Fleet Admiral's office.
Tsuru looked at the two men in front of her, their mouths wide open in shock. She couldn't help but smile, found a place to sit down, and slowly sipped her tea.
"Hmm, good black tea."
"Wait, wait, wait..."
Garp scratched his head, a look of surprise on his face, and confirmed, "Even though I don't understand anything about politics, are you serious about what you just said, Tsuru-chan?"
He knew Tsuru too well.
Although Tsuru usually had a kind and gentle face, and treated the Marine soldiers like a gentle elder, she was actually a Marine Headquarters Grand Staff Officer whose strategies and tactics were no less than Sengoku's!
Join "them"?
In other words, let the Marines join the Four Seas Alliance?
This kind of proposal, which seemed like actively asking for peace, didn't seem like something Tsuru, who was known for being "forceful," would suggest.
But Sengoku, who was beside her, also knew that Tsuru wasn't the kind of person who liked to joke. There must be a reason for her saying this.
Sengoku sat opposite on the sofa and placed the information he had in his hand on the table. It was all the information about the Four Seas Alliance that had been collected from various places.
"Tell me the details, Tsuru-chan."
Tsuru glanced at the information and asked Sengoku in return, "What do you think the 'Four Seas Alliance' really is?"
"At this stage, it's a business group."
Sengoku spread out a sea chart, which outlined the current range of influence of the Four Seas Alliance.
"Centered on the superpower Alabasta, one fixed sea route connects the medical country Drum Island, and another air route connects Sky Island. In addition, according to what you reported to me earlier, they also have the ability to communicate with fish-men, so it's possible that they have dealings with Fish-Man Island."
Sengoku analyzed, "Therefore, the Four Seas Alliance should be a business group with great potential and some ability to develop into an armed force."
Tsuru narrowed her eyes and continued to ask, "Then, what about now?"
"Currently..."
Sengoku thought for a moment and replied, "It's a business group led by Alabasta, which has established two fixed routes."
Tsuru nodded, agreeing with Sengoku's analysis.
"In that case, isn't the Four Seas Alliance a good thing?"
Tsuru spread out the documents on the table, "As far as I know, the current King of Drum Kingdom, Wapol, can't be considered a good king. He even did stupid things like banning civilians from conducting medical research, almost ruining the reputation of the medical country."
"But after joining the Four Seas Alliance, the Drum Kingdom's medical research institute was reopened. Even with the establishment of fixed routes, the exchange between Drum Kingdom and Alabasta has become closer, and the prosperity of the medical research institute is even greater than before."
"As for the benefits that other business exchanges bring to the people of the two countries, such as the exchange of resources and economy from various places, I don't need to say more, right?"
Tsuru picked up another document.
"Speaking of Sky Island, it was originally an island that was extremely difficult to reach. Many people on the Grand Line even think it's just a legend."
"In addition to some historical problems, even the Marines can't easily land on that island."
"Now, the Four Seas Alliance has established a relatively safe fixed route. In theory, anyone can go to Sky Island, and the people of Sky Island can easily come to the Blue Sea. Isn't this a good thing?"
Hearing this, Sengoku shook his head decisively.
"No, it's not."
He indeed had plenty of reasons.
"The original Sky Island can be considered a natural barrier. If you navigate according to the record pointer, you can't reach the next island, thus blocking many pirates who wanted to continue moving forward."
"Opening up fixed routes means that more pirates can continue forward."
"And most importantly, the Four Seas Alliance is fully capable of relying on Sky Island to build a defensive line that is extremely difficult to break through. It's simply a natural floating fortress!"
Hearing this, Tsuru nodded with a smile, and concluded:
"So, Sengoku, you're worried about 'what might happen'."
Sengoku paused and nodded, "Yes."
Tsuru crossed her arms over her chest, leaned back on the sofa, and stared at Sengoku.
"In that case, we just need to try our best to erase that 'possibility', right?"
"Erase the possibility?"
Sengoku didn't quite understand, "What should we do?"
Tsuru pointed to Alabasta on the sea chart and smiled, "Establish a Marine branch specifically in Alabasta."
"Hmm?"
As soon as she said this, not only Sengoku, but even Garp, who was beside him, was intrigued.
Tsuru continued, "And this Marine branch will join the Four Seas Alliance as the representative of the Marines."
Garp didn't understand even more, but Sengoku followed Tsuru's train of thought and roughly figured out some things.
"Tsuru-chan, do you mean to let the Marines take the initiative to contact the Four Seas Alliance and provide assistance in exchange for understanding the internal movements of the Four Seas Alliance, and try to prevent them from developing into an organization similar to the Revolutionary Army?"
