Chapter 161: Akainu: We have no choice but to sacrifice the Navy!

That is indeed a reasonable guess.

There are indeed many Devil Fruits that are very weak at first, but can become stronger by constantly exploiting others.

The most classic example is the Empress of the Tuolante Kingdom, a Soul-Soul Fruit user who can create a kingdom composed of countless Homies by wantonly stripping away the life force and souls of others.

Then there is the Seven Warlords of the Sea's Gecko Moria, who constantly collects shadows to create a special zone like Thriller Bark.

"The Game Merchant's fruit is very likely a more powerful, similar fruit that surpasses both the Shadow-Shadow Fruit and the Soul-Soul Fruit!"

Akainu said in a heavy tone: "First, by means of deception, grant pirates various skills and equipment, and finally strip the other party of all their power, using countless pirates as nutrients to strengthen oneself!"

"This is a Devil Fruit capable of threatening the world, with a level of threat even exceeding that of Rocks back in the day."

"I suggest that we must nip the Game Merchant in the bud!"

The air was filled with murderous intent.

This is the 【Absolute Justice】 that Akainu upholds; for anything that could potentially become evil and threaten the stability of the Navy and the world, he will use ruthless means to carry out a cruel suppression.

"I object."

A Vice Admiral raised an objection, saying: "If we really follow the deductions of Admiral Akainu, rashly taking action against the Game Merchant will very likely lead to harm coming to those who have already become Contractors."

This kind of fruit ability that grants power often comes with curse-like methods attached.

Contract Fruit.

Since it can grant positive contracts, couldn't it also grant curse contracts?

At the East Blue Branch, at least several hundred Navy members have already become Contract Players; if the Game Merchant is angered, what if the other party takes it out on the Navy players?

"Sacrifice them!"

Akainu said with a cold expression: "If sacrificing several hundred Navy members can maintain world peace, then they will have died for a worthy cause."

"The moment they became Navy members, it meant they had already cast aside all thoughts of life and death. When fighting against pirates, do you just run away in fear because you are afraid of sacrifice?"

"If I encounter any Navy member who pities pirates, only hides in the back watching the show when facing pirates, and then jumps out to denounce so-called 'sacrifice' when the Navy has a chance to counterattack unstable elements—such a deserter will absolutely be killed by my magma fists!"

As a Marine Admiral, the aura radiating from his body was extremely intense, making the Vice Admirals unable to help but sit up straight.

"Akainu!"

Sengoku was completely unaffected by this aura; he slammed his hand on the table and said: "You are too arbitrary. Even the Five Elders have not directly issued an order to capture the Game Merchant. If Marine Headquarters oversteps its bounds, how are we to answer to the World Government?"

He also vaguely agreed with Akainu's view.

Dangers must be nipped in the bud, but who knew the Five Elders would suddenly issue an order completely contrary to their usual attitude.

In the past, the Five Elders certainly would not have tolerated the Game Merchant disrupting the world.

What is going on? Is it simply because of Celestial Dragon Buggy?

Sengoku also had a headache, but everything was still under control. He said: "Vice Admiral Tsuru has already gone to the East Blue. We will wait until the Game Merchant's strength is probed and reported to the Five Elders before making a decision."

He was not worried that the Game Merchant could turn the world upside down.

This ocean, although it has great pirates who can carve out their own territories and the Revolutionary Army lurking in the shadows.

But the strongest force on the surface is still Marine Headquarters.

It has the three Admirals with the strongest Logia fruits, it has himself, Buddha Sengoku, it has Iron Fist Garp, and it has the recruited Seven Warlords of the Sea.

And it has the unfathomably powerful Five Elders.

Even Whitebeard, known as the strongest man in the world, would not dare to pull the whiskers of Marine Headquarters. They are the most powerful, unstoppable force on this ocean.

Even if the Game Merchant really has special means and can become stronger through such methods.

Can they be stronger than Marine Headquarters?

It is nothing more than paying a greater price. Now it just depends on when the Five Elders issue the order to arrest the Game Merchant.

It is just that continuing to let pirates and civilians become Contractors is not a solution either.

After closing his eyes and contemplating for a long time, Sengoku issued his orders.

"Dispatch Headquarters Navy to the East Blue to search for the Contract Fruit. Unless there are special circumstances, the use of the fruit is strictly prohibited."

"Capture pirates and civilians who have become Contract Players."

"Navy members who have already become Contract Players are to be placed under key surveillance. If there are any problems, they can be captured directly or..."

These orders would undoubtedly cause a huge uproar.

Especially the last one; placing key surveillance on Navy Contract Players would to a large extent shake the morale of the troops, but if this is not done, the internal Navy will be infiltrated by the Game Merchant, and the destructive power will be even more severe.

This is the most prudent measure he can think of.

Nearly ten thousand Contract Players were crazily pushing inward along the edge of Death Island.

The weapons and equipment dropped after the death of the Shadow spirits were just like the treasures and Beli discovered when plundering civilians, causing them to fall into an endless, frenzied hunt.

It is just that compared to civilians, these Shadow spirits are more aggressive and more difficult to deal with.

But the rewards are also more generous.

After some pirates obtained the dropped equipment, they recalled the time they spent plundering civilians and found it surprisingly dull and tasteless.

They would go to great lengths to break through a village's guard force, then search house by house, only to end up with a few million Beli at most.

But these Shadow spirits dropped real, tangible, exotic equipment. After wearing them, the feeling of becoming visibly stronger and having power surging continuously is something no one can resist.

"Luffy, get back here!"

Nami's fair, soft, and cute face had a ferocious expression, as if she could eat someone.

She looked angrily at Luffy, who had rushed into a group of Shadow spirits, and hurriedly waved her Magic Broom, sending large swaths of ice powder flying to slow down the Shadow spirits' attacks.

She saw Luffy raise both fists, with pale blue Fist Qi lingering around them like a pair of gloves.

Xiangjiao Jiguangqiang!

His two arms stretched out rapidly, continuously smashing into the frozen Shadow spirits, beating them into shattered smoke.

He really couldn't adapt to fighting without the Rubber Fruit, so he pestered Nami to lend him Reward Points so he could unseal the Rubber Fruit's abilities.

The Lv. 1 Rubber Fruit is not as flexible as before, but it is barely enough to use.

Although the Fist Qi skill is passive, it is powerful enough.

The piercing power, hardness, and so on of the fists have all been greatly improved; in just one day, Luffy has already leveled up to level 3.

Relying on the Ghost Qi skill, Zoro is also already able to infuse the power of ghosts and gods when slashing.

Only Nami,

has the feeling of having boarded a pirate ship.

Zoro has a daredevil attitude when fighting, and Luffy also lacks common sense, often charging into groups of vengeful spirits while fighting, followed by a flash of white light.

The Reward Points the two of them get from hunting vengeful spirits are not much left after covering the resurrection costs.

Wanting to upgrade their skills, they both stare longingly at their own pockets.

At first, Nami was quite happy to be able to lend money to the two of them and collect interest.

But she feels more and more that something is wrong; with their way of fighting, let alone paying interest, even their own principal is very likely to be lost.

"Idiot Luffy, moron Zoro!"

"If I see you charge into a group of vengeful spirits again, don't even think about taking a single Reward Point from me!"

(End of this chapter)