Rosen pondered. Bam's strength had been nearly equal to his. If Rosen was among the strongest vice admirals, then Bam had definitely been at the elite level as well. In terms of skill: Haki? Hard to say. Devil Fruit mastery? At least 600+ proficiency. Hand-to-hand combat? About 550—stronger than Rosen in that regard. Bam's entire fighting style revolved around close combat. Paired with his Devil Fruit, it had made him an absolute powerhouse. Honestly, he wasn't much weaker than an elite vice admiral. Vice admirals often got overlooked, thanks to the three admirals standing above them. But at their level, a single mistake could still mean death. Many of those with the potential to rise to the rank of admiral often emerge from the ranks of vice admirals. This suggests that the strength of a Marine vice admiral is quite broad in scope. Each vice admiral serves as a solid pillar of the Marines' combat force. Apart from a few exceptions who excel in intelligence gathering or possess unique talents, nearly all vice admirals are formidable fighters on a global scale. This also means that Rosen still has a long way to go before reaching the level of an admiral. As for whether he has reached the level of a quasi-admiral, that remains uncertain since he has never fought one directly. The weakest of the Shichibukai are likely around the level of elite or average vice admirals. Someone like Moria should be stronger than an average vice admiral, but whether he could defeat an elite vice admiral is questionable. The mid-tier Shichibukai are roughly on par with top vice admirals or close to quasi-admiral level, such as Jinbe and Bartholomew Kuma. The strongest among them might possess power comparable to or even reaching an admiral's level. The power distribution within the Shichibukai appears inconsistent at first glance. However, considering it carefully, the Shichibukai were undoubtedly elevated in status by the World Government. Most of them fall far behind the Four Emperors and the Admirals in terms of raw power. Otherwise, why would there be seven of them, while the Marines only maintain three admirals? Furthermore, the roster of the Shichibukai has changed frequently in recent years, unlike the three admirals and the Four Emperors, whose positions have remained relatively stable. At most, two or three Shichibukai working together might be able to challenge an admiral, but the outcome would still be uncertain. For instance, if Jinbei and Bartholomew Kuma teamed up against an admiral, they might put up a fight, but they would likely still be at a disadvantage. However, they certainly wouldn't go down easily. From this perspective, calling the Shichibukai one of the Three Great Powers of the sea is not entirely unreasonable. It is clear that they are not merely an inflated title. This balance makes sense—if every Shichibukai were at least quasi-admiral or full admiral level, then the Marine Headquarters would actually be weaker than them. In such a scenario, how could they maintain control? How could they enforce mandatory summons? Although the World Government created the system, the Marine Headquarters is primarily responsible for managing it. For the system to function, the Marines must maintain a significant edge in strength over the Shichibukai. After all, just three admirals alone are enough to counterbalance the power of all seven Shichibukai, and in some cases, even surpass them. Beyond that, the Marine Headquarters still commands a much greater force than the Shichibukai, which is why they remain the dominant governmental authority on the seas. The Four Emperors, on the other hand, are in an entirely different league. Their strength is significantly greater than that of the Shichibukai. Fortunately, a unified alliance among the Four Emperors is highly unlikely. In most cases, the Marines only need to contend with one of them at a time. Even the temporary alliance between Big Mom and Kaido sent shockwaves across the world. The Shichibukai were established as a major force largely due to the chaos of the Great Pirate Era. The World Government needed a system that would entice powerful pirates into working for them. The message was clear: Follow us, and you'll have a future. Even if you're a pirate, it doesn't matter. As long as you have strength, or if you can defeat another Shichibukai, you can take their place. The primary goal was to make pirates fight among themselves so that the World Government and the Marine Headquarters wouldn't have to bear the full burden of suppressing them. Currently, Hawkeye Mihawk is widely considered the strongest among the Shichibukai, as the only one who has demonstrated combat ability on par with an admiral. He is also one of the few Shichibukai with a world-renowned title—the World's Strongest Swordsman. The only other with such global recognition is Boa Hancock, known as the World's Most Beautiful Woman. One is famed for strength, the other for beauty. There is no question which one would prevail in a true battle. Of course, many factors come into play in combat. There are countless cases of weaker individuals defeating stronger ones through unique abilities or unexpected strategies. Some argue that even the weakest Shichibukai should not be merely vice admiral-level. However, it is important to understand that Shichibukai do not have a singular governing authority. As long as a pirate demonstrates sufficient strength, they can qualify for the position. The World Government has no issue appointing someone of moderate strength, because even if they fall, there will always be someone else to take their place. Luck also plays a role. If a pirate gains the title without facing truly formidable opponents, it is possible for a weaker Shichibukai to exist. —— "Hmm? Boss, these injuries... Did you sustain them all today?" While treating him, the ship's doctor took a closer look at Rosen's wounds and asked curiously. "Yes. Why?" Rosen replied. "Really? That's strange. Many of these wounds have already begun healing. Normally, fresh injuries don't recover this quickly." The doctor pointed to a wound on Rosen's arm. Rosen examined the wound—one that had been torn open by shockwaves in battle. To his surprise, it had already stopped bleeding and begun scabbing over. In a few days, it might even leave no scar at all. That's when it hit him. When he defeated Bam, he had completed the "Vitality x2" task. But the chaotic circumstances hadn't given him time to check his own stats. Now, he calmed his mind and focused on his own status. (End of Chapter) ========================================================= DROP THEM POWER STONES PLEASE SUPPORT ME ON P@TREON IF YOU'D LIKE ACCESS ON ADVANCED CHAPTERS PAT REON . COM / TurdTranslations (Just remove the space).