But Sengoku couldn't take it anymore.
He took a deep breath, trying to hold back his urge to teach Sakazuki a lesson.
"Watch your words, Sakazuki," he said in a low voice, like thunder in the distance. "You're talking about the man who built this Navy's glory while you still hadn't even eaten your Fruit."
His eyes burned behind his glasses.
"And you stand here, in front of everyone, to spit judgment on him, after he faced alone an enemy you don't even understand…?"
"Tiberion Hanma didn't just mutilate him! He humiliated him! Him and the entire institution we represent! And if you think that can be fixed with lava, then you're as lost as everyone else who underestimates that monster."
"..."
Having let out all his truths, he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, regaining control.
But there was no peace in him. Only clarity.
Slowly opening his eyes again, he spoke, this time addressing everyone present:
"And not a single damn Shichibukai has truly cooperated? Is this what we've come to?"
He looked again at the documents on the table, going over the disaster line by line.
"That arrogant woman… Boa Hancock has deserted. She joined the enemy. The Tyrant Kuma activated his self-destruction protocol and caused more damage to our forces than all of East Blue combined."
"And the rest only acted out of convenience. To save face. They lifted a finger, just enough not to look like traitors, but deep down… they were just paving the way. Warming up Tiberion Hanma before the real fight."
But the final blow had yet to come.
Sengoku grew more solemn, and his voice became deeper.
"And there's another matter."
"Poseidon…" he said slowly, the very word weighing heavily on his tongue, "One of the Ancient Weapons… has appeared. And took part in this conflict."
!!!
"But not on the side of justice. Not with us. It was on Tiberion Hanma's side!"
"..."
A sudden void swallowed the room.
Even Sakazuki froze. Stunned. For the first time, speechless. Not even he had anticipated something like this.
As soon as the word "Poseidon" left Sengoku's lips, the room, already heavy with suffocating tension, burst into murmurs exchanging theories.
Then, Borsalino, with his eternally unreadable expression, raised his voice with curiosity.
"The power of an Ancient Weapon…? Now that's truly terrifying."
Then, narrowing his eyes under his opaque glasses, he asked:
"But 'Poseidon'... what kind of weapon is that… or who is it…?"
Upon hearing this question and realizing they hadn't considered that part, everyone turned their heads toward Sengoku.
He stood firm, with his arms crossed behind his back.
He knew what he was about to say, and he also knew he couldn't hide it. The information was infallible. It came directly from the last report received from Vice Admiral Momousagi, and although he didn't mention her name aloud, he had no reason to doubt her.
"Princess Shirahoshi of Fish-Man Island…" he said in a low voice, "Is the current bearer of Poseidon's power."
"..."
And adding a cherry on top:
"She is currently completely under Tiberion Hanma's control."
A person being an Ancient Weapon… this left everyone dumbfounded.
Even Sakazuki frowned deeply.
"Such a dangerous power... in the hands of a criminal like Tiberion Hanma..."
"...the situation is extremely serious."
Sengoku took a deep breath.
What he felt was no longer just indignation or frustration.
It was the weight of a responsibility that exceeded his authority.
"That's a fact," he said clearly, "But this is no longer a threat we can handle on our own."
His gaze swept across the entire room...
"...I'm going to contact the World Government immediately."
No one responded, as they all knew what that meant.
Sengoku left, but stopped halfway through.
"From now on, we face two possible paths."
"One: they decide to withdraw. Postpone direct confrontation with Tiberion Hanma until further notice."
"Two..." —and there his voice grew more serious— "...they order the full deployment of our forces to capture him, regardless of the consequences."
And although he didn't say outright which decision the World Government would take, everyone knew which one was more likely.
Sengoku, knowing their mindset, was almost certain they would choose the second.
But deep down, he hoped it would be the first. Because if they chose the second... they would be pushing them into another massacre.
"Everyone prepare yourselves. For now, the meeting is dismissed. Await further instructions."
Without saying another word, he walked through the door.
And without wasting a second, he contacted the World Government directly.
The intermediary was Kong.
"Sengoku… I've been informed that Marine Headquarters suffered heavy damage this time. Is that information accurate?"