Tsuru nodded with satisfaction and smiled, "It seems that being in a high position hasn't rusted your brain, Sengoku."
Faced with the teasing of her old comrade, Sengoku smiled helplessly, but he still had many questions in his heart.
The solution proposed by Tsuru was indeed very reasonable, and it could even be said to be the most advantageous solution for the Marines at this stage under non-war conditions.
But to implement this solution, there must be a prerequisite:
The Four Seas Alliance must agree.
The Marines want to establish a Marine branch within the core of the Four Seas Alliance?!
Regardless of the purpose of doing so, at first glance, this proposal is almost tantamount to "provocation"!
Sengoku said in a deep voice, "The Four Seas Alliance is impossible to accept, right?"
"Why not accept it?"
Tsuru asked in return, "The Four Seas Alliance wants to establish fixed routes, so they must deal with the threat of pirates."
"I guess their initial solution should be to rely on powerful personal combat power to solve the pirates, forming an inherent deterrent."
"But this sea is too big, and there are too many reckless pirate kids. It will take a long time to form an inherent deterrent."
"And speaking of deterrence to pirates, there should be no one bigger than the Marines on this sea."
"Establishing a Marine branch is conducive to deterring the pirates in the surrounding sea areas and accelerating the speed of establishing fixed routes. The Four Seas Alliance has no reason to reject us."
Hearing this, Sengoku pondered for a moment and shook his head, "This is just at the level of interests. In fact, the Four Seas Alliance may not want the Marines to interfere."
"Having interests is enough,"
Tsuru knocked on the table, "Don't forget your judgment, the Four Seas Alliance is a business group."
"It's a business group with 'leadership'," Sengoku added.
And both Sengoku and Tsuru knew who was leading the Four Seas Alliance.
Is it Alabasta?
No.
It's Ryan Rowan!
"He will agree," Tsuru replied with a smile.
Sengoku nodded decisively. He believed in Tsuru's judgment, so he didn't hesitate and directly began to consider suitable candidates.
"To establish a new Marine branch, who among the Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals is suitable?"
After all, it was a major matter, and it was also about contacting that emperor from eight hundred years ago. According to Sengoku's character, he would probably choose old-fashioned Vice Admirals with certain political brains, such as Onigumo and Fire Fist.
But Tsuru's voice interrupted Sengoku's train of thought.
"Don't think so much, Sengoku."
Tsuru drank her black tea and slowly said, "It's just establishing a Marine branch. Follow the normal procedure, don't have any special treatment, and don't have any extra purpose."
The normal procedure is for the Marine Headquarters to recommend a Vice Admiral to be sent out.
Sengoku was stunned, "But that doesn't guarantee who will be selected. What if..."
In fact, Sengoku was being a little evasive.
Because the assignment of Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals is not a good job, let alone the hard work of building a brand-new Marine branch from scratch.
If the local country secretly made things difficult, it would probably take several years to improve.
Therefore, Sengoku was not even sure if anyone would be willing to go!
As for treasures like Onigumo, Fire Fist, and Ghost Spider? Sengoku was also reluctant to let them go.
"Don't be so serious, Sengoku. Being too serious is your biggest weakness."
Tsuru finished her black tea and stood up, "There is no 'what if'. This is just a cooperation that is currently beneficial to both parties."
Accompanied by Garp, Tsuru walked towards the door.
At the end, she turned her head with a smile and said, "If it's that emperor, he will probably smile gently and then nod in agreement."
...
"Hahahaha, Ms. Tsuru's proposal is very reasonable. I agree."
On the throne of Alubarna Palace, Rowan smiled and nodded to the Marine intelligence officer who came to seek his opinion, and signed the confirmation letter with a pen.
The latest branch established by the Marines is officially confirmed to be built on the Alabasta coastline!
After the Marine intelligence officer left, Crocodile and Cobra both expressed their incomprehension.
In their view, the original intention of the Four Seas Alliance was to avoid the restrictions of the World Government. How could they be cooperating with the Marines now?
"'Marines' are not a whole!"
Rowan waved his hand and said with a smile:
"Individuals have both good and evil thoughts, let alone a behemoth like the Marines?"
"Moreover, the World Government and the Marines are two different things."
"An enemy's friend is not necessarily an enemy."
"What's more..."
"Why wouldn't we want the troops that are sent to our door?"
Rowan fiddled with the sand and muttered in a low voice.
"So, what kind of Marine will come?"
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