Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
In Sengoku's office, every top officer was present except Akainu. Faces were set—grim, angry.
They had already learned that the new headquarters site was destroyed and that Ain, an admiral-candidate, had been abducted by Big Mom. The whole command seethed.
For Big Mom to brazenly strike the Navy's new HQ site—this was no small matter. It might even signal the will of the other three Emperors: the New World belongs to the Yonko—Marines keep out.
In other words, a near open declaration of war.
Worse, before the shock could settle, an emergency report landed today: G-5 was destroyed again, with heavy casualties.
That did it. Even the ever-placid Kizaru looked genuinely surprised. "Even if it was Big Mom… wasn't G-5 guarded by Aokiji and Fujitora? How did so many die?" With Fujitora's current strength—already beyond other admiral-candidates and nearly touching admiral level—Kizaru had reason to wonder.
With Fujitora on site, it was effectively two admirals holding G-5. Otherwise, the Marines wouldn't have picked a site in the New World so openly. And yet the branch fell—and most personnel didn't even manage to evacuate.
Something was off.
Sengoku exhaled. "Don't dig into the particulars. We move to the war council. Big Mom has harassed our branches multiple times and now leveled two of our bases. The Commander-in-Chief has ordered us to immediately organize forces and punish Big Mom!"
There was an unspoken hitch in Sengoku's tone. The room soured; Kizaru in particular sniped, "Marshal, don't tell me G-5 fell because of that Celestial Dragon brat's 'visit' and someone botched the escort?"
A ripple of murmurs ran through the room.
Sengoku's face hardened. "That topic is closed. Our honor will be restored by what we do next—swiftly."
"Hmph." Kizaru clicked his tongue, as if to say he'd expected as much.
"Adjunct, summon Instructor Zephyr and Admiral Aramaki, Admiral Akainu—no, I'll handle Garp's call personally."
Sengoku cut the back-and-forth and started issuing orders.
Purely on force, Marine HQ had no need to fear a single Sea Emperor. Counting admiral-class power: Garp, Aokiji, Kizaru, Akainu, Zephyr, Aramaki—six in all—and Sengoku himself. On paper, they could break Big Mom in one decisive strike.
The looming question: had Kaido linked up with Big Mom?
If Kaido—the king of single combat—and his force joined in, the balance wouldn't be so simple.
"Marshal, I don't have a transponder trace for Admiral Sakazuki," the adjutant reported moments later.
"Right… he went to train in the Death Volcano."
Another headache for Sengoku—one pinnacle fighter down. Since his defeat at Creed's hand, Sakazuki had resigned his posts again and buried himself in seclusion, cutting contact with the outside world. Who knew when he'd reappear?
As for Garp… shameless or not, Sengoku would take it—better that than watching the Navy get trampled.
He cleared his throat and dialed. The line clicked—and Garp's booming voice arrived first: "If this isn't urgent, stop bothering me, Sengoku! I'm retired—old bones! Quit throwing me around!"
Sengoku let the rant pass and succinctly relayed the two base destructions.
"Outrageous! Since when do pirates ride the Navy? Enough—see you tomorrow!"
The answer froze Sengoku. "Tomorrow"? Weren't you in the East Blue with your grandson? How could you arrive that fast? Don't be yanking my chain, Garp…
Or maybe the old man couldn't sit still about the Navy and had already set out?
Sengoku chased a dozen guesses—never suspecting the real reason: Ace had secretly put to sea to become a pirate, and as a Marine grandfather, Garp couldn't allow it—so he'd chased after him. In doing so, he left home… and a certain Luffy began itching for adventure.
Watching Sengoku's eyes mist in relief, the high command stared studiously at the floor.
At length, Sengoku slapped the desk. "This time, we win our face back ourselves!"
With Garp—his comrade in life-and-death—beside him, even two Emperor crews didn't seem insurmountable.
Orders flew like snow. Massive redeployments began. Public channels spun up the narrative: Big Mom robs her subjects' lifespan, rules by cruelty, kills freely—even her own children.
In short: smear hard, seize the mantle of justice first. Those with sharp instincts felt the wind shift. A storm was coming to the New World. Quietly, they made their preparations.
The four Emperors each held a quarter of the sea. After years of growth, their territories were solid. New powers couldn't carve a share easily. If the Navy truly moved against one of the four—that would be an opening.
Fish-Man Island.
Ten thousand meters beneath the Holy Land Mariejois—gateway to the New World from the Grand Line. A vast island with millions of inhabitants—the cradle of most fish-men and merfolk—"Paradise Under the Sea," dreamlike and beloved.
At the seafloor route's entrance, a pirate ship wrapped in a clear bubble shot out, startling other coated ships waiting their turn. They swerved away in a hurry.
The Creed.
Creed had chased for days and still hadn't caught Big Mom. No surprise—none of the Emperor's ships were ordinary. The Creed's performance was excellent, but not vastly superior.
Soon, Fish-Man Island loomed ahead. Creed exhaled—then tensed again.
"Creed, you've used the Ope Ope no Mi a lot in a row. You're drained. Let's rest before we enter Fish-Man Island," Redfield advised.
Traveling the undersea route was perilous, especially in reverse from the New World. The Creed's coating had even torn mid-way; without Creed's ROOM reinforcing it, the ship might have perished.
Creed nodded.
If Big Mom had come here for a tea party, she wouldn't depart immediately. There was time.
With the coming war in mind, a spark of anticipation flared in his chest.
(End of Chapter)
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