Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
In Admiral Sengoku's office, he was currently speaking with someone on a Den Den Mushi.
"The Amber Lead Disease?" Sengoku sounded confused.
After a slight pause, he addressed the person on the Den Den Mushi: "Why is the Amber Lead Disease suddenly an issue? Is it really contagious? Or is there truly a problem with the finished lead products?"
Thinking of this, Sengoku looked at the amber lead coffee cup on his desk, one piece of the set Diarmuid had given him years ago, and felt a little uneasy. That guy wouldn't actually screw us over, would he?
"No, Admiral, it's about a survivor from Flevance, and he's just a child," a male voice replied from the other end. If Diarmuid were here, he might recognize the voice as that of Rosinante.
"Is that so?" Sengoku sighed in relief.
He then remained silent for a moment before saying, "In other words, you want to save that child?"
"Mm," Rosinante answered softly on his end.
"That's difficult to manage. As far as I know, the World Government once summoned famous doctors from all over the world to consult on this disease. The final conclusion was that it's terminal and incurable," Sengoku said, his tone sounding somewhat helpless.
Truthfully, if the Amber Lead Disease had any possibility of being cured, the World Government wouldn't have simply stood by and allowed Flevance to be destroyed.
While the destruction of Flevance allowed the World Government, the big market manipulator behind the scenes, to make a huge profit, they would have had continuous, massive revenue if the kingdom hadn't collapsed. Unless they were short-sighted, the choice was obvious.
"Difficult means there's still a possibility, right?" Rosinante suddenly asked.
"This..." Sengoku hesitated, then continued, "I can only suggest you inquire at the Drum Kingdom. The doctors there are very skilled."
"The World's Medical Powerhouse?" Rosinante was silent for a moment.
Then he chuckled and continued, "Alright, I understand. Thank you."
"Don't hold out too much hope," Sengoku cautioned him again.
Sengoku wasn't deceiving Rosinante. After the World Government's consultation, the case files and data were transferred to the Drum Kingdom. After all, for the medical community, every terminal illness is a new discovery.
Perhaps the doctors in Drum Kingdom were still researching the Amber Lead Disease these past couple of years. What if there was a breakthrough?
It was worth a shot, regardless of the outcome.
Without continuing the topic, Rosinante suddenly asked, "How is Diarmuid-nii lately? I haven't heard much about him."
"He went to the New World to capture the Straw Hat Pirates. Not sure what the situation is yet," Sengoku said quite calmly.
His words showed the extent of his trust in Rosinante.
"I miss him a bit, it's been so many years," Rosinante said with a wistful tone.
"Hahaha, why don't you just wrap up your mission and come back?" Sengoku laughed heartily.
In fact, due to Diarmuid's deterrence, combined with Doflamingo's own considerations, the man hadn't really opposed the Marines. On the contrary, the Marines even had some low-level business dealings with him.
Therefore, Marine Headquarters had no intention of doing anything about Doflamingo for now. Rosinante's continued infiltration of the Donquixote Family was practically useless at this point.
Rosinante himself found it odd. He remembered his older brother as the type who should have completely lost his mind, but over the past few years, Doflamingo seemed to have rapidly changed.
He hadn't started any chaotic nonsense. Despite flying a pirate flag, he wasn't plundering places or opposing the Marines. Instead, he dedicated himself to the underworld, steadily expanding the Donquixote Family's business.
However, there wasn't much to report about the underworld; after all, none of the people there were good guys. Whatever Doflamingo did in that sphere wasn't worth pursuing.
This made Rosinante feel miserable. He had been undercover in the Donquixote Family for years, and aside from occasionally reporting on Doflamingo's business and whereabouts, he had virtually no vital intelligence to send back.
What is the point of my infiltration?
Therefore, after Sengoku said what he did, Rosinante was tempted. But after thinking it over, he still replied, "At least let me resolve the problem with this child first."
Sengoku didn't have much hope for the child's Amber Lead Disease, so he didn't try to dissuade him, simply giving a casual reply.
Just then, there was a knock on his office door. His secretary entered and whispered, "Admiral, the Fleet Admiral is calling for you."
"I know," Sengoku responded. He then said to the Den Den Mushi, "In any case, be careful, and safety first, understood?"
"I know, Admiral," Rosinante chuckled.
"Alright, that's all then. I have things to attend to." Sengoku said with a laugh, and the two disconnected the Den Den Mushi.
It was clear that after chatting with Rosinante, Sengoku was in a very good mood. After all, he viewed Rosinante as his own son and had officially adopted him.
He was a man in his sixties, and he and Tsuru had no romantic entanglement. Even if they had some beautiful twilight years together someday, they couldn't possibly have children in their old age.
In Sengoku's eyes, Rosinante was his actual son, and he might even rely on him to look after him in his final years.
He was also very satisfied with Rosinante.
Putting away the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku grabbed the Marine coat hanging on the rack, draped it over his shoulders, and walked out of the office, heading toward Fleet Admiral Kong's location.
Sengoku was already the internally designated successor to the next Fleet Admiral, and barring any accidents, Kong was certain to move to Mariejois to become the Commander-in-Chief within two years.
Furthermore, Sengoku had already taken over many of the Fleet Admiral's duties; he didn't even need to knock before entering the Fleet Admiral's office.
As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw Kong laughing heartily while speaking into a Den Den Mushi.
Diarmuid's voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"A complete victory?" Kong asked with a loud laugh.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Diarmuid clicked his tongue and replied, "Not entirely complete. A few escaped, but the main heads are dealt with. 'Straw Hat' Shanks and Ben Beckman, one is the captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, and the other is the vice-captain, have both been captured. The remaining guys were lucky enough to escape."
"Excellent. Capturing the captain and vice-captain is already a decisive victory. Good, bring them back," Kong laughed heartily.
Indeed, the operation to capture the Straw Hat Pirates had gone very smoothly.
After Diarmuid dealt with Shanks, Sakazuki captured Ben Beckman. However, Yasopp, Lucky Roux, and the others managed to flee into the Calm Belt thanks to Beckman's sacrifice and cover.
But without Shanks and Beckman, the Straw Hat Pirates essentially ceased to exist. Neither Yasopp nor Lucky Roux could shoulder the burden of reviving the crew.
"We are currently en route back," Diarmuid first replied, then asked, "By the way, Fleet Admiral, how should we handle this Shanks?"
"First, escort him to Impel Down. Once we have time, we'll try to use him to lure out all those hiding Roger Pirates bastards..." Kong said without hesitation.
Although the Marines were not currently conducting large-scale manhunts for the Roger Pirates' members, that was only because the Marines were focusing their attention on active pirates. They had temporarily postponed operations against those who had gone into hiding and were making no moves.
But this did not mean Kong intended to let them off. In his view, once the Marines had swept through the New World, they would eventually ferret all those people out and eliminate them.
You've spent so many years swaggering across the seas with a pirate flag, and now a simple 'retirement' is supposed to settle the score?
Where in the world do you find such a good deal?
"Understood, I'll proceed," Diarmuid replied again, then said, "Big Mom and Kaido really have teamed up now. I'm heading back, and everywhere I go, the air is thick with tension. The clouds of war are gathering over the New World, Fleet Admiral. Regarding this matter..."
"The plan remains the same: let them fight first," Kong said.
After a brief pause, he dismissed the topic and instead said, "By the way, Diarmuid, Commodore Boa Hancock of Marine Base G-7 has submitted an application for retirement, stating she will return to Amazon Lily to succeed the Empress throne..."
Diarmuid's mood was complex when he heard this news.
He couldn't help but feel like Hancock was the real main character. She was retiring to go back and inherit an Empress throne?
The Marines probably hadn't received a report like this in hundreds of years.
I want to inherit an Empress throne too. I wonder if anyone will abdicate to me?
"Is she of age yet?" Diarmuid asked, slightly surprised.
"Not yet, but soon. On the day of her coming-of-age ceremony, she will officially take the throne, so she needs to go back and prepare. The report was initially sent to Gion, but Gion went to the New World with you. Since she had been handling this matter, the report was eventually sent here to me," Kong said with a smile.
"Alright, I understand. Then, Fleet Admiral, please approve it for us. Let her return to Amazon Lily to inherit the throne first. Oh, and before her 'retirement,' assign her the rank of Rear Admiral," Diarmuid said with a chuckle.
Hancock's retirement was naturally not a true retirement, but a need for her to return and succeed the throne and the Kuja Pirates' position. Her public identity needed to be moved into the shadows.
After this, she would no longer be a Marine but the captain of the Kuja Pirates, sailing as the Empress of Amazon Lily. The Marines would also support her becoming one of the Warlords of the Sea.
After chatting for a few more minutes, Kong finally ended the call with Diarmuid and looked at Sengoku, who had already sat down on the sofa.
Sengoku asked with a hearty laugh, "Was that Diarmuid? It sounds like it went smoothly?"
"Yes, the Straw Hat Pirates are basically finished. Shanks and his vice-captain have both been captured," Kong nodded.
"That's no surprise. I always felt that as long as Diarmuid and his group could find the Straw Hat Pirates, this was the only possible outcome," Sengoku said with a chuckle.
"That's true," Kong agreed.
After a brief pause, Kong handed a document on his desk to Sengoku. "Political mission. Take a look."
Sengoku was stunned. He took the document, glanced at it, and said helplessly, "Isn't this just giving me trouble? This mission has been hanging for over twenty years without progress... The Op-Op Fruit. Where am I supposed to find it?"
"The reason this matter has been brought up again recently is because there seems to be news about the Op-Op Fruit. Not long ago, someone in the North Blue supposedly saw the fruit, but it's only a rumor. Anyway, the higher-ups want you to look into it," Kong said with a smile.
Sengoku didn't take it seriously, as the information was clearly based on speculation.
"There won't be any problems if I can't complete it, right?" Sengoku asked again.
"No, there won't," Kong waved his hand.
"Alright, I understand. I'll find a way to investigate," Sengoku nodded.
....
Meanwhile, in the New World, Smoker's tobacco city, Smoor, which was the territory of the Warlord of the Sea, 'White Hunter' Smoker, was easy to recognize.
Smoker was currently sitting on his throne, three cigars clenched in his mouth. He looked with a strange expression at the man kneeling not far away. "You want to join my subordinate ranks? What's your name?"
"Tesoro, Gild Tesoro!" the man quickly replied.
What is this? Smoker's king's aura dispersed, and Tesoro instantly knelt and submitted?