The moment Morgans received the news, he knew the World Government and the Marines would have it soon enough. He played the part of an obedient pawn because his headquarters, the flying news ship itself, had long been infiltrated by agents of CP9. To maintain his delicate position, he couldn't make a move against them. At least, not yet.
His assumption was correct.
Half an hour after the news reached Morgans, all the high-ranking officers at Marineford were gathered in the main conference room. Fleet Admiral Sengoku looked out at the assembled Admirals and Vice Admirals and got straight to the point. "We've just received a report. Red-Haired Shanks and Kaido have clashed in the New World!"
The statement sent a shockwave through the room, which was immediately followed by a collective sigh of relief. The tension at Marineford had been unbearable ever since they had announced the public execution of Fire Fist Ace, the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
They were preparing for war with Whitebeard, the World's Strongest Man, one of the Four Emperors. Only those who lived on the Grand Line could truly understand the weight and terror behind that title. A war with him was bad enough, but everyone feared the chain reaction it could cause. The other Emperors were not the type to sit idly by, especially Kaido of the Beasts, who had been making significant moves recently. The thought of him taking this opportunity to attack Marineford was a nightmare they all shared.
But now, with Shanks fighting Kaido, two of the Four Emperors were effectively removed from the board, at least for the time being. As for the third, Big Mom, the Marines had a decent understanding of her after so many years. Unlike the relentlessly ambitious Kaido, Charlotte Linlin's interests rarely strayed beyond political marriages and tea parties.
"Phew…" Admiral Aokiji let out an audible sigh of relief, slumping slightly in his chair.
Admiral Akainu, however, remained tense. "Do we have any specific intelligence on the battle?" he asked, his voice laced with irritation.
Sengoku shook his head. "No. Between Red Hair and Kaido, their Haki is so powerful that no one can get close to them and remain conscious. We've already lost contact with our surveillance teams in the area. We'll have to wait until their fight is over to get any detailed information."
"How terrifying," Admiral Kizaru drawled with a strange smirk. "But no matter how you look at it, this is good news for the Marines!"
"Indeed," Sengoku agreed, then turned his attention to the most pressing matter. "Is there any movement from Whitebeard's side?"
"None," replied Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Great Staff Officer. "The units monitoring the Whitebeard Pirates have not sent any unusual reports."
Her answer made everyone in the room uneasy. No one believed for a second that Whitebeard would abandon one of his "sons." The fact that the Marines couldn't detect any movement meant only one thing: the Whitebeard Pirates were plotting something big, and they were doing it silently.
Sengoku considered their options before deciding on a course of action. "We will continue as planned. We have seven days. As long as we can hold out for these seven days and successfully execute Fire Fist Ace, it will be a victory for the Marines."
His words solidified the resolve in the room, and a determined energy filled the air. After giving a few more detailed orders, Sengoku dismissed the meeting.
Only the Three Admirals and Tsuru remained behind.
Sengoku turned directly to Kizaru. "What is the situation with Kuma?"
Kizaru knew Sengoku was referring to the incident on Sabaody Archipelago, where Straw Hat Luffy had assaulted a Celestial Dragon and was subsequently saved by the Warlord Bartholomew Kuma.
"There's no news," Kizaru said, a pained look on his face. "After Kuma sent the Straw Hats flying, he went directly to Egghead. It was an order from the World Government itself, so there was nothing I could do to stop him."
Sengoku's face darkened. "Damn it. First Kaido's daughter, now Garp's grandson. They're all nothing but trouble. The reason I asked you four to stay is to discuss a special matter. We received news that yesterday, Kaido's daughter and her crew drove King Bekori out of the Sorbet Kingdom and liberated the country."
The remaining officers were shocked. Kizaru tilted his head. "Liberating the Sorbet Kingdom? Isn't that something the Revolutionaries would do?"
Sengoku nodded grimly. "That's exactly what the World Government is worried about."
Everyone immediately understood the implication. "Sengoku," Tsuru said, "are you saying the government is worried about a link between Kaido's daughter and the Revolutionary Army?"
"Exactly, Tsuru," Sengoku confirmed. "A monster like Kaido's daughter has the power to change the course of the world. The Revolutionaries are already difficult enough to deal with. If she were to join them…" He let the thought hang in the air before adding, "And don't forget, Sorbet Kingdom is the homeland of Kuma and Ginny, both former Revolutionary Army commanders."
This new information made everyone's expression grow more severe.
"What do you plan to do?" Tsuru asked.
Sengoku took a moment to think. "It's time we announce her bounty. And we will make sure to emphasize her identity as Kaido's daughter."
The eyes of the others lit up with understanding. It was a clever move. Once the world knew Yamato was Kaido's child, the deeply cautious Revolutionaries would never align with her. They may not know Yamato, but they certainly knew Kaido and the tyranny he represented.
"Mm, that's a good idea," Tsuru agreed. "We can use the incident in Sorbet Kingdom as the official reason for the bounty. The question is, how much should it be?" She turned her gaze to Akainu. "Sakazuki, you fought her. What do you think?"
Akainu's brow furrowed, and his voice was cold as ice. "That girl is truly Kaido's daughter. She has a precious Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit, powerful Conqueror's Haki, and has even mastered its advanced application. Her power is exceptional, even among the Emperor's crews. If it were up to me, her first bounty would be at least 1,500,000,000 Berries."
Sengoku immediately shook his head. "No, that's too high for a first bounty. It would cause unnecessary panic, and the World Government would never approve it. We'll set it at the same amount as Eustass Kid's: 470,000,000 Berries."
"Whoa, that's still an exaggeration!" Kizaru whistled.
"That's my decision," Sengoku said, issuing the final order. That left only one loose end. "What about Garp?"
The entire room fell silent. Only Tsuru had the authority to speak on the matter. "After he learned of Ace's capture, Garp returned from the East Blue and went straight to Impel Down."
Sengoku's expression was more solemn than ever. "What is with that family's bloodline? One Fire Fist Ace, one Straw Hat Luffy, and on top of that, Dragon…"
While the Marines wrestled with the coming war, half a day had already passed in the New World. The battle between Emperor Kaido and Emperor Shanks was still raging. If one had to describe the clash between these two titans, it would be with two words: chaotic yet controlled.
------------------------
For Advance chapters visit : patreon.com/Mythic_Muse