9 Chapter 9 : Choosing Options
Doflamingo grinned and remarked, "With your temperament, it wouldn't be surprising if you bowed down and kowtowed."
Hearing this, Gecko Moria, who was already fuming with anger, grew even more irritated.
From the beginning, Doflamingo was looking out for himself. Did he really think he could push Moria around without any consequences?
However, just as Moria was about to retaliate, he noticed...
The three Admirals - Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru - stared at him with icy glares, causing cold sweat to bead on his forehead.
Moria had no doubt that if he dared to make a move against Doflamingo, the three Admirals would intervene instantly.
"Doflamingo, enough with your games. I don't care what you do outside, but here, you must abide by the rules!" spoke Akainu sternly.
"If you instigate trouble and try to provoke a conflict, you'll have to face the consequences," Aokiji added with a calm but threatening tone.
No matter how audacious Doflamingo was, he didn't dare to be so insolent in front of the three Admirals.
He waved his hand dismissively, muttering, "I get it..."
The attention of everyone shifted back to the focal point of the scene, away from the quarrel between Doflamingo and Moria.
"Garp, you know your grandson better than anyone. Which option do you think we should choose?" inquired Sengoku.
Garp, wearing a nonchalant expression, responded, "That kid's unpredictable. Who knows which choice he'll make?"
"But if you ask me, I'll put my faith in him. I chose option 3!"
Sengoku, however, found himself in deep contemplation.
To be honest, he disagreed with Garp's choice.
Out of the four options, the fourth was the most straightforward.
The second was highly unrealistic, leaving only the first and third choices.
If he had to choose, option one, where Moria defeats Luffy and eliminates all the Straw Hat Pirates on the island, seemed more plausible. After all, Moria was a Warlord of the Sea and wouldn't be easily defeated.
"I choose option 1!" declared Sengoku.
Moria, on hearing this, was on the verge of tears. "Marshal...Sengoku…"
Akainu chimed in, "I agree with the Marshal. No matter how much the Straw Hat kid has grown, he can't defeat Moria."
"Even if Moria has grown weaker, I've never considered him a pushover. The Straw Hat boy won't be able to touch him," Kizaru added. "In my opinion, the odds of his victory are even smaller than Moria begging for mercy. So I choose option 1!"
Moria: "..."
While it sounded somewhat unpleasant, it also provided a shred of comfort.
Next, the others present expressed their opinions.
With the exception of Garp, nearly everyone believed that Moria would emerge victorious in the upcoming battle. The images shown didn't offer any indication of Luffy's potential triumph.
In that moment, Moria found himself deeply moved by the solidarity among the Marines. He was almost moved to tears.
On the side of the Revolutionary Army...
Just like the Marines, they too hoped for Moria's victory, including Luffy's father, Monkey D. Dragon.
Though Dragon cared for his son, it didn't change the fact that the odds seemed stacked against Luffy's crew.
Red-Haired Pirates...
"I choose option 3. Luffy will win!" confidently declared Shanks, taking a sip of his drink.
His unwavering stance left his crewmates, including Beckman, puzzled.
"Captain, even if you favor Luffy, there's no need to be so biased. This is the Grand Line; it's not easy to win here," Beckman remarked.
Shanks chuckled, "I don't know, maybe I've had too much to drink, hahaha!"
Whitebeard Pirates...
Although the crew had a better impression of Luffy due to his connection with Ace, their predictions weren't based on personal feelings. Each of them was a formidable force and trusted their own judgment.
Almost everyone, except for Whitebeard and Ace, who hadn't spoken yet, believed that the Straw Hat Pirates would lose the battle.
"Ace, what's your take?" Whitebeard inquired.
Ace smiled confidently, "Of course, I believe in Luffy. He's my brother!"
"So I choose option 3!"
Whitebeard, upon hearing this, also laughed, "Then I'll go with 3!"
Ace was taken aback, "Dad, you..."
Whitebeard grinned, "I don't trust Luffy, but I trust your judgment!"
Ace smiled in response, not needing any further words to express his gratitude.
In just a minute...
Almost everyone had their answer in mind.
However, only a handful chose to believe in Luffy's victory.
Garp, Ace, and Whitebeard were the only ones who believed that Luffy would emerge victorious.
Most others still sided with Moria, expecting him to win the battle.
This included Kaido, Big Mom, and other influential figures who had been monitoring the battle.
After all, the Luffy in the images, despite his growth, still appeared as a novice.
Moria, on the other hand, was a genuine Warlord of the Sea.
As a user of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, Moria had taken away the shadows of Luffy and his crew, effectively trapping them on the island unless Moria allowed them to leave.
They couldn't fathom how Luffy could possibly overcome these odds.
*****
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