Marine Headquarters, Sengoku's office.
"Knock knock knock! Knock knock knock!"
"My dear, supremely wise Fleet Admiral Sengoku, may I come in?"
Sengoku looked up, almost instinctively ready to smile—then caught himself and forced down the corners of his mouth.
"Michael, get in here right now!" Sengoku barked. "Do you think flattery is going to help you at this point?"
"Hehehe, come on, old man Sengoku, no need to talk like that." Michael pushed open the door with an awkward grin and walked up to Sengoku. "A little flattery is just to make you feel a bit better, isn't it? If it were Garp, I wouldn't even bother wasting my breath!"
"Hmph! You've got some nerve!"
Sengoku set down the pen and papers in his hand, looking at Michael—who sat on the sofa, looking perfectly at ease—then sighed in the end.
"Sigh… Where's Garp?"
"He's staying on Fishman Island for now. The cooperation just started, so we have to leave someone important there, right? But come on, do you think Garp could explain everything to you clearly? That's why I came back to report in myself." Michael walked over to Sengoku's desk, glanced at the papers, and said with a smile, "CP hasn't found any trace of the SWORD Secret Special Force yet? I haven't even told them to hide themselves recently. Looks like CP really isn't that capable."
"There are still some capable people in CP." Sengoku shook his head, looking regretful. "But with Spandine as their leader? Sometimes I wonder if I was out of my mind when I gave that short-sighted idiot the authority to initiate a Buster Call."
After a round of mutual complaints about CP, Michael and Sengoku got to the point.
Sengoku pushed the small mountain of documents in front of him over to Michael.
"What's this? Planning to hand over your seat to me?"
"Take a look. These are all documents the World Government sent in the last few days—questions and condemnations about the incident."
"Haha, I knew it. They're getting desperate." Michael looked at the furious, scolding letters, his smile lines deepening. "Just from these, I can tell how successful our operation on Fishman Island was."
Seeing Michael's grin, Sengoku grew more curious.
So… there were unexpected gains as well?
"Alright, enough suspense. Tell me, why did you really arrange this three-way cooperation?"
"Simple. Just like I told you from the start—money, troops, and easing pressure." Michael raised three fingers. "But beyond that, do you know why the World Government is in such a hurry? Guess how many of the black-market businesses on Fishman Island belonged to them."
Sengoku frowned.
Black-market businesses?
That means…
Stripping the Ryugu Kingdom of its status and turning Fishman Island into a lawless zone had been planned all along?
"Once we seize those businesses, all the profits go to the Marines. Add in twenty percent of the trade revenue and Alabasta's support… As long as the Marines focus on quality over quantity from here on out, we can already be financially self-sufficient."
When Michael said the words "financially self-sufficient," Sengoku looked at him in shock.
He and Tsuru had discussed this many times in private and agreed—Michael was definitely planning to take the Marines down a very different path.
But even knowing that, hearing Michael say it openly still made Sengoku react this way.
After all, in the entire history of the Marines, there had never been anyone so bold and defiant!
Yet somehow—perhaps because of his understanding and trust in Michael—Sengoku felt that this might actually be the right path for the Marines.
"You… are certain? The trade profits from Fishman Island are really that high?"
"For humans, deep-sea resources are almost impossible to obtain. For Fishman Island, they're within arm's reach—low cost, high profit. Plus, it's the gateway between Paradise and the New World… If the profits were low, that would be the real miracle."
Michael didn't say the rest out loud.
For now, it was just trade profits. But when the Revolutionary Army pushed into the New World later, convincing Fishman Island to become the biggest financial backer would be easy.
After all…
If anyone had reason to hate the World Government and the Celestial Dragons, Fishman Island definitely made the list.
Sengoku nodded, agreeing with Michael's view.
"Another question—do fish-men and merfolk lean more toward the Marines, or the Whitebeard Pirates?"
"That… is hard to say." Michael shook his head. "In the past few days, led by former Ryugu Kingdom Guard Captain Jinbe, nearly eight hundred fish-men and merfolk have signed up to join the Marines. Meanwhile, over seven hundred fish-men, under Fisher Tiger, have formed the Currents Pirates and joined under Whitebeard's banner. Honestly, it doesn't really affect us. Even those fish-men who became pirates have never been openly hostile to the Marines. Of course, if they run into Marines like the ones I executed on Fishman Island, well… they can't be blamed for striking them down."
Sengoku's heart tightened.
Executed Marines.
He had already half-expected this.
The "Regional Justice" faction had been a deep-rooted problem in the Marines for a long time. But with the World Government as their shield, they had never been brought to justice.
From today on, with Michael—this dangerously defiant man—around, the World Government's protection?
Worthless.
"In other words, it's time we cleaned out the scum hiding in our own ranks."
Michael curled his lip.
The "Regional Justice" faction should become nothing but dust beneath the wheels of history.
If the Marines wanted true independence, they had to completely purge those who served the World Government while tarnishing the Marines' name.
"This matter… leave it to me and Tsuru."
Sengoku looked at Michael.
They couldn't just dump everything on the younger generation.
As the father figure here, he had to stand tall too.
"If it's Tsuru-san handling it, then I can relax." Michael shrugged. "Oh, right—about the Fishman Island Marine branch—"
"Alright, I understand."
Sengoku raised his hand, cutting Michael off directly.
"Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral Michael—starting today, you are officially promoted to Headquarters Vice Admiral, and will concurrently serve as branch chief of the Alabasta Marine Branch and the Fishman Island Marine Branch!"
"Your appointment will be announced to the entire Marine organization before the day is over!"
"…Since you're going to do it, then go all in!"
"Push it to the extreme!"
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