Meanwhile, at the Fortress of Justice, inside Admiral Sengoku's office.
Having just returned from the Reverie at Mary Geoise, Sengoku was enjoying tea with Chief Staff Officer Tsuru. Moments like this left him quite pleased with himself. Sending that fool Garp away from Headquarters had been a brilliant move, he thought. Normally, during these rare chances to relax, Garp would barge in like an annoying third wheel. But now the idiot was stuck in the New World, Zephyr was tactful enough to stay out of the way, and Sengoku could savor this quiet time alone with Tsuru. The feeling was delightful.
"You've been acting a little off lately," Tsuru remarked, sipping her tea.
Sengoku looked puzzled. "Off? In what way?"
"The Disciplinary Unit has uncovered irregularities at G-5 more than once. That Ortoren fellow is knee-deep in corruption in the New World. He's even been extorting the Shichibukai... and secretly selling all kinds of contraband there—arms, even warships. Yet every time these reports are submitted to you, they vanish without a trace." Tsuru's eyes lingered on him meaningfully.
"Ahem..." Sengoku cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably. "Is that so? I must have missed it among the mountain of paperwork. I'll look into it later. Really, that Ortoren... how could he do such things? If it's true, I'll give him a proper scolding!"
"Do you think it's funny to say things like that to me?" Tsuru shot him a sharp glare.
Sengoku was left awkwardly silent, until Tsuru added, "You've been far too sloppy. I've already cleaned up the mess for you. From now on, the Disciplinary Unit won't be scrutinizing G-5 too closely."
Sengoku's composure returned, and he managed a smile. "I owe you one, Tsuru-chan."
"There, I knew you were hiding something from me." Tsuru shook her head and sighed. "I won't pry into what I don't need to know. Just be clear about it yourself."
Sengoku hesitated but chose not to explain. Many things, once known, would do Tsuru no good. Better that he alone bore the responsibility if the truth ever came to light.
Still, he asked, "The CP won't find anything, will they?"
"Before I intervened, maybe. But now? CP is nowhere near capable of investigating our Marines. At most, they'll dig up signs of Ortoren's corruption—like extorting the Shichibukai. But that's not a problem. In fact, it serves as a cover," Tsuru replied with calm confidence.
"With you handling things, I can finally relax," Sengoku nodded, reassured.
Even so, a flicker of irritation rose in him. That Ortoren still wasn't careful enough—Tsuru had caught on. But at least it was her.
Then again, maybe it wasn't really Ortoren's fault. A lot of what went on in G-5 simply couldn't be hidden from Headquarters. He was the one who had promised to shield him, after all. This was his responsibility to bear.
As the two continued their talk, Sengoku's Den Den Mushi suddenly rang. He frowned, annoyed—he had only just begun to relax, and now something else?
But when he saw the caller, his expression brightened. The call was from his adopted son, Rosinante.
"It's Rosinante..." Sengoku informed Chief Staff Officer Tsuru before answering the Den Den Mushi and speaking softly. "Corazon?"
Corazon was Rosinante's codename for this mission.
"It's me, Admiral," Rosinante responded quickly.
"How are things on your end? Are you safe?" Sengoku asked with concern.
"Everything is going smoothly. I wanted to report on Doflamingo's hijacking of the Heavenly Tribute. I've already determined his motive—he intends to use this act to force the World Government into granting him the title of Shichibukai. As for the whereabouts of the Heavenly Tribute after the hijacking, I haven't tracked it yet. I'll continue working to uncover that intel..." Rosinante reported in a grave tone.
Sengoku was left speechless.
Seriously? You don't need to investigate or report this to me. I know exactly why that bastard Doflamingo did it. Not only his goal and demands—I even know where the Heavenly Tribute is. Ortoren already reported to me that Doflamingo hid it in the North Calm Belt, and CP-9's Spandine has taken charge of the matter. It's not that I don't want to solve it—if I did, this case would've been wrapped up long ago!
"Ahem..." Sengoku cleared his throat awkwardly. "As for the Heavenly Tribute, you don't need to investigate further. We already know what we need to know. Your top priority is your own safety. Understood?"
"Huh?" Rosinante froze. Was the Marines' efficiency really that incredible? Could Doflamingo have someone else on the inside? Who could it be?
Hearing his son's bewildered tone, Sengoku almost couldn't bear it. He wanted to say, "Forget it, just come back. The Donquixote family is practically halfway turned into the Navy's underground branch thanks to Ortoren. If your brother were willing to switch sides, I'd even consider making him a Rear Admiral at Headquarters. No need for you to struggle like this."
But mindful of Rosinante's pride, and because Sengoku still couldn't bring himself to fully trust Doflamingo—preferring to keep a mole planted close to him—those words never left his mouth.
Rosinante took a deep breath and then said in an even more solemn voice, "Admiral, there's another matter. It's infuriating to even say it, but... I must report that Vice Admiral Benn may have defected!"
"What?" Sengoku nearly dropped the Den Den Mushi.
"It sounds unbelievable, but I've found leads. Vice Admiral Benn has conducted multiple illegal deals with Doflamingo in the New World, selling off vast quantities of G-5's military assets. They seem to be collaborating on some secret projects as well. From what I've uncovered, Doflamingo has bribed Vice Admiral Benn numerous times, with amounts reaching into the tens of billions of Berry. I fear Vice Admiral Benn is now acting as a protector for the Donquixote family in the New World..." Rosinante said, his tone heavy with grief.
Sengoku thought bitterly: You don't need to suspect it—he is Doflamingo's umbrella. Hell, I'm practically half of one myself!
"Ahem... Rosinante—Corazon—we must have faith in Ortoren's convictions and sense of justice. Things may not be as simple as they appear on the surface. To suspect a Vice Admiral like this is..." Sengoku carefully chose his words, trying to dissuade him. Don't dig any deeper, or you'll end up uncovering me!
"Admiral! I want to believe Vice Admiral Benn, but I've already uncovered substantial evidence!" Rosinante insisted bitterly.
Why doesn't this old man trust me?
There's something really wrong with Ortoren!
"Some things... are hard to explain to you right now. But in short—you must not pursue this further. Do you understand?" Sengoku finally sighed, his tone firm.
Rosinante hesitated. The tone, the phrasing... Could it be tied to some classified mission? Had he misunderstood?
After a pause, he asked, "So there's more behind this?"
"There's plenty more. In any case, anything concerning Doflamingo or G-5 is off-limits. Don't investigate it further. Understood?" Sengoku pressed.
Rosinante finally exhaled in relief. "So Vice Admiral Benn is enduring in silence for the greater good. That eases my mind... Understood, Admiral."
And Sengoku thought to himself: And what about me? Haven't I been enduring in silence too?
The two exchanged a few more words, mostly a father's concern for his son, before ending the call.
After putting away the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku glanced at Tsuru. She met his look with faint amusement. Neither of them spoke. They simply lifted their teacups and drank in silence.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/PinkSnake