At this time, those even more shocked by the news of the Revolutionary Army and Red Hair Pirates joining forces were, naturally, their enemies: the Marine.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford, the Fleet Admiral's Office.
Sengoku sat in the main seat, his desk piled high with intelligence documents.
"The Revolutionary Army... the Red Hair Pirates... how did they get involved?"
"Who knows," Garp said from the sofa, his legs crossed, picking his nose with an innocent expression. "But Red Hair was Luffy's mentor. I didn't think he held that kid in such high regard."
As he said this, Garp couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth upward.
With Red Hair involved, his grandson's chances of being saved were much higher.
Hearing this, Sengoku erupted in rage. "Your whole family is nothing but trouble!"
"What does that have to do with me?" Garp looked innocent. "I haven't done a thing."
Akainu sat at the other end of the long table, arms crossed, his gaze sharp as a blade.
"Garp, you wouldn't be a traitor, would you?"
At these words, the room fell silent.
Because of the butterfly effect caused by Makoto's intervention, Akainu in this timeline was not a Magma-Magma Fruit user. A sword hung at his waist instead.
But even so, he had still become a Marine Admiral through his swordsmanship and the Rokushiki.
It could only be said that a wolf like him would succeed no matter what he did.
Garp's finger paused in his nostril. He glanced at Akainu. "What do you mean by that, Sakazuki-boy?"
"Heh, you know perfectly well," Akainu's voice was as cold as ever. "In this upcoming war, the man being executed is your own grandson. The enemy's leader is your own son. Given your awkward position... frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if you switched sides."
"Sakazuki!" Aokiji frowned in protest. "Don't talk nonsense!"
Akainu snorted, giving no respect at all.
He had never liked the 'dovish' attitude of people like Garp and Aokiji, who would spare pirates' lives.
And now, with Garp's grandson about to be executed, and the Revolutionary Army's Commander they were about to face being his son, Akainu couldn't help but suspect that Garp might be up to something behind their backs.
"That's enough." Sengoku stepped in as peacemaker. "Now is not the time for infighting."
"Then what should we do?" Kizaru's attitude was as lazy as ever, leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed. "We didn't have an absolute advantage against the Revolutionary Army to begin with. Now that the Red Hair Pirates have joined, things are going to get very troublesome."
Among the three Marine Admirals, Kizaru had the fewest supporters, but everyone knew he was speaking the truth.
Even if they called in the Seven Warlords, the Marine's estimated chance of victory was only sixty percent, maybe seventy at best.
After all, you couldn't count on those Warlord bastards to fight with their full strength.
Now with the Red Hair Pirates joining, it felt like even that seventy percent chance had become the enemy's.
Silence fell over the meeting room.
Just then—
BAM!
The door to the meeting room was thrown open.
No knock.
All the Marine officers frowned in unison, looking to see who was so rude as to enter the Marine's highest meeting room without even knocking.
In came a middle-aged man who bore a ninety-nine percent resemblance to Red Hair Shanks.
Figarland Shamrock.
Commander of the God's Knights.
Behind him followed several members of the God's Knights.
Many officers below the rank of Vice Admiral were startled, some even exclaiming… mistaking Shamrock for Shanks.
"Shanks? What is he doing here?!"
"No... that's not Shanks!"
"He looks so much like him!"
Aramaki, codenamed [Ryokugyu], an Admiral candidate, stepped forward and explained obsequiously, "This is Commander Shamrock-sama of the God's Knights."
Upon hearing this, the Marine officers calmed down. But seeing an Admiral candidate like Ryokugyu, all sycophantic, addressing Shamrock as 'sama', other Admiral candidates like Momousagi and Chaton frowned.
They felt Ryokugyu's boot-licking behavior was an utter disgrace to the Marine.
And Akainu didn't even need mentioning… he wanted to cut that fool down on the spot.
Shamrock, his face cold, swept his gaze over the Marine's top brass and then spoke.
"I am here because my good-for-nothing younger brother is also going to participate in this war."
"Therefore, I have decided to lead the God's Knights into this war as well."
At these words, the room erupted once more.
"The God's Knights are also joining?"
"That's... great!"
Even so, very few expressed opposition.
Not even the most radical Akainu.
Even though he disliked the World Government's people, he was radical, not stupid.
If the Marine were facing the combined forces of the Revolutionary Army and the Red Hair Pirates, their chances of victory would be extremely low.
Having the God's Knights on their side would certainly increase those odds.
After all, the God's Knights wouldn't just go through the motions like the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
If the Marine lost, the World Government, as an organization, would also lose their reputation.
"Very well. It's decided then," Sengoku said, nodding. "Welcome to all of you from the God's Knights."
However, Shamrock did not leave.
He stood where he was, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the Marine's top brass.
"One more thing."
"Please speak," Sengoku said.
Shamrock rolled up his left sleeve, revealing a black mark on his arm.
"I require all Marine officers present to sign a contract with Imu-sama."
"A contract?" Many officers looked puzzled.
Shamrock began explaining the contract's abilities.
The benefits of signing the contract were many… immortality, enhanced strength, the ability to teleport anywhere at any time, as well as return to the Holy Land Mary Geoise.
This was the source of the God's Knights' power.
"Now, Imu-sama has generously decided to bestow this power upon the Marine as well."
Upon hearing this, Ryokugyu, the World Government's top boot-licker, immediately agreed.
"This is a tremendous honor! I am willing to sign!"
Ryokugyu's eyes lit up with excitement.
However—
"You've finished listing the benefits," Akainu said coldly. "What's the cost?"
Shamrock glanced at him but said nothing.
Akainu stood up, leaning forward with his hands on the table.
"Becoming a lackey to your 'Imu-sama', I presume?"