Inside the office, Sengoku looked up at Diarmuid and said, "I could hear you clamoring in the hallway. What's wrong?"
"Nothing much. They said there were zombies causing trouble in the first half of the Grand Line. I've already sent someone to investigate," Diarmuid waved his hand dismissively.
Sengoku saw no reason to press further and replied, "That's right. The situation in the New World also makes it inconvenient for us to intervene on a massive scale. Therefore, stick to the original plan: you take a few people to support Smoker and help him find his footing. I don't imagine he needs much in the way of military support."
Diarmuid nodded immediately. "Fine. Is there anything else you need to tell me? Officially, this matter is under your jurisdiction, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
In truth, Smoker wasn't lacking in manpower. He was wealthy and influential in the New World and certainly wasn't short on followers. He merely lacked top-tier combat power to help him stabilize his position and secure territory and interests.
Therefore, the Marines didn't need to mobilize a huge force; bringing just a few top experts would suffice.
"I have nothing new to instruct you on. Everything that needed to be discussed was covered in the meeting before. Just one thing: whether it's Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, or Kaido, none of them can be allowed to become the sole victor. You must maintain that balance," Sengoku ordered.
In simple terms, he could neither help Whitebeard crush Kaido and Charlotte Linlin nor could he orchestrate Whitebeard's downfall.
The ideal outcome was to maximize Smoker's benefits, then divide the New World among three factions—Smoker's Pirate Crew, the Whitebeard Pirates, and the Big Mom and Beasts joint force—to maintain a relative balance. This would buy the Marines more time, simultaneously creating an external threat to divert attention.
Diarmuid nodded without any unnecessary remarks.
The task sounded complicated, but the actual execution was relatively simple:
Step One: Help Smoker and Whitebeard hammer Charlotte Linlin and Kaido, but stop short of killing them.
Step Two: This stage would be a victory for Smoker and Whitebeard. However, this situation must not be allowed to persist, as Whitebeard would likely want to wipe out Charlotte Linlin and Kaido in one go. At this point, Smoker would directly turn against Whitebeard, breaking the alliance and giving Kaido and Charlotte Linlin a chance to breathe.
If all went as planned, the conflict should pause there. If any unforeseen circumstances arose, they would deal with them as they came.
"Alright, I'll take people and head to the New World now," Diarmuid nodded. He didn't say anything more to the Fleet Admiral, turning to leave and gather his people.
Sengoku was just about to continue working on his files when he suddenly remembered something and spoke up, "Wait, Diarmuid!"
Diarmuid paused his hand on the doorknob and looked back at Sengoku, slightly confused. "Is there something else?"
"Who are you planning to bring?" Sengoku asked.
"Why even ask? Sakazuki, Borsalino, Gion, Kuzan, Vice Admiral Garp, that guy Tokikake can come along too..." Diarmuid rattled off a string of names without hesitation.
Sengoku felt a headache coming on and immediately shook his head. "No, absolutely not!"
"Why?" Diarmuid asked, astonished.
"You only need to show a degree of support from the Marines for Smoker. You can't go all out like that. With that kind of lineup, you could wipe out all three factions if you got the chance. Too much is as bad as too little. Whitebeard isn't an idiot; he'll definitely figure something out. He might even turn on you preemptively and team up with Kaido and the others to corner you in the New World. No, this is definitely not happening!" Sengoku waved his hand dismissively.
After a slight pause, he added, "Pick two people to take with you. Three of you, including yourself, is enough to stabilize the situation and allows you to advance or retreat with flexibility."
"That's stingy," Diarmuid grumbled.
Sengoku glared at Diarmuid, then continued, "Borsalino and Sakazuki are both Admirals. It's entirely inappropriate for three Admirals to move out together, so they are out of the question. Besides, they have their own duties."
"I already talked to Sakazuki; he's more than happy to help," Diarmuid added.
"I will talk to him. It's final," Sengoku said without budging.
As for Borsalino, forget it. That old sly fox would definitely listen to the Fleet Admiral, so Diarmuid didn't press the point.
After thinking for a moment, Diarmuid didn't bother arguing with Sengoku. He knew that taking so many top experts was indeed excessive, but he had been thinking about securing more benefits for the Marines after the battle. It seemed Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral, had sensed his intentions but still refused, meaning he must have his own thoughts and arrangements.
Diarmuid had no intention of directly opposing his superior. He finally nodded. "Alright, I'll follow your arrangement."
"Gion and Kuzan," Sengoku said after thinking.
Before Diarmuid could respond, Sengoku explained, "Kuzan has the strength and ability, but he's too lazy. Take him this time; it'll force him to get some exercise. As for Gion, I don't need to say much; you know her better than I do."
"Got it," Diarmuid agreed without objection.
Diarmuid put his hand on the doorknob and glanced at Sengoku again. "There's nothing else to tell me, is there? Don't let me leave and then send someone to chase after me..."
Sengoku looked at Diarmuid with a wry smile, then shook his head, only to nod again. "Five years!"
"I want this battle to stabilize the New World for at least five years, buying our Marines five years of time to resolve all internal issues! So that in five years, we can act without restraint and go all out!" Sengoku's eyes flashed with the fire of ambition as he spoke in a deep voice.
