A certain individual had not achieved the results he had hoped for.
However, this meeting only deepened his suspicions regarding Sean's true identity. Even after digging through generations of Sean's ancestry, he had failed to find a single suspicious lead. It was utterly confounding.
'Am I just being paranoid?' he wondered.
Yet, just because he hadn't found the answers from the Five Elders didn't mean he would simply sit back and do nothing. He knew all too well that if he remained passive, things would become truly dangerous. It wasn't just his own safety at stake; "that plan" might also be strangled in its crib.
That was something he absolutely could not allow.
'Perhaps it's time I bring those two in for a chat...'
'''
The first half of the Grand Line—commonly known as Paradise.
Ever since the Marine Headquarters no longer had to constantly deal with Emperor-level pirate crews, the burden had eased significantly, even after transferring a batch of high-level combatants and thirty thousand marines to the New World.
After all, there were no pirates in Paradise capable of rivaling an Admiral. In most cases, a single elite Vice Admiral could suppress ninety-nine percent of the pirate crews in the region.
As for Kizaru, who had ascended to the rank of Fleet Admiral, he had brought about quite a few changes.
As previously mentioned, upon becoming Fleet Admiral, Kizaru had strictly implemented the "955" system—working from 9 AM to 5 PM, five days a week. But Kizaru was clever; he knew that a strict 955 schedule left gaps during weekends and nights. He couldn't exactly let the seas be overrun by pirates just because it was the weekend.
While overtime pay could solve the problem, it wasn't a sustainable long-term strategy. If he kept paying overtime indefinitely, the Belly he had earned from selling warships would only last a few months.
So, what was the solution?
Cancel the 955 system and return to the old ways? Absolutely not. Not only would the marines—who had grown fond of the new schedule—object, but Kizaru himself would never allow it.
Thus, he devised a new system of morning and evening shifts, along with a rotating weekend duty roster. In Kizaru's eyes, as long as they were only responsible for Paradise and the Four Seas, why did they need so many marines active at once? Even with half the manpower, they could still maintain order.
By splitting the force into two groups—one for the morning shift and one for the evening, with rotating weekend shifts paid as overtime—he believed he had found the perfect solution. He couldn't stop giving himself mental thumbs-ups for his brilliance.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
'Knock, knock, knock...'
"Come in!"
"Oh, Staff Officer Tsuru. Do you need something?" Kizaru greeted her warmly.
Though Tsuru held the rank of Vice Admiral, her status within the Marine hierarchy was second only to Garp; she was a highly unique and influential figure.
"Borsalino, did you actually read the documents I gave you?"
"Which documents?"
"The ones regarding the Alabasta Kingdom's Marine!"
"Oh, those. Is there a problem?"
Tsuru was momentarily speechless. To her, it was a massive problem, but looking at Kizaru's expression, he seemed completely indifferent.
"You already sold off a batch of our Headquarters' warships. I understand that we don't need a fleet as massive as we once did, but..." Tsuru paused, her voice tightening. "The current situation is different! The Alabasta Kingdom's Marine has now formed two fleets. Each fleet alone has three cruisers, and even more destroyers and frigates—and they are all Steel Warships."
"According to the Staff Department's simulations, if we exclude individual powerhouses, their two fleets could practically crush the entire fleet of the Marine Headquarters. Do you not think that's a problem?" Tsuru sighed, looking at him.
An Affiliated Nation's fleet could outclass the entire Headquarters fleet, and he wasn't even worried?
Kizaru's subsequent answer nearly drove Tsuru to a breakdown.
"And why would that be a problem?"
"Borsalino, you..." Tsuru was livid.
"Staff Officer Tsuru, I know what you're talking about, but they built that fleet to protect their own kingdom. What's wrong with that?" Kizaru replied smoothly. "Moreover, since the Alabasta Kingdom's Marine was established, they haven't just protected their own waters; they've frequently sailed far afield to strike pirate crews. It's actually made our jobs a lot easier."
"If more Affiliated Nations did the same, pirates would have nowhere left to hide in the first half of the Grand Line, right?" Kizaru continued. "I understand you're worried about the rise of the Alabasta Marine and the possibility of other nations imitating them, which might eventually make the Marines redundant."
"But I think you and Advisor Sengoku place too much importance on 'factions.' What you're actually thinking about isn't how to end the Great Pirate Era, but how to ensure the Marines maintain their status and power."
Kizaru's sudden monologue left Tsuru stunned. Meanwhile, he gave himself another mental thumbs-up.
'As if I'd care,' he thought. 'Ever since the Alabasta Marine became official, my workload has plummeted. Isn't that a great thing?'
If the Alabasta Marine grew even stronger, or if more nations followed suit, the Marine Headquarters might eventually become a "sleepy outpost" with nothing to do. That would be the dream—spending his days drinking tea, taking naps, and collecting his salary without lifting a finger.
Pure bliss.
Of course, Kizaru would never say that out loud. Instead, he framed his argument with such solemnity that Tsuru found herself unable to refute him.
Kizaru loved to slack off, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exactly how things worked. For Sengoku and Tsuru, ending the Great Pirate Era was secondary to preserving the prestige and authority of the Marines. In other words, they viewed the world through the lens of factional interests. They would only consider how to handle pirates once the interests of the Marines were guaranteed.
Kizaru had always known this, but since it didn't affect his ability to coast and get paid, he had never mentioned it. Now, however, it was the perfect tool to shut Tsuru up.
'I really am a genius!'
'''
At the same time, in Alubarna, the capital of Alabasta.
Inside the royal palace, King Cobra was holding his long-absent daughter close, showering her with questions and affection.
"Vivi, how long is your vacation this time?"
"One month. Since the New World Marines were just established, there is a mountain of work to be done, so I can't be away for too long."
"Only a month? Well, that will have to do. You should take this time to get some proper rest in the royal palace."
"I can't! I still have things to do!"
"Aren't you on leave? Why on earth is Sean still assigning you work?"
Cobra's expression immediately soured. His precious daughter had finally come home for a break, yet Sean had the nerve to give her assignments? This was simply too much!
"It's not like that, Father. I just received intelligence that the Straw Hat crew is currently in Water 7."
"Back at Enies Lobby, although they managed to escape, the Buster Call severely damaged their ship beyond repair."
"Because of that, they need to build a new pirate ship. They'll be staying in Water 7 until it's finished, so I plan to head over and capture them."
Vivi continued with a look of utter seriousness. "After all, Straw Hat was once captured by Brother Sean's own hands. Even though he eventually escaped from Headquarters, he remains the only pirate Sean has ever captured who managed to get away."
"Currently, the New World Marines lack jurisdiction over the first half of the Grand Line, which is why Brother Sean cannot go after him. Therefore, I'll handle it myself and wipe away this stain on Brother Sean's record."
As Vivi spoke, Cobra felt his heart sink.
Look at her—how naturally those words "Brother Sean" rolled off her tongue. And the worst part was that Sean hadn't even asked her to do this; his daughter was volunteering of her own accord, desperate to erase a "stain" that wasn't even really a stain.
'That bastard Sean...' Cobra thought bitterly. 'He must have stolen my daughter's heart!'
However, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
"Wait, Vivi. If the New World Marines cannot exercise jurisdiction over the waters of Paradise, that's why Sean can't act. But aren't you also a member of the New World Marines? That means you can't act either, right?"
"About that... hehe."
At this question, a mischievous smile played on Vivi's lips.
Cobra immediately felt a sense of dread. A moment later, as expected...
"Father, it's true that the New World Marines cannot intervene. But while I am a member of the New World Marines, I have another identity, don't I?"
"The Princess of the Alabasta Kingdom!"
"Therefore, if I lead the Alabasta Kingdom Marine, it wouldn't be a violation of the rules, would it?"
"I assume you... wouldn't mind lending me a Kingdom Marine fleet, right?"
'No... I mind! I mind a lot!!!'
Though Cobra was screaming internally, he looked at his beloved daughter and the hopeful expression on her face. The words jammed themselves in his throat, impossible to utter.
Cobra truly couldn't say no. To a father with such a massive daughter complex, that expectant little look was simply too lethal.
In the end, he could only let out a helpless sigh.
"Fine... The Kingdom's Second Fleet, which is currently refitting, is under your command for the time being."