Vegapunk wanted live hearts.
So, in order to fulfill his request, Sengoku directly dispatched three Vice Admirals to capture the members of the Heart Pirates alive...
This was to ensure a 100% success rate for the mission.
Once the mission was completed, simply spreading the news would most likely lure the elusive Trafalgar Law out of hiding.
And this was just the first step.
Using these pirates' lives as leverage, they could coerce Law into handing over a sufficient number of live hearts. At the same time, they could also serve as valuable bargaining chips in secret negotiations.
In short, as long as it met Vegapunk's needs, the Navy would not hesitate to make deals with pirates.
Onigumo and the others were unaware of these deeper motives, so naturally, they found the mission perplexing.
Now, with Aokiji's arrival, their confusion only deepened.
"How should I put this…"
Aokiji murmured, then explained, "Headquarters needs Trafalgar Law's abilities to accomplish certain tasks. That's why you were sent to capture the Heart Pirates alive. It's the fastest way to lure Law out, and at the same time, it provides crucial leverage over him."
"To go to such lengths…"
Onigumo's eyes grew slightly more serious as he said in a low voice, "It must be something extremely important."
"Arara, I don't actually know the full details myself."
Aokiji scratched the back of his head lazily and said, "But the current Seven Warlords system is on shaky ground, and we desperately need new military strength… This mission might just be the critical first step."
"A replacement for the Warlords? Admiral Aokiji, are you saying…"
Dalmatian's eyes widened in shock. "The higher-ups are planning to abolish the Warlord system?"
"Who knows?"
Aokiji cast a sidelong glance at the astonished Dalmatian and said indifferently, "But if there's a force strong enough to replace the Warlords, then the system itself would naturally become obsolete."
"A force comparable to the Warlords…"
Onigumo raised an eyebrow, surprised. "So Trafalgar Law's ability is the key?"
"You could put it that way."
Aokiji nodded slightly.
"You should all be well aware that Trafalgar Law and his Heart Pirates are under Bacardi Maude's banner. Moving against them means facing Maude's wrath."
As he spoke, Aokiji lifted his gaze forward, spotting a small bar standing at the root of the 13th Yalkiman Mangrove.
"And inside that bar ahead… there are people associated with Maude. When it comes to bargaining chips, you can never have too many."
"Hm?"
Onigumo and the other Marines immediately grasped the implication, their expressions turning grim.
The name Bacardi Maude now carried a level of intimidation on par with the late Whitebeard.
"What's wrong? Are you afraid?"
Aokiji glanced at the Marines' serious expressions and said indifferently, "But as I just said, this is a crucial step forward. Even if it means angering Maude, it's worth it."
"…"
Upon hearing Aokiji's words, the atmosphere among the Marines subtly shifted.
By now, Onigumo, Bastille, and Dalmatian had grasped the importance of this mission and the potential dangers it entailed.
"Bacardi Maude defeated Whitebeard, so there's no need to question his strength. But his pirate crew is nowhere near the scale of the Whitebeard Pirates."
"Exactly. There's no need to overthink this."
Led by Onigumo, the Marines quickly steadied their resolve.
They acknowledged Maude's individual strength but had no concerns about his crew mounting an attack on Marine Headquarters or Impel Down.
If Maude dared to make the same choice as Whitebeard…
Then Marine Headquarters would find a way to bring his life to an end.
Aokiji tapped his forehead with a finger but said nothing more as he led the group to the base of the 13th mangrove.
Just as they arrived, a figure stepped to the edge of the tree root—it was Shakky, holding a cigarette between her fingers.
"Phew—"
She exhaled a plume of smoke, her expression calm as she gazed at the Marines below.
Upon spotting Aokiji in the lead, a flicker of seriousness flashed deep in her eyes.
"An Admiral showing up in person… If others saw this, they might think the 'Tremor-Tremor Fruit' that everyone's been after is hidden in my little bar."
"Arara, trying to buy time?"
Aokiji's breath turned frosty as he spoke coldly, "That won't accomplish anything."
Before his words even finished, he raised both hands and fired two thin, elongated ice spears toward either side of the bar.
Ice Age!
The moment the ice spears flew past the bar, they unleashed a force capable of freezing everything in their path.
Even in the absence of water, they instantly formed a towering, semi-circular ice wall that surpassed the height of the Yarukiman Mangrove, enclosing the bar and its surroundings.
"You're not holding back, are you?"
Shakky narrowed her eyes, growing more concerned.
Having retired for decades, she could only barely stall Aokiji.
Ensuring the safety of the young ones behind her? That was an impossible task.
If only Rayleigh were here…
But he was likely still out at sea.
In an instant, Shakky sighed inwardly.
With the towering ice walls in place, Perona, Urouge, and Hawkins, who had attempted to escape, were forced to turn back and stand behind Shakky.
The three of them stared at Aokiji below, their expressions tense and varied.
Back inside the bar, Shakky had suddenly urged them to leave, only offering a vague warning that trouble was coming for them.
Urouge's first reaction was not to flee but to ask Shakky who had arrived.
"It's probably an Admiral," she had replied.
Urouge was stunned. He couldn't believe an Admiral would personally come after them.
Though skeptical, he still followed Shakky's orders and fled with Perona and Hawkins through the back door.
Then, out of nowhere, a massive ice wall blocked their escape.
And in that moment, Urouge finally believed Shakky's words.
Damn it.
Even in his wildest dreams, he never imagined he'd be targeted by an Admiral before even making a name for himself.
Right now, Urouge felt a deep sense of crisis but was at least relieved that his crewmates weren't here.
He figured Hawkins must feel the same way.
Then, he heard Hawkins murmur something cryptic.
"So, my fate will take a drastic turn at this moment."
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