The heavy words echoed through the war room, lingering like a storm cloud.
The gathered Marine officers stared at the intelligence reports and sand table projections spread across the table, their faces turning ashen.
Especially the younger officers—after hearing the veterans describe the Rocks Pirates, they were visibly shaken.
They had never imagined that such a terrifying force once roamed the seas, one that even the Navy struggled to contain.
Even the former Four Emperors—Whitebeard, Big Mom, Kaido—and the infamous Flying Pirate, Golden Lion Shiki, had once been part of that crew.
Now, Tsuru had called this new alliance a resurrected Rocks Pirates in all but name.
That alone was enough to convey the gravity of the situation.
After all, a single Emperor was already enough to put Marine HQ on high alert.
If not for Luoyu's sudden intervention—exploiting a rare opening to defeat Kaido on the second front—the Navy might have won the war, but only barely.
And now, just three days after surviving that ordeal, another crisis loomed.
Was this some kind of cruel joke?
No.
This time, the stakes were even higher.
A two-Emperor alliance meant they could no longer divide and conquer.
If they had to face both Kaido and Charlotte Linlin at once…
It would be a repeat of the dual-front war—but worse. The two battlefields would now overlap.
If conflict broke out, it would be even more dangerous than the Summit War at Marineford.
Could the Navy, already battered from the Whitebeard War, withstand this new threat?
The war room fell into a grim silence.
No one had an answer.
Sengoku's face was dark. He hadn't expected things to escalate this far.
He had long suspected that Kaido wouldn't die easily—not after all the torture and punishment he'd endured in the past.
But he never imagined Kaido would swallow his pride and ally with his old nemesis.
And yet, here they were—perfectly aligned.
Faced with this deadlock, even Sengoku was at a loss.
"Hmph. Sengoku, I told you—whatever glory that brat earned would come back to bite you."
"Now look at the situation. This alliance is far more dangerous than what we faced three days ago."
"I'd like to hear you say again that he's fit to be Fleet Admiral."
Saint Topman Warcury, seated nearby with a new cane, sneered as he spoke.
"Don't say I didn't warn you. The power of two Emperors isn't as simple as one plus one."
"If we don't act fast, and they gain momentum, you'll be facing another Summit War. And this time, the outcome might not be in your favor."
The officers' expressions darkened.
His words were harsh—but hard to refute.
Everyone knew what two Emperors working together meant.
And no one had a clear answer for how to stop them.
Still, many were visibly displeased by Warcury's attempt to discredit Luoyu's achievements.
"Warcury, shut your mouth!" Sengoku snapped, his voice like thunder. "You may be a Five Elder, but this is the Navy's war room."
"Luoyu's defeat of the Beasts Pirates is a fact. That can't be erased."
"And Kaido—who's always been a mad dog—didn't come here to cause chaos. He went crawling to Big Mom."
"That alone proves that Luoyu forced him to think twice. Not many people could've done that."
"Right now, we need to focus on how to respond to this alliance—not waste time pointing fingers."
"Your words only demoralize the people who are still willing to fight."
His voice rang out like a barrage of cannon fire.
Many officers felt a surge of pride watching Sengoku stand up to Warcury.
Warcury's face turned livid. He gripped his cane tightly and growled:
"Very well. You live up to your reputation as the Navy's strategist. Let's see if your actions match your words."
"Hmph. Don't worry," Sengoku replied coldly, turning back to the sand table. "As Fleet Admiral, I've long considered the possibility of a Four Emperors alliance."
"Kaido and Big Mom won't forget their defeat. This alliance may be their way of preparing for a rematch."
"The situation is still developing. To avoid being caught off guard, we'll immediately order the G-18 branch near Totto Land to evacuate and pull back the buffer zone."
"Also, inform Gion—who's monitoring the Emperors—to withdraw from Totto Land and regroup with G-18."
"Kaido and Big Mom don't play by the rules. We need to reset the board before we make our next move."
His orders came swiftly and decisively.
The officers' faces brightened. Sengoku's title of "strategist" wasn't just for show.
If any of them had been in his place, they wouldn't have come up with a plan so quickly.
Even Akainu and Aokiji, seated as acting Fleet Admirals, remained silent—content to listen.
But just as Sengoku finished speaking, a tense voice broke the calm.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku—bad news. The Emperors may have already made their move."
It was Chaton, clutching his Den Den Mushi with a pale face.
"Right after Vice Admiral Tsuru received the intel, I tried to contact Gion repeatedly."
"It's been over thirty minutes. There's still no response."
"For someone like Gion—not even able to send a distress signal—there's only one explanation."
"The Emperors themselves must have acted."
His urgent words echoed through the chamber.
Everyone froze.
The brief moment of calm shattered.
They had assumed the Emperors would need time to mobilize.
No one expected vengeance to come this swiftly.