Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Early that morning, the trainees at the recruit camp noticed that the chief instructor was in an unusually foul mood. Fortunately, as long as everyone completed their training seriously, Instructor Zephyr didn't single anyone out for a scolding.
Soon, the morning lecture ended.
Normally, Admiral Zephyr would remain at the training camp to observe the recruits, but today he left early.
On the corridor leading to the Fleet Admiral's office, two figures walked side by side.
One was an Admiral, the other a Vice Admiral.
More importantly, they were old comrades.
"You came back because of that notice from Mary Geoise as well?"
Zephyr frowned.
"Legalizing pirates, and ordering the Marines not to attack them. Legalized plundering. Do you honestly think that's reasonable?"
[Author's Note: The original series never gives an exact date for the creation of the Seven Warlords system. However, Crocodile mentions becoming one while he was only in his early twenties. Doflamingo is also just beginning to rise, so his scheme involving the Heavenly Tribute and becoming a Warlord should occur around this period.]
Walking beside him, Vice Admiral Tsuru lowered her head, her eyes slightly narrowed.
"I came back to persuade you."
The moment those words were spoken, Zephyr stopped walking.
Turning around, he looked directly at his old friend.
"Do you realize what you're saying, Tsuru?"
Tsuru opened her eyes, her expression calm.
"Then you should also understand that neither we nor Sengoku have any way to oppose a decision made by the World Government."
Silence followed.
Zephyr slowly clenched his fists then relaxed them again.
He knew she was right.
An order issued from Mary Geoise was something Marine Headquarters had no authority to reject.
They could only obey.
Closing his eyes, Zephyr's thoughts drifted back many years.
Once known as the Admiral Who Never Killed, his resolve had shattered after pirates murdered his wife and son.
His conviction wavered.
His combat ability declined.
And he eventually became the chief instructor of the recruit camp.
Even after all these years he had never forgotten the pain of that day.
Turning around once more, Zephyr resumed walking toward the Fleet Admiral's office.
Tsuru sighed softly before following behind him.
Sometimes a man like Zephyr, even when he fully understood why he had no choice but to obey orders...
Still needed some way to vent the rebellion in his heart.
She simply hoped he wouldn't go too far.
Whether for the Marine recruit camp or for Zephyr himself.
Remaining at Headquarters as chief instructor was still the best outcome.
Click.
The office door swung open.
Seeing Zephyr enter, Sengoku quietly let out a sigh of relief.
At least Zephyr hadn't kicked the door in like that idiot Garp would have.
That meant things probably wouldn't become too troublesome.
Then he noticed Tsuru entering behind him.
Immediately, he understood why Zephyr hadn't exploded.
"Haa..."
After letting out a long breath, Sengoku took out the official directive sent from Mary Geoise and handed it to Zephyr.
Zephyr didn't say a word.
He simply read through the document once.
Set it back down.
Then turned and left the office.
Sengoku blinked in surprise.
Looking toward Tsuru, he said,
"I thought he'd make a huge scene."
"I didn't expect him to leave so quietly."
Tsuru sighed.
"Back when Kuzan's class was still in the recruit camp, there was a boy named Lomi."
"During the Sabaody incident, his only crime was offending a Celestial Dragon."
"And yet, despite nearly eighty percent of Marine Headquarters' senior officers speaking up for him all they managed to do was save his life."
"He remained a slave."
"And even if he'd died, it wouldn't have mattered."
"To them the Marines are nothing more than a well-trained dog."
Sengoku frowned.
"Why does that sound like something you learned from Rowan, that little bastard?"
Tsuru slowly shook her head.
"I didn't learn it from him."
"Tina told me he's transformed G5 Base into something quite remarkable."
"And although the Wano incident cost quite a bit of money it's enough to let us infer certain things."
Changing the subject back, Tsuru continued,
"The establishment of the Seven Warlords of the Sea is already an order."
"So perhaps there's still room for us to influence who ends up joining it."
Sengoku nodded.
He picked up the document again. It was obvious that the two greatest strategists of Marine Headquarters each had their own interpretation of the World Government's order.
Although the authority to appoint the Seven Warlords of the Sea belonged to the World Government, the Marines still had the right to recommend candidates.
Given the weight Marine Headquarters carried as one of the Government's most important military forces, securing two or three recommendations wasn't difficult.
Furthermore, these appointments would not take effect immediately.
After all, if the World Government appointed seven pirates as Warlords today, only for those seven to be killed tomorrow by stronger pirates who disliked them, the title itself would lose all meaning.
The Seven Warlords system existed to balance the ever-growing number of pirates across the seas while compensating for the Marines' increasingly overstretched manpower.
Its greatest purpose was deterrence.
If the title of Warlord changed hands every few days, it would become completely worthless.
"So... our recommended candidates..."
Sengoku hesitated.
For so many years, all he had ever thought about was how to arrest those damned pirates, not turn them into allies.
