The Witcher: The Journey to Transcendence from Marvel...

Chapter 342 One Year

After the initial turmoil and unrest, the people of Wano Country gradually discovered with surprise that their lives had undergone unexpected changes under the rule of Wes, the outsider.

The miscellaneous and burdensome taxes of the past are no longer in effect, and the people seem to have had a heavy burden lifted off their shoulders, with their life pressures suddenly reduced.

Factories that had caused serious pollution due to overproduction have all stopped operating. The sky has become bluer, the rivers are clear again, and fresh air fills every corner. People no longer have to endure the pungent exhaust fumes and polluted environment.

Even more encouraging is that the food in the market has become more abundant and diverse and cheaper than before, so ordinary people can easily fill their stomachs and no longer worry about food and clothing.

As time went by, the people of Wano Country gradually accepted Wes's rule and even began to think that this kind of life was not bad.

After all, for them, living and working in peace and contentment is the most important thing.

Due to Wano Country's long-standing policy of isolation, events that occur on this land are difficult to spread to the vast ocean.

The outside world was completely unaware of the changes in Wano Country, and continued to pursue their own interests and dreams on the turbulent sea as usual.

However, as the days went by, people did not see any members of the Beasts Pirates on the sea for a long time. This unusual phenomenon finally caught the attention of some perceptive people.

Finally, one day, the front-page headline of the World Economic Herald exploded like a bombshell, instantly detonating across the entire ocean.

The Next Pirate King - Wes Erwin

This news came like a bolt from the blue, shocking the entire pirate world.

People then realized that the Beasts Pirates had actually been wiped out.

Although this result was unexpected, upon closer examination it seems quite reasonable.

Given the previous example of the Big Mom Pirates being defeated, while everyone was shocked, it wasn't too difficult to accept.

However, almost everyone agrees that Wes is now only half a step away from the throne of the Pirate King. As long as he can successfully reach the legendary Laugh Tale and find the One Piece, he will surely become the new king of this sea and usher in a new era.

The Navy and the World Government are deeply concerned after learning of Wes's actions and the formidable strength he has demonstrated.

Wes is like a rapidly rising and extremely threatening storm, and has become a thorny problem that they have to face.

The situation became even more tense and complicated after the Navy made the momentous strategic decision to move its headquarters to the New World.

Akainu, a ruthless figure whose lifelong belief has always been to eliminate pirates and whose determination has never wavered, is now deeply troubled.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating what powerful actions the Navy would take to deal with Wes. After all, the Navy has always represented the forces of justice on the high seas, and it should do something in the face of such a powerful pirate force.

Surprisingly, the navy remained inactive for a long time.

Akainu was in a real bind right now.

You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge. When he was just a general, he only needed to focus on charging into battle and eliminating pirates. He didn't have to worry about those complicated and trivial matters, and his actions were very enjoyable.

But now that he has taken up the position of marshal, he has come to deeply understand how difficult it is to hold this position.

Above him, he would constantly face the lofty accusations of the Five Elders. As the core power figures of the World Government, the Five Elders always had many demands and criticisms of the Navy's actions. Once the Navy's performance failed to meet their expectations, Akainu would inevitably have to bear the enormous pressure from above.

Next, he also had to carefully balance the interests of the various factions within the navy. The navy already had different groups with their own ideas and demands, and getting everyone to work together was not an easy task. If he was not careful, it could lead to internal conflicts and disputes.

That old guy from the Warring States period seems to be bored after retiring, and he still comes over from time to time to tease Akainu.

Every time Sengoku saw Akainu looking flustered, he couldn't help but tease him.

Say things like, "Oh dear, now you know it's not easy being a marshal."

This infuriated Akainu, who was always driven to the brink of rage, yet he was powerless against Sengoku and could only suppress his anger inwardly, a feeling that was incredibly unpleasant.

However, the most critical problem facing the navy at present is the severe shortage of manpower.

Kuzan chose to leave the Navy, where he had served for many years, due to ideological differences with Akainu, and they went their separate ways.

Akainu, through his own battle achievements and tough style of doing things, successfully rose to the position of Fleet Admiral.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

As a result, of the three once-renowned admirals of the Navy, only Kizaru remains to hold the line.

Moreover, the older generation of powerful figures, such as Sengoku and Garp, have gradually retired to the second line.

However, on this high seas, since the end of the Marineford War, pirates have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, their numbers increasing, and among them are many powerful and ambitious individuals.

The navy had to deal with these increasingly rampant pirates, and it also faced the dilemma of insufficient internal manpower. Under these circumstances, the execution of various tasks had become strained, and it was often unable to attend to one thing while neglecting another, thus falling into an extremely passive situation.

In order to change this predicament, the World Government decided to launch a "mass recruitment" campaign after deliberation.

This recruitment drive is quite unusual, completely abandoning the traditional practice of emphasizing background, military achievements, and other conditions, and instead focusing solely on individual ability.

As long as you have sufficient strength, regardless of your background or past military achievements, you can be given the corresponding military rank and enter the naval system.

This move has caused considerable controversy within the Navy.

Those officers and soldiers who had worked their way up in the navy for many years, relying on battles and life-and-death experiences to finally earn merits, slowly accumulating seniority and rising in rank, felt resentful.

A newcomer, with such limited abilities, can become my superior. What about all the hard work we've put in over the years?

Despite the complaints, everyone knew in their hearts that this was a decision made by the Five Elders. As the core power structure of the World Government, the Five Elders' words were orders, and the entire Navy had no choice but to obey. Even if they were dissatisfied, they could only helplessly accept this reality.

(End of this chapter)