Inside the Fleet Admiral's office at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku stood with a solemn expression as he listened to the orders from the World Government.
Only after the Five Elders finished speaking did he nod.
"Understood. I'll have Kizaru handle it. He's already at the Sabaody Archipelago."
Kizaru was waiting there for the Straw Hat Pirates anyway.
Taking care of Moria along the way would be convenient.
In terms of pursuit ability, Kizaru was the best among the three Admirals.
"No," Saint Warcury said coldly.
"Send Akainu."
"And have Kizaru assist him."
"Akainu?"
Sengoku froze for a moment before frowning.
"I'm about to issue the Warlord Summons. Sending two Admirals away at a time…"
"What if—"
"There is no 'what if'!" Warcury interrupted sharply.
"Sengoku, with your strength and Aokiji's, can you not suppress the other Warlords?"
"Besides, Garp and others are still at Marine Headquarters!"
"Furthermore, gathering the Shichibukai will take time."
"Akainu can reach Sabaody much faster."
"Do I need to explain more?"
Calling those arrogant pirates together was not something that could be done in a single day.
Akainu had plenty of time.
'Garp…'
Sengoku's expression darkened.
The one scheduled for execution was his old friend's grandson.
And they expected Garp to contribute to the operation?
It was already a miracle he hadn't defected.
Yet the Five Elders still expected his help?
Those old bastards…
Were they really treating the Marines like dogs?
"Is there a problem?" Warcury asked coldly.
Garp had raised the Pirate King's son.
The World Government had already shown enough mercy by not pursuing the matter.
If he dared cause trouble now—
They wouldn't hesitate to deal with him.
Veins bulged on Sengoku's forehead, but he suppressed his anger.
"Even so, sending two Admirals is unnecessary."
"I require absolute certainty," Warcury said.
"Sengoku, you should understand what Moria's defection represents."
"…Yes."
As the Strategist of the Marines, Sengoku could see the same dangers the Five Elders saw.
That was why he had agreed to deploy Kizaru.
But sending two Admirals?
Did Moria deserve that?
"And not only Moria," Warcury continued.
"I also want Akainu to capture the Blood-Eyed Ninja."
Hearing this, Sengoku immediately understood.
The World Government had set its sights on that ninja's power.
If they obtained the ability to control the sea—
The government's strength would grow immensely.
For that goal—
Even sending two Admirals was acceptable.
But did those old men consider the Marines' situation at all?
What if Whitebeard suddenly attacked Marine Headquarters?
Did they expect the Shichibukai to help?
They would be lucky if those pirates didn't stab them in the back.
Sengoku clenched his fists.
The World Government truly didn't care about the Marines' survival.
Seeing his silence, Warcury frowned.
"Sengoku?"
Sengoku inhaled slowly and suppressed his anger.
"Why must it be Akainu?"
A faint suspicion surfaced in his mind.
"At Enies Lobby, Aokiji already allowed the Straw Hats to escape," Warcury said coldly.
"Do you think we would send him again?"
That fool possessed the power to freeze the sea itself.
Yet he still let them escape.
Even though the reports had no obvious flaws—
His incompetence was obvious.
So they would not entrust him with hunting enemies again.
He could remain at headquarters.
Sengoku fell silent.
"…Very well."
He had only asked out of curiosity.
In truth, he would never send Aokiji away anyway.
Someone needed to counter Whitebeard's power.
That man could summon tsunamis capable of destroying Marineford.
Only Aokiji could stop that.
Warcury nodded in satisfaction.
"Then carry out the order."
Click.
The call ended.
Sengoku slammed his fist onto the desk.
BANG!!
"These damn old bastards…"
The table cracked beneath his fist.
But he knew the order had to be followed.
Akainu would have to go.
'Still… I wonder if the World Government has other intentions.'
He would retire soon.
The candidate Sengoku favored as the next Fleet Admiral was Aokiji.
But the World Government seemed to favor Akainu.
Were they already preparing for the future?
Shaking off the thought, Sengoku ordered the communications officers to summon several key figures for a meeting.
Moments later—
BANG!!
The office door burst open.
