At this moment, Sengoku surveyed the battlefield with a heavy expression.
Zephyr's defeat had left a massive gap in their frontline strength, and there was no longer a reliable force capable of handling King the Conflagration on equal terms.
The Marine officer corps had also been severely weakened due to the Egghead Island War. As a result, many officers had been promoted through emergency measures. Commodores were being directly promoted to Rear Admirals, and Rear Admirals were being elevated to Vice Admirals simply to fill the vacancies in the chain of command.
Because of this, the current batch of Vice Admirals was made up largely of newly promoted officers whose combat experience and strength were far below that of veteran Vice Admirals.
Sengoku's gaze then shifted toward the Seven Warlords of the Sea, who were lingering on the battlefield without any real intention of engaging. Aside from Bartholomew Kuma, who had already been replaced by PX-7, the remaining five were all behaving the same way.
His expression darkened.
"Shichibukai, how long do you intend to stand there and watch," Sengoku demanded sharply.
"It is one thing if you lack the courage to face Kaido, but are you also afraid of confronting King the Conflagration? Move and engage King immediately, do not stand there doing nothing."
Having been directly called out by the Fleet Admiral, the Shichibukai had no choice but to act, even if reluctantly. They understood very well that their status came with benefits they were not willing to lose.
The newly appointed Shichibukai, Trafalgar Law, Bartolomeo, and Cavendish, each carried strong confidence in their own abilities.
However, they were also aware that Kaido was far beyond what they could handle. Even so, dealing with his second in command was still within the realm of possibility they were willing to test.
Dracule Mihawk stood apart with indifferent eyes. If King were a swordsman, he might have shown interest in crossing blades. However, although King wielded a sword, he was not a true swordsman in Mihawk's eyes.
Bartolomeo suddenly laughed loudly.
"Gahahahaha, since Sengoku has spoken, I will not refuse."
He was extremely confident in his Barrier ability. In his mind, even if he could not defeat King, there was no way King could break through his defense. His barrier had never been broken before.
With that confidence, Bartolomeo strode forward toward King.
However, after King swiftly cut down several Marine Vice Admirals in midair, he completely ignored Bartolomeo and continued moving directly toward Sengoku.
"Hey, hey, he is just running away? Barrier Crash," Bartolomeo shouted as he immediately launched an attack.
But King's speed in the air was too fast. The attack missed completely.
Trafalgar Law and Cavendish followed up immediately, releasing sharp sword energy attacks toward him.
King still did not engage them. He twisted his body midair and evaded all attacks with ease.
There was no reason for him to waste time on them.
As a pirate himself, King understood clearly that the Shichibukai were not truly fighting for the Marine. Engaging them seriously would only slow him down unnecessarily.
More importantly, even if they were not as strong as top-tier fighters, Shichibukai-level opponents still required effort to defeat. Right now, Kaido was being pressured by three Admiral-level combat forces. Any delay here could affect the outcome of that battle.
Seeing King ignore them completely and continue flying away, Bartolomeo scratched his head and laughed helplessly.
"Gahahahaha, I cannot stop him after all. Sorry, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
His tone was relaxed, almost indifferent, as if accepting the situation without much concern.
The remaining Shichibukai also showed little urgency. While some of them had considered engaging King, they all understood the bigger picture.
As pirates who had reached this level, they were among the most intelligent individuals on the seas.
As long as the Yonko alliance existed, the Shichibukai system retained its value. If the Yonko were eliminated, the balance of power would shift dramatically, and the Marine's need for the Shichibukai would disappear as well.
To them, both the Marines and the Yonko were enemies in their own way. Internal conflict between these forces was the most favorable outcome.
Sengoku's expression grew even darker as he looked at the Shichibukai refusing to properly follow orders.
He wanted nothing more than to strip them of their titles immediately, but he knew this was not the time. Acting against them now would only create additional powerful enemies.
Fujitora frowned deeply.
"What is the meaning of the Shichibukai's existence anymore," he said coldly. "Their presence has not stabilized the world, it has only made it more chaotic."
Sengoku remained silent.
The Marines had long recognized the flaws in the Seven Warlords system. In truth, the World Government had already considered abolishing it. However, pirates were still pirates, even if labeled "legal pirates." The term itself was a contradiction.
But for now, there was no alternative.
The pressure from the Yonko alliance was too overwhelming. Even if the Shichibukai were unreliable, at least they were not siding with the enemy.
If they were removed or turned hostile, the situation would become far worse.
Aramaki spoke coldly.
"Once the Yonko alliance is dealt with, these guys will no longer have any reason to exist."
Meanwhile, King had already reached Kaido's side.
"Kaido-san, I am here to assist," King said calmly.
Kaido let out a deep laugh.
"Worororo, perfect timing, King."
His eyes shifted toward King's uncovered face and he grinned.
"I saw it earlier. You took down Zephyr. Even if he was old, he was still a former Admiral. Good work."
King's lips curled slightly.
"You flatter me, Kaido-san. That old man was strong. If not for his age and illness, it would have been far more difficult to defeat him."
He was not exaggerating. Zephyr's Armament Haki was extremely powerful. Only King's racial durability allowed him to withstand that level of combat head-on.
King then turned his attention toward Sengoku.
"I will handle Sengoku next. I want to see the strength of a Fleet Admiral for myself."
Kaido gave a low laugh.
"Worororo, do as you like. But do not underestimate him. Sengoku is far stronger than Zephyr."
"Understood, Kaido-san."
On the battlefield below, Sengoku's expression turned icy as he locked eyes with King.
"So I am being treated as an easy target," Sengoku said coldly. "Is defeating Zephyr what gave you this confidence?"
He raised his fist slightly.
"Then I will show you something. The dignity of a Fleet Admiral is not something you can challenge lightly."