"Tsk, all that gold..."
On the Leviathan, sailing into the White-White Sea, Enel hung over the railing, sighing repeatedly.
"Alright, stop dancing on Sakura-nee's landmines. Be careful or you'll get hit."
Kuina, tidying up the bandages used on Enel, softly reminded him.
"Hmph!" Enel reluctantly glanced at the Ark Maxim blueprint in his hand, tucking it close to his body.
The speedboat docked at the edge of Angel Island. Tiger unloaded the Waver from the ship.
Sakura walked directly towards the blue-haired priestess, Miria.
"Sakura-san! You had me so worried, heso!"
The somewhat scatterbrained blue-haired priestess grabbed Sakura, pressing her into her suffocatingly soft embrace.
"Mmph... Let go! I can't breathe!"
Sakura's vision went dark as intense suffocation hit her.
Behind the two, Gan Fall, having just finished negotiations with the Shandians, slowly approached.
When he saw Enel on the ship, his expression changed.
"Sky bandit Enel! You dare show your face before me?!"
Under Gan Fall's roar, the guards behind him raised their weapons.
"Yahahahaha! You mortals, daring to challenge me, a god?"
Facing these White Sea people, Enel's arrogance flared up again.
Transforming into lightning, he zipped through the guards, electrocuting a large number of them in no time.
"Despicable scoundrel!"
Gan Fall tossed aside his robe, pulling out the spear from beneath.
But just as he was about to strike, a large hand clad in Armament Haki grabbed the lightning and punched Enel squarely on the head.
"Don't cause trouble for Sakura!"
Tiger glared fiercely at Enel, making the once haughty face instantly clear-headed.
"Alright, Gan Fall-san, this guy has joined us. He'll be coming with us to the Blue Sea."
Struggling free from the blue-haired priestess's intoxicating plumpness, Sakura stepped between them and Gan Fall.
"Hmm? That's... good news?"
Gan Fall felt some relief. After all, the most troublesome part of the sky bandit crew was Enel.
If he was taken to the Blue Sea, the remaining sky bandits wouldn't be much of a threat.
"That's the gist of it. We'll be returning to the Blue Sea now. Farewell."
Sakura waved to him and the Miria behind him, then signaled Tiger to bring Enel back on board.
"That might be for the best. I'll have balloon octopuses send you down!"
Gan Fall was about to whistle for Pierre to follow Sakura to the sea outlet and help summon balloon octopuses.
"No need, Gan Fall-san."
Sakura shook her head, refusing. "This is a critical time for your peace talks with the Shandians. Don't waste your energy on us."
"How did you know?"
Gan Fall's eyes widened.
"Hahaha, get along with them. The Shandians share the same origins and ancestors as you. This meaningless war should have ended long ago."
Leaving behind that reminder, Sakura boarded the Leviathan.
The speedboat sailed from the port, heading towards the eastern edge of the clouds.
"So, where to next?"
At the helm, Tiger adjusted the bow, asking Sakura.
"We have a shipwright. We have the technology."
Sakura looked at the noisy group at the stern and waved a hand grandly. "We're going to the world's best shipyard… Water 7!"
Receiving the captain's order, Tiger nodded, steering the Leviathan out of the sea of clouds.
The next moment, the entire ship sailed past the sea cloud layer, entering ordinary clouds.
"Oh, forgot to remind everyone. This thing goes all the way down if you sail it to the end."
"Huh? Aaaaaah-!"
…
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
"Report, Fleet Admiral Sengoku! We have confirmed the whereabouts of the Higanbana crew!"
A Marine officer with green hair and sunglasses stood ramrod straight, saluting Sengoku inside the office.
Those seated in the meeting room included: Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Admiral Akainu, Garp, current Elite Training Camp Chief Instructor Zephyr, Headquarters Chief of Staff Tsuru, and fifteen Marine Vice Admirals.
"Hahahaha, that brat has surfaced again?" Garp, munching on rice crackers, laughed heartily. "Brannew, tell me their location. I'll go bring them in right now."
"Shut up, Garp! Speaking of which, I haven't held you accountable for letting her escape last time!"
Sengoku, as the only one present whose seniority matched Garp's, roared to suppress his bluster.
Seeing the old rascal fall silent, Sengoku turned back to Brannew. "Continue."
"Observation ships from the branch reported. They have confirmed the crew plundered Whisky Peak, then healed Golden Lion Shiki in Alabasta. It is currently estimated they are at Jaya Island."
As Brannew read the report word by word, the many Vice Admirals present fell into contemplation.
"They are acting so conspicuously… we cannot pretend not to notice. Organize a siege!"
Sengoku leaned his elbows on the desk, fingers massaging his temples.
Ultimately, it was a mess left by the World Government. When the target was weak initially, they insisted on secret captures.
Repeated failed captures allowed the target to grow powerful. Now that she had the strength to challenge the strong, they dumped the entire matter on the Marines' heads.
"Let me handle it."
Akainu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them. His fists on the chair's armrests clenched, magma flowing over them, setting them ablaze and producing thick smoke.
"The Grand Line's routes are fixed. I can take men to block them at an island ahead."
"If I recall correctly, your ability is countered by hers. And how will you deal with her spatial ability?"
Zephyr, with a cigar in his mouth, took off his glasses, leaning back in his chair. His teasing gaze swept over Akainu.
'-Brat, serves you right for abandoning swordsmanship back then to focus on Devil Fruit development. Now you can't beat someone who counters your ability, can you?'
"Hmph!"
Sakazuki didn't reply, turning his head away with a cold snort.
"Regarding that point..."
Brannew, the lowest-ranked officer present, timidly raised a hand. "The World Government says they can provide equipment to restrict spatial movement."
"Then Sakazuki will lead the operation. Zephyr and Tsuru, you will accompany him. Additionally, Momousagi, Yamakaji, Onigumo, Doberman, and Dalmatian… you five will each command a fleet. This siege must eliminate the Higanbana crew!"
Sengoku gritted his teeth, committing all currently available Marine Headquarters combat power to the operation.
Garp raised a hand, pointing at himself unhappily. "What about me?"
"You get your ass back to the New World!"
Sengoku grabbed the bag of rice crackers and threw it at Garp.
Currently, with the likes of Shanks and Shiki entering the New World to vie for supremacy, the chaos in the latter half had caused many powerful pirate crews to consider withdrawing from the New World and returning to Paradise.
Kizaru was stationed at Mary Geoise. Akainu was undertaking the siege mission. The entire Marine force had only Aokiji at G-5 Branch guarding against New World pirates.
Such defensive strength was far too thin. Therefore, Garp, a massive combat asset, had to be mobilized regardless.
"Oh, right, Sakazuki. Where do you plan to strike?"
After the meeting concluded, Sengoku asked Akainu, who was about to leave.
"The sea area around Water 7. G-8 Branch is there, and it's close to the Gates of Justice. If needed, Kizaru can be dispatched from Mary Geoise for support!"
Hearing his answer, Sengoku wrote the words [Extermination Plan] on a document, finally signing it and forwarding the deployment orders to the staff department.
The Marines' strongest combat forces began to assemble.