The moment Sengoku unfolded the newspaper, his pupils shrank into needlepoints.
Those powerful hands of his—capable of crushing mountains and cleaving cliffs—began to tremble uncontrollably.
"He's lost his mind!!"
The words burst from his mouth before he could stop them, all color draining from his face.
"That damned bird, Morgans… He's completely insane!"
"How dare he put something like this in print!?"
"Does he have a death wish!?"
Seeing Sengoku's drastic change in expression, the other Marine officers tensed instantly.
They scrambled to pick up the scattered newspapers, flipping them open—only to collectively gasp as their eyes swept across the headlines.
Sakazuki frowned, taking a paper from a trembling Marine beside him. He flipped it open and began to read.
There, in bold letters across the front page of the World Economy News, was a headline that couldn't be missed:
"'King of the North Blue' Rogers Daren Declares War on the World Government—The Holy Land Reduced to Ashes!"
Beneath the headline was a photograph, shocking enough to steal anyone's breath.
It captured a scene straight from hell:
The most sacred and exalted place in the world—Mary Geoise, the Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons—lay in ruins, consumed by roaring flames. The once-magnificent city was now a burning wasteland.
Collapsed buildings. World Nobles set ablaze. The very air in the photo seemed to writhe from the heat.
And in the smoke-choked skies above, vague silhouettes of massive metal warships could just be seen. Though blurred, they were unmistakably arranged in perfect formation, unleashing wave after wave of brilliant explosions and fire.
Suspended high in the sky, wreathed in crackling blue lightning, a lone figure loomed—like a thunder god looking down upon the world with cold indifference.
Beneath the photo, the subheading read clearly:
"The Flying Fleet Returns—Possibly the Most Powerful Weapon of Mass Destruction in the World Today!"
"North Blue Admiral 'Raichu' Momonga, claiming to act under orders from 'King of the North Blue' Rogers Daren, led the North Blue Fleet to the Holy Land for what was supposed to be a ceremonial military inspection by the World Government!"
Both the headline and the accompanying article were densely packed with text—an exhaustive breakdown of the North Blue Fleet's air raid on Mary Geoise.
There were speculations and detailed analysis on every aspect of the fleet: its size, firepower, manpower, construction costs, and time of assembly. Even more damning was the assessment of the utter failure of the World Government's defenders—their sacred guard units, multiple CP departments, and even the fabled "God's Knights" were described as incompetent, cowardly, and utterly crushed.
In its usual flashy style, the World Economy News delivered the account using plain, gripping language designed to shock and hook readers across the globe.
In the margins, every available space was filled with commentary and opinions from so-called "current affairs experts":
Some speculated that the World Government still had hidden cards yet to play, urging the public to remain calm.
Others dismissed it as fake news, insisting the photo was doctored.
Some declared Rogers Daren had pushed himself into a corner—claiming the North Blue Fleet's actions were tantamount to suicide.
And then there were those asking the real questions—how had the North Blue Fleet managed to amass such vast resources? How had it stayed hidden from both the Marines and the Government?
Sakazuki read every single word, not even skipping over the punctuation. His expression darkened, shifting as he processed it all.
Clenching his jaw, he abruptly flipped the page to the next story.
A second, equally disturbing report awaited him.
"Rogers Daren engages in a fierce battle with the Five Elders—the highest authority in the World Government!"
"Now stripped of all power and position, where will he go next?"
"The World Government and Marine Headquarters face an enemy unlike any before!"
"Since Monkey D. Dragon, no world-class criminal has ever defected from the Marines!"
"…"
Hiss!
Magma surged from Sakazuki's hand, instantly incinerating the newspaper into ash.
He let out a slow, heavy breath, then suddenly stepped forward and stopped in front of Sengoku, eyes dark and brooding as they locked onto the admiral.
"So… this is the outcome the Five Elders wanted?"
Sengoku gave him a glance, his voice calm.
"We are not in a position to speculate on the will of the Five Elders."
"As Marines, our duty is to follow the orders of the Government and complete our missions."
"The Five Elders have lived for countless years. Their wisdom and depth go far beyond what we can comprehend."
But even as he spoke, he visibly hesitated for a moment.
Sakazuki was silent, then suddenly let out a cold, stiff smile.
"Let's hope so. After all, Daren is our enemy now."
"But Admiral Sengoku, I served alongside him in the North Blue. In some ways, I understand his personality better than anyone else in the Marines."
He looked at Sengoku with a blank expression, but the weight behind his words and the oppressive chill in his eyes sent an involuntary shiver down the admiral's spine.
"When Daren commits to something—or targets someone—it means he's already prepared for the absolute worst."
"And that version of Rogers Daren… is the most terrifying one."
"You have no idea what he's capable of, Admiral Sengoku. And I'm not just talking about combat. I mean everything else, too."
Sakazuki's tone turned ice-cold.
"He'll use anything—everything—you can't even imagine... to utterly destroy his enemies."
With that, he turned and strode away without waiting for a reply.
His military boots crunched against the scorched and broken earth, leaving behind smeared trails of blackened blood.
Maybe it was just an illusion, but as Sengoku watched that tattoo-covered, steely back recede into the distance, a cold chill stirred in his chest.
Sakazuki's presence had grown even darker, sharper... like he was cloaked in the stench of blood.
"So then, Admiral Sengoku... how should we handle this?"
Borsalino casually raised the newspaper in his hand, his tone light and amused.
Sengoku was quiet for a moment.
Faced with the gazes of countless Marine officers and soldiers, he exhaled deeply—as if reaching a decision that weighed heavily on his soul. His eyes reddened, and his fists clenched tight.
"Issue the bounty."
"Former Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Rogers Daren has openly slaughtered Celestial Dragons and challenged the rule of the World Government, bringing about catastrophic consequences. His crimes are unforgivable…"
"From this moment on, Marine Headquarters hereby strips Rogers Daren of all military rank and honors and declares him one of the world's most dangerous criminals!"
"The bounty..."
His voice was like the chill of winter itself, making everyone's hearts freeze.
"...5 Billion Belly!"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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