Several days later, in the military family residential area of Marineford at Navy Headquarters...
Sakazuki, who had just returned from the New World, went back to his home after debriefing at the Fleet Admiral's office.
Even before he docked, Raleigh had appeared at the port to welcome him.
Due to Navy regulations, Sakazuki and Raleigh didn't chat for long at the port.
Sakazuki instead invited Raleigh to his home for a proper conversation.
"You're back, Sakazuki-san."
"Yoo-hoo~ The busy man has finally returned."
Raleigh's voice was accompanied by a lazy tone that could only belong to Borsalino.
Sakazuki's stern expression relaxed.
He wasn't some kind of freak who kept a straight face all day as if everyone owed him hundreds of millions of Berries.
Maintaining a tough exterior was merely a tactic.
Now in his own home, with only his two close friends present, there was no need to remain tense.
Entering the study, he saw Borsalino and Raleigh had already changed into casual homewear.
Sakazuki nodded at them and said, "Wait a moment. Let me change clothes first."
Removing the Navy cloak symbolizing justice and his formal suit, Sakazuki changed into comfortable loungewear.
"Don't you two have anything better to do?"
Sakazuki brought over a pot of green tea and sat opposite Raleigh and Borsalino.
Raleigh took out a box of expensive cigars from his pocket and offered it to Sakazuki, who took one and placed it between his lips.
Click.
An elegant lighter ignited the cigar's tip.
"Puff." Sakazuki exhaled a cloud of smoke and let out a long sigh of relief.
Borsalino didn't smoke, so he poured himself a cup of hot tea before refilling the cups for the other two.
"How was the journey, Sakazuki?" Raleigh slid open the study's partition, revealing the courtyard scenery outside.
A satisfied smile appeared on Sakazuki's face. "Not bad. Although Charlotte Linlin is cunning, neither of us could gain the upper hand. We eventually reached an agreement. Now our Navy has established a presence in the New World."
Sakazuki took another drag from his cigar, swirling the smoke in his mouth before exhaling.
"Speaking of which, you did excellent work in Loguetown. I doubt I could have come up with such an approach if I were in your position."
Sakazuki was growing pleased with Raleigh.
Initially, he had seen Raleigh as a younger brother and wouldn't have interacted with him much if not for Borsalino.
But after getting to know Raleigh, he found that his temperament suited him even better than Borsalino's.
Both were genuine hardliners, advocates of iron-fisted rule.
Their attitudes toward pirates were aligned.
Moreover, Raleigh proved clever, capable of understanding pirate mentality through sharp observation.
If he hadn't suggested that Sakazuki make a deal with Charlotte Linlin, the Marine forces might still be unable to find a way to intervene in the New World.
This information had been confirmed by Fleet Admiral Kong as the most uplifting news aside from Roger's execution.
In a few days, it will be publicized worldwide, and Sakazuki will gain a wave of support and prestige.
Raleigh smiled, he had anticipated such an outcome.
Charlotte Linlin is not a true overlord.
The people she relies on are always her children, which means her sphere of influence won't expand too much.
Besides, she's someone who loves to eat, making her much less of a threat.
Admittedly, Charlotte Linlin's strength and influence make her one of the largest pirate crews in the New World today, but Raleigh knew in his heart she lacked ambition.
Among the cadres of the Rocks Pirates, Golden Lion had the greatest ambition, Whitebeard had the strongest power, while Charlotte Linlin and Kaido could only act as bosses dominating a single region—unlike those capable of ruling the entire New World.
"How long will you be resting this time, Sakazuki?" Raleigh asked.
Sakazuki's expression tightened, and he said discontentedly, "I really don't understand what the Fleet Admiral is thinking. We just captured several islands in the New World as stepping stones, and now he's giving me a vacation, all because he's worried my injuries are too severe."
"At a time like this, whoever seizes the initiative will hold most of the authority in the New World. With the New World having lost Shiki and Whitebeard, the pirates are leaderless. If we don't take this chance to suppress them, are we just going to stand by and watch them grow stronger?"
Sakazuki was dissatisfied.
He believed that since the war had begun, it shouldn't stop.
Now was the time to expand their gains. The New World had lost too many pirates: Golden Lion Shiki, Whitebeard Edward, and Pirate King Roger.
Currently, no one could lead the remaining pirates against the Navy.
What better opportunity to advance into the New World? Yet the Navy would rather abandon this chance and force him to take leave, which infuriated him.
"Don't get worked up, Sakazuki. Have some tea, have some tea," Borsalino chimed in from the side, refilling Sakazuki's cup.
"Since Fleet Admiral Kong has made a decision, as subordinates, we should carry it out. Besides, what's so bad about a vacation? If I were given one, I'd be happy about it."
After all, it didn't concern Borsalino, if he were given a vacation, it would be even better—still getting paid without having to run around everywhere.
Sakazuki shot Borsalino a glare and turned to Raleigh, "Why did you bring this bastard here? To piss me off?"
Raleigh shrugged, indicating that Borsalino had come uninvited.
Although Sakazuki had often cursed at Borsalino, neither of them took it seriously.
Despite their differing aspirations, their relationship had always been solid, and such banter wouldn't cause real conflict between them.
"Any major new events lately?" Sakazuki asked.
After dealing with several islands in the New World, he had begun his return to Navy Headquarters.
Unfortunately, he encountered no News Coo along the way, leaving him unaware of external developments.
Moreover, many classified matters could never be known by newspapers—most secrets circulated only among a select few.
Raleigh nodded and said, "I met Roger before his execution. At the time, I heard a rumor that Roger had an heir, so I went to bluff him—never expected it to be true. I sought out several underground informants, and the only lead they gave me was that someone had spotted Roger in the South Blue."
Sakazuki's mind raced, his fingers tapping the table.
"So, the Pirate King Roger's heir is most likely in the South Blue."
Though phrased as a statement, his tone carried certainty.
Intelligence work wasn't about creating something from nothing; even the most improbable leads held a degree of accuracy.
The specific location might be wrong, but the South Blue was undoubtedly correct.
"If the World Government got wind of this intel, it would make for an interesting situation," Sakazuki noted, a cold smirk on his lips.
He harbored deep resentment toward pirates, and he held nothing but contempt for Roger, who bore the title of Pirate King.
The notion of "sins of the father not passing to the son" meant nothing to Sakazuki—the offspring of the Pirate King deserved death.
Those villages massacred by pirates, those children barely a few years old—hadn't they been slaughtered by pirates all the same?
After years of battling pirates, Sakazuki's heart had been tempered as hard as steel.
He wouldn't hesitate to issue execution orders for any pirate, regardless of age.
"Telling the World Government would be pointless—they've never suffered at the hands of pirates," Raleigh said.
"Hm? What do you mean?" Sakazuki's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Raleigh.
Raleigh sipped a cup of light tea and said, "Whether the Pirate King's heir lives or dies shouldn't be our decision—it should be left to those who suffered under Roger's brutality. Alive or dead, they are the ones with the right to speak."
Sakazuki nodded, understanding Raleigh's implication.
He was aware of Roger's annihilation of a kingdom.
At the time, he'd regretted being too far from that nation, otherwise, he would have rushed to stop Roger's cruelty.
Now that Raleigh was handing the choice over to the victims, Sakazuki felt assured.
Who would let the offspring of someone who slaughtered their kingdom's soldiers live?
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