HST: Chapter 74: Views

“Ahem.”

Aokiji cleared his throat twice, trying to mask his embarrassment.

“I just wanted to check on Nico Robin and see what this ‘legendary Caelan’ was really like. I didn’t expect to end up injured.”

He glanced down at the wounds on his body, speaking without any attempt to hide them.

“How’s Caelan? Is he still alive?”
Sengoku’s voice jumped up several octaves in alarm.

In his mind, if Aokiji had ended up injured, Caelan’s situation must have been far worse.

Sengoku was very optimistic about Caelan. The young man had already helped the Marines resolve several major threats. If he were killed in a clash with Aokiji, it would be a waste of great potential.

“Kill him? Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you’re giving me too much credit.”
Aokiji rolled his eyes, clearly exasperated.

The damage he dealt to Caelan was regenerating almost instantaneously.

If anyone needed concern, it was him—the one left with serious injuries.

“What are you saying?”
Sengoku’s pupils contracted sharply.

“I lost. We both fought seriously. I didn’t hold back.”
Aokiji stated calmly, with a matter-of-fact expression.

“You lost? You were defeated by Caelan?”
Sengoku couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief.

“Aokiji, you must be joking. He’s only been sailing for how long? Or—”

“Aside from his lack of mastery in Haki, he’s no different from Kaido. He’s a monster.”
Aokiji interrupted mid-sentence and said something that shocked Sengoku even further.

“A monster… like Kaido?”

Sengoku’s eyes widened in astonishment.

That would mean Caelan was already qualified to be crowned as an emperor of the sea.

“Yes, his strength is already on par with the Four Emperors.”
Aokiji confirmed with a serious tone. Then, glancing at his injuries, he added impatiently,
“Anyway, I already gave you the location. Hurry up and send someone to get me, Fleet Admiral!”

“Alright. Hold tight. A ship will be there shortly.”

Sengoku finally returned to his senses and reassured Aokiji.

Click.

After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku leaned back and held his forehead, processing the enormous weight of that conversation.

Before long, a warship was dispatched from Marine Headquarters to retrieve the injured admiral.

At the same time, Sengoku called for an emergency meeting on the matter of Caelan Alaric.

Key figures such as Kizaru, Akainu, Garp, Momousagi, Tsuru, and others attended to discuss the battle between Caelan and Aokiji.

“This is the situation. Caelan fought Aokiji. Aokiji was severely injured, and Caelan was completely unharmed.”

“According to Aokiji, it felt like he was fighting Kaido.”
Sengoku summarized the report and relayed it to everyone in the room.

“Scary…”

“That Caelan guy is seriously dangerous.”
Kizaru sat cross-legged, his tone unreadable behind his yellow-lensed glasses.

He’d met Caelan once in Alabasta.

He hadn’t expected that just over a month later, Caelan would defeat Aokiji.

Young people these days were really terrifying.

The world outside was too chaotic. Better to just clock in and out at headquarters.

With such a small paycheck, what’s the point of risking your life?

Kizaru shivered at the thought and quietly reaffirmed his commitment to office work.

“Caelan defeated an admiral… Does this mean we have a new emperor on the sea?”
Gion stroked her chin thoughtfully.

Each time someone of that caliber appeared, it sent ripples throughout the world.

And she was also curious about this man who had risen to fame in a single month.

As an admiral candidate herself, she was just one step away from that position.

But she knew very well there was a clear power gap between herself and Aokiji.

What kind of man could defeat someone of that level?

“In terms of strength, he has already reached the level of the Four Emperors. But it’s his vague attitude that worries me most.”
“Everyone, share your thoughts. Let’s use them for reference.”
Sengoku nodded in agreement and encouraged the others to speak.

The room immediately became lively.

The hardliners, represented by Akainu, aligned with the World Government’s top brass. They believed Caelan was unstable and should be declared a threat immediately.

Meanwhile, the doves, represented by Garp, Tsuru, and Gion, advocated for recruiting Caelan or at least maintaining a neutral relationship.

As for Kizaru’s faction… they were just happy to be there.

Honestly, Sengoku preferred keeping things friendly with Caelan. But Akainu, with his backing from the Five Elders, had to be taken seriously.

“Regarding Caelan, my stance remains unchanged. Let’s continue with our current approach for now.”
Sengoku spoke in a deep voice.

“No. That man took in Nico Robin. He’s clearly a threat. He should be given a bounty immediately!” Akainu stood up, shouting without hesitation.

As one of the key figures behind the Ohara incident 20 years ago, he held a deep-seated hostility toward Nico Robin.

Moreover, with the Five Elders branding Caelan as unstable, Akainu had already labeled him an enemy.

He’d even considered the bounty amount—3.9 billion Berries.

Anyone who could defeat Aokiji was worth that much.

“Sakazuki, that’s too extreme!”
Sengoku glared at Akainu, his tone sharp with disapproval.

“Caelan clearly has the strength of a Four Emperor. If we antagonize him, who will deal with the consequences?”

“Will it be you, Sakazuki? Or Borsalino?”

Sengoku’s words rang like thunder across the conference room. Everyone fell silent.

Akainu’s face darkened, but he had no rebuttal.

He had battled Aokiji for years. He knew exactly how powerful he was.

Defeating Aokiji outright? That put Caelan in a whole other league.

Facing him head-on was impossible.

Akainu turned to Kizaru, silently asking for support.

“Whoa, no thanks. I’ve still got to lead the Marine Science Unit.” Kizaru jolted upright, startled.

That kind of job was more suited to someone like Sakazuki.

He, Borsalino, was best suited for overseeing tech divisions and collecting a steady paycheck.

“Tch.”
Akainu clicked his tongue, then turned to Garp, who was munching on senbei.

“Hahaha! I’m too old for this. Don’t ask me to go up against someone like Caelan.”
Garp laughed, brushing off Akainu’s unspoken plea.

Not only did he genuinely admire Caelan, he was also one of those who wanted to bring him into the fold.

Besides, Caelan had single-handedly taken down Aokiji without a scratch. That was firmly Four Emperors-level.

And Garp? He had grandkids turned pirates to look after. He wasn’t about to get dragged into another mess.

“Alright then. Majority rules.”
“Maintain friendly relations with Caelan—at least until he shows himself to be a threat.”
Sengoku nodded, bringing the debate to a close.

“You’ll regret this, Sengoku!”

“Caelan is dangerous. He should be dealt with immediately!”

Akainu slammed his fist on the table and stood, glaring.

“Akainu, I am the Fleet Admiral.” Sengoku stood tall, exuding the full authority of the Navy’s supreme commander.

“Hmph!” Akainu gave a cold snort, turned, and stormed out of the room.

(To be continued.)