"At this rate, won't the high and mighty lords in Mariejois be fuming with rage?"
Inside the Admiral's private office at Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
Admiral Borsalino was polishing his sunglasses with a microfiber cloth as he listened to his subordinates' report, musing aloud.
The mission to arrest Jewelry Bonney had originally been assigned to him. However, midway through his preparations, the Government had some sort of change of heart and recalled him, replacing him with CP0 leading a team of agents. They likely figured that since it was just a little girl with a bounty in the tens of millions, they could easily handle it even without an Admiral.
Who could have guessed they would run into Alucard? And not even because Alucard had planned it, it was just a complete coincidence.
Was there anything more likely to make one want to burst into tears of frustration?
Borsalino slid his polished sunglasses back onto his face. "How scary~ If I had gone out and bumped into 'The Immortal,' it would have been quite troublesome."
Borsalino grinned, feigning a look of utter terror, leaving his adjutants standing by in speechless silence.
"Admiral Borsalino," a Marine officer entered the office, saluted, and placed a sealed document on the desk. "This document was issued directly by the Government. It contains your travel authorization and mission details. Please execute the mission immediately after the upcoming meeting concludes."
"Mm Such a bother"
Borsalino rose, tucked the file into a drawer, and glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's almost time for the meeting. Let's go."
…
Borsalino was one of the last to arrive at the meeting. As soon as he walked in, he couldn't help but comment, "So, this is the first time the old geezers in the Government have truly eaten dirt at Alucard's hands?"
Sitting at the head of the table, Sengoku sat with his arms crossed. "Do not discuss high-level affairs in such a public forum."
While Sengoku had heard the rumors regarding Jewelry Bonney, he didn't share the shock of the Celestial Dragons; instead, he felt only disdain. Eternal life? Those old fossils with one foot in the grave simply couldn't let go of their power. Sengoku looked down on them from the bottom of his heart, so he didn't view the Bonney incident as particularly significant.
However, the fact that the Immortal Pirates had gained another rookie was something he did not wish to see.
"The Ox Bell at the western end of Marine Plaza has been struck; a new year has arrived. This is the Navy's first roundtable meeting of the year."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood up. "The first issue for discussion this year is the balance of the Four Emperors in the New World!"
"And the most troublesome among them is the Immortal Pirates."
"The sparks of the Revolutionary Army have been extinguished, and Dragon, whom the Government viewed as their greatest enemy, has been killed. However, Alucard took Vegapunk. This is a massive problem."
When Sengoku mentioned Dragon's death, a shadow passed over Garp's face, though it vanished just as quickly.
"You all know how dangerous Dr. Vegapunk is. Now that the Immortal Pirates have him, it is truly like a tiger gaining wings."
"The danger isn't limited to Alucard," Tsuru added. "There are rumors that the number of ability users in the Beasts Pirates has been trending upward lately. An investigation is necessary."
"Big Mom has the largest manpower among the Yonko; she cannot be underestimated."
"The throne of the 'World's Strongest' is still held by Whitebeard. Though he is aging, his crew, led by rising stars like 'Fire Fist' Ace and Lucky Roux, still firmly occupies the final reaches of the New World."
One by one, the high-ranking Marines spoke, detailing the threats posed by each of the Yonko.
"Gentlemen, let us not overstate the enemy's momentum at the expense of our own Marine advantage," a calm voice interrupted. Everyone turned to look; it was Admiral Fujitora, Issho.
Issho spoke slowly: "Charlotte Linlin of the Big Mom Pirates is obsessed with luxury and indulgence, leaving too much to her subordinates. She is stagnating."
"Whitebeard, captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, is old and has lost his personal ambition. He will not stir up trouble arbitrarily; our focus should be on his young successors like Fire Fist Ace."
"The Beasts Pirates appear brutal and powerful, but their captain, Kaido, is a headstrong man with a suicidal hobby. If we seize the right opportunity, dealing a heavy blow to his crew is no issue. Should Kaido be left alone, a combined effort by myself, Kuzan, and Borsalino would ensure that even if we don't win, we would certainly not lose."
"As for the final one... Alucard..."
Issho summarized the weaknesses of the first three Yonko in one breath. When he reached the Immortal Pirates, he paused. "The one who wants him dead most is the Government. He should not be our primary concern right now. The Government's Army, Air Force, and CP units will naturally follow the Government's orders to oppose him."
Everyone in the room was startled. Wasn't Issho essentially suggesting they leave the hardest bone to pick to the Government?
This sounded like he wanted the Navy and the Government to split.
At this moment, even Garp and Kuzan, who usually slacked off, looked solemn. This was a major issue.
Sengoku, sensing the shift in atmosphere, quickly diverted the topic. "Since Fujitora believes the Immortals are the most troublesome of the Yonko, we will start our discussion with them."
Sengoku waved his hand, signaling the clerks to distribute the files.
[Immortal Pirates] Dossier:
Captain: Alucard - the most terrifying "Immortal" pirate since the start of the Great Pirate Era.
Crimes include: Attacking the Government, defeating Redfield, killing World, exterminating the Red Hair Pirates, and kidnapping Vegapunk.
Known Abilities: Dual-wielding black and white pistols. The black pistol's bullets was specially crafted by Dr. Vegapunk and is known as the "Ability User Killer." (Recently, the Government suspects he commands a gargantuan serpent that can blot out the sky).
Subordinate Crews:
Kuja Pirates: Captain Boa Hancock. Main Force: Boa Sandersonia, Boa Marigold, Riku Scarlett, Riku Viola...
Golden Hair Pirates: Captain Ivalis. Main Force: Ben Beckman, Cavendish...
Black Thorn Pirates: Captain Fallon...
Iron Arm Pirates: Captain Urdaha...
Heart Pirates: Captain Trafalgar Law...
Additional Crew: Dr. Vegapunk, Aranea Highwind, Sanjuan Wolf, Jewelry Bonney.
"The once-lone wolf now has such power... how scary~" Borsalino remarked.
"You're wrong," Kuzan said, propping his face up with one hand while holding the dossier with the other. "That guy is still a lone wolf."