The Marines struggled to understand why Charlotte Linlin had seemingly lost her mind. Her target was the Straw Hat Pirates, yet anyone familiar with Straw Hat Luffy's background—information Kaido had publicly exposed during the Marineford War—knew that attacking him was a death sentence. He was the only person on the sea capable of forcing the Marines, pirates, and the Revolutionary Army to unite in his defense.
A messenger suddenly ran into the room, looking visibly shaken. "Fleet Admiral Akainu, this is intelligence we just obtained from Morgans."
The messenger's panicked state put everyone on edge. Akainu snatched the paper, his eyes widening after a single glance. A chilling, murderous aura radiated from him. "Why?!" he roared at the messenger. "You didn't let Morgans report this news, did you?"
"S-Sorry… Fleet Admiral Akainu, our people couldn't be contacted after they transmitted this report. Now, they might be…"
"Order all Marines, Celestial Dragons, and intelligence personnel to blockade the World Economic Journal! This news must not spread!"
His urgency bewildered the room. Sengoku, confused, asked, "What exactly happened?" Akainu handed over the document. As Sengoku read it, his pupils contracted in shock, mirroring Akainu's expression. The others crowded around and shivered. Aramaki looked at the paper in disbelief. "Sun God Nika? Hey, this isn't true, is it?"
Kizaru's face was grave. "Where did Morgans find the courage for this? The entire sea is about to be transformed."
Garp clenched his fists until they whitened. "That Red Hair bastard… Luffy, he…"
Tsuru looked at Akainu. "Is it still salvageable?"
"I don't know," Akainu replied coldly. He turned to the room. "Order all Marines, across the Four Seas and the Grand Line, to enter combat readiness. I have a premonition that a true storm is coming."
A Den Den Mushi began to ring, drawing every gaze. Akainu hesitated, then answered. Before he could speak, a voice boomed, audible to every high-ranking officer in the office. "Akainu, you've received the intelligence, haven't you? Ah, fate is truly interesting, isn't it? What, are you starting to feel afraid too?"
Akainu's suppressed anger from his two years as Fleet Admiral erupted in an unparalleled tone. "Of course. Thirty-eight years ago, at the God Valley Incident, Mr. Garp and the Pirate King Roger teamed up to defeat Rocks. Thirty-eight years later, the tables have turned. It is Rocks's child and the World Government teaming up against Mr. Garp and Roger's bloodline. Isn't that truly a turn of events? Could it be that the rumors are true? Is the Gum-Gum Fruit truly the Nika Fruit, is Straw Hat Luffy the Sun God Nika, and is all of this Red Hair's scheme?"
"Boom!" A furious voice roared from the snail. The room went dead silent, stunned by Akainu's audacity. "Akainu, it seems you have forgotten who put you in that position. Or are you saying the Marine is ready to betray the World Government?"
"No. I don't care about the D, the Sun God, or fate. I only care about one thing: the Marine's duty is to eliminate pirates. Speak—you didn't call just to chat, did you?"
After a long silence, a cold command came from the snail. "All Marines are to be deployed! Regardless of whether it is Sun God Nika, Roger's bloodline, or Rocks's child, these dangerous lineages must not remain on the sea. Your order is to eliminate them at all costs."
"At all costs? Do you think the Marines alone can do it? Don't forget about Kaido."
"Do not worry. The Seraphim and the God's Knights will be deployed to assist you. That Devil Fruit must be recovered; it cannot remain on the sea. And there is another order: from now on, Garp will no longer serve as an Admiral. His position will be replaced by one person."
"Who?"
"Figarland Shamrock!"
On the Sabaody Archipelago, Sabo arrived with his subordinate, Koala. Fortunately, he found Rayleigh, Madame Shaki, the Empress Boa Hancock with her sisters, and Elder Nyon. They had all gathered out of concern for Luffy's safety.
"Don't worry, Sabo. I've already found a way to contact Ace. If all goes well, we should get a response soon," Rayleigh said.
"Thank you so much!" Sabo replied, though his anxiety only deepened. Two days had passed since Yamato sent the news—two days during which anything could have happened.
One of the Empress's sisters asked hesitantly, "Is this news accurate? How could Kaido know such a secret?"
Hancock bit her thumb, looking on nervously. Shaki took a long drag from her cigarette and said slowly, "It should be correct. How should I put it? You are all overestimating the World Government."
Everyone stared at her in shock.
Shaki continued, "The World Government has ruled for too long; its interior has rotted. From the outside, their power seems formidable, but internally, they are thoroughly corrupt. The Marine Headquarters might be stable, but elsewhere, including the Four Seas, the Marines and pirates are often no different. The CP agents are even worse; even an idiot like Spandam can become CP0. If I am willing to pay enough, I can learn any Marine action, including those of the World Government, let alone Kaido. Doflamingo was a Celestial Dragon, and many of their weapons trades had the Marines acting as a protective umbrella."
Shaki looked directly at Sabo. "As a member of the Revolutionary Army, you should know this better than I do. If I remember correctly, your leader, Dragon—Mr. Garp's son—was once a Marine, wasn't he? He almost became an Admiral. It was because he could not tolerate this corruption that he left."
This revelation shocked the Nine Snake members, Sabo, and Koala. Because of their leader's mysterious nature, many of them were unaware of his past.
The two sisters asked curiously, "If that is the case, then why is everyone still so afraid of the World Government?"
"Because of power!"
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