"Heavy?" Sengoku snapped back, "This was a disaster! An absolute humiliation! That bastard Tiberion Hanma isn't just another pirate… he's a damned freak!"
"…Was it really that bad?"
"THAT MONSTER ATE GARP'S ARM!" he shouted, slamming the table. "And all of this because the Celestial Dragons got involved where they shouldn't have! Why the hell did they provoke a monster like THIS?!"
Sengoku was boiling with rage, the veins on his temples visibly bulging.
"And now… what do they want? For the Marines to carry this chaos on our backs just to protect their ridiculous titles and pride?"
"…"
Kong remained silent for a few seconds, letting him vent. Sengoku, without slowing down, continued, growing even more furious:
"The Shichibukai are no more. That system collapsed. Even Garp is seriously injured! I nearly lost one of my best admiral candidates!"
"Tiberion Hanma dismantled everything… and now they want the Marines to keep bleeding to cover their mistakes. Well, screw them! Let the Five Elders deal with fixing this damn mess themselves!"
"…"
Kong listened to everything in silence. Sengoku's tone wasn't just fury—it was exhaustion.
"Calm down, Sengoku," he finally said. "I'll speak to them personally. But tell me clearly… is this Tiberion Hanma really that powerful?"
Sengoku stared at the transponder snail as if he had misheard. The Den Den Mushi trembled slightly under his furious gaze…
"…Powerful? That man now indirectly controls Poseidon, Kong. A damn Ancient Weapon. If we make the wrong move… there won't even be a seabed left."
!!!
"…I see. So the Ancient Weapons are involved in this…"
Kong lowered his gaze, and his expression grew even more serious.
He asked no further questions.
"Understood. I'll report it right away."
…
Holy Land Mary Geoise
Pangaea Castle – Hall of Authority
The echo of Kong's footsteps still lingered in the hall when the heavy door was slowly closed behind him.
The atmosphere, already austere, became heavier—almost suffocating.
The Five Elders remained there, each one naturally occupying their place. Each reacted differently upon hearing the report Kong had just delivered, but all of them shared the same feeling: a deep discomfort... something they hadn't felt in decades.
To hear that a nobody had not only destroyed Marine Headquarters, but now held an Ancient Weapon under his influence.
The mention of Poseidon was no minor detail to any of them.
They knew it better than anyone.
They knew what it truly meant—not just because of its destructive power, but because of what it represented: a piece of forbidden history, one they themselves had tried to bury for eight hundred years. And the fact that Tiberion was not only alive, but now tied to that power… was, from any perspective, unacceptable.
One by one, without needing to exchange a word, they turned their gaze toward the same point in the hall: a gigantic door.
With slow but determined steps, they left the Hall of Authority behind.
With an Ancient Weapon in play, they could no longer make a decision without authorization.
…
Empty Throne
A deathly silence dominated the throne. The black pillars rose, encircling the Empty Throne. There were no windows, no outside sound.
Everything there was solemnity.
And on that throne, where no king was ever meant to sit according to the law of the world… sat a figure.
Imu.
Hidden in shadow, the silhouette remained motionless, no visible face beneath the dark veil that completely concealed their identity. But there was no need to see their eyes to feel it.
The pressure that emanated from their presence was like an invisible hand pressing down on your shoulders, bending your will, choking your thoughts.
The Five Elders wasted not a second before bowing with total reverence. They knelt, foreheads touching the cold floor. None dared to speak until Imu made their voice heard.
And even then, when one of them finally raised his voice to report—detailing the destruction of the Marine Headquarters mission, the humiliation suffered by the Navy, the collapse of the Shichibukai, and the revelation that Poseidon was now indirectly under the control of Tiberion Hanma—the atmosphere grew even more tense.
"..."
Imu did not respond, remaining completely still.
Then, with a tone impossible to define—neither male nor female, neither old nor young—it filtered through the room as if it sprang from every corner.
"All balance… trembles at a crack. But when the crack runs deep… it becomes a fracture."
"Find the oldest crack… and remove it from the board."
"Let Whitebeard fall."
The Five Elders replied in unison:
"Yes, Imu-sama."
There were no further explanations. Imu-sama did not mention Tiberion Hanma, nor did they suggest taking direct action against him. But the intention was clear: Imu-sama had decided to wait.
