"Hey, Tsuru, what on earth is going on?"
After taking his seat, Garp leaned over and asked the old lady beside him in a low voice.
"Why does Sengoku look even more sour than when I refused that Admiral promotion back then?"
"You do realize your refusal back then put Sengoku in a very difficult position, right?"
Tsuru shot Garp a glance. "But today's matter… is more complicated than that."
"Complicated?"
Garp scratched his head with those rolling-pin-sized fingers of his.
"If it's that complicated, then why not wait until Michael comes back to talk about it? That guy's brain works a lot better than mine."
Though Garp thought he was whispering, there wasn't a single weakling among those present. To everyone here, Garp's "low voice" sounded as if he were speaking right beside their ears.
Including Sengoku.
And the moment Garp mentioned the name "Michael," the surrounding murmurs vanished.
All eyes turned toward him.
That was when Garp realized—
He had said something big.
...
"Everyone should have already heard the rumors going around the seas recently," Sengoku began without preamble. "That Michael… is part of the Revolutionary Army."
The moment he spoke, everyone seated in the conference hall—Vice Admirals and above—immediately understood why Sengoku had summoned them to Marine Headquarters in the middle of the night.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, isn't that… just a rumor?"
At the front row of the Vice Admirals, Chaton frowned.
"Are we being called here to track down whoever spread it?"
When Chaton said this, there was a trace of hope between his brows.
He had a pretty good relationship with Michael.
If not for Michael complaining about having to travel all over the world with him like some firefighting squad, Michael would have been his adjutant—rather than Momousagi's.
"Chaton… if it were merely a rumor, would there be any need to summon all Vice Admirals and above?"
Sengoku's face remained dark. He sighed.
"The worst part is… it's not a rumor."
Those few words made all the Vice Admirals exchange glances, dumbfounded.
Michael… really was a Revolutionary?
Even the more radical Vice Admirals—those who disagreed with Michael's ideals—looked utterly shocked.
They might have opposed his way of thinking, but no one had ever denied that Michael was one of the most capable and powerful Marines in history.
And now the Fleet Admiral was telling them… Michael truly belonged to the Revolutionary Army?
The Chief Inspector of the Marines—the one in charge of supervising all internal and external affairs of the organization—was a Revolutionary?
In that instant, everyone's expressions darkened to match Sengoku's.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku… is this really confirmed? Where did this information come from?"
"This news came from the World Government."
Sengoku shook his head, then added an even more explosive revelation.
"After cross-verifying from multiple sources… Michael isn't just part of the Revolutionary Army—he's one of its founders, alongside Monkey D. Dragon. He serves as their Chief of Staff!"
"In other words… Michael isn't just a Marine Vice Admiral and Chief Inspector—he's also one of the highest-ranking leaders of the Revolutionary Army!"
Sengoku's words shattered everyone's worldview.
Among those present, Michael's subordinates—Stella, Crocodile, Hawk Eyes, and Enel—also put on expressions of shock.
Hawk Eyes even stood up abruptly, as if unable to accept the news.
Crocodile merely shook his head slightly.
That stone-faced man… really overdid it with the acting.
Meanwhile, Tsuru and Zephyr were much calmer. Though slightly surprised, both of them had long suspected—based on their interactions with Michael—that he was up to something.
They just hadn't expected it to be this big.
...
"Garp… judging by your expression, it seems this revelation doesn't surprise you at all."
Sengoku's voice rang out again, now directed straight at Garp.
"Almost as if… you've known this day would come."
Every gaze in the room turned toward Garp.
Sengoku was right.
With Garp's reckless personality, if he were only just learning that Michael was part of the Revolutionary Army, he'd already be rolling up his sleeves and marching off to capture him personally.
But this time—
He was just sitting there, calm as could be, as if nothing had happened.
That was completely out of character.
"I have no idea what you're all talking about," Garp said with his usual big grin and sharp, clever eyes.
"Michael, part of the Revolutionary Army!? Woooow, what a shocking revelation that is… does that count as me being surprised?"
"Garp! Be serious!"
"Sengoku! You think I'm not being serious?"
Garp's face hardened in an instant.
"Without even conducting an internal investigation, you're taking the World Government's so-called 'evidence'? Did you forget what happened the last time you followed their orders without question? If it weren't for me and Michael back then, the Marines would've made a terrible mistake!"
When Garp stood up, confronting Sengoku head-on, that overwhelming presence—the aura of the Marine Hero—filled the room.
Sengoku and Garp stared at each other for a long while before Sengoku sighed and softened.
"You think I want this? Everyone here knows my relationship with Michael… but the problem is, he's left Marine Headquarters and gone to the East Blue. Even if we trust him—will the rest of the Marines? The World Government? The kingdoms and cities under its rule?"
Sengoku's shoulders sagged slightly.
"So… even if Michael is innocent, we have to bring him back to Headquarters first."
He finished speaking, then turned toward the three Admirals, who had been silent all this time.
"Sakazuki, you and Kuzan—take all Vice Admirals who aren't currently on duty and head for the East Blue. Bring Michael back."
"Borsalino, you're to go to Egghead Island and temporarily take over Vegapunk's security detail. Stella and Crocodile will join your squad as well."
Sengoku's string of orders made his intentions clear.
He still believed in Michael deep down. That was why he had assigned Michael's own subordinates to join the retrieval team—so that, if anything happened, they could persuade him to return.
But the rest of the Vice Admirals couldn't shake a strange feeling.
Even considering Michael's rank and status… did it really require two Admirals and all off-duty Vice Admirals to bring him in?
Still, no one voiced any objections.
Because both Akainu and Aokiji had gone silent, their faces turning grim—
As if they were preparing to face a true enemy.
---
read +200 chapters on Patreon tambeerg