The first half of the Grand Line.
Marine Headquarters, Marinford.
The oppressive atmosphere made many Rear Admirals and high-ranking officers notice that something was amiss.
Chief of Staff Tsuru sat directly in front of her desk, her hands propping up her chin, waiting.
And Sengoku, as the Fleet Admiral, rubbed his brow and paced back and forth, looking somewhat worried.
"To prevent any accidents, we've already sent Tea Rabbit up, following the ice trail Aokiji left behind. If even this can't save Sarkas-ji and the others, then we can only accept it..."
Chief of Staff Tsuru glanced at Sengoku, sighed softly, and said with some helplessness, "No matter how anxious you are, it's useless. The only thing we can do now is quietly wait for the answer."
"I know being anxious is useless! This matter, through and through, is bizarre..."
Sengoku stopped. "767" frowned deeply, gnashing his teeth somewhat irritably: "Not only do they know when Sarkas-ji and the others set sail, but they even know the fleet's route. I'm afraid there's an internal spy in the Marine!"
"Gasp, gasp..."
Brandnew's face was anxious. He rushed in, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, it's bad!"
"Vice Admiral Onigumo and Vice Admiral Daobaman's life cards have burned to ashes, and even Admiral Sarkas-ji's life card has turned into this..."
On his palm, which he offered to Chief of Staff Tsuru and Sengoku, there was a very small piece of life card, its edges tinged with fiery red. The entire piece of paper was barely larger than a thumb.
"Damn it!!!"
Sengoku's face changed drastically.
Even Chief of Staff Tsuru's face immediately sank.
Such a small piece of paper indicated that Sarkas-ji's situation was already quite dangerous.
"The life cards of the two Vice Admirals burned out one after another, with a very short interval between them..." Brandnew's head was covered in cold sweat as he hurriedly reported.
"Onigumo and Daobaman, they are both considered elites among the Headquarters' Vice Admirals. To think they've already met with misfortune so quickly..."
Vice Admiral Tsuru was already a bit restless. She immediately stood up, her face looking rather grim: "There's a very high probability that while Sarkas-ji was being ambushed by some powerhouse, they also faced a strong enemy, and quite a formidable one at that, possibly even at the level of the top cadres of the New World's 'Four Emperors'..."
"The only forces capable of doing this kind of thing, besides the Revolutionary Army, are probably the 'Four Emperors' of the New World!" Sengoku's face was grim. He took Sarkas-ji's life card, clenched his fists tightly, and gnashed his teeth, whispering, "Immediately issue an order to CP, investigate the movements of the New World's Four Emperors and the Revolutionary Army clearly!"
"Yes!!"
"Vice Admiral Peach Rabbit!!!"
Brandnew had just reached the door when a tall, pink figure walked up, greeted him, and quickly left.
"Fleet Admiral, Big Sister, what's going on...?"
The tall, alluring, and attractive Gion (Momousagi) quickly walked into the Fleet Admiral's office.
She asked Chief of Staff Tsuru and Fleet Admiral Sengoku with some surprise and confusion, "Why, as soon as I returned to Headquarters, did I suddenly hear that Admiral Sarkas-ji's fleet, which was heading to the South Sea, seems to have encountered some danger?"
"No one knows the specifics. Take a look!"
Sengoku, somewhat irritable, suppressed his anger and directly showed Momousagi Sarkas-ji's increasingly smaller life card, gesturing for her to see for herself.
"This is Sarkas-ji's life card..."
Chief of Staff Tsuru, beside him, added with a wry smile, "Just before you came in, in the courtyard, Vice Admiral Onigumo and Vice Admiral Daobaman's life cards had already burned to ashes."
"What? How is this possible?"
Looking at the thumb-sized life card, Gion (Momousagi) couldn't help but widen her eyes, her pretty face showing a look of disbelief.
She had been in the Marine for so many years and had never heard of an Admiral at Headquarters encountering such a dangerous situation, not even back when the Four Emperors' structure was forming, and Marine Headquarters tried its utmost to completely eliminate the New World's 'Four Emperors'.
"Things have already happened. Nothing is impossible..."
Sengoku sat down, rubbing his brow somewhat irritably: "Now, I only hope that Aokiji can make it in time!"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!!!"
A Marine Captain scurried in, holding a Den Den Mushi in his hand, looking somewhat startled and flustered.
"What is it?"
Several piercing gazes fixed on him, making the Captain's legs tremble uncontrollably, almost causing him to collapse.
"This is a call that suddenly came to Headquarters. The other party claims to be 'Golden Lion'..." The Marine Captain gritted his teeth and quickly handed the Den Den Mushi to Sengoku.
"What!?"
Sengoku suddenly stood up.
"No way?"
"Could it really be him?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru and Momousagi, beside him, even revealed looks of shock.
"Shihihihi..."
A wild, arrogant, cruel, and somewhat aged laugh continuously came from the Den Den Mushi: "Sengoku, long time no see! I bet you can't recognize me anymore, old man!"
"Golden Lion Shiki, you bastard!" Sengoku gnashed his teeth.
That wild, arrogant laugh, how could he forget it?
Even if he hadn't seen him for ten or twenty years, the ships and golden mane simulated by the Den Den Mushi, plus the continuous disappearance of islands from the log pose, clearly confirmed traces of the Golden Lion's activity. This made him not need to doubt the opponent's identity at all.
"How is it? Shihihihi, old man's grand gift to you, do you like it?"
The Den Den Mushi simulated an expression with golden, messy hair. Shiki laughed strangely and said, "Do you want to wait a bit? I'll directly send that magma brat's head to your Marine Headquarters?"
"So it's you!"
Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Momousagi all had their expressions change wildly.
Somewhat unbelievable, they didn't expect that it was actually the Golden Lion who ambushed Akainu's fleet.
"How's Sarkas-ji doing?" Vice Admiral Tsuru's heart sank, and she immediately opened her mouth to ask.
"I have to admit, that brat's life is quite tough. Two or three islands couldn't crush him to death, and he even managed to injure this old man, shihihihi..." A cruel, arrogant laugh continuously came from the Den Den Mushi: "But don't worry, I'll let you see the fate of that magma brat soon!"
"Golden Lion, you..."
Sengoku roared in furious anger.
"Shihihi!"
But before Sengoku could finish, the communication was directly cut off.
"Golden Lion, you bastard!!!"
Sengoku, enraged beyond measure, trembled all over and roared directly!
An uncontrollable roar echoed throughout the magnificent Marine Headquarters, causing countless Marines to pale.
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