Grand Line. Marine Headquarters: Marineford.
The Fleet Admiral's office door was bolted shut, but the guards outside could feel the suffocating pressure bleeding through the cracks.
BANG!
A battle report, stamped with a crimson "Top Secret" wax seal, was slammed onto the heavy oak desk. The wood spider-webbed with cracks under the impact.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's veins throbbed in his forehead as he glared at Garp, who was currently lounging on a sofa, loudly crunching on a bag of rice crackers.
"Garp! How much longer were you going to keep this quiet?! Look at the god-awful mess that monster you raised has made!" Sengoku roared, his voice trembling with suppressed fury.
The atmosphere in the room was glacial.
Sitting on the peripheral sofas were the three pillars of Marine power—Admirals Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru. Beside them stood the Grand Staff Officer, Vice Admiral Tsuru. For once, the casual air of the Admirals had vanished.
Aokiji exhaled a trail of frost, picking up the report. His eyes scanned the shocking red text.
"Plundering the Heavenly Tribute meant for the World Nobles... defeating Vice Admiral Momonga's escort fleet... and..." Aokiji's voice trailed off, turning heavy. "...defeating the Chief Instructor, former Admiral Zephyr, in a duel."
Silence fell like a guillotine.
"What a scary rookie~" Kizaru drawled, clipping his nails with his usual exaggerated, slow tone. "A boy fresh out of the East Blue just put Zephyr—a master of Armament Haki—into a coma? The youth today are truly terrifying monsters~"
"Enough, Borsalino. This is no time for jokes."
Akainu looked up from the shadows of his cap. His eyes burned with a cold, genocidal intent. Magma dripped from his shoulder, hissing as it ate through the office carpet.
"Daring to touch the Tribute and maiming a former Admiral... such a heinous stain must be eradicated before it ever touches the New World. 'Absolute Justice' does not tolerate this provocation!"
"Sakazuki is right," Tsuru said calmly, her hands steepled. She turned to Rear Admiral Brannew, who was standing nervously by the tactical board. "Brannew, report the specifics. What is Zephyr's condition?"
Brannew wiped cold sweat from his brow and pinned several fresh photos to the board.
"Reporting! According to Vice Admiral Momonga, although Zephyr was defeated in single combat, suffering shattered ribs and internal trauma... the pirate known as Ace used a 'crimson-gold flame' to stabilize his wounds before retreating. Zephyr is out of danger and is currently being transported back for recovery."
"He saved him?" Sengoku's expression soured. "A pirate... winning a fight and then healing a Marine?"
"It's more than just healing, sir." Brannew pointed to a blurry photo of Ace in his hybrid form. "Based on witness testimony and data from the Science Unit, Ace possesses an incredibly rare Mythical Zoan: Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Vermilion Bird. Furthermore, he has demonstrated mastery of Advanced Ryuo (Internal Destruction)."
Mythical Zoan. Even Akainu's brow twitched. On this sea, a Mythical Zoan was rarer than a Logia. A melee fighter with high-speed regeneration, flight, and sun-level heat was a "Four Emperors" candidate in the making.
"And it's not just the Captain," Brannew continued, pinning more photos.
"The 'Eclipse Pirates' have five core officers. While their numbers are small, their combat potential is alarming."
"Fire Dragon" Sabo (First Mate): A Logia user of the Mera Mera no Mi. He defeated Vice Admiral Momonga head-on using a combination of fire and "Dragon Claw" martial arts. Danger Level: S-Rank.
"Berserker" Leona (Head Chef): A dual-wielding brawler. She suppressed a Rear Admiral with beast-like tenacity and is suspected to have awakened Observation Haki mid-battle.
"Iron Man" Jeno (Chief Mechanic): Non-fruit user. Equipped with a custom exoskeleton. His defensive capabilities allowed him to stall a Rear Admiral indefinitely.
"Wild Cat" Carina (Treasurer): A former thief. Combat ability is secondary, but she orchestrated the logistics of the Tribute theft. Classified as an essential accomplice.
The room breathed a collective sigh of relief. Aside from the Captain and First Mate, the rest were still "growing."
"Just a pack of dead weight being dragged by two monsters," Akainu snorted.
"No, Admiral. There is... one more."
Brannew's hand trembled as he pointed to a photo of a man with a Red Nose in the corner.
"The Chief Steward, 'Clown' Buggy. His battlefield performance was mediocre, mostly clearing fodder with his splitting ability. However..."
Brannew dropped the bombshell. "Headquarters archives confirm this man was an apprentice on the Oro Jackson, the ship of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. He is a brother-in-arms to the current Emperor, 'Red-Haired' Shanks."
"Pffft... BWAHAHAHA!"
Garp burst into a fit of uncontrolled laughter, slapping his thigh. "To think he recruited an apprentice from Roger's crew to be a steward! And then he robbed the World Nobles! That brat really doesn't know how to follow a script! Bwahaha! That's my grandson for you!"
"GARP!! SHUT YOUR TRAP!!"
Sengoku lunged across the desk, snatching Garp's rice crackers and screaming into his face. "Do you realize the chaos this causes?! The World Government is screaming for blood!"
Sengoku's eyes turned pained. He knew exactly whose blood Ace carried. But to see a former member of the Roger Pirates—even an apprentice—serving as a steward under a rookie?
Does that Clown know Ace's true lineage? Is he 'escorting' the Pirate King's son back to the throne?!
The political implications made Sengoku's head throb. He couldn't let this crew reach the New World.
"We cannot let them grow another inch," Sengoku declared, his eyes like burning torches. "Immediately re-evaluate the Eclipse Pirates. Set their bounties to New World standards!"
Brannew snapped to attention, pulling out a set of fresh posters.
"The New Bounties are as follows!"
"Fire Dragon" Sabo: 530,000,000 Berries!
"Clown" Buggy: (Recategorized as 'Roger Pirate Remnant') — 200,000,000 Berries!
"Berserker" Leona: 89,000,000 Berries!
"Iron Man" Jeno: 76,000,000 Berries!
"Wild Cat" Carina: 23,000,000 Berries!
Sengoku's gaze finally landed on the photo of Ace. The wild, unbridled ambition in the boy's eyes reminded him far too much of Roger.
"And for the Captain of the Eclipse Pirates... Portgas D. Ace!"
Sengoku pronounced the price on the young man's head, word for word:
"For possession of a Mythical Zoan, mastery of Haki, the defeat of a former Admiral, and the plundering of the Heavenly Tribute..."
"BOUNTY — 770,000,000 BERRIES! DEAD OR ALIVE!"
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