With Whitebeard's fall, the entire balance of the New World would collapse. The emperors would move, pirates would go wild, alliances would break. And in the midst of that chaos, Tiberion Hanma would be forced to act—to reveal how far his true intentions really reached.
After leaving the Empty Throne, the Five gave the order to Kong.
And he, wasting no time, notified Sengoku:
"Sengoku. I have news. The Five Elders have decided to set aside, at least for now, any direct action against Tiberion Hanma."
"…"
Sengoku closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh of relief. That was the best news he could receive.
"…It was about time they started thinking with a cool head," he murmured to himself before looking back at the Den Den Mushi. "And what's the price?"
"In exchange..." Kong said seriously, "They demand that Marine Headquarters eliminate Whitebeard as soon as possible. They don't want that monster to have the chance to move before we do."
Sengoku frowned, but didn't allow himself even a second of hesitation.
"Understood. I'll take care of organizing the operation immediately."
He spoke with confidence, but deep down he knew it wouldn't be an easy task. Even so, as long as it wasn't against Tiberion… it was a relief.
There were still several officers of the Whitebeard Pirates imprisoned in Impel Down.
If a public execution was organized at just the right moment, they could still lure Whitebeard into controlled territory.
It was a dangerous move—but it could work.
However, for now, that plan had to be postponed. At least until Garp was out of danger. The injuries he had suffered at Tiberion's hands still had him on the verge of death.
At that moment, a marine interrupted his thoughts.
"Fleet Admiral!"
"Colonel Smoker, from East Blue, is requesting to speak directly with you. It's urgent."
"Put him through."
Sengoku sounded more tired than annoyed. Only then did he seem ready to attend to the matter.
Smoker's face appeared on the Den Den Mushi.
"Fleet Admiral, I've encountered Tiberion Hanma. He wasn't alone. With him was the Snake Empress, Boa Hancock."
Upon hearing this, Sengoku frowned.
"And what was the outcome?"
"There was no direct confrontation. Even so… his presence is too irregular. I request instructions."
"For now, do not engage. I don't want unnecessary incidents."
"…Understood," Smoker replied, somewhat surprised.
He hadn't expected that.
If even Marine Headquarters preferred to avoid a confrontation, that could only mean one thing: they were afraid of him.
Even so, Smoker wasn't the type to sit still. He needed to know more.
"Let's move," he ordered his men. "Follow them, but keep your distance."
"Yes, Colonel!"
…
On Whitebeard's side.
"Dad, we're already doing everything we can to gather the brothers still sailing across the New World. We estimate that within a month, they'll all be back."
Marco lowered his gaze, holding back his frustration.
"But Ace… Ace went after Teach. And since then, we haven't heard from him again. He's clearly not in this part of the sea. We don't know when we'll be able to contact him…"
"…"
No one dared interrupt. Everyone knew what Marco was feeling, because they felt it too.
Ace's absence was like a wound, and when they thought about their brothers locked up in Impel Down… those they once laughed with, drank with, and fought shoulder to shoulder… the helplessness became unbearable.
A burning hatred welled up from the depths of Marco's chest. It wasn't just rage. It was built-up pain. And his heart, which had always sought to protect his own, couldn't help but burn with fury.
All of this… this whole damn tragedy had a name and a surname.
Tiberion Hanma!
"Damn bastard…"
He muttered through clenched teeth, fists tightly clenched.
Whitebeard, who until that moment had remained silent, watching his sons with somber eyes, suddenly stood up. He grabbed a huge jug of sake and emptied it in a single gulp.
"Listen to me carefully, sons… Once everyone is gathered, we'll head to Impel Down. We're going to get your brothers out of that hell… and then…"
"…then, I will personally take you to kill Tiberion Hanma."
At that moment, a colossal murderous pressure radiated from his body.
The soul of a man who, though old, was still willing to give his life for his family—and to take the enemy down with him if necessary.
Those around him felt a chill run down their spines. But they didn't retreat. On the contrary, their hearts burned even stronger. If their father was determined… so were they.
Even if they had to die, they would die fighting!
However, just at that moment, a pirate ship appeared in the distance, entering their field of vision.
________
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