Vice Admiral Tsuru was also considering possible candidates.
After thinking for a moment, she spoke.
"The World Government's directive specifically states that priority should be given to individuals who once challenged the great pirates of the New World and survived defeat."
"That leaves us with..."
"Crocodile, the Desert King, who failed in his challenge against Whitebeard and once fought Douglas Bullet of the Roger Pirates to a draw."
"And Gecko Moria, who fought the Immortal Kaido in Wano several years ago before suffering defeat. He's been keeping relatively quiet in the Florian Triangle ever since."
Sengoku frowned.
"Of the two, only Gecko Moria has remained relatively stable."
"As for Crocodile... ever since leaving the New World, nobody knows what he's been up to. He's definitely not someone who stays quiet."
Tsuru sighed.
"A pirate is still a pirate."
"No matter how carefully we choose, we'll never find someone we're completely satisfied with."
Sengoku's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Perhaps..."
Before he could finish, Tsuru immediately cut him off.
"The CP agents aren't fools."
"You think they'll fall for a Marine officer pretending to defect, becoming a pirate, staging a battle against a famous pirate, then conveniently earning a Seven Warlord title?"
"You honestly believe they're that stupid?"
Sengoku was instantly left speechless.
The World Government didn't rely solely on the Marines.
They also had Cipher Pol.
Impel Down.
And the intelligence network of CP, which in many ways surpassed even the Marines.
Still, although Tsuru had rejected the latter half of his idea, Sengoku had already begun making preparations for the earlier parts.
"There's one thing I'm curious about."
"What exactly prompted Mary Geoise to make this decision?"
"Compared to the beginning of the Great Pirate Era, the Marines' suppression of pirates has certainly weakened."
"But it shouldn't have deteriorated to the point where this became necessary."
Tsuru flipped through the document once more.
Sengoku answered,
"It's not just the pirates."
"A year ago, during the incident at Flevance in the North Blue, the Revolutionary Army suddenly appeared and evacuated every surviving civilian."
"The events at Flevance have never become public knowledge."
"But Marine Headquarters knows exactly what happened."
"The Revolutionary Army disappeared for many years."
"Even that man known as the Cloaked One hasn't appeared at Sabaody Archipelago again. His bounty isn't even among the very highest anymore."
"But Mary Geoise has never lowered its guard against them."
"Don't forget that when the Revolutionary Army withdrew from those five kingdoms surrounding Olga Kingdom, their numbers weren't small."
"They've vanished without a trace."
"The World Government knows perfectly well they're merely lying low."
"The people we've captured have only been insignificant members."
"Some were rescued."
"The rest remained unshakably loyal."
"And it is precisely that unwavering conviction that led those above to make this decision."
Tsuru fell silent for a moment.
"They're afraid."
"The last time we saw this kind of reaction was Ohara, wasn't it?"
"They immediately ordered the Marines to cooperate with a Buster Call."
"They didn't even spare the civilians."
"The difference in military strength was overwhelming, yet they still treated it as such a grave threat."
"We've rarely seen that in all these years."
"So the Revolutionary Army is trying to awaken people's—"
"Tsuru!"
Before she could finish, Sengoku interrupted her.
The two exchanged a glance, then silently dropped the subject altogether.
Afterward, both lowered their expectations and resumed discussing potential candidates to recommend for the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
At the same time, throughout Marine Headquarters and across every sea, News Coo delivered the latest newspapers to every corner of the world.
Within a single day, the World Government's announcement establishing the Seven Warlords of the Sea system became known worldwide.
Inside Marine Headquarters, more than eighty percent of the officers reacted with righteous indignation.
As Marines, they naturally despised such a system.
Yet, just like the Marine leadership, they had absolutely no way to stop it.
The cadets at the Marine Training Camp also learned the news after finishing their training.
Only then did they understand why Instructor Zephyr had been in such a foul mood early that morning.
On the seas near Fish-Man Island in the New World, Kuzan was lying on the deck with an eye mask over his face, peacefully sleeping.
Ever since changing his justice to "Lazy Justice," this had become his usual state over the past year.
Whether he acted or not depended entirely on his mood.
For example, ninety-nine percent of the pirate crews he encountered were murderous scum who pillaged and slaughtered wherever they went.
Those crews would all be frozen into ice sculptures... and then smashed to pieces.
Their treasure would be confiscated, and whenever he passed poor villages along the way, he'd simply scatter the money among the people.
Occasionally, if he passed one of the Revolutionary Army's hidden supply bases, he'd hand everything over to them as well.
As for the remaining one percent of pirates those rare crews whose only goal was adventure.
Well, whenever Kuzan encountered them, the future Admiral candidate always seemed to sleep so soundly that no one could wake him up.
"Coo! Coo! Coo!"
The News Coo kept crying insistently.
Today's paper contained a huge story.
No bargaining.
