"Fleet Admiral. You wanted to see me?"
Kai stepped into Sengoku's office looking perfectly calm. Meanwhile, Sengoku looked about two seconds from a stroke.
"Wanted to see you?!" Sengoku's voice cracked. "You have the nerve to ask me that?!"
Before Kai could respond, Sengoku kept going:
"Kai Mitarashi—who gave you permission to recruit the Seven Warlords?! Do you have any idea what kind of position this puts the Marines in?!"
"You did, Fleet Admiral." Kai's tone stayed perfectly level. Matter-of-fact. "You told me to handle all Warlord-related matters with full authority."
"He's got you there, Sengoku." Garp helpfully added from the side.
"..."
Sengoku's mouth opened. Closed. Nothing came out.
Dammit.
After a long moment, he exhaled hard.
"What's done is done." His voice came out tired. "Tsuru—give me options."
He wasn't even going to look at Garp. At this point, if the Vice Admiral didn't make things worse, Sengoku would count it as a blessing.
Tsuru's expression stayed thoughtful. She was quiet for several seconds before shaking her head.
"There's no clean solution. We have two choices."
She held up one finger.
"First: Retract Kai's decision. But tens of thousands of Marines witnessed that demonstration. The news will spread—we can't contain it. If we reverse course now?" Her lips pressed thin. "We become a laughingstock. Our credibility takes a massive hit."
A second finger joined the first.
"And our credibility is already at historic lows. Ever since Roger became Pirate King and the Warlord system was established, recruitment has dropped over fifty percent. Another blow like this?" She met Sengoku's eyes. "Could be fatal."
"Second: Stand by Kai's decision. Accept the consequences." Her voice went flat. "Which means facing pressure from both the World Government and every pirate crew in the New World."
"The Warlords are technically a World Government organization. They'll demand we hand back control. As for the pirates—once word spreads that we've absorbed one of the Three Great Powers?" She paused. "The seas won't be peaceful for years."
Kai found himself impressed despite everything.
No wonder she's held Chief of Staff for over a decade.
You didn't keep that position on friendship alone. Tsuru had earned it.
RING RING RING
The sound cut through the office like a knife.
Sengoku's eyes went to the Den Den Mushi. His face drained of color.
Deep crimson shell. Gold trim.
The Five Elders.
Of course they knew already. The World Government had intelligence agencies from CP0 through CP9—ten full units of elite operatives. Any one of them could serve as a Marine field officer.
They had eyes everywhere.
Sengoku took a breath. Picked up the receiver.
"Sengoku the Buddha." The voice came through sharp with anger. "Why did the Marines recruit the Seven Warlords without authorization? Explain."
Sengoku's posture straightened.
"Elder." His voice stayed steady. Professional. "Our current forces cannot adequately handle the New World pirate situation. Therefore, with my approval, Admiral White Dragon recruited the Seven Warlords. I apologize for not consulting you first."
Kai's eyebrows rose slightly.
Taking full responsibility?
He hadn't expected that. Sengoku could have thrown him under the bus—blamed the rogue Admiral who'd overstepped.
Instead, he'd put his own neck on the line.
Interesting.
Kai felt his sense of loyalty to the Marines tick up a notch. And his respect for Sengoku along with it.
"Hmph!" The Elder's voice went cold. "I order the Marines to immediately retract the recruitment!"
"I'm sorry, Elder." Sengoku's jaw set. "But retracting the order would devastate Marine credibility. I cannot comply."
Silence.
Then—
"GOOD!" The voice exploded with fury. "Very good, Sengoku the Buddha! I think you've had enough of being Fleet Admiral! Tomorrow I'll have you thrown into Impel—"
"Enough."
A second voice cut in. Calmer. More controlled.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku." This Elder sounded almost reasonable. "The Five Elders will approve the Warlord recruitment. But this is the last time the Marines act independently. If it happens again?" A pause. "There will be no need for the Marines to exist."
The threat hung in the air.
"Additionally—with a fourth Admiral and the Warlords under Marine command, we expect the seas to stabilize. Completely. Do you understand?"
Translation: You've been given more power. Use it. Or we'll find someone who will.
Sengoku's knuckles went white around the receiver.
"Understood, Elder."
CLICK
The line went dead.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Read up to (70+ ) advanced chapters on Patre\on
Visit us here: patreon.com/DarkGolds
Happy reading, everyone!