Rayleigh. Gaban. Sol.
All three—remnants of the Roger Pirates.
Yet, when it came to symbolic weight, their executions could never compare to Whitebeard, who fell in battle, or Fire Fist Ace—the last remnant of the Pirate King's bloodline.
That said, publicly executing Rayleigh, Gaban, and Sol would still send shockwaves across the seas.
And that was the point of public execution—to make a statement.
But the problem was—
These three shared an inextricable bond with Maude.
If the Marines were to announce the execution of Rayleigh, Gaban, and Sol, there was no doubt that Maude would retaliate with overwhelming force.
Even Red-Haired Shanks would never stand idly by.
In such a scenario, Marine Headquarters would once again be forced to gather troops from all corners of the world—or initiate a new Global Conscription—to prepare for an all-out assault from both the Maude Pirates and the Red-Hair Pirates.
Thanks to their terrain and resources, the Marines had confidence they could use the public execution as bait to wipe out all enemies at once—including the Maude Pirates.
But if the Red-Hair Pirates joined the fray… the outcome would become far less certain.
Even if victory were achieved, it would come at a cost the Marines could never afford.
After the war at Marineford, the primary goal of the Marines should have been to recover and rebuild, gathering strength to preserve peace.
Provoking the wrath of both the Maude Pirates and the Red-Hair Pirates at such a fragile juncture would be nothing short of reckless.
Not to mention—Maude held the lives of three Celestial Dragons in his hands.
Even if Akainu was hellbent on eradicating every last criminal, the World Government would never back such a move.
That much—
"You know just as well as I do, Sakazuki."
Vice Admiral Tsuru lifted her gaze toward the impassive face of Akainu seated at the head of the table, the thought echoing in her mind.
The situation left them with precious few options when it came to dealing with Rayleigh, Gaban, and Sol.
And by bringing up this issue now, Akainu was clearly signaling a willingness to risk everything.
Sengoku, seated beside Vice Admiral Tsuru, shared her opinion.
"Since the arrest of Rayleigh, Gaban, and Sol has been completