Meanwhile, in the Marine headquarters at Marineford, inside the Fleet Admiral's office...
Sengoku sat in his chair, his face increasingly clouded with unease. He had been waiting for Sakazuki's reply far longer than expected.
No one knew Sakazuki (Akainu) better than he did. Sakazuki was a man of uncompromising principles, ruthless in his methods, and completely intolerant of evil. In pursuit of justice, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate comrades or civilians if it meant completing his mission. He despised the Shichibukai system and everything it stood for.
So Sengoku feared that Sakazuki might outright ignore the emergency telegram that had been sent — just to fulfill his goal of killing Renji Kai.
And the vice admirals accompanying Sakazuki on his mission were all seasoned veterans. They were pragmatic and would never dare to openly challenge Sakazuki's orders.
Sengoku's expression darkened further.
"It only takes a day to reach Loguetown from here. Maybe I should go myself. If I can get there before Sakazuki, I can de-escalate this mess."
At that moment, Marine Hero Garp, standing nearby, offered calmly, "How about I go instead? This kind of small matter shouldn't trouble someone of your position."
Standing off to the side with his hands in his pockets, Admiral Kizaru (Borsalino) added lazily, "Yeah, why bother you old folks with this sort of thing?"
Garp grunted, and before he could speak, another voice snapped in response.
"Don't underestimate the old generation. We still have plenty of fuel left in the tank."
Vice Admiral Tsuru, sitting alongside Garp, was clearly irritated by Borsalino's words. Despite still being a Vice Admiral, Tsuru was one of the most revered figures in the Marine's golden era, having served alongside Sengoku and Garp during the days of Gol D. Roger.
Though she didn't hold the same rank as the current Admirals, her reputation and authority were unquestionable.
"I didn't mean it like that, Vice Admiral Tsuru," Borsalino quickly clarified, raising his hands in surrender. "I just meant I didn't want you two to waste a trip."
"There's nothing to worry about," Sengoku interrupted. "Sakazuki is not someone that can be reasoned with. Garp going there is the safest option."
And just like that, the decision was made.
Borsalino shrugged, stepping back into the shadows of the office, clearly relieved to be off the hook.
Sengoku hadn't chosen another Admiral to counter Sakazuki because he didn't fully trust any of them. If two Admirals met on site, there was no way Renji Kai would be allowed to leave alive.
And should that lead to bloodshed, the consequences would be severe, especially if the World Government got wind of it.
Sengoku knew the Government had been working hard to undermine Marine HQ's authority, especially by empowering CP9 — the elite intelligence unit guarding Enies Lobby. CP9 operated in total secrecy, even Sengoku wasn't entirely clear on its inner workings. Their true loyalty was to the World Government, not the Marines.
If things spiraled out of control over Renji Kai, Marine HQ's standing would suffer greatly.
So Sengoku chose the only man who could both calm Sakazuki and handle Renji Kai with care: Garp.
"I'll go with you," said Vice Admiral Tsuru suddenly. "I want to see for myself what kind of man this Renji Kai is — someone who made even the strongest from our era bow their heads."
She, too, was curious. Not only had Renji escaped the great prison of Impel Down, but he had also brought Douglas Bullet under his command. Bullet had once clashed with her countless times as one of the most notorious pirates of their generation.
"Then don't waste time," Sengoku said firmly. "Set out immediately. Avoid unnecessary conflict. The World Government has already made its decision. Our job now is to bring Renji Kai and his crew into the fold."
With that, Garp and Tsuru left the office and headed toward the harbor.
About half an hour later, a massive battleship carrying both legendary Vice Admirals slowly sailed out of Marineford's port.
Meanwhile, chaos was erupting in Loguetown.
Smoker, the commander of the local Marine branch and the town's strongest defender, was barely clinging to life.
Collapsed on the ground, bloodied and beaten, Smoker faced three people standing over him.
"What do you want from us?" he growled through clenched teeth, spitting blood. His body trembled from exhaustion.
He wasn't afraid to die. What filled him with rage was the fact he had lost to a group of pirates. It was humiliating.
But before he could say more, Renji Kai stepped forward and drove a boot into his chest.
"You talk too damn much," Renji said coldly. "You're weak, but you still love to run your mouth. Let me be honest with you. This is the East Blue — the weakest sea in the world. You think you're strong here, but it's not because of your power. It's because everyone else is weaker."
He crouched down, voice low and menacing.
"If you really want to see what strength looks like, go to the New World. That's where the true monsters live. Only then will you understand what it means to be strong."