Elsewhere, in a sea not too far from the East Blue.
Onigumo's room was covered in sword marks; the desk, chairs, and cups were all shattered.
He stood, holding a longsword, panting heavily.
"Even Marcus is dead."
"Damn it, how could someone with Luo Chen's strength appear in the East Blue?"
"A Captain, a Rear Admiral... I must kill him. If I don't kill him, my heart will not be at peace!"
Onigumo muttered to himself.
After his destructive rampage, he felt much better, but his killing intent toward Luo Chen had only grown stronger.
Just then, a Marine knocked on the door.
"Vice Admiral Onigumo, are you alright? It's a call from Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Onigumo's expression changed slightly. A call from the Fleet Admiral at this time was most likely about the Luo Chen matter.
He had no choice but to open the door and take the Den Den Mushi.
"Have someone clean this up for me."
With that, Onigumo walked out of the room.
The Marine soldier looked at the messy, utterly destroyed room, completely astonished.
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Sengoku slowly hung up the Den Den Mushi, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes in silence.
He suddenly slammed his fists on the desk in front of him in a fit of rage.
The mahogany desk instantly shattered into splinters.
Vice Admiral Tsuru happened to push the door open at that moment and asked in surprise, "Why are you so angry?"
Sengoku's voice was filled with fury. "Rear Admiral Marcus was killed by Luo Chen, Smoker was defeated, and the Loguetown Marine base has been destroyed by a pirate for the first time in history. The situation has already begun to spread across the seas."
The color also drained from Vice Admiral Tsuru's face. "When did this happen?!"
"Just now," Sengoku's tone was heavy.
Tsuru frowned. "What about Luo Chen? Hasn't Onigumo caught up to him yet?"
Sengoku shook his head. "He should have entered the Grand Line. I've already had the various branches in the Grand Line keep an eye out for the Straw Hat Pirates. Once they're spotted, the Vice Admiral in charge of the base will lead an attack."
"Onigumo is changing course to the Grand Line to continue the pursuit of Luo Chen."
Hearing this, Tsuru was puzzled. "The Straw Hat Pirates? Isn't that Garp's grandson's crew? How did Luo Chen get involved with them?"
"I don't know."
Sengoku sighed and asked, "Was there something you came for?"
Tsuru's expression gradually grew solemn. She handed a sealed file to Sengoku.
"Regarding the Onigumo matter, I felt an investigation was necessary, so I sent people to look into it without your permission."
"For now, although there's no conclusive evidence, we have already found some unexplained assets under Onigumo's name."
Sengoku listened as he quickly flipped through the file, his expression growing uglier and uglier.
His chest heaved violently. He crumpled a corner of the report in his fingers, the tips of his fingers turning white from the force.
A long time later, Sengoku clutched the file tightly and looked up.
"So, it's very likely that Luo Chen was framed? Onigumo really is a problem?"
Tsuru sighed and nodded. "From the looks of it now, the possibility is not small."
Sengoku's whole body trembled, and the file in his hand fell to the floor.
He bent down, his trembling hand reaching out to pick up the file. He propped his elbows on his knees and stared silently at the floor.
Tsuru let out a long breath. "Sengoku, call Onigumo back for an inquiry now. Temporarily freeze the wanted notice for Luo Chen. After the matter is investigated, we can make a decision."
Sengoku did not look up, his voice low.
"But people have already died. Gal Locke is dead, three Headquarters Captains are dead, and Marcus is dead. The Loguetown Marine base has been destroyed."
"Have you seen the reports? A civilian named Genzo committed suicide in Loguetown to prove Luo Chen's innocence, and the Marines have already denied it."
"If Onigumo is really the problem, how are the Marines supposed to explain this to the world?"
"Will Luo Chen really let it go? Genzo's death, and the deaths of hundreds of villagers... who will bear this blood debt? Me?"
Sengoku covered his face with his hands, his voice lost and bewildered.
Tsuru was silent.
This was the first time she had ever seen Sengoku like this.
In the past, facing Rocks, facing the Pirate King Roger, facing the Four Emperors, he had never been so dejected and desperate.