No discounts.
The constant cooing finally forced Kuzan to sit up helplessly.
Looking at his adjutant, he sighed.
"It's only a hundred Beli."
"Do we really need to pinch pennies that much?"
The adjutant scratched his head, paid the bird with a coin, and earned an approving look from the News Coo.
"Vice Admiral Kuzan... would you like to read it?"
Kuzan accepted the newspaper.
The moment he unfolded it, the giant headline covering the front page left him stunned.
Pirates Granted Legal Rights to Plunder?
What kind of nonsense was this?
Required to answer Government summons?
As if pirates would actually obey orders.
At best they'd show up and do the bare minimum.
Teacher Zephyr must be absolutely furious right now.
Marshal Sengoku was probably getting sprayed in the face by Zephyr's shouting.
As for Vice Admiral Garp...
He was probably still acting exactly the same as always.
If the Seven Warlords really managed to intimidate the pirate world, then the World Government would have even more manpower available to investigate the Revolutionary Army.
Looks like I need to get in touch with Rowan.
That bastard still refuses to introduce me to his family.
Every time I ask, it's always, "Next time."
Who knows when that "next time" will actually be?
And that Mr. Torch, the first person to systematically summarize the Revolutionary Army's core ideology...
I really want to meet him in person.
Seeing Kuzan's expression darken, his adjutant curiously glanced at the newspaper.
He froze as well.
Kuzan handed him the paper.
"If you want to read it, go ahead."
"Pass it around the whole ship."
"Ah... Yes, sir!"
The adjutant accepted the newspaper, and soon discussions about the Seven Warlords system spread throughout the entire warship.
Everyone's dissatisfaction was written plainly across their faces.
Many also worried what would happen if a Warlord ever targeted their hometowns.
"So they get legal rights to plunder?"
"Doesn't that mean they can rob ordinary civilians whenever they want?"
"What if one of them goes to my hometown?"
"The one hundred seventy member nations should be protected..."
"But every country outside the World Government is in trouble."
"How could they possibly approve something like this?"
"...There's nothing we can do."
Meanwhile, far away in Shimotsuki Village in the East Blue...
Rowan casually pressed two Healing Dandelions onto Kuina's and Zoro's foreheads.
"Come on, come on, get up and keep going. I've already given you the benefits and fed you big meals every day. It's not so you can lie around and rest."
As he spoke, Rowan grabbed Zoro by the collar, hauled him to his feet, gave him a few shakes to wake him up, then planted him firmly on the ground.
"Begin."
Having fully recovered, Zoro still insisted on using his Two-Sword Style. Gripping both bamboo swords, he charged straight at Rowan.
Half an hour later, he was covered in bruises and bumps before Rowan finally let him go.
Even then, he still hadn't managed to touch so much as the corner of Rowan's clothes.
Next was Kuina.
Being two years older, she lasted much longer. It took a full hour before she was completely exhausted.
Of course, the main reason was that Rowan treated her differently.
Even Zoro couldn't stand the obvious favoritism anymore.
"Hey, you jerk! Why don't you trip Kuina like you do me?!"
Rowan flicked the green-haired brat's forehead with a single finger, knocking his big head backward.
"Are you a girl?"
"I seriously don't know what Hiyori ever saw in you."
"Was it because you have no sense of direction?"
"Or because you're as dense as a steel beam?"
Zoro couldn't understand a word of it.
Baring his teeth, he lunged at Rowan again, only to be knocked flat after three or four exchanges.
After all, he'd already suffered thirty minutes of merciless abuse.
"Sir."
"Hm?"
Having just finished dealing with the little troublemaker Zoro, Rowan turned toward the well-behaved Kuina.
"If possible... I'd like to undergo the same training as Zoro."
Kuina bowed deeply, her voice calm but resolute.
"I see."
"No problem."
"Starting tomorrow, you'll receive exactly the same treatment."
Rowan agreed immediately because he knew exactly why she had made the request.
The girl's father definitely had some problems with his way of teaching, much like the outdated beliefs still lingering in Wano.
Someone had to straighten those ideas out.
Kuina had clearly noticed Rowan's different attitude toward her.
She bowed once more in gratitude.
"When you were still a baby, I even held you in my arms."
"So there's no need to be so formal with me, Kuina."
"Courtesy is important, but with people you're close to, being a little more relaxed makes the relationship better."
Rowan reached out and gently hooked a finger at the corner of her mouth, lifting it into a smile.
"That's better."
"Don't go around looking so gloomy every day."
"Your old man just hasn't seen enough of the world."
"You don't need to take all of his words to heart."
Kuina paused for a moment.
"Sir... what Father said..."
"I can already feel it now."
She turned to look at Zoro, who was still lying on the ground, panting heavily.
"It's only been four or five days but his improvement has been incredible."
"In fact, he's progressing even faster than I did when I first started learning swordsmanship."
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