Judging by the current timeline, five years from now would be close to the year 1518. It seemed Fleet Admiral Sengoku planned to deal with those great pirates in the New World before the year 1520.
And after that, was he planning to sever ties with Mariejois?
Or was he planning to solve the problem between the Marines and Mariejois before 1520, and then move to clean up the pirates in the New World?
Regardless, Diarmuid chose not to ask. Instead, he snapped to attention and gave a long-unseen salute. "Sir! Mission accomplished, guaranteed!"
It seemed this time, not only did they need to establish a balance, but they also needed to inflict enough pain on everyone to make them respect it!
Sengoku smiled when he saw this, then spoke softly, "Watch out for your own safety."
"Don't worry about me, sir," Diarmuid replied with a cheerful jest, then pushed the door open and walked out.
As soon as he left, his little secretary, Hina, was leaning against the wall, seemingly waiting for him.
"Admiral, what did the Fleet Admiral say?" Hina asked curiously.
"Go prepare and then tell Gion and Kuzan to meet me here. I'll arrange the details for entering the New World," Diarmuid didn't keep her guessing and ordered immediately.
Hina's eyes lit up. Clearly, the Admiral planned to take her along this time as well?
"Yes, Admiral!" Hina responded quickly, then turned to find Gion and Kuzan.
Soon, Diarmuid returned to his office. After a moment of thought, he picked up the Den Den Mushi and first contacted Jinbe.
Jinbe had been living like a shut-in on Fish-Man Island lately.
Following Diarmuid's instructions, he was also shouldering some financial responsibilities, establishing free trade zones on Fish-Man Island that specifically partnered with the Amway Group to transport the deep-sea treasures to the surface world.
Resources that were unremarkable on Fish-Man Island, like the pearls and coral that were everywhere, were priceless items on the surface.
At the same time, simple trinkets from the surface world were worth a fortune when brought to Fish-Man Island.
The difference in trade value, though seemingly confined to just one island nation, was truly a reflection of two different worlds: the surface and the deep sea.
Now, with the Warlord of the Sea Boa Hancock as a figurehead in the Calm Belt, Diarmuid was prepared. Even if the Gorosei discovered something, he was ready to pin the blame on Amazon Lily, so there would be no problems.
Jinbe was handling the arrangements on Fish-Man Island, and they had already started earning a steady stream of Berries.
In the New World, Smoker was running rampant.
The three cornerstones the Marines were using to generate wealth were now in place. All they needed was time to accumulate funds and break free from the shackles of the military budget imposed by Mariejois!
"Admiral?" Jinbe's slightly surprised voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Jinbe, arrange a ship to pick me up at the Sabaody Archipelago," Diarmuid ordered directly.
Jinbe was surprised, then whispered, "Admiral, did something happen? Are you planning to run away?"
Diarmuid: ???
What the hell happened to me? I've been an Admiral for so many years! I'm not greedy for money, I haven't been corrupted, and I don't abuse my power for personal gain! I have diligently worked for the development of the Marines! I have a clear conscience! Why would I run? So I took a few government-funded 'vacations'? Is that a crime?
While thinking this, Diarmuid completely failed to notice that the carpet beneath his feet was a gift from Donquixote Doflamingo in the North Blue, worth billions of Berries...
"I'm not running away, you idiot! I need to secretly enter the New World with some people. It's not suitable to leave from Mariejois in a big display. I plan to pass through Fish-Man Island," Diarmuid cursed.
Jinbe finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he wasn't running away, it was fine. If even Diarmuid, an Admiral, had to run, then his most loyal followers like Jinbe would surely be doomed.
"Understood, Admiral. I'll send someone... No, I will personally go to the Sabaody Archipelago to meet you," Jinbe quickly assured him.
"Good. Contact me when you get there," Diarmuid replied, then hung up the Den Den Mushi.
After a moment of thought, he called Smoker.
"Smoker?" Diarmuid said deeply.
"Yes, I'm here!" Smoker quickly answered.
"The arrows are notched on your side, aren't they? You have no choice but to fire," Diarmuid asked.
"In fact, the war has already begun. The Headquarters should receive the news by tomorrow at the latest, but this is only the beginning. Neither Whitebeard nor I have any intention of entering the fray immediately," Smoker said.
"Good. Then I'm still in time. Have someone secretly meet and escort us from Fish-Man Island," Diarmuid instructed.
Smoker was overjoyed. "Is Headquarters finally moving?"
"That's right. The Fleet Admiral doesn't want to delay any longer. You should also prepare to initiate a decisive battle," Diarmuid affirmed.
"Yes, Admiral!" Smoker said excitedly.
He had been a pirate for ten years! He started out reluctantly, but now he was used to it. If he was going to be a pirate, he'd be a great one—a top-tier figure in the New World! After this battle, he would be roughly on equal footing with Whitebeard. The thought made him a little excited!
After finishing his arrangements with Smoker and Jinbe, Diarmuid took a sip of his tea, contemplating how he should start causing trouble once he entered the New World.
Before long, a knock sounded on his office door. Hina then entered, followed by Gion and Kuzan.
Diarmuid looked at Kuzan and Gion, feeling a slight sense of sentimentality. Including me, even without the official Admiral title, the three of us going out together is still essentially a 'Three Admirals' lineup...'
Thinking about it carefully, the Marines are truly strong!