At this point, his voice was almost choked with emotion.
The telegram clenched tightly in his hand had long since been soaked through with sweat. The paper had gone soft and fragile, as if it might fall apart at any moment.
"It only took… fifteen minutes."
He forced those words out with difficulty, each one so heavy it nearly stole his breath.
...
On the West Blue, there existed a special Marine base rarely known to outsiders, yet burdened with an important mission.
West Blue 77th Branch.
This place had once been an important stronghold of Marine power in these waters, carrying the hopes of maintaining order and justice. Yet now, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere filled the entire base.
Rip—
A sharp, decisive tearing sound broke the deathly silence inside the room.
Rear Admiral Doug's callused hands, rough as old tree bark, clutched the extermination order that symbolized such a cruel command.
His knuckles had gone white from the force, veins bulging as if he meant to pour all his anger and helplessness into that single motion.
With one fierce pull, the once-flat paper was torn into countless small pieces.
The scraps drifted slowly through the still-unrepaired operations room like snowflakes in winter.
The operations room was a mess, filled everywhere with traces left by battle.
On the wall, the scorched marks left by "Fire Fist" Ace were still clearly visible, like deep wounds telling the story of last week's terrifying battle.
Every blackened scar seemed to show just how fierce and brutal that fight had been.
The lingering stench of burning still hung in the air, sharp and choking, making people cough despite themselves.
"We can't even catch all the Supernovas…"
Rear Admiral Doug's voice suddenly grew choked, filled with bitterness and exhaustion he could not hide.
He raised his head slightly, endless confusion and bewilderment showing in his eyes.
"And now they want us to fight the Four Emperors?! That's an impossible mission!"
His words echoed through the cramped room, each one striking the hearts of everyone present like a heavy hammer.
The staff officers standing behind him fell into silence as one.
They lowered their heads, their eyes filled with the same helplessness and frustration.
Some clenched their teeth, trying to suppress the unease in their hearts. Others sighed quietly, already seeing the difficult road ahead.
The entire operations room was covered by an invisible pressure, making it almost impossible to breathe.
The medical officer, Lisa, had been focused on bandaging a wounded soldier, but after hearing those words, the bandage slipped from her fingers without her noticing.
Panic and worry flashed through her eyes.
Not long ago, she had painstakingly bandaged thirty wounded men, all of them burned by a casual attack from Ace.
Those horrific wounds, painful groans, and the smell of blood in the air were still vivid in her mind.
She knew very well that with the troops in their current state, facing the powerful Four Emperors would be no different from throwing eggs against stone.
Looking out through the window, half of a sunken warship's mast stood alone above the surface of the sea, swaying unsteadily under the impact of the waves.
It looked like an ugly tombstone, silently bearing witness to the defeat and humiliation of that battle.
The waves kept striking it with dull sounds, as though playing a funeral song for the tragedy.
...
On the South Blue, 323rd Branch.
The setting sun was like a master painter, generously scattering warm, brilliant afterglow across the earth.
That light passed through the slightly old blinds of the office, cutting the once-smooth floor into patches of mottled shadow and radiance like countless thin blades.
Amid the interlacing light and shade, the room seemed to carry the story of passing years, wrapped in a quiet yet faintly sorrowful atmosphere.
Vice Admiral Caron sat silently behind his desk.
His weathered face was covered in age spots, like deep marks left by time.
At that moment, his gaze was focused and full of emotion.
His age-spotted fingers slowly and gently brushed across the metal seagull emblem on his Marine cap.
When his fingertips touched the cold metal surface, a familiar feeling rose in his heart, and his thoughts drifted back to that meaningful moment thirty years ago.
At God Valley, filled with reverence and a sense of duty, he had solemnly received this cap that symbolized honor and responsibility.
Back then, he had been young and spirited, his eyes shining with hope for the future and firm conviction.
Tap…
A crisp yet heavy sound broke the silence in the room.
It was the sound of the Marine cap landing on the oak desk.
In this unusually quiet office, the noise felt painfully sharp, like fate striking a warning bell, or some signal of an ending.
Outside the window, the Marine flag that had once flown high was slowly being lowered.
The pulley connecting the flag to the pole gave off a stiff creak as it moved, the sound so desolate it resembled the faint groan of someone on the verge of death, making the heart ache with sorrow.
Vice Admiral Caron slowly picked up the fountain pen on his desk.
The tip paused at the end of the resignation letter.
In that brief instant, a drop of ink silently fell, leaving a striking black spot on the paper.
The mark gradually spread, the dark stain resembling a cloud of black smoke—and looking very much like the smoke that had once rolled into the sky when G-14 Branch was mercilessly destroyed by Kaido.
That had been a brutal battle.
Countless comrades had fallen in the flames of war.
Their blood stained the earth red, and their lives turned into the dust of history.
"This old man fought at God Valley…"
Vice Admiral Caron's voice was hoarse and low, as though it had been rubbed raw by sandpaper again and again, carrying endless age and emotion.
He raised his head slightly and looked toward the old photograph hanging on the wall.
In the photo, the young Caron stood straight behind Kong, while behind them burned the flag of the Rocks Pirates.
The flames spread wildly, devouring everything, yet they also illuminated their fearless courage and unwavering resolve.
But time had passed.
Years had flowed away like water.
Now, the comrades who had once fought alongside him through life and death had all met different fates.
Some had risen through their outstanding ability and tireless effort to become Vice Admirals, continuing to shine within the Marines.
Far more, however, had fallen forever on the battlefield, becoming silent gravestones that quietly guarded the sea and the land.