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"Crackle!"
A streak of dense lightning suddenly split down from the sky above the inner harbor of Marineford, landing with perfect precision upon the battleship whose bow was embedded with a golden scepter.
"Buzz!"
A faint tremor suddenly spread across the vessel. Immediately afterward, fine arcs of electricity surged along the golden scepter and raced across the mysterious golden patterns engraved throughout the deck and hull.
"Zzzzt! Zzzzt!"
The sound of electricity intensified violently as the entire battleship began to shake.
The propellers, which had remained motionless for nearly ten years, suddenly started spinning at high speed.
"Boom! Boom!"
Thunder roared repeatedly as bolts of lightning continued striking the battleship one after another, causing the once-silent vessel to rapidly come alive, as though it had been awakened from dormancy.
The scene instantly alarmed the Marines stationed nearby.
"What's happening?!"
"What happened to the Sander?!"
"Lightning out of a clear sky? Where did that come from?!"
The soldiers, who had been chatting and resting moments earlier, widened their eyes and turned toward the massive battleship in shock.
It truly was abnormal.
After all, they all knew that this warship, once carrying extraordinary significance, had remained inactive for a very long time, as though trapped in eternal slumber.
Yet at this very moment, it had mysteriously begun moving again.
Then, under their increasingly incredulous gazes, the ship's helm suddenly spun rapidly, turning the vessel around until its bow pointed directly toward the Gates of Justice.
"Whoosh!"
Before anyone could react, the battleship had already shot forward, disappearing from sight with the speed of lightning itself.
"Quick!!"
"Inform Vice Admiral Maynard! There's something wrong with the Sander, it ran off on its own!"
"You've got to be kidding me! Who would believe something like a ship running away by itself?!"
"And Vice Admiral Maynard is currently attending an important Headquarters meeting. We can't just enter!"
"..."
…
At the same time, inside Marine Headquarters' conference hall,
A heavy and solemn atmosphere filled the spacious room.
The high-ranking admirals and officers all stared silently at the important documents laid before them.
At the head of the long table sat Sengoku, whose hair now contained streaks of white. His expression was grave as he slowly began speaking.
"Fire Fist Ace, Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
"Former captain of the Spade Pirates!"
"Logia-type Flame-Flame Fruit user."
"He once refused an invitation from the World Government to become one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"Current bounty: 550 million berries!"
His voice echoed powerfully throughout the meeting room.
"A figure of such importance within the Whitebeard Pirates has suddenly appeared in the first half of the Grand Line."
"What mission does he have?"
"Or rather… what is Whitebeard's purpose in sending him there?"
Sengoku swept his gaze across the assembled officers.
Among the three Admirals, only Borsalino, codename Kizaru, was present.
Though he appeared to be listening attentively, Sengoku knew full well that the man's mind had already drifted elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged Vice Admirals all wore solemn expressions.
Sengoku sighed inwardly.
These people really were unreliable.
Compared to the current balance of power upon the seas, the Marines still appeared weak. In terms of overall military strength, their top-tier combat power lagged far behind the pirates.
And internally, there were countless problems as well.
Leaving aside the fact that the three Admirals were all highly independent and difficult to control, even the Vice Admirals could hardly be relied upon.
Just the appearance of Fire Fist Ace alone had already thrown Headquarters into a state of alarm.
Sometimes, Sengoku even wondered whether he was truly suited for the position of Fleet Admiral.
There had been countless moments when he felt exhausted and powerless.
"If we were to wage an all-out war against one of the Four Emperors… What are the odds that the Marines would actually win?"
As time passed, Sengoku himself had grown old.
His strength and stamina were no longer what they had once been. He had already begun considering retirement. But before stepping down, he desperately wanted to accomplish one great deed, to leave behind one final glory in his career.
Just as Commander Kong had once captured countless pirates during his tenure and even oversaw the execution of the Pirate King Roger, creating an almost perfect legacy.
Although Sengoku was known as the "Resourceful General" and lacked overwhelming combat power, he still wished for his career as Fleet Admiral to end without regrets.
"What suggestions do you all have regarding this matter?" Sengoku asked slowly.
"Perhaps we should capture this great pirate. One can imagine that if Fire Fist Ace were captured, it would serve as a tremendous warning to the world-famous Whitebeard Pirates!" One Vice Admiral spoke in a deep voice.
"I disagree. Acting recklessly against a commander-level figure of the Whitebeard Pirates could easily trigger a war between the Marines and Whitebeard, destabilizing the entire world!"
"And who exactly would be capable of capturing a powerful figure like Fire Fist Ace?"
"Would we send an Admiral?"
Another officer quickly countered.
"How laughable! Are you afraid of Whitebeard?"
"You're already terrified over a mere Fire Fist Ace and worried about provoking war with pirates?"
"When did our Marines become this pathetic?!"
A white-mustached Vice Admiral roared angrily. Though already old, he was a well-known hardliner within the Marines.
"Impulsiveness solves nothing."
"It only makes the world situation even more complicated."
A calm voice responded.
Watching the heated debate erupt among the Vice Admirals as multiple factions argued fiercely back and forth, Sengoku's brows gradually tightened, and his expression became increasingly unpleasant.
"In my opinion, we should capture Fire Fist Ace and use it as an opportunity!"
"To launch a war against the Whitebeard Pirates and completely take down this Yonko crew, the oldest and most famous force among the Four Emperors!"
"Only by doing so can we intimidate the pirates of the entire world and truly demonstrate the might of the Marines!"
"That is the best solution to this matter!"
The powerful and resolute voice echoed through the conference hall as Sengoku looked forward.
The one who spoke was a middle-aged Vice Admiral with steadfast, determined eyes. His proposal also happened to align somewhat with Sengoku's own thoughts.
"And your reasoning?"
Sengoku asked calmly.
"First, officers of a Yonko crew do not often travel alone. Whatever the reason behind Fire Fist Ace acting independently, this is a rare opportunity for the Marines. The probability of successfully capturing him is extremely high!"
"Second, among the Four Emperors, Whitebeard may possess the greatest reputation and overwhelming strength. He is known as the World's Strongest Man and is one of the three legendary great pirates."
"But he is old now."
"As time has passed, the hidden injuries he accumulated in his youth can no longer be suppressed. Our informants have brought back intelligence."
"The legendary pirate now relies on IV drips every day just to maintain his life."
"In other words, he may once have been the strongest man…"
The Vice Admiral paused before smiling faintly.
"But now? Perhaps not anymore."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes and began carefully considering the statement.
"Third, the Whitebeard Pirates lack worthy successors."
"Their commanders may possess seniority and considerable strength, but compared to the officers of the other Emperor crews, they are not necessarily superior."
"If we possess enough courage, there is a very high chance that we can take down this aging pride of lions!"
The Vice Admiral chuckled softly.
"An aging pride of lions?"
Sengoku repeated the phrase.
At first, he instinctively resisted the description, but the more he thought about it, the more fitting it seemed. In the end, he even laughed quietly himself.
Whitebeard was already nearing the twilight of his life.
Yet among his subordinates, there was no truly outstanding figure capable of inheriting the massive empire he had built.
Compared to the other three Emperor crews, still in their prime and at the height of their power, the contrast was indeed obvious.
"Then what about the actual capture plan for Fire Fist Ace?" Sengoku's expression eased somewhat as he asked.
Targeting the Whitebeard Pirates truly was not a bad proposal.
And if matters reached that stage, he indeed possessed enough resolve to wage an all-out war against one of the Yonko crews.
Through that battle, he could leave behind one final glorious achievement in his career as Fleet Admiral, while simultaneously shocking the world and opening the door to a new era.
One could easily imagine it:
If one of the Yonko crews were eliminated under his leadership, then the future Fleet Admiral would undoubtedly find it far easier to control the seas.
"Fire Fist Ace rose from a rookie two years ago to the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates in such a short time. That alone proves his talent and strength cannot be underestimated."
"Therefore, I believe the Marines should devise a precise strategy focused on ambushes and overwhelming force."
"If we strike, then we must strike with thunderous power and completely subdue him in a single move."
"As for the personnel involved, I suggest…"
Before the Vice Admiral could finish speaking, Sengoku suddenly frowned and looked toward the conference room doors.
"Tap tap tap tap!"
Hurried footsteps echoed from outside, causing every officer present to show expressions of displeasure and anger.
A major Marine conference was absolutely not something anyone was allowed to interrupt.
"Bang!"
The next second, the conference room doors were pushed open.
A young field officer stood there in formal uniform, gripping the handles with both hands.
As he saw the gathered admirals and Vice Admirals all staring directly at him, his body visibly trembled.
Without question, being simultaneously gazed upon by the top brass of the Marines created terrifying pressure.
But soon, he gritted his teeth and forced himself to meet everyone's eyes. Because the news he was about to announce would shake the entire Navy Headquarters.
"R-Reporting to Fleet Admiral Sengoku! We have just received a message from Impel Down!"
"A-Admiral K-Kojin has come out!"
He took a deep breath and shouted loudly.
"Admiral Kojin has come out!"
"Admiral… has come out!"
"Come out…!"
The echoes lingered endlessly within the room.
Suddenly, the entire conference hall fell into absolute silence. It became so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.
The expressions on every face rapidly changed.
Some showed fear.
Some were shocked.
Some became blank and dazed.
Others looked numb.
And some revealed unmistakable excitement.
Even Sengoku himself, upon hearing that name, a name that had nearly faded into oblivion, became momentarily absent-minded.
His entire body stiffened for a moment, as though his mind had stopped functioning.
Then suddenly, he jolted violently and stared fixedly at the young officer before him.
"You mean… Kojin?"
The officer nodded heavily.
"Yes! Admiral Kojin!"
"Half an hour ago, he departed aboard an Impel Down supply battleship together with the former captain of the Sun Pirates, Fisher Tiger, his former subordinate Colonel Buggy, and a woman named Kuina!"
"It can be confirmed that this is Admiral Kojin's first departure from Impel Down in over ten years!"
The young officer's voice trembled with excitement, causing the hearts of the assembled admirals to beat faster as well.
At this moment, Sengoku silently clenched his fists.
That man…
Had finally returned.
(End of Chapter)