Watching the almost murderous looks in Saint Saturn's and Saint Nasujuro's eyes—and the bodies that had only just finished regenerating—Sengoku's face instantly filled with a complex mix of "shock," "regret," and "disbelief."His acting was nothing short of masterful.
Immediately after, the brilliant golden light around him rapidly receded. The massive Great Buddha form dissolved, and he returned to his normal state.
His once-neatly pressed Fleet Admiral's coat had long since been torn apart during the "intense battle." Now it was merely draped loosely over his shoulders, exposing his well-built upper body and making him look all the more disheveled—and, paradoxically, more "sincere."
Sengoku strode forward a few steps, his face wearing just the right amount of anxiety and self-reproach. He gave a slight bow toward the two Five Elders and spoke heavily:
"My lords!Th-this… this is entirely my failure! To think that matters would escalate to the point where the two of you had to personally intervene—using your own bodies to stop an internal conflict among my subordinates!"
"Something like this happening—as Fleet Admiral, the responsibility lies squarely with me!"
Having said that, he abruptly turned his head. Frost instantly coated his face as he glared at Gern and barked sharply, his voice brimming with "heartache" and "rage":
"Gern! Look at what you've done!What were you trying to do just now?!Were you really trying to kill me—your own Fleet Admiral?! Why did you strike with such vicious intent?!"
Watching Sengoku's Oscar-worthy performance, Gern was speechless on the inside.
Damn it… like you were holding back just now. You think I didn't see Saint Saturn almost getting flooded with your golden light?!
Outwardly, however, Gern maintained his rebellious, ice-cold expression, the fury seemingly still lingering.
He met Sengoku's gaze without retreating and replied in a hard, unyielding voice—cleverly dragging two Marine legends in as shields:
"A fight is a fight.As long as someone is an enemy, I'll go all out—no matter who it is, no exceptions!
That's the combat principle Teacher Zephyr taught me, and the justice Vice Admiral Garp demonstrated with his actions!
Or what—when a superior 'loses control,' am I supposed to just stand there and wait to die?!"
With that single statement, the nature of "attacking a superior" was twisted into "upholding Marine combat spirit" and "forced self-defense."
Watching the two of them sing in perfect harmony, still trying to keep the farce alive, Izanbaron V. Nasujuro Saint's face finally darkened completely.
He couldn't even be bothered to maintain his hybrid form anymore. He reverted straight back to his short, gaunt human shape—but the cold in his eyes was sharper than ever.
He cut directly through their "argument" with a flat, emotionless voice:
"Sengoku."
Just two words—and Sengoku's "performance" came to an abrupt halt.
Nasujuro Saint stared at him and spoke slowly, each word like an ice bead striking stone:
"I mean this sincerely."
"This farce—ends here."
"Understood?"
Faced with the undisguised coldness and warning in Nasujuro Saint's gaze, Sengoku knew the moment was ripe. Any further acting would only overshoot the mark.
The "anger" vanished from his face instantly, replaced by absolute "obedience" and solemnity.
He straightened his posture and nodded without hesitation, his voice clear and forceful:
"Of course!Any order from the World Government will be obeyed without question by the Marines!
Please rest assured, Lord Nasujuro. Once I return, I will immediately issue a severe disciplinary action against Admiral Gern.
I will most certainly provide the World Government with a satisfactory explanation!"
At the word disciplinary action, Nasujuro Saint's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, his eyelid giving a faint spasm.
He looked at Sengoku's utterly "upright," "by-the-book" expression, then glanced at Gern beside him—still stone-faced, seemingly unconcerned by the idea of punishment—
—and felt a deep wave of powerlessness and suffocation surge up once again.
"Disciplinary action?"Nasujuro Saint was practically roaring inside his head.Discipline my ass!!
This bastard slaughtered Celestial Dragons, rampaged through the Holy Land, and even assaulted the Five Elders! You think some damn 'disciplinary action' is going to solve that?!
But he knew that, right now, the most important thing was to stabilize the situation—to minimize losses and fallout.
