Sengoku would never have imagined that, at this very moment, Vane was in Marineford.
In the quiet streets of Marineford Town, Vane stood inside Gion's apartment. She hadn't returned for more than two months since her kidnapping, yet the place was spotless — clearly someone had been keeping it clean in her absence. The air carried a delicate, refreshing fragrance that was unmistakably hers.
Vane searched patiently until he found the item Gion had described: a small pink box. Without lingering, he took it, switched off the lights, and stepped outside.
Marineford Town was calm at night. This wasn't a place for bustling commerce — it existed purely as a home for Marines and their families. During wartime, the Navy had evacuated all families to the nearby Sabaody Archipelago. After all, when the Golden Lion had invaded years ago, half of Marineford had been destroyed, proving that even the Navy's heartland could be unsafe.
Vane had intended to leave immediately, but another thought struck him.
"There's still one more thing I need to do."
If he wanted to protect Amazon Lily, he would have to make his position clear to the Navy. He also planned to inform them that Fishman Island now fell under his sphere of influence. Whether that would spark future conflict was uncertain, but he was confident Sengoku wouldn't dare move against him here in Marineford. Any attempt to suppress him would come at a terrible cost — and even then, success was far from guaranteed.
Avoiding the streets, Vane took to the air, heading straight for the upper floors of the Navy Headquarters, where the Marshal's office was located.
Inside, Sengoku sat behind his desk, correcting documents under the soft glow of a desk lamp. The weight of leadership pressed heavily on him. The Celestial Dragons had been demanding more protection, the New World was unstable, and the possibility that Vane had joined forces with Kaido gnawed at him. Two Emperors acting together… it was a nightmare scenario.
Though more than a month had passed without incident, Sengoku dared not relax.
Adding to his concerns were several emerging threats. Trafalgar Law, the "Surgeon of Death," had acquired the coveted Ope Ope no Mi and displayed dangerous potential. Eustass Kidd was equally formidable — ruthless, ambitious, and already leaving chaos in his wake. They were the strongest of the new generation, but still needed time to grow.
Then there was Edward Weevil — not a newcomer, but a monster in his own right. Simple-minded yet terrifyingly strong, he was said to rival Whitebeard in his youth. Weevil had slaughtered countless Marines and was Zefa's most hated enemy. His whereabouts were unknown, but his mere existence was a constant thorn in the Navy's side.
For now, Sengoku's focus was on Law, Kid, and Weevil. But one name still stood above them all.
"Trafalgar Law and Eustass Kidd are both older than Vane," Sengoku muttered, "so how did that brat grow this strong so fast? In just over four months, he's reached a level that defies logic."
Crane, seated nearby, spoke evenly. "He's an outlier, Sengoku. You can't measure him by normal standards."
"Indeed…" Sengoku agreed, though the thought did little to ease his frustration.
A calm, confident voice broke the stillness. "Do you miss me?"
Both Sengoku and Crane froze. That voice was unmistakable.
It couldn't be…
Yet as the young man stepped through the doorway, their disbelief turned to certainty.
"Vane!"
Sengoku shot to his feet, the pen in his hand snapping clean in half. Crane's eyes widened in shock.
"You bastard! How dare you—" Sengoku began, while Crane's hands tightened, ready to act.
Vane simply raised a hand in a casual gesture.
"Do you really want to destroy this place? You know exactly what I'm capable of."
He strolled toward Sengoku's desk, a chair sliding into place beside him as if welcoming its owner. Vane sat, utterly relaxed.
"You should know I'm a little more dangerous than the Golden Lion. If you want to try and bring me down, be ready to pay with the entire Marineford," he said lightly, as if discussing the weather.
Ignoring Sengoku's seething glare, Vane poured himself a cup of hot tea and took a slow sip.
"This tea is good, Sengoku."