Marine Headquarters Marineford.
In the massive conference room, Fleet Admiral Sengoku convened a Marineford meeting, attended by two Admirals and all Vice Admirals stationed at Marineford.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and others looked solemn; even Kizaru, usually nonchalant, had a grave expression today.
"Recently, the great pirates Silver Axe and Wang Zhi in the New World have been provoking Red Hawk.
Everyone is waiting to see how Red Hawk will react.
According to intelligence, Aka Shio left Fish-Man Island today and officially entered the New World!
The purpose of this meeting is to discuss whether Aka Shio will respond to Beehive Island.
If they engage, can we, the Marine, gain any advantage…?" Brannew began to explain the purpose of this meeting to the many Marine higher-ups.
After Brannew finished speaking, no Marine dared to speak first. After all, it concerned Red Hawk, and they were well aware that among the many pirates, Red Hawk was not merely the strongest below the Four Emperors.
He was the strongest above the Four Emperors!
"There's one more thing I need to tell everyone," Fleet Admiral Sengoku added, "The Gorosei have authorized Admiral Sakazuki to act as he sees fit in this matter."
"Boom!!!"
This news was like a bombshell, exploding in the conference room.
Everyone's expressions instantly froze, followed by an uproar.
The Gorosei had bypassed Marineford and given direct orders to an Admiral!
This was undoubtedly a challenge to Fleet Admiral Sengoku's authority, and how could they not be shocked?
Some Marine officers showed angry expressions, feeling that the Gorosei's actions showed a blatant disregard for Marineford.
Others, however, became excited. These were all fervent believers in the so-called "Absolute Justice."
In their eyes, the Gorosei's stance undoubtedly sent a strong signal, showing them the immense possibility of Admiral Sakazuki ascending to the position of Fleet Admiral in the future.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I believe we must fully support Admiral Sakazuki!" Vice Admiral Tsucha suddenly stood up, hands firmly pressed on the conference table, his face filled with excitement. "Red Hawk's strength is too great. If we, the Marine, don't make full preparations in advance, once the situation spirals out of control, the consequences will be unimaginable!"
"That's right, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" Vice Admiral Mozambique also stood up, loudly echoing, "Every move Red Hawk makes in the New World affects the entire pirate world's power balance. We absolutely cannot take this lightly. We must immediately order support for the New World and not let Admiral Sakazuki face such a powerful enemy alone!
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku…" For a moment, everyone in the conference room spoke up.
The hawkish figures within the Marine were even more aggressive in their words, eagerly expressing their views, all hoping that Fleet Admiral Sengoku would order support for the New World.
Even those Marines who had not previously belonged to the "Absolute Justice" faction began to waver, choosing to take sides.
The Gorosei's stance was like a strong wind, slowly dispelling the hesitation in their hearts.
In their view, the future position of Fleet Admiral was no longer in much doubt; Admiral Sakazuki seemed to have victory in his grasp.
For their own future, for their position and prospects in the Marine, they had to make some clear gestures and align themselves with Admiral Sakazuki.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku quietly listened to everyone's speeches, a hint of weariness and helplessness in his eyes.
He had long expected that the Gorosei's sudden decision would undoubtedly sow a seed of division within the Marine.
But he also understood that this was not the time for impulsive actions; he had to calmly analyze the situation and make the most correct decision.
"Everyone, calm down first!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally spoke again. His voice, though not loud, carried an irresistible authority.
The conference room instantly fell silent, everyone watching him, waiting for him to continue.
"Admiral Sakazuki possesses exceptional ability and unwavering conviction. Before the war begins, I believe he can handle this matter appropriately," Fleet Admiral Sengoku said slowly. "However, Marineford cannot act rashly either. We all know how strong Red Hawk truly is. If we easily get involved in this conflict, we might fall into an abyss of no return."
"But, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, if we don't support Admiral Sakazuki, and he encounters danger, what will become of the Marine's reputation?" Vice Admiral Doberman couldn't help but question.
"Reputation is important, but we must also consider the interests and future of the entire Marine," Fleet Admiral Sengoku responded with a serious expression. "We cannot make wrong decisions simply because of a momentary impulse. Before acting, we must gather more intelligence, deeply analyze the situation, and find a solution that both upholds the Marine's dignity and ensures our maximum benefit."
Silence fell over the conference room again, everyone pondering Fleet Admiral Sengoku's words.
Indeed, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was right; when facing such a powerful enemy and complex situation, impulsiveness would only lead to destruction.
"I suggest sending a specialized intelligence team to the New World first," Vice Admiral Tsuru slowly spoke, her voice clear and calm. "Their mission is to closely monitor the actions of Red Hawk, Silver Axe, Wang Zhi, and the Four Emperors, and report the latest situation to us promptly. Only by having enough intelligence can we make accurate judgments and decisions."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Vice Admiral Tsuru's suggestion was undoubtedly the most stable approach for now.
"Good, we will proceed according to Vice Admiral Tsuru's suggestion," Fleet Admiral Sengoku finally decided. "The intelligence team must depart as soon as possible. Remember, you must act cautiously and not expose your identities."
With Fleet Admiral Sengoku's order given, this tense and fierce Marineford meeting finally came to a temporary close.
But everyone knew that this was merely the calm before the storm; the real challenge still lay ahead.
Everyone at Marineford was waiting, waiting for news from the intelligence team, waiting for the further development of the New World situation.
And their fate would also be closely linked to this impending great pirate war…
— — — —
Meanwhile, after a few days, Jinbe finally arrived at Hobby Island in the East Blue, carrying the books Andy had given him.
He even added a lot of information about the New World's climate, as well as various navigation techniques, because he felt that this little girl named Nami was not simple.
But when he arrived at Cocoyasi Village, the scene he witnessed shocked him… no, it terrified him.
Hatchan, Kuroobi, Chew, Kaneshiro, Yaki, Take…
Arlong was here!
That bastard!
But he still held a glimmer of hope: please, don't let it be what he thought!
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