Suppressing the urge to cut both of them down on the spot, he forced out a single word through clenched teeth:
"…Fine."
...…
Gern sheathed the black blade Eight Desolations and exchanged a wordless, knowing glance with Sengoku.
Sengoku helped up Ginny, who was still shaken but forcing herself to remain composed. The three of them ignored the devastation behind them and walked straight toward the outer perimeter of the Holy Land.
Leaning on his wooden cane, Saint Saturn watched their retreating figures—his gaze lingering especially on Ginny being taken away. A flash of unwillingness passed through his eyes at the loss of such a valuable experimental subject.
He spoke darkly, his voice carrying its usual chill and obsession:
"Saint Nasujuro, the bloodline of the Buccaneer race is destined for slavery. That is an unchangeable rule.
Bartholomew Kuma… he has now joined G-10. This—"
Before he could finish, Nasujuro Saint let out a sigh tinged with fatigue and resignation, replying with words that sounded more like self-consolation:
"The Marines, at their core, are also slaves of the World Government.
Bartholomew Kuma has merely moved from one cage to another—a larger cage.
The essence… has not changed."
Hearing this, Saint Saturn snorted coldly, clearly unconvinced.
But what concerned him more was something else. His tone sharpened:
"That Gern Reginald Sigmar… we absolutely cannot—"
"Cannot what?"
Nasujuro Saint suddenly turned his head, sharp eyes locking onto Saturn as he cut him off, his voice carrying a rare edge of severity.
"Kill him? Suppress him? Can we still touch him now?!"
He raised his hand, pointing toward the direction Gern and the others had left, his voice low but forceful:
"Can't you see it? He's already formed his own momentum! He's no longer some Marine rookie we can casually crush!
He's now the 'Heavenquake' who dominates a corner of the New World—the true controller of the 'Fifth Pole'!"
"Today, we tried to move against G-10, against the people under his protection—look at Sengoku's reaction! The Marines will not sit idly by!
And on the flip side, if Gern ever truly went mad and attacked the World Government directly, do you think Sengoku would go mad along with him? The Marines would stop him just the same!"
Nasujuro Saint's words carried a clear-eyed, brutal analysis:
"In the past, the Marines had no power to resist us. The world had only two forces—the World Government and the Marines.
We could rest easy, because the Marines had no choice.
But now, there's G-10. There's Gern.
A third force has entered the board, forming a stable triangle!"
"World Government, Marines, G-10—three sides restraining one another in a dangerously delicate balance!
Any reckless move by one side could trigger an unpredictable chain reaction!
If we push Gern too hard, we force him completely into the arms of the Marine hardliners—or even into founding his own faction.
If we suppress the Marines too harshly, we force Sengoku to rely even more on Gern's power to protect himself!"
"This balance is fragile—extremely fragile.But precisely because it is fragile, no one dares to break it lightly!"
As he spoke, Nasujuro Saint unconsciously touched his chest. Though the wound there had long since healed, the sharpness and destructive power of Gern's "Final End" slash still seemed to linger.
He narrowed his eyes and said coldly:
"And more importantly… you and I both felt it.
Gern is no longer at the level of an 'admiral.'
That slash just now—"
He paused, then delivered the conclusion with grave weight:
"Gern Reginald Sigmar… has already become an 'Emperor.'"
Saint Saturn's pupils shrank at those words. But recalling the clash just moments ago, he found himself unable to refute it.
Nasujuro Saint no longer looked at him. Turning toward the shattered Land of the Gods, he issued a clear command, his voice echoing across the silent ruins:
"Go back and relay this order.
From today onward, all World Government institutions, all affiliated nations—especially the various Celestial Dragon families—
Any matter involving G-10's sphere of influence or those under its protection is to be treated as a Level-One Special Case and reported immediately!
Without unanimous approval from all five of us, no one is to act on their own!"
His gaze swept past Saint Saturn and settled on the distant horizon.
"Compromise… must not happen a third time."