While Ash and his companions explored Water Seven, somewhere far from their journey, Marine Headquarters — Marineford stood tall under azure skies.
Inside Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office, Vice Admiral Tsuru had just returned to headquarters. She sat calmly, black tea steaming in a porcelain cup, as she reviewed two official documents spread across Sengoku's polished desk.
One was an official Letter of Appointment for the Seven Warlords of the Sea that Ash had requested. The other was a newly printed bounty poster with a fresh frontal photograph of Ash, though the bounty amount was not yet filled in.
Tsuru took a delicate sip of her tea, inspecting the photo and documents with a satisfied expression.
"That photo is actually quite good, he's smiling brightly," she said softly, gaze lingering on Ash's cheerful expression. "Was this taken in Gourmet City?"
Sengoku nodded, resting his hands on the desk.
"It seems Morgans predicted we would reach out to Ash ahead of time," he explained. "That fellow managed to send this frontal photo to us before we even officially requested it. I suspect Morgans guessed that we planned to offer Ash a position among the Seven Warlords. That man truly knows how to seize an opportunity."
Tsuru set down her cup calmly.
"Well at least he understands how to curry favor with the Marines," she said thoughtfully. "Though in truth, it wasn't entirely surprising that Morgans anticipated our intentions. You mobilized nearly all Marine forces from the first half of the Grand Line to search for him, a far greater effort than when we hunted Moriah."
Sengoku raised an eyebrow at that, interest piqued.
Tsuru continued, "The World Economic Journal, bearing the name 'World,' possesses immense intelligence capabilities. It is very likely that the World Government exerts some influence over the Journal."
Sengoku frowned thoughtfully.
"You mean because of our actions, the World Government might also be keeping an eye on Ash? Are you suggesting they secretly control the World Economic Journal?"
Tsuru shook her head gently.
"That would be too much to say," she replied. "We can only determine that they have some degree of political influence, but not total control. The World Economic Journal's management likely has its own convictions and pride in its voice. Morgans may not want to let that influence be usurped by outside factions."
Sengoku listened, absorbing the reasoning.
His eyes darkened slightly as Tsuru mentioned the Celestial Dragons, though he stayed composed. He had a long history with the World Government's noblest class, and thinking on it always left a bitter taste.
Wanting to keep the conversation productive, Sengoku changed the topic.
"After your face‑to‑face conversation with him… what are your impressions?"
Tsuru set her teacup down with precision and smiled, eyes sharp with thought.
"In what sense?"
"In everything," Sengoku said.
Tsuru nodded seriously.
"I can generally guess what you might have expected, but just as we originally suspected, it seems unlikely that Ash would willingly join the Marines."
Sengoku's eyes did not hide his frustration.
"Is there absolutely no chance at all? Is he hunting pirates simply for the bounties? Does he have no belief in justice at all?" he asked, voice firm.
It was no secret that Sengoku refused to give up easily. At that moment in history, the Marines were arguably the greatest military force to ever exist.
The older generation — those who had fought and shaped Marine history — included Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Hero Garp, Chief of Staff Tsuru, and Marine Chief Instructor Zephyr.
The current Admirals were fearsome monsters in their own right, among the strongest fighters in the world: Borsalino (Kizaru), Sakazuki (Akainu), and Kuzan (Aokiji), each possessing extraordinary Devil Fruit powers and fearsome combat prowess.
Following the timeskip, new Admirals like Issho (Fujitora) and Aramaki (Ryokugyu) were later appointed, but during Ash's timeline the original trio were still central figures of Marine strength.
Yet despite such overwhelming power within their ranks, the Marines faced a dire situation: a shortage of fresh successors.
The youngest member of the elder generation, Zephyr, was already 65 and afflicted by illness which severely diminished his stamina. Although some officers like Garp and Tsuru still retained formidable combat abilities, none could escape the effects of age. Meanwhile the Admirals, though fearsome, were already middle‑aged and nearing the peak or plateau of their own development.
Among the younger generation, very few stood out as true potential in Marine lore. Smoker was one of the few notable officers, yet even he struggled with mastering techniques such as Haki. Sengoku saw in Ash a rare individual with exceptional natural ability and unmatched potential — someone who lacked alignment with pirate ideology and who had performed astounding feats at a very young age.
After all, this boy had defeated two Captains of the Giant Soldier Pirates, both with 100 million‑berry bounties, and obliterated a pirate gathering stronghold all on his own — achievements virtually unheard of for someone only thirteen years old.
If Ash truly committed himself to Marine service, Sengoku believed he could become the greatest officer of the next era.
Yet Ash refused.
Tsuru's expression softened with memory.
"While we did not explicitly discuss joining the Marines, I sensed that he harbors a great deal of dissatisfaction toward the organization."
Sengoku leaned forward slightly.
"Dissatisfaction?" he prompted. "Is it because of the North Blue…"
"No," Tsuru replied quickly.
Tsuru clasped her hands together thoughtfully.
"During our casual conversation, he repeatedly used phrases like 'Justice That Wavers' and 'Justice Judged by Its Purpose,' to mock the Marines' proclaimed values," she explained. "On that matter, honestly… I found it impossible to refute his perspective without contradicting Marine principles."
Sengoku exhaled, silent for a moment.
Tsuru continued.
"I directly asked him what his definition of justice was, since he dismissed Marine justice so readily."
Sengoku tilted his head, intrigued.
"What did he say?"
Tsuru leaned back into her seat, becoming more relaxed as she spoke.
"He said, and I quote… he is not a savior. He said he would not shed his blood and sacrifice himself for everyone in the world. He does not owe anything to this world — he simply wants to live his life well."
Sengoku's jaw tightened.
Tsuru continued, "He said that while he wants to live freely according to his own will, if he sees injustice, he will act. If he sees scum, he will eliminate it. He does not need anyone's approval or recognition. He only needs to maintain a clear conscience."
She paused, smiling slightly at Sengoku.
"A clear conscience," she repeated. "How annoying, for a kid."
Sengoku closed his eyes and let out a quiet breath.