"Sengoku, it's hard to say for sure yet, but the pursuit of Luo Chen cannot continue. We cannot persecute an innocent person."
Tsuru didn't know how to answer Sengoku's questions. But she understood that Luo Chen was likely innocent.
"Tsuru, I think I've made a terrible mistake..." Sengoku slowly raised his head. His eyes were actually a little red, and his resolute face was filled with regret.
Tsuru didn't know how to comfort her old friend.
She had warned him, but if it weren't for Sengoku's absolute confidence in his own management, things would not have developed to this point.
"Stop it now. It's not too late," Tsuru sighed lightly.
"I know, Tsuru. Give me the personnel investigating Onigumo. I will personally investigate this matter."
Sengoku's emotions seemed to be gradually stabilizing.
Tsuru nodded and turned to leave. "I'll go draft a list and give it to you later."
After she left, the struggle in Sengoku's eyes was incredibly apparent.
He murmured, "My crime... it should be enough to get me locked up in Impel Down, right? The first Fleet Admiral in history to be imprisoned in Impel Down? I'm going to be 'immortalized' in history?"
After saying this, Sengoku fell completely silent.
He slumped in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
The white light reflecting off his glasses obscured his eyes.
A long time later, he once again called Onigumo.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
"Onigumo, Luo Chen is wicked to the core. He has trampled on justice, killed Marines and civilians, and destroyed a Marine base. His crimes are unforgivable." Sengoku's hand holding the Den Den Mushi was trembling.
His voice quickly turned icy. "All Marine resources are at your disposal. Kill Luo Chen within fifteen days. Otherwise, you will be dealt with by military law."
"Fleet Admiral, this..."
"Is there a problem?" Sengoku questioned with a cold expression.
"No! Please rest assured! If I cannot kill Luo Chen within fifteen days, this subordinate will take his own life at sea."
"Good. Remember what you said."
Sengoku's trembling hand placed the receiver back on the Den Den Mushi.
Between becoming the first Fleet Admiral to be imprisoned in Impel Down and killing the relatively weak Luo Chen to silence him, Sengoku chose the latter.
He forcefully ignored the condemnation of his own conscience... and chose the latter.
The next moment, the Den Den Mushi in his hand fell to the floor.
Sengoku looked at his uncontrollably trembling hands, slowly brought them to his head, and, burying his face, let out a roar full of self-loathing.
...
Meanwhile, in the East Blue, in the sea near the Red Line.
Inside the cabin of the Going Merry, Luo Chen sat calmly at a table, drinking tea.
Nami sat closely beside him.
Carina said anxiously, "Get the rudder under control! We have to catch the current to climb up Reverse Mountain! If we're off by even a little, we'll crash into the Red Line, and the ship will be destroyed and we'll all die!"
Not far away, Usopp and Sanji were using all their strength to turn the ship's wheel, but found it wouldn't budge.
Usopp quickly shouted, "The rudder is stuck!"
"How is that possible? Luffy, go help them!" Carina shouted.
Luffy, who was stuffing a rice ball into his mouth, quickly swallowed it, stretched his arm to the helm, and gave it a hard twist.
CRACK—
The wooden rudder broke with a snap.
Usopp, Sanji, and Carina's mouths fell open in terror.
Zoro also had a dazed look on his face.
The rudder was broken!
In an instant, the cockpit descended into chaos.
Carina was so angry she started punching Luffy on the head.
Usopp and Sanji were on the floor, trying with all their might to turn the remaining ten-centimeter stump of the rudder.
Zoro ran to the door to check the situation.
Nami's pretty face was a little pale. She said worriedly, "We're not going to crash into the Red Line, are we?"
Luo Chen elegantly took a sip from his teacup and smiled. "No need to worry. You can go help them figure out how to navigate."
Luffy and his crew were the children of destiny.
Luo Chen didn't believe for a second that they would crash and be destroyed at the Red Line just because of him.
Hearing this, Nami immediately stood up and began to study the nautical chart on the table. She was also curious about how to enter the Grand Line. And she was also worried that Carina's navigation skills were not mature enough, which could lead them all into danger.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]