A burly man stormed in.
"Karp?"
"SENGOKU!!"
Garp charged forward, grabbing Sengoku by the collar.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"Why would you do something like that?!"
"What exactly are you referring to?"
"Don't play dumb!" Garp roared.
"Don't tell me the public execution wasn't your idea!"
Rage burned in his chest.
If Ace was captured because he lost a fight—
Garp could accept it.
Even if Ace were executed quietly…
Garp might endure it.
But a public execution?
That he could not accept.
What would Luffy do when he found out?
What would Dadan do?
Sengoku remained silent.
"Stop pretending!" Garp shouted.
"It's an order from the World Government."
"Kuru…"
Garp turned.
"Tsuru?!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru stood at the doorway.
"What do you mean by that?"
She closed the door calmly before answering.
"The World Government intends to use this to suppress pirate morale."
"If Whitebeard can be lured to Marine Headquarters…"
"It would change the balance of the entire world."
"But you can't—"
"Garp."
Tsuru interrupted gently.
"You know we cannot change this order."
Garp fell silent.
He knew she was right.
And from the Marines' perspective—
Eliminating Whitebeard would boost morale enormously.
Recruitment would soar.
Stability would improve.
Slowly, Garp released Sengoku's collar.
Sengoku watched him with faint pity—but quickly hid it.
Compassion had no place in command.
As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku had to think about the Marines as a whole.
This operation involved the lives of over one hundred thousand soldiers.
Personal feelings had no place here.
"Garp," Sengoku began.
"Remember your duty—"
"I KNOW!"
Garp roared.
"I know I'm a Marine!"
"Otherwise do you think I'd come here instead of storming Impel Down to save my grandson?!"
If he weren't the Hero of the Marines…
If he didn't carry the banner of justice…
He would already have done exactly that.
But he couldn't.
He had carried Marine justice for a lifetime.
He could not betray it now.
Yet…
The weight of that justice felt unbearable.
"Sengoku… what else did the government say?"
"Fire Fist Ace… real name Portgas D. Ace."
"His mother is Portgas D. Rouge."
"His father is—"
"Enough."
Garp closed his eyes in pain.
So that was it.
Not just Whitebeard.
Ace's lineage had been exposed.
The government wanted to break pirate morale by revealing that Ace was Roger's son.
"…Fine."
"Then arrest me too."
"GARP!!"
"I raised Roger's son! That makes me a criminal in their eyes too!"
Sengoku shook his head.
"There is no such order."
"You are the Hero of the Marines."
"You were, you are, and you will remain one."
Garp's veins bulged.
If he weren't a Marine—
He would storm Mary Geoise and kill those bastards himself.
"Those scum…"
"Garp!"
"What?! I can't even curse them?!"
"I'd say the same thing to their faces!"
"Arrest me if they want!"
With that, Garp stormed toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Sengoku asked.
"To Impel Down."
"I'm going to see my grandson."
"Is that forbidden too?"
Sengoku hesitated.
"Garp, you—"
"Let him go," Tsuru said.
Sengoku sighed.
"…Go."
Garp left without another word.
After the door closed, Tsuru looked at Sengoku.
"Was that really necessary?"
"If I hadn't explained things clearly," Sengoku replied, "he would've gone straight to Mary Geoise."
"At least here he might only punch me."
"But angering the Five Elders would be far worse."
"Don't forget—he raised Roger's son."
Tsuru sighed softly.
Sengoku gazed out the window.
'Old friend… don't do anything reckless.'
He trusted Garp.
But Ace was still his grandson.
Emotion could drive anyone to madness.
"I believe Garp will remain rational," Tsuru said calmly.
Sengoku nodded.
He knew Garp well.
Which was why he understood how much pain the man was enduring.
Moments later—
Knock knock.
"Come in."
The door opened.
"Ah la la…"
Aokiji walked in.
His eyes immediately landed on the hole in Sengoku's desk.
"…Fleet Admiral Sengoku's desk?"
"Oh, that?" Sengoku said casually.
"The goat stepped on it by accident."
Aokiji: …
He glanced at the goat chewing paper nearby.
