The vast hall fell into an eerie silence.
Saint Topman Warcury stared at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, the muscles in his face twitching uncontrollably.
Just moments ago, he had been hoping for good news from Impel Down.
He never expected to hear something so absurd it defied imagination.
Suppressing all of Level 6—just to clock out on time?
Such madness… who else but Luo Yu, someone who completely disregarded conventional logic, could pull that off?
"Heh… sorry about that, Warcury," Sengoku said with a dry chuckle, finally letting out a breath of relief.
"Looks like that brat is just a tiny bit stronger than you all expected."
"As for dealing with the two Emperors, I've already come up with a viable strategy: split the battlefield in two."
"I'll invoke the Warlord Summoning Order to reinforce our defensive lines. I'll stake my title as Fleet Admiral on this battle. If I can't deliver results, I'll step down."
"You—!" Warcury's face turned ashen.
Saint Marcus Mars reached out to stop him again, gripping his cane tightly.
"Split the battlefield? You're wagering your position as Fleet Admiral?"
"Sengoku, you certainly sound confident. Very well—let's see what you do next."
"But if you fail, you won't just lose your title. Control of Marine HQ will shift entirely. I hope you're ready to live with that gamble."
"Don't worry. This battle will exceed both your expectations and mine. The old era is over—this is the new age."
Sengoku raised his head, gave the Five Elders one last look, then turned and strode out of the hall.
His words had been bold—full of conviction.
But as the Navy's strategist, Sengoku knew this was the best hand he could play.
Even so, the risks were beyond calculation.
As his figure disappeared down the corridor, Warcury crushed the Den Den Mushi in his hand with a snap, roaring:
"That arrogant fool! Has he forgotten the very reason Marine HQ exists?"
"They're nothing more than pawns in our hands. We've clearly let them off the leash too long—they've forgotten who the true masters are."
"Mars, are you really going to let Marine HQ slip out of our control?"
All eyes turned to Saint Marcus Mars.
Even Spandam held his breath.
But as he recalled the figure who had deliberately let him escape once before, a strange unease crept into Spandam's heart.
Feeling the weight of their stares, Mars tightened his grip on his cane and said calmly:
"Warcury, you said it yourself—no matter what they do, they're still just pieces on the board. And we are the ones playing the game."
"No matter how things change, their lives and deaths remain under our control."
"If Sengoku wants to protect that brat even in the face of two Emperors, let him. I'm curious to see how far that boy can go."
"Spandam, you're still under disciplinary status. Head to Dressrosa immediately. I want you to deliver a message to Donquixote Doflamingo. I believe he'll appreciate what I have in mind."
Dressrosa?
Spandam was stunned.
The moment he realized this might involve Admiral Luo Yu again, a deep sense of dread welled up inside him.
Especially when he remembered Luo Yu's "evaluation" of him.
He was genuinely afraid he'd end up as someone else's sacrificial pawn again.
But faced with a direct order from the Five Elders, Spandam had no choice. Despite his unease, he could only grit his teeth and accept.
As Spandam departed, Mars cast one last glance down the corridor, then led the others away with his cane.
"Let's go check on the progress of the SSG. Once we fully control Dr. Vegapunk's scientific power, not only will Marine HQ be obsolete—even Vegapunk himself will no longer be necessary. All we need are obedient pawns."
The next morning, golden sunlight spilled across the deck like scattered coins.
A Marine warship surged forward, riding the Navy's exclusive current.
Luo Yu stood at the bow, taking a swig from his gourd as the Gates of Justice came into view. Once they passed through, they'd arrive at Marineford.
In the corner of the deck, Blackbeard—pale as a ghost—finally broke into a wide grin.
He couldn't stop thinking about yesterday, when Luo Yu had casually suppressed all of Level 6 just to clock out on time.
It still sent chills down his spine.
He was genuinely afraid that if he lingered too long, Luo Yu might just swat him dead before he could even begin his plan to conquer the seas.
But that wasn't what haunted him most.
What truly stuck with him was what he had seen in the legendary Level 6 of Impel Down.
"Admiral Luo Yu, we're about to arrive at Marineford," Tashigi reported as she approached quickly.
"We just received orders from Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Once you arrive, you're to head straight to the strategy meeting."
She hesitated, then added:
"He also said… if you arrive before 9 a.m., you should wait until your shift officially starts. There's no bonus for showing up early."
At that, Tashigi couldn't help but smile wryly.
Smoker and the others nearby were no different.
To them, being invited to a top-level meeting was a mark of status and honor.
Normally, everyone rushed to attend.
But across all of Marine HQ, only Luo Yu had the privilege of making Sengoku schedule meetings around his clock-in time.
As the warship docked, Blackbeard wasted no time. He slipped away and leapt onto the adjacent ship they had prepared.
Only when his feet were firmly planted on the deck did he finally feel safe again.
"Captain, did you gain anything from Level 6?"
Jesus Burgess couldn't hold back his excitement.
"The prisoners locked up there could make the Blackbeard Pirates the strongest Yonko crew!"
Lafitte shot him a glare, signaling him to shut up, but still couldn't help smiling.
"Captain, did everything go according to plan?"
As the former sheriff of the West Blue, Lafitte had always been Blackbeard's strategist.
It was his idea to risk sneaking into Level 6 to recruit new members.
To him, it had seemed like a flawless plan.
But just as his smile began to form, Blackbeard's reply froze him in place:
"Uh… honestly, the people in Level 6? Kinda mid."