Today, Sengoku was still in his office, processing documents arriving from various sources.
The turmoil in the New World hadn't subsided, and there was a sense of impending chaos.
Several major pirates were clashing with one another, and the Navy's intelligence division regularly reported back with news.
Even Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral in charge of the overall situation, was overwhelmed and furious. He couldn't help but curse, "Damn these pirates!"
Just then, a Marine soldier hurried in and whispered something to Sengoku.
Hearing the soldier's words, Sengoku slammed his hands on the table, abruptly stood up, and asked sharply, "Are you serious?"
The noise was so loud that even the goat chewing on a document nearby was startled. It dropped its food, twitched its ears, glanced around, and after seeing no danger, lowered its head to eat again.
The soldier's tone grew serious. "Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this is news from the G-7 Branch Base!"
"Show me the details!"
"Yes, sir!"
Sengoku sat down again and carefully examined the document the soldier handed him. His expression darkened, and he muttered, "How is this possible? Even if his talent and potential are formidable, to defeat Drought Jack at such a young age… Moreover, with ice-type abilities… having eaten a Zoan-type Devil Fruit…"
Then, Sengoku suddenly looked up and instructed the soldier, "Notify all officers above the rank of Vice Admiral at Headquarters to gather in the conference room!"
"Yes, sir!" the soldier replied, and withdrew.
Sengoku, alone in his office, frowned, his index finger tapping rhythmically on the desk. His head was aching!
Without a doubt, Drought Jack's defeat by the Marines would be a major news event that would resonate worldwide.
For the Navy, capturing such a pirate would undoubtedly boost morale!
However, on the other hand, it would undoubtedly offend Kaido of the Beasts.
That monster is incredibly protective of his subordinates. Faced with this situation, Kaido would definitely not let it go.
Kaido is a madman; anything he does is perfectly natural!
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Sengoku glanced at another document. He seemed to have come across information about Kaido earlier.
After searching for a while, he finally found it.
The information stated that Kaido, the King of Beasts, was currently engaged in a battle with Red-Haired Shanks, the outcome of which was still unknown.
"The New World is in turmoil right now… and Kaido is already locked in battle with Red-Hair. He probably won't have the energy to trouble the Navy anytime soon."
However… the problem of Drought Jack must be resolved as soon as possible. He can't be held captive at the G-7 Branch Base… he must be transferred immediately.
Sengoku went over the situation in his mind, then stood up and headed for the conference room.
By then, the room was already full, with all the Vice Admirals present, including even the retired instructor Zephyr.
Also present were two candidate Admirals, Momousagi and Chaton(Tokikake).
The Navy's top brass had been mobilized!
On everyone's desk lay a document detailing Rear Admiral Yuno's victory over Drought Jack.
At this moment, everyone present stared in surprise, some with disbelief.
Clearly, they had already reviewed the document.
Some Vice Admirals, even veterans like Doberman, had grown solemn. The news they had read had shocked them utterly.
A newly appointed Rear Admiral had powerfully defeated one of the Three Calamities, freezing him completely!
If the news hadn't been confirmed by Sengoku himself, they would never have believed such a thing wasn't fabricated.
"Hmm… that's truly terrifying… Rear Admiral Yuno." Kizaru's tone remained unfocused, but now it carried a trace of astonishment and solemnity. The fact that Yuno could defeat Drought Jack proved his strength was not to be underestimated.
Momousagi, the slender and dignified Admiral candidate, surveyed the documents in her hands and said with interest, "A rising star in the Navy? Patino Yuno? Fresh out of the Elite Training Program, and already he's defeated a pirate with a bounty exceeding 1 billion berries? Zephyr-sensei, your student is truly remarkable."
Zephyr chuckled and said, "I didn't teach him much; all of this is the result of his own hard work."
Chaton, standing beside Momousagi, nodded with a grin and echoed her words: "Yes, yes. A rising star of the Navy—he's quite the opposite of most recruits."
Doberman, seated across the table, narrowed his eyes in thought, his expression tinged with doubt. This brat… did his strength leap so dramatically after consuming a Devil Fruit? What kind of Mythical Zoan is it?
Akainu sat silently to the side, arms crossed, his stern gaze unmoving.
The Flying Squirrel glanced at Kuzan (Aokiji) and remarked, "Ice-type abilities—just like Admiral Aokiji's."
Indeed, Rear Admiral Yuno's strongest attacks in battle had been ice-based. Naturally, people would associate his abilities with those of Aokiji.
After all, both wielded ice powers.
Aokiji raised his eyes slightly and said, "To completely freeze Drought Jack… Rear Admiral Yuno's ice might not be inferior to mine."
He knew well the monstrous vitality of Zoan users, especially the Calamities of the Beasts Pirates. Each one was a powerhouse, and completely freezing them was no small feat.
At these words, silence fell over the room. Many officers began speculating about what Mythical Zoan Yuno might have eaten.
"And it's also the same category of Mythical Zoan as the Fleet Admiral's…" one Vice Admiral murmured. "Rear Admiral Yuno is quite lucky."
Devil Fruits came in tiers, after all. A superior fruit, one that complemented its user's abilities, could skyrocket their power.
But if one ate something weak, like the ordinary form of the Human-Human Fruit (Hito Hito no Mi), then one could only curse their misfortune…
Not only would little change, but the eater would also gain the curse of the sea and become a landlubber.
At that moment, Sengoku entered the chamber. Taking his seat, the Fleet Admiral glanced around, noting that everyone had already finished reviewing the reports laid out on the table. He gave a small nod and said, "Since everyone has read the details, let us now discuss the aftermath."
His expression hardened. This was no trivial matter. Every senior officer present was required to weigh in.
If mishandled, this could escalate into full-scale war with the Beasts Pirates.
No, Sengoku thought grimly—it wasn't a matter of if. Knowing Kaido's character, it was impossible for him to swallow such humiliation.
Breaking the silence, Akainu opened his tightly shut eyes and said in a deep, steady voice, "I recommend a decisive battle with Kaido at the G-7 Branch Base."
As the embodiment of the Navy's hawkish faction, Sakazuki (Akainu) had always been decisive, never yielding to hesitation or fear.
His words drew nods of agreement from several officers.
But there were also many dissenting voices. A war of this scale would demand immense resources and countless lives. Even if they had to face Kaido, it had to be on terms carefully planned—without a single margin for error.
After many rounds of debate, no clear consensus was reached. Finally, Sengoku made the decision himself: Drought Jack would be transferred from the G-7 Branch to Impel Down.
Located in the treacherous Calm Belt, Impel Down was a fortress of the deep, easy to defend and nearly impossible to attack. It was the Navy's greatest prison, the place where criminals never escaped.
The only exception in history had been Shiki the Golden Lion's legendary breakout…
And so, preparations quietly began. The Navy steeled itself for the inevitable clash with Kaido and his Beasts Pirates.
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