Was Sengoku seriously treating him like an idiot?
It was obviously Garp's doing.
Still—
Aokiji didn't comment.
Being Fleet Admiral clearly wasn't easy.
Soon after, Akainu arrived as well.
He simply glanced at the damaged desk and took his seat.
Breaking furniture when angry wasn't unusual for powerful fighters.
"What's the meeting about?" Akainu asked.
"We'll soon issue the Warlord Summons," Sengoku said.
"To prevent trouble, we must strengthen defenses."
"And to counter Whitebeard's possible tsunami attack…"
"Kuzan, you must remain on alert."
"Understood."
Aokiji nodded.
Whitebeard's ability to cause seaquakes made him extremely dangerous.
Freezing the sea would be essential.
"What about Kizaru?" Akainu asked.
"He's still at Sabaody."
"That man…"
Akainu frowned.
Had he still not caught the Straw Hats?
Or had they taken another route?
"Never mind Kizaru for now," Sengoku said.
"Sakazuki, I have a mission for you."
"What mission?"
"Gecko Moria has defected from the Seven Warlords."
"The World Government orders you to eliminate him."
"Defected?"
Akainu snorted.
"I always said pirates couldn't be trusted."
"Understood."
"I'll kill him."
He had always despised the Warlords.
A pirate was still a pirate.
And today proved it.
Aokiji looked surprised.
Why would Moria defect now?
Seeing his confusion, Sengoku explained.
"Moria was defeated by the Straw Hats."
"The government invited the Straw Hat crew to replace him as a Warlord."
"They refused."
"When Moria learned this…"
"He abandoned his title and fought Kuma."
"After sinking Thriller Bark, he disappeared."
"Sakazuki."
"Your mission is to locate him near the Sabaody Archipelago and eliminate him."
Akainu nodded.
Moria was no threat to him.
"Sabaody?" Aokiji said.
"Kizaru is already there."
"That's part of the next issue," Sengoku replied.
"The World Government considers the Straw Hats extremely important."
"After killing Moria…"
"Sakazuki will cooperate with Kizaru to intercept the Straw Hat crew at Sabaody."
"They're almost certain to head there."
"The government's order is simple."
"Kill everyone else."
"Bring Blood-Eyed Ninja Jin back alive."
Everyone immediately understood.
The government wanted his ability to control seawater.
Aokiji, who had witnessed Water Release, understood just how terrifying that power was.
But sending two Admirals…
Was certainly extravagant.
"Capture?" Akainu's expression darkened.
He was a Marine Admiral.
Yet he was being ordered to capture a pirate?
And cooperate with Kizaru?
Just for the Straw Hat crew?
Did the government really think so little of the Admirals?
"Carry out the order," Sengoku said.
"…Yes."
Akainu answered stiffly.
"If we can uncover the secret behind that ninja's power," Tsuru added,
"it would benefit the Marines as well."
The government only demanded that Jin be returned alive.
They never said the Marines couldn't conduct… research first.
Akainu understood immediately.
More power meant more dead pirates.
That alone made the mission worthwhile.
"I'll try," Akainu said.
"But don't expect miracles."
If the ability came from bloodline—
They might gain nothing.
"Do what you can," Tsuru replied.
"It's better than doing nothing."
Akainu nodded.
"You don't have much time," Sengoku said.
"You must return to Marineford with Kizaru before the execution begins."
Akainu calculated quickly.
"…Understood."
The time window was tight.
But if he found Moria—
He could kill him within an hour.
Akainu had absolute confidence in his strength.
"Depart immediately," Sengoku ordered.
"Understood."
Akainu rose and left.
Watching him go, Sengoku thought quietly—
'Let this war proceed smoothly…'
Whitebeard had to die at Marineford.
No matter the cost.
"Now," Tsuru said calmly,
"let's review the battle plan."
"The strategy's already set," Aokiji said lazily.
"There's no harm reviewing it again," Sengoku replied.
"Kuzan… this battle concerns the lives of one hundred thousand soldiers."
"Learn to think more carefully."
Aokiji fell silent for a moment.
"…Understood."
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