Marine Headquarters · Marineford
Knock knock knock!
The office door was tapped.
"Come in."
"Admiral Kong, you wanted to see me?"
Brigadier Sengoku pushed the door open and gave a military salute.
Inside the office, the current Marine Admiral "Steel Bone" Kong sat behind his desk reviewing a document.
When he saw Sengoku enter, he set the report down with a faint smile and gestured for him to come closer.
"Sengoku, perfect timing. Take a look at this."
He slid the document across the desk.
Sengoku stepped forward and picked up the report. The cover bore an urgent stamp along with the name of the G10 Branch.
"After the last strategic meeting, you were assigned to coordinate the follow-up tracking of the Jellyfish Pirates. This report was rushed over from G10. The intelligence department has already conducted a preliminary analysis. Take a look first."
Sengoku nodded and quickly scanned the report.
He read extremely fast. After a short while, the calm expression on his face gradually turned serious.
"Finished reading? Tell me what you think."
Kong leaned slightly back in his chair, waiting for the analysis of the young brigadier known for his strategic mind.
Sengoku placed the report down and organized his thoughts briefly.
"The situation is becoming more complicated."
"First, regarding Mushroom Tyrant Morris. According to the report from Colonel Ronald of G10, as well as the testimony of the soldiers present, Morris's combat performance on Rongrong Island far exceeds his original bounty of forty-three million berries."
"Especially his ability to manipulate giant fungi using the island's environment. That level of combat power shouldn't be underestimated."
He paused before continuing.
"He was able to severely injure—or even defeat—Colonel Ronald in direct combat. That alone proves his strength."
"So it isn't surprising that Sami took interest in him. A Devil Fruit user capable of that level of power would be an extremely attractive addition to any pirate crew seeking expansion."
"If Sami truly manages to recruit Morris, the Fungus-Fungus Fruit will significantly enhance the Jellyfish Pirates' ability to create chaos, control territory, and dominate battles in specialized terrain."
Kong raised an eyebrow.
"Is that all?"
"Not quite."
Sengoku pushed up his glasses and walked toward the Grand Line map on the wall.
His finger moved across several locations:
Drum Kingdom → Alabasta → Jaya → Rongrong Island
Finally, it stopped.
"Combining the intelligence gathered at Jaya Island a few days ago with this new information from Rongrong Island, we can now determine the Jellyfish Pirates' destination."
"They are heading to Skypiea."
"This also explains why Sami deviated from the main route."
Sengoku turned to face Kong.
"But this raises another question."
"Did he choose this route merely because of a bet with local pirates…?"
"Or is there something on the sky islands that is attracting him?"
"That is the part I find most puzzling."
"The High West route is extremely dangerous—almost a path with a ninety percent chance of death."
"For Riberra Sami to risk taking this route, his goal cannot simply be to win a ridiculous wager."
"There must be something on the sky islands that we don't know about—something valuable enough to justify such a risk."
"Unfortunately, the sky islands remain a blind spot in the Marine intelligence network. We possess very little information about them."
Kong slowly nodded, his expression turning more solemn.
"That's exactly what concerns me."
"Sami's actions appear flamboyant on the surface, but every step he takes has a clear practical objective."
"First, he went to Drum Kingdom for medical resources."
"Then he rescued his crew member in Alabasta, consolidating his forces."
"And now he's targeting the sky islands."
His gaze sharpened.
"His actions follow a pattern—purposeful and predatory."
"To choose a high-risk route abandoned for decades means he must believe the reward is worth the gamble."
"I agree with that assessment," Sengoku replied as he returned to the desk.
"We currently lack enough intelligence to determine Sami's exact objective."
"But one thing is certain."
"This journey to the sky islands is not a whim."
"The Jellyfish Pirates are a crew with clear strategic goals, strong organization, and aggressive expansion ambitions."
"Even though they are still operating in the first half of the Grand Line, we cannot lower our guard."
Kong's expression grew even more serious.
"Indeed."
"The G10 Branch suffered heavy losses in this incident. The loss of the Seastone shackles is an especially grave matter."
"The strength and danger of Sami's crew must be addressed immediately."
He looked directly at Sengoku.
"So tell me—based on the intelligence we have now—how should we respond?"
Sengoku answered without hesitation.
"First, we must significantly increase Morris's bounty."
"This reflects both his true combat ability and the increased threat posed by Sami's interest in recruiting him."
"I recommend raising it to over seventy million berries."
"Second, we should simultaneously increase the bounties of the other key members of the Jellyfish Pirates—especially Riberra Sami—based on his recent activities and the growing threat of the crew as a whole."
Sengoku clenched his fist slightly, the joints cracking softly.
"We must send a clear signal to the world."
"The Marines will not allow a pirate crew with this level of organization and growth potential to expand unchecked."
"Finally, we should order the G10 Branch and all nearby Marine units to heighten their vigilance."
"If the Jellyfish Pirates are sighted, priority should be given to reporting and tracking—while avoiding unnecessary direct confrontation."
Kong nodded approvingly as he listened.
"Your proposal is solid. It follows standard response procedures."
He paused.
"But… I have a slightly different idea."
Sengoku blinked in surprise.
"Admiral Kong?"
Kong stood up and walked toward the window, gazing out at the busy Marineford harbor.
"Sami is clearly determined to reach the sky islands."
"There may be secrets there that we know nothing about."
"That route is dangerous, yes—but judging from the strength and navigation skills they've displayed, their chances of success are not low."
He crossed his arms.
"It's been decades since we last had meaningful contact with the sky islands."
"If not for Riberra Sami, we might have forgotten they even existed."
"What exactly lies there…?"
"And what exactly is Sami searching for?"
He turned around sharply, his eyes blazing with intensity.
"Perhaps we should… take a more proactive approach."
Sengoku seemed to realize something.
"You mean…?"
Kong returned to his desk and clasped his hands together.
"Send an undercover agent."
"Sami publicly declared his intention to recruit Morris. That statement itself is a signal."
"It shows his ambition to expand. It also demonstrates the Jellyfish Pirates' willingness to accept new members."
"That's a posture."
"A threat."
"And… an opportunity."
Sengoku frowned immediately.
"That's extremely dangerous."
"The core cohesion of the Jellyfish Pirates is very strong. Infiltrating them recklessly has a low success rate. And if the agent is exposed, the consequences could be catastrophic."
"The risk exists," Kong admitted calmly.
"But it's worth attempting."
Based on their route and timing, the Jellyfish Pirates would most likely stop next at Kikraze Island after leaving Rongrong Island.
"I'll choose the candidate personally," Kong continued.
"They will appear there under a believable identity and create an opportunity to be recruited."
"The first step is to update the next batch of bounty posters."
"Not only will we significantly increase the bounties of Morris and the Jellyfish Pirates' key members…"
"…we will also include several undercover agents with new bounty posters."
Kong stepped closer to Sengoku.
"These agents must be carefully selected."
"They must have flawless backgrounds."
"They must be capable—but not too conspicuous."
"And most importantly…"
"They must possess the resolve to sacrifice themselves for justice."
"I will also arrange additional support on the island to increase their chances of joining the Jellyfish Pirates."
"If the infiltration succeeds, we will gain first-hand intelligence on the Jellyfish Pirates and their sky island expedition."
"The value of that information would far exceed a simple military crackdown."
Sengoku fell into deep thought.
He knew Kong's plan was bold.
But it was not unreasonable.
"I understand," Sengoku finally said with a nod.
"Then how should we coordinate the bounty updates with the infiltration plan?"
"Two fronts—light and shadow," Kong replied as he picked up his pen.
"The bounty updates will be released as usual."
"The infiltration plan will begin in secret."
"I will personally select the agents and draft the plan."
"You will coordinate with the branches, strengthen monitoring in the surrounding seas, and provide intelligence support and extraction contingencies for the operation."
"Yes, sir!"
----------------◇ Bonus Chapter Reward◇-----------------------
Every 10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ Every 100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◇ You can read 60 chapters ahead on Patreon if you're interested:
patreon.com/Luna023
Your support helps the story grow and motivates faster updates.