One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 155: Chapter 155: Claudius, Who Devours All Futures

As soon as Shyarly's voice fell, Claudius laughed and said, "See? It seems Little Sister Shyarly's ability is quite powerful and very accurate, Sengoku."

Sengoku chuckled modestly, waving his hand as he replied, "Your Highness, don't tease me. It's just a coincidence."

Although Sengoku spoke with humility, the subtle joy written across his face betrayed his true feelings.

In reality, this wasn't much of a secret, at least not among senior figures in the World Government like Claudius and Sengoku. Whether it was Kong or the Five Elders, everyone had long been grooming Sengoku to ascend to the position of Fleet Admiral.

Currently, Sengoku was the only Admiral who fulfilled the conditions for promotion. To qualify as a Marine Fleet Admiral, one must first serve as an Admiral, and Sengoku was the sole active Admiral at the moment.

Zephyr, the former Admiral, had retired years ago to head the Marine Officer Training Camp, where he now trained the next generation of Marines. Meanwhile, the position of Admiral that was meant for Garp remained vacant since the man stubbornly refused the role. Garp's rejection was so absolute that the idea of him becoming Fleet Admiral was entirely out of the question.

Tsuru, while highly capable, had no interest in becoming Marine Fleet Admiral either. Among those most qualified, Sengoku was the only one both eligible and willing. He was also the most suitable candidate in terms of temperament and experience.

This is why Claudius, after hearing Shyarly predict Sengoku's promotion in the "near future," praised her ability—it was essentially a confirmation of what everyone already expected.

The mention of the "near future" meant Sengoku's promotion was imminent.

As Claudius thought about this, he couldn't help but reflect on how Sengoku's rise would soon bring major changes to Marine. The vacant Admiral positions would need to be filled quickly, and the candidates for those roles were already established.

There were five contenders: Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, Gion, and Tokikake.

Among them, Sakazuki had openly expressed his ambition to become an Admiral. He was driven and confident in his abilities.

Borsalino, on the other hand, took a much more relaxed approach. His attitude could be summed up as: If they offer me the position, I'll take it. If not, I'll just continue being Vice Admiral.

Kuzan, while not as eager as Sakazuki, also quietly hoped to be promoted.

As for Gion, she showed little interest in becoming Admiral. Despite her qualifications, her lack of enthusiasm for the role was evident. She seldom participated in Admiral-related training and clearly had no intention of competing for the title.

Lastly, Tokikake, while skilled, shared a certain carefree attitude with Garp. He wasn't motivated by ambition and seemed indifferent to the prospect of becoming an Admiral.

Based on what Claudius remembered from the original timeline and the current developments, he was confident the new Admirals would be Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan. These three were poised to lead Marine into a new era of strength and authority.

With this lineup, Marine would undoubtedly experience significant growth and development in the next five to ten years.

After Sengoku's reading was complete, the group shifted back to lighthearted conversation. Stussy, Mero, and the others were soon urging Claudius to give Shyarly's ability a try. Despite some initial reluctance, Claudius eventually agreed.

Shyarly began her usual process, placing her hands on the crystal ball. However, to everyone's surprise, nothing happened. The crystal ball remained dim, showing none of the glowing light from earlier readings.

Confused, Shyarly tried again and again, but the results were the same. Finally, she spoke, her tone puzzled. "It's strange... there's no response at all. I can't see Big Brother Claudius's future."

Lenny stepped in quickly to reassure her. "You've been using your ability a lot today, Shyarly. Maybe you're just tired. It's okay if it doesn't work, don't blame yourself."

Claudius nodded with a gentle smile. "Exactly. It's no big deal. Honestly, I've already seen enough of my own future."

His words were meant to comfort, but deep down, Claudius was genuinely curious. Shyarly's explanation soon gave him something to think about.

"It's not a failure," Shyarly insisted, shaking her head. "This is... different. It's not like the times when my ability simply fails. It feels like... there's nothing there. Like something is actively blocking me from seeing you. It's as if your future doesn't exist, it's being devoured."

Her words made Claudius pause. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Was this because he wasn't truly a part of this world? After all, his soul came from another place entirely. If he was, in a sense, a "dead man," it would make sense that his future was obscured.

In any case, he saw this as a good thing. If some unseen force was protecting him from being spied on, it was better than the alternative.

Still, Claudius didn't dwell on it for long. With a casual wave of his hand, he laughed it off. "Maybe it's because I'm too handsome for the future to handle. Hahaha! Let's not overthink it."

The group quickly moved on from the topic, treating the failed reading as little more than a minor oddity. They continued to enjoy their coffee and conversation, and even Sengoku had fully relaxed into the atmosphere.

Sengoku couldn't help but marvel at how much he had changed recently. The more time he spent with Claudius, the more he felt his perspective shifting.

There was something about Claudius, an ineffable quality that seemed to influence everyone around him. People who stayed in his orbit inevitably changed, though whether for better or worse was up for debate.

For Sengoku, the change felt positive. He found himself feeling younger in spirit, less rigid in his thinking. In the past, he would have approached someone like Shyarly with purely strategic intent, seeing her as an asset for Marine. Yet now, he felt no desire to exploit her gift.

Sengoku didn't know if this newfound mindset was entirely a good thing, but for the moment, he was content to let it be.

In the days that followed, Claudius held several more discussions with Princess Otohime and King Neptune, solidifying a number of agreements.

One of the most significant deals involved the liberation of the remaining Fish-Man slaves in Mariejois. Claudius assured Neptune that these individuals would be gradually freed until the number of enslaved Fish-Men reached "zero."

Once this task was complete, Claudius anticipated earning a great deal of goodwill from the people of Fish-Man Island. With this trust established, he planned to move forward with CP-X and Marine's efforts to reform the lawless Fish-Man District.

However, one key obstacle remained: the unruly leaders of Fish-Man District. To bring them under control, Claudius would need someone capable of commanding their respect.

Fortunately, he already had someone in mind—Fisher Tiger.

Currently imprisoned in Mariejois, Fisher Tiger was a wildcard. Claudius had initially debated killing him outright to prevent the infamous Mariejois fire that would threaten his own home. But now, he saw a better opportunity.

"Come work for me, Fisher Tiger," Claudius thought with a sly smile. "Let's see if we can rewrite your story."

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