The New World, Mary Geoise Port.
In the surrounding waters, Marine Headquarters warships were spread out like a fishing net, covering the sea as far as the eye could see.
At that moment, on the deck of the flagship, Sakazuki stood at the very front, staring toward the edge of the horizon.
"They're here, Admiral Akainu!" Aramaki said at Sakazuki's side, binoculars in hand, his voice tight with tension and tinged with excitement.
As he spoke, warships identical in design to Headquarters' standard vessels gradually emerged along the horizon, one after another, sliding into everyone's view.
Only everyone knew it. Those ships belonged to the New World Navy now.
It felt like a Marine civil war could ignite at any second.
Sakazuki gave a calm nod. "Yeah. They finally came."
"Just like we agreed," Aramaki said, brimming with enthusiasm. "Once they get close, you strike first, Admiral Akainu. One wave of Ryusei Kazan, cover their entire fleet. Then I'll use my flame ability to set them off even more. After that, our fleet pushes forward, and the two of us head back to the port to set up the second line of defense…"
This was probably his first time directing a large fleet in battle as a Marine, and he couldn't stop himself from talking.
"Mhm." Sakazuki didn't say much, only giving a casual nod.
Before long, the distance between the two fleets steadily shrank. When it looked about right, Aramaki swallowed and asked, "Admiral Akainu… should we start?"
Sakazuki raised a hand. "I want to see Ortoren first. If words can bring him back, that would be a great blessing for the Navy."
As he spoke, he took out a Den Den Mushi and gave an order. "Open a gap in the formation. Let their flagship come through."
Aramaki froze for a moment, then let out a long sigh. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was pointless. If Ortoren could still be swayed by words at a moment like this, it would be absurd.
But Sakazuki was the one in command. Aramaki's opinion didn't matter.
Up ahead, the fleets seemed to exchange a brief signal. Then several warships on the front line shifted aside, clearing a passage.
On the New World Navy's side, there was no fierce reaction. Ortoren's flagship showed not the slightest fear of being swallowed by an encirclement. It sailed steadily into the opening, straight into the ring, and continued toward Sakazuki's flagship.
Not long after, the two massive warships faced each other at close range.
At this distance, both Ortoren and Sakazuki could clearly make out the scene on the opposing deck.
Ortoren stood at the very front of his ship's deck, with only Hina at his side. None of the other Marine commanders were aboard his vessel.
"Long time no see, Sakazuki…" Ortoren greeted him with a wide grin.
Sakazuki looked at Ortoren with a complicated expression. His lips moved, but no words came out.
Ortoren didn't seem to care. He continued on his own.
"Last time we met, we were comrades fighting side by side, taking down Whitebeard together. Who would've thought that in just one year, things would end up like this…"
Only then did Sakazuki speak. "Yeah. I never expected we'd meet again like this. Ortoren, do you want to become the Navy's criminal?"
"That's what I wanted to ask you, Sakazuki," Ortoren said, his voice sinking. "You're standing here blocking the way. Do you want to become the Navy's criminal and start a civil war within the Marines?"
Before Sakazuki could respond, Ortoren continued in the same heavy tone.
"The other Marines at Headquarters might have had their channels cut and missed the broadcast, but you can't possibly be unaware of all this. Tell me. What am I right now?"
Sakazuki's face twitched twice, but he still forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"Acting Fleet Admiral, commanding the Navy…"
"Since you know, then—" Ortoren began, ready to scold him.
But at that moment, Aramaki stepped forward from Sakazuki's side.
"Insolent!" Aramaki barked. "Benn Ortoren, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was not imprisoned by Mary Geoise. He's discussing crucial matters with the Five Elders. You're making up these orders, and you don't have a single piece of real, reliable proof. Why should anyone believe you?"
Ortoren shot him a disgusted glance and said nothing.
Hina, standing beside him, stepped forward as well. "What could possibly be more important right now than the civil war about to erupt within the Navy? If Fleet Admiral Sengoku weren't imprisoned, he should be here. The moment the Fleet Admiral himself arrives, we will immediately obey every order he gives!"
"Hmph!" Aramaki let out a cold snort. "The Fleet Admiral's intentions aren't something you can casually speculate about. Besides, for more than eight hundred years, the Navy has served under the World Government. The system is here. The law is here. Within the entire World Government framework, the Five Elders hold the highest authority. Their orders override all other directives. Right now, the Five Elders' supreme command is for you to abandon all resistance immediately and place the entire Navy under Admiral Akainu's unified control!"
It was obvious that Hina was still too young. She simply couldn't match Aramaki's sharp tongue.
After being shot down like that, she was left momentarily speechless, her face flushing red as she puffed up in frustration.
Ortoren, on the other hand, just smiled indifferently and looked toward Sakazuki. "So you chose to accept the Five Elders' order? You've decided to stand on the World Government's side?"
He couldn't be bothered with Aramaki at all. Who did this guy think he was, butting in here?
Unfortunately, Aramaki was exactly that tactless. Ortoren was clearly questioning Sakazuki, yet before Sakazuki could even open his mouth, Aramaki rushed to speak first. "A Marine Headquarters Admiral obeying the Five Elders is only natural! Admiral Akainu is absolutely loyal to the World Government, unlike you! Saint Warcury trusted you so much, granted you so much authority, and in the end you still dared to betray the World Government?!"
At that moment, Aramaki felt like he was standing on the moral high ground, unloading on Ortoren with relish.
He fully expected Ortoren to be red-faced with shame and fury by now.
Instead, he saw a look of quiet satisfaction spread across Ortoren's face.
The sight left Aramaki confused. But before he could make sense of it, a wave of scorching heat suddenly surged from behind him.
Huh?
Heat?
I'm a Mera Mera no Mi user. How could I feel something like this?!
Alarmed and uneasy, Aramaki snapped his head around. What he saw made his pupils shrink. Thick black smoke was pouring off Sakazuki's arm. Violent magma had begun flowing down his limb, spilling onto the warship's deck. The metal groaned and warped, bursting into flames almost instantly.
An overwhelming killing intent erupted from Sakazuki, completely engulfing Aramaki.
"Admiral Akainu?" Aramaki's heart jolted as he was just about to react.
But Sakazuki seized that fleeting moment of panic. His face twisted with fury as he roared, "You jumping clown. I've put up with you for far too long!"
With his roar, Sakazuki drove his fist straight into Aramaki's back.
Raging magma surged forward, flames utterly incapable of stopping it, while an impact like a volcanic eruption exploded out from Sakazuki's body.
Blood sprayed into the air in a bright arc, only to be instantly vaporized by the searing heat.
Sakazuki's massive fist, wrapped in blazing magma, punched clean through Aramaki's chest and back.
The Mera Mera no Mi truly stood no chance against the Magu Magu no Mi. Sakazuki hadn't even used Haki. Relying purely on so-called "ability suppression," he had completely pierced Aramaki.
"Guh… agh…" With his body run through, Aramaki let out broken, involuntary cries of pain.
He stared at Sakazuki in disbelief, feeling his life force drain away at an alarming speed.
An Admiral of the Navy, launching a sneak attack on a Vice Admiral? No honor at all. Playing dirty, huh?
"You… also betrayed… the world…" Aramaki seemed to be struggling to say something more.
Sakazuki didn't give him the chance. With a cold snort, he said, "I've been sick of your noisy, selfish nonsense for a long time."
His fist clenched suddenly. Wild, violent magma erupted once more, igniting Aramaki's flame-formed body and reducing it to a charred corpse.
With a casual, forceful flick of his arm, Sakazuki tossed Aramaki's blackened remains onto the deck. Then he turned his deep, heavy gaze toward Ortoren. "Acting Fleet Admiral… that doesn't mean you've truly won yet. Only when you drop the word 'acting' will it count as a real victory."
Ortoren grinned, completely ignoring the remark. Instead, he teased, "Calling yourself 'this old man' when you're barely in your forties is a bit premature, don't you think, Sakazuki?"
The two were clearly talking past each other. Sakazuki didn't respond to the jab either. He took a deep breath and spoke solemnly, "Marine Headquarters Admiral Sakazuki requests permission to rejoin the ranks!"
"Acting Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Benn Ortoren, approves the request. Effective immediately, all fleets are to be unified!" Ortoren replied, his expression equally serious.