When Spandine reported the latest situation in Ohara to Sengoku, the admiral's face darkened instantly.
As the commanding officer of the operation, Sengoku was furious—Brian's unauthorized actions had already crossed every line.
And from the looks of it, Brian was clearly trying to claim all the credit for himself.
"That man is still as deceitful and greedy as ever!"
Frowning deeply, Sengoku began to plan how to reassert control over the Ohara situation—when suddenly, the Den Den Mushi on his desk rang again.
Buru buru... buru buru...
"What now?" Sengoku snapped irritably.
"Admiral Sengoku! Something terrible has happened!" Spandine's panicked voice blared from the receiver.
"Rear Admiral Brian is about to publicly execute everyone on the island—including Vice Admiral Saul—no, the traitor Saul! But that's not the worst of it—Vice Admiral Kuzan is confronting him right now! You have to stop them before it's too late!"
"What did you say?!"
Sengoku slammed a fist into his desk, shattering it into splinters. He grabbed another Den Den Mushi, intending to call Brian and chew him out—but the line only buzzed emptily.
"That bastard! He's ignoring me on purpose!"
Grinding his teeth, Sengoku dialed again—this time, to Kuzan. Brian might have been an arrogant, lawless lunatic, but Kuzan was still disciplined enough to listen to orders.
And Sengoku knew exactly what was happening: Brian was deliberately provoking Kuzan. There was no way his intentions were pure.
If he didn't stop this now, Brian would get exactly what he wanted.
At the clearing before the Tree of Knowledge, towering piles of timber and wooden crosses had been erected.
Under Brian's orders, the Marines had rounded up all the Ohara scholars and townspeople, forcing them to kneel in the open.
Then, one by one—by the luck of a cruel "lottery"—the captives were tied to the crosses and burned alive.
The air filled with the stench of charred flesh and the wails of the dying.
But not a single Marine flinched.
The Buster Call had already been issued, and the Five Elders' orders were clear—no survivors.
The men's attention, instead, was drawn to the largest pyre at the center.
Because lying upon it—bound and soaked in oil—was Jaguar D. Saul.
The announcement that Rear Admiral Brian was personally executing a traitorous Vice Admiral had already spread across all ten warships surrounding Ohara.
All five vice admirals assigned to the operation had landed—among them Akainu (Sakazuki), Kuzan (Aokiji), Onigumo, Momonga, and Doberman—though now the ones present were Kuzan, Akainu, Onigumo (the Spider), Mole, and Burning Mountain.
Of them, Akainu, Onigumo, Mole, and Burning Mountain stood silently, watching Brian's theater unfold.
Buru buru... buru buru...
The Den Den Mushi in Kuzan's coat pocket began to ring.
"Go ahead, honor student. Sengoku's looking for you," Brian said with a smirk so smug it practically begged to be punched.
Kuzan's icy eyes narrowed. He wanted nothing more than to freeze Brian solid and shatter him into dust. But he restrained himself, picking up the Den Den Mushi.
The snail's features twisted into Sengoku's furious face.
"I forbid any personal combat on this operation! You hear me?!" he roared.
The anger wasn't directed at Kuzan—but the message was clearly meant for Brian.
"Admiral Sengoku," Kuzan said tightly, "a Rear Admiral from the West Blue has no authority to execute a Headquarters Vice Admiral."
Brian chuckled coldly.
"And tell me, Admiral—are the rules of Marine Headquarters above those of the World Government? The Five Elders will never tolerate betrayal, and as a servant of Justice, it is both my right and duty to carry out the will of the Government. I am acting in the name of Justice."
His voice carried across the clearing, righteous and forceful—yet dripping with venom.
And indeed, he wasn't wrong. The Five Elders would never forgive a traitor. Worse still, the entire operation was being monitored by them directly. To punish Saul publicly was the surest way to earn their approval.
"Or perhaps," Brian continued, raising an eyebrow, "the great Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Kuzan wish to shield a traitor, and bring shame upon the World Government?"
The accusation landed like a hammer. Even Sengoku, a man of immense composure, found himself momentarily speechless.
Kachiiink...
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi in Kuzan's hand froze solid, encased in ice.
"I'll be taking Saul back to Headquarters," Kuzan said flatly. "He'll be tried properly there. This is our matter to handle."
"I agree with Vice Admiral Kuzan," said Burning Mountain, stepping forward from the ranks.
Onigumo glanced at Akainu, whose expression was as dark and silent as a storm.
"I also agree," said Mole, joining the side of the "doves."
The tension shifted instantly—two admirals had sided with Kuzan, and the hawks stood waiting for Akainu's response.
Onigumo leaned toward him, muttering under his breath,
"Sakazuki, do we settle the score with Brian for what he did to Karl?"
But Akainu remained motionless, his face as cold and unreadable as stone.
His silence was far more unsettling than words.
Onigumo said nothing more. Akainu was the core of the hawkish faction—his decision would shape everything, and the others would not overstep him.
Even with three vice admirals opposing him, Brian merely sneered.
"Light it."
"Understood!" shouted Snow, tossing a flaming torch onto the massive pile of wood.
The fire caught instantly—the oil-soaked logs erupting into roaring flame.
Saul, still conscious, screamed as the blaze devoured him, his skin blistering and blackening under the heat.
"AAAAHHHHHHH!!"
Burning Mountain and Mole both moved, unable to stand by any longer.
"Stop!"
But before they could act, Brian spoke lightly to Spandine.
"Contact the Five Elders. Tell them there are people here attempting to save a traitor."
At once, both men froze in place.
Brian turned to Kuzan, his smirk widening.
"Go on, honor student—if you want to save him, then save him yourself. I'll even give you the chance. The only question is—do you have the power to do it?"
Saul was bait—bait meant to drag Kuzan into a fight.
If Kuzan fought him, the Five Elders would see it as insubordination, tainting his record and tilting their favor toward Brian.
And even if Kuzan managed to win, Brian's strength would be on full display before all of Marine Headquarters—cementing his name as a monster among men.
If Kuzan failed, though… then Saul's "final wish" would become his burden to carry forever.
Kuzan's breath misted in the air.
Frost began to swirl around his hands.
"Ice Saber."
With a low murmur, he raised two gleaming blades of frozen vapor, one in each hand—
and the air around him turned deathly cold.
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