New World — Marine Headquarters (formerly G-1 Branch).
In the newly relocated Marineford base, deep inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Akainu sat stiffly behind his desk, face grim as ever, flipping through stacks of confidential reports.
In front of him, the couch was occupied by two noisy old veterans who were more focused on their snacks than state affairs.
"Sengoku, you senile goat! That's my senbei!"
"Don't talk nonsense! After all the ones you've stolen from me in the past, you've got some nerve claiming this one!"
The bickering between Garp and Sengoku continued, echoing through the room.
Squeak—
The office door creaked open, and in walked Borsalino, Admiral Kizaru, hands in his pockets, sporting his usual laid-back smirk and half-lidded eyes.
Akainu's gaze lifted for a moment before he slammed his fist on the table.
BAM!
"Enough! All of you, quiet down! We're not here for a tea party!" he growled, cigar clenched between his teeth.
The noise instantly died down. Garp and Sengoku exchanged glances, while Kizaru casually sat down at the edge of the sofa, unbothered.
Akainu threw a pair of folders onto the table with a heavy thud. "We've got two pieces of intel—one is classified, the other's already making headlines worldwide."
Sengoku caught the first report mid-air and spread it open. Garp and Kizaru leaned over to read.
"'Four Emperors' Charlotte Linlin—Big Mom—suffered serious memory loss following an unidentified battle," Sengoku read aloud. "The extent is unclear, but current intel suggests major cognitive disruption."
He flipped the page.
"Dated July 10: Confidential Intelligence. Vice Admiral Solomon Carl spotted in Wanokuni. Defeated shogun Kurozumi Orochi, who was in alliance with Kaido, and eliminated members of the Beasts Pirates' Tobi Roppo, including Fuga the Fanged. Also engaged with higher-ranking personnel of the enemy force."
Silence blanketed the office. Two reports—yet each carried implications that could shake the New World.
After a moment, Sengoku narrowed his eyes and looked at Kizaru. "Polusalino, weren't you dispatched to Totto Land when the incident at Cake Island broke out? Didn't you observe anything strange about Linlin?"
Kizaru gave a lazy shrug. "Well~ I did encounter her, but I didn't test her condition directly. Her presence felt… normal, at the time."
"Hah! What a missed opportunity," Garp chuckled, biting into the pilfered senbei. "If you had probed a little harder, we might've crossed one Yonko off the list."
Kizaru merely raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps~ but even a confused Linlin is no easy target. She's still a monster."
Akainu exhaled sharply, the embers of his cigar glowing. "Forget what we missed. Let's focus on what's next."
He tapped his fingers against the desk rhythmically.
"If Big Mom is truly suffering from memory loss, her effectiveness in battle will take a hit. Plus, intelligence reports indicate that the Big Mom Pirates suffered heavy casualties. Two of the Three Sweet Commanders are down—Cracker and Snack. Only Katakuri and Smoothie remain."
"That weakens their overall military strength significantly."
The Yonko—Four Emperors—were the reason Marine presence in the New World had remained so limited. Their territories were virtually impregnable. If one Emperor falls, it could shatter the current balance.
"We should strike," Akainu muttered. "The world order's tipping."
"But even if we attack now," Sengoku reasoned, "Red-Haired Shanks and Kaido won't just watch us bulldoze Totto Land. That kind of direct offensive could trigger a global war."
Despite stepping down, Sengoku's judgment remained razor-sharp. With Whitebeard gone, the balance now stood on a three-legged stool. If Marine took out another Emperor, the whole world stage would tilt.
"It's a risk," he added, "and both Yonko are opportunists."
"That's why I called this meeting!" Akainu scowled, smoke curling from his lips. "So quit with the back-and-forth and give me real options."
Garp and Sengoku shared a look again, while Kizaru inspected his nails, unfazed.
The truth was simple: they didn't have a concrete solution. Not yet.
After all, the Marines were still licking their wounds from the Paramount War at Marineford. The loss of Whitebeard, the rise of Blackbeard, and the retirement of Sengoku followed by Aokiji's resignation had created a massive leadership vacuum.
Only Kizaru remained among the three original Admirals.
Although the World Military Draft had begun and new Admirals like Fujitora and Ryokugyu were appointed, their operational coordination was still in progress.
Realistically, launching a full-scale campaign against a Yonko now was premature.
"Hahhh—" Akainu took a deep breath. "Then let's move on to the second report."
"That's about Solomon Carl of SWORD, our black-ops division."
Now all three men sitting on the couch leaned forward slightly. The air changed.
Finally, something within their wheelhouse.
"Now that's a name we can work with," Garp chuckled, eyes gleaming.
Although I can't think of a plan to fight the Four Emperors, it's still easy to complain about that kid Carl.
"Pfft—hahaha! That brat! Did he really just head straight to Wano after raising hell in Totto Land?" Garp laughed heartily, crunching on a handful of senbei while slouched on the couch in the Fleet Admiral's office.
"Oh~ Carl caused quite the stir in Wano, didn't he?" Kizaru said with his usual exaggerated pout, his tone lazy but amused as he tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table. "Even Wano's shogun, Kurozumi Orochi, was executed by him."
"Not only that," he added, tilting his sunglasses, "but a good portion of the Beasts Pirates' upper ranks were taken out. Especially Jack the Drought—former bounty, one billion berries. One of Kaido's All-Stars, and a major pillar of their military force."
Akainu sat at the head of the table, arms crossed, his face grim and serious as usual. "It was indeed a riot," he admitted, "but it also demonstrated the strength and decisiveness of the Marines. Carl made our presence known in the heart of enemy territory."
In truth, Akainu was more than satisfied. The Beasts Pirates—one of the mightiest crews under the Four Emperors—had been struck where it hurt. And Wano, a formerly closed-off country hidden deep in the New World, was forced to acknowledge Marine power.
Four Emperors or not, if the Marines decided to strike, they would strike.
"Regardless, let's summon that kid Carl back," Sengoku said, brushing crumbs from his cloak and smacking his lips in appreciation of the senbei. "He's already done more than enough for one mission."
"And as for the first matter we discussed earlier," he added, referring to the mysterious amnesia that had afflicted Charlotte Linlin, also known as Big Mom, "wasn't that also indirectly caused by Carl's actions in Totto Land?"
"Both incidents—the chaos in Wano and Big Mom's mental state—are tied to Carl's recent moves."
"Well then, we'll leave it at that for now," Akainu declared, folding his hands with finality. "I'll have someone from SWORD inform him to return at once."
"Reckless or not, his contributions were substantial."
"When he returns," Akainu continued, his voice deepening, "I plan to place him on the Admiral candidate shortlist. Any objections?"
Though he framed it as a question, there was no room for disagreement in his tone.
"I agree~" Kizaru said lazily, raising his hand in half-hearted support.
Garp simply chuckled while Sengoku nodded in approval. None of them had any objections—Carl was already operating at a level comparable to an Admiral. His inclusion on the list was inevitable.
"It's settled then," Akainu said with a firm nod. "Now, let's discuss his codename."
All Admirals and Admiral candidates operated under codenames. Just like the previous generation—Akainu (Red Dog), Aokiji (Blue Pheasant), and Kizaru (Yellow Monkey)—or the newer candidates such as Chaton (Brown Pig) and Momousagi (Pink Rabbit), Carl would need a fitting title.
"The old man thinks 'Pink Pig' would be perfect!" Garp joked with a straight face.
"Shut up!" Akainu growled, a vein bulging on his temple. "That name is already taken—and it's stupid."
"How about 'Aries'~?" Kizaru suggested idly, picking at his nails.
In truth, most of the Marine brass didn't really care how elegant or absurd the names sounded. If they did, they wouldn't have come up with things like Brown Pig or Yellow Monkey.
"I think 'Black Flame' has a nice ring to it," Sengoku offered, crossing his arms thoughtfully.
"Well, we'll let Carl pick a few when he returns. I'll approve the final codename myself," Akainu said gruffly.
He was like Kizaru in that sense—he didn't particularly care about the name as long as it served its purpose.
With the meeting concluded, the room gradually returned to its usual relaxed tension.
"Garp, hand over the senbei," Sengoku said, holding out his hand without ceremony.
"No!" Garp barked.
"Then don't blame me for telling Carl you wanted to name him 'Pink Pig,'" Sengoku smirked with malicious delight.
"Eh—?!" Garp froze. "You damn old man, you're so underhanded!"
"Hey," Sengoku chuckled smugly.
Behind his desk, Akainu's expression darkened again. His fury bubbled beneath the surface as his voice roared through the room:
"You two bastards! OUT!"
The Marine guards stationed outside didn't even flinch. They were used to this.
Meanwhile, across the sea in Wano, Carl remained oblivious to his impending promotion.
He was currently in Tengu-yama Hitetsu's forge, watching the swordsmith work his final magic.
"It's done!" Hitetsu exclaimed, sweat pouring beneath his men-yoroi mask.
To reforge this blade—Deadwood—he had poured in all his strength, skill, and craftsmanship. It was his way of repaying Carl, who had provided his hidden village with food during their time of greatest need.
Now came the final step: quenching the blade in cold water. Unlike oil, water-quenching carried a higher risk of shattering the steel—but the resulting edge would be stronger.
Shhhhh—!
An icy mist swirled through the room as the steel hit the water.
Carl's eyes narrowed slightly. "Is this… an upgrade in quality?"
The reforged Deadwood looked significantly different—heavier, darker, more brutal. Its blade now bore a unique jagged hamon pattern, resembling blossoming sakura petals frozen in frost. One look was enough to sense the biting sharpness coiled within it.
"The old man has fulfilled his task," Hitetsu said solemnly, resting his hammer down.
Elsewhere, in the New World skies, a drunken dragon—Kaido himself—was already soaring over Totto Land.
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