A few days later, on the Grand Line.
Kizaru stood on the bridge, his gaze sweeping over the sea chart in his hand, a rare hint of seriousness on his face.
The route… was wrong.
After comparing their current heading again and again, the destination of the fleet became clearer and clearer—
it was aimed straight at that East Blue nation which had just been stripped of its World Government member status: the Lulusia Kingdom!
"So it really is the Lulusia Kingdom!"
Kizaru could not understand why more than ten pampered Celestial Dragons would suddenly take interest in a small country that had just been expelled by the World Government, especially at such a sensitive time.
He immediately connected the direct Den Den Mushi line to the Fleet Admiral's office at Marine Headquarters.
"Moshi moshi~ Sengoku-san?" Kizaru's voice came lazily through the Den Den Mushi into Sengoku's office.
"Kizaru, how's the situation?" Sengoku's voice sounded at once. He had been closely monitoring Kizaru and the fleet's movements.
"Things are a little delicate."
Kizaru looked at the calm sea, his tone becoming somewhat serious. "Based on our current route, there's an extremely high probability that our destination this time is the Lulusia Kingdom."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.
The worst outcome had still appeared.
"Can you confirm it? What would they even do in Lulusia?" Sengoku pressed, his voice low.
"The CP0 on board aren't revealing a single thing. Up until now we don't have the slightest clue," Kizaru replied, sounding helpless.
"But taking along more than ten Celestial Dragons, plus a fleet of ours that's basically on a 'Buster Call–class' scale, to a kingdom that's just been expelled by the World Government… we're definitely not going there for sightseeing, right?"
That rhetorical question made Sengoku's heart grow even heavier on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
Just after Kizaru finished reporting, the door to Sengoku's office was knocked on.
A messenger rushed in and handed over a document that had just been delivered from the World Government.
"Fleet Admiral! Urgent dispatch from the World Government!"
Sengoku's heart tightened. He immediately took the file and quickly skimmed through its contents.
By the time he finished, an expression appeared on his face that almost never showed up there—blank shock.
"Celestial Dragons' Hunting Tournament? Why would the World Government approve something like this? What are the Gorosei planning?"
Sengoku clenched the document in his hand, uncharacteristic fury twisting his features.
The document also stated that, to avoid leaks and to prevent certain people from catching wind of it, the matter had been kept strictly confidential until now.
Reading that, Sengoku instantly understood: the World Government was worried that once the Lulusia Kingdom found out, they would run before the event began.
How could Sengoku possibly not know what a "Hunting Tournament" meant!
Treating living people as prey, chasing them down and tormenting them in absolute despair, then killing them!
Ever since that "God Valley Incident" decades ago that shocked the world, such large-scale, openly conducted hunts had become extremely rare.
Yet this time, the World Government was aiming directly at the entire Lulusia Kingdom!
This was no longer punishment.
They wanted to wipe this country and all of its civilians off the map, in the bloodiest way possible!
"Bastards!!"
Sengoku smashed his fist down on his desk. In his mind, he could already see what kind of hellish scene awaited the Lulusia Kingdom.
In this moment, he felt an immense hatred for the Celestial Dragons—
and yet, as Fleet Admiral of the Marines, he could only watch as everything unfolded.
He immediately grabbed the other golden Den Den Mushi on his desk—
this was the dedicated line to Kong, Commander-in-Chief of the three armed forces.
The call connected quickly, and Kong's steady voice came from the other side. "Sengoku? What is it?"
"Commander Kong!" Sengoku almost roared, "I just learned about the Celestial Dragons' Hunting Tournament! In Lulusia! Have they all lost their minds?! There are tens of thousands of civilians there!"
Kong fell silent for a moment, clearly already aware of the matter.
Then he spoke with a touch of solemn authority:
"Sengoku, watch your words. This is a joint decision by the Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons. What we need to do is execute our orders."
"Execute orders?! You're asking us to protect a massacre?!"
Sengoku was completely unable to hold back his anger.
"Commander Kong! You know what's in Lulusia! Beth! Alicia! And that Teresa! You know how strong they are! They killed Shiki the Golden Lion, and fought Hawk-Eye Mihawk to a standstill! With just Kizaru and five Vice Admirals, it's impossible to guarantee the absolute safety of more than ten Celestial Dragons in front of them!"
"If even a single Celestial Dragon is injured or—
let alone killed… the consequences would be unimaginable! This isn't going there to hunt; it's marching to their deaths! This insane plan is putting our Marine Admiral and elite Vice Admirals directly into a deathtrap!"
Sengoku deliberately softened his tone, shifting his argument toward "ensuring the safety of the Celestial Dragons," hoping this angle would make Kong realize how great the risk was, and thereby persuade the Gorosei to revoke the order, or at least put a stop to this slaughter.
However, Kong's reply extinguished the last flicker of hope in Sengoku's heart.
"As for the Celestial Dragons' safety, you don't need to worry excessively, Sengoku."
Kong's voice remained calm.
"This operation is not being carried out by the Marines alone."
"The God Knights will also be accompanying them."
God Knights!
Hearing that name, Sengoku's whole body went stiff.
All the arguments he still wanted to make stuck in his throat—he could not get another word out.
The God Knights—elite warriors chosen from among the Celestial Dragons themselves, the highest-level guard force directly under the World Nobles.
Their strength was unfathomable and they almost never appeared in public.
So that's how it is…
The Gorosei and the Celestial Dragons had planned everything long ago.
With the God Knights, plus an Admiral and five Vice Admirals, Sengoku could no longer see any hope for the Lulusia Kingdom.
After hanging up the call with Commander-in-Chief Kong, he could not help but let out a sorrowful sigh and slumped back into his chair.
He understood.
Nothing could be changed anymore.
The Marines were destined to become participants in this atrocity.
One day later, along the coastline of the Lulusia Kingdom.
On the highest watchtower, the on-duty soldier suddenly stiffened, as if he had seen something terrifying.
The next moment, the shrill sound of alarm bells rang out over the harbor.
At the same time, in the Royal palace of Lulusia, a court attendant rushed in to report to Ronan.
"Report, Your Majesty! Outside the harbor, off the coast, a massive unknown fleet has been sighted! Their numbers are huge, and every ship is flying the flag of the World Government!"
Hearing this, no surprise appeared on Ronan's face.
Over this period of time, he had been constantly preparing for all kinds of contingencies.
Ronan immediately said to the attendant, "Pass down the order. According to the plan—first-level combat readiness."
(End of Chapter)
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