"Boom!"
"What did you say?"
"All fifteen warships were wiped out?"
"Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino were all captured?"
The table shattered under Sengoku's shocked hands.
The Rear Admirals standing before the table, delivering the report, were all sweating.
This was a result of the immense shock from the news, and also out of fear of the enraged Sengoku.
This was the third time Sengoku had lost his temper, and the third table he had broken.
He couldn't help but wonder if Sengoku needed to be provided with a perfectly ordinary table.
"Admiral, the news is true."
"There were a large number of pirates on the island at the time, and this news has spread rapidly across the seas. Even the scenes of the battle have been exposed."
"Moreover, Vice Admiral Kuzan, Vice Admiral Borsalino, Vice Admiral Sakazuki, and Vice Admiral Huangshao were all defeated by a young man named Lü Bu."
"This is the footage we collected."
The Rear Admiral produced a Den Den Mushi and handed it to Sengoku.
Sengoku's face turned extremely grim after watching the footage.
"What is going on?"
"Are they going to launch a Buster Call?"
The scene of Lü Bu single-handedly defeating four Vice Admirals was indeed horrifying, but those people were clearly preparing to launch a Buster Call.
Who gave them the order?
As Sengoku pondered, his expression shifted slightly. He grabbed the Den Den Mushi and quickly left, heading to the Fleet Admiral's office.
Sengoku stared at Fleet Admiral Kong, reporting, "Fleet Admiral, are you aware of the news that Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino were captured by Gourmet Island?"
"This matter is extremely important. Those three are crucial forces for the future development of the Marines. Their potential is immense, and they have already demonstrated the potential of Vice Admirals."
"We must rescue them."
Sengoku thought highly of Kuzan and the other two, not just because of their Devil Fruit abilities, but also because they were the strongest among the current Vice Admirals. During their training, they had rapidly grown as geniuses, earning the moniker 'Monsters.'
Sengoku had great expectations for their potential.
He had even earmarked the three of them as his key subordinates once he became Fleet Admiral.
Therefore, whether for personal reasons or others, he wanted to save them.
Kong clasped his hands on his desk, with two photographs placed before him.
They were of the young Lü Bu, who resembled a god of war, and a person standing in the void, waving a fan.
"I just received the news."
"It's quite regrettable!"
Kong responded after a moment of silence.
"They are preparing to launch a Buster Call," Sengoku said, taking out the Den Den Mushi and placing it on the desk. He looked at Fleet Admiral Kong and said, "The display shows that Kuzan and the other two are still on Gourmet Island, being controlled by the island's power."
"I permitted it," Kong did not hide anything, but he added, "However, I didn't know they were still on the island."
"I have already contacted the World Government, and people are on their way to Gourmet Island. I believe there will be results soon."
"If you are not at ease, you can contact Garp or Zeff to go on your behalf."
Sengoku's expression shifted slightly at Kong's calm reply, his hands hidden behind his cape clenched tightly.
Without hesitation, Sengoku immediately turned and left, saying, "I need to leave!"
In fact, this was the answer Sengoku had been seeking.
He wanted to bring those three children back safely.
The young Lü Bu had soundly defeated the three most promising Vice Admirals of the Marines, possessing all three types of Haki and boundless potential.
The Island Lord of Gourmet Island, Great Tengu Qingfeng, effortlessly summoned a natural disaster-level storm with a wave of his hand, easily annihilating fifteen Marine warships, once again turning the Marine Buster Call into a laughingstock.
Thus, the Island Lord of Gourmet Island, Great Tengu Qingfeng, gained a new title on the sea: "Wind God."
Regarding this title, it was merely the reverence of the weak towards the strong among some less capable pirates.
However, for people like Big Mom and Kaido, it was met with disdain.
They knew very well who possessed the Gale-Gale Fruit.
And that person was still traveling among various kingdoms, dedicated to overthrowing the World Government's rule.
Since he was still alive, Great Tengu Qingfeng could not be the user of the Gale-Gale Fruit.
Great Tengu Qingfeng was not a Devil Fruit user; the fan was merely a magical artifact of the Great Tengu clan, possessing special powers.
Furthermore, his own abilities also allowed him to control the wind.
While they were not afraid of Great Tengu Qingfeng in individual combat, they had to admit that, concerning pirate ships and warships, Great Tengu Qingfeng's abilities were undoubtedly on the level of a natural disaster.
"Mom, this Gourmet Island island lord is very strong, and the Gourmet Island he controls has excellent income-generating capabilities. We could completely recruit him into our pirate crew," Charlotte Daifuku said to Big Mom, who was eating snacks, after the video playback was complete.
Big Mom glanced at the video and said indifferently, "Does Gourmet Island have delicious snacks?"
Charlotte Daifuku was secretly delighted and quickly stated the information he had gathered from his investigation of Gourmet Island, "Mom, the chefs on Gourmet Island have superb culinary skills and are adept at making all sorts of delicacies. It is said they can make over a hundred types of snacks."
"Furthermore, there is a restaurant on Gourmet Island with extremely high-level cooking. The entrance fee alone is twenty million Beli. People who enjoy the delicacies here might awaken Armament Haki or Observation Haki while enjoying their meal."
Upon hearing this, the other children of the Charlotte family were surprised, and even Big Mom was drawn in by this news, saying, "Daifuku, are you telling the truth?"
While Observation Haki and Armament Haki are not rare abilities in the New World, they are only rare for some powerful individuals.
However, if there was such a place where one could awaken Armament Haki or Observation Haki through eating, it would be a miracle.
So, if they sent some capable subordinates there to eat, could they awaken Armament Haki and Observation Haki?
Could they quickly gather a group of strong elite cadres in their hands?
"Mom, it's true. Since Gourmet Island appeared, I have been collecting information. A total of fifty people have consumed at the high-end gourmet restaurant. Those who have visited three times on average have awakened Armament Haki or Observation Haki, with eight people."
"Although the probability is a bit low, spending sixty million Beli to create an elite cadre with Armament Haki or Observation Haki is very worthwhile."
Charlotte Daifuku took out a list of people who had awakened their Haki at the high-class gourmet restaurant.
"If that's the case, then we can completely send capable individuals to experience it."
"Why spend so much money? As long as we get the island lord of Gourmet Island to join us, then this secret of cultivating Haki users will belong to us."
"If the island lord of Gourmet Island does not cooperate, we will attack and take it."
"I'm afraid it won't be easy. This secret is clearly public, and I'm afraid other forces might also have designs on Gourmet Island."
"Who dares to oppose us?"
...
Facing the arguments of his children, Big Mom continued to eat her cake.
After a moment, Big Mom seemed to realize something and said, "Then let's invite the island lord of Gourmet Island for a tea party."
Charlotte Daifuku immediately responded, "Yes, Mom!"
...
As the Big Mom Pirates set their sights on Gourmet Island, more and more forces began to do the same.
This was not only due to Gourmet Island's sudden fame but also the warning issued by the World Government and the circulating secret on Gourmet Island about awakening Armament Haki or Observation Haki through eating.
Thus, the eyes of the world seemed to converge on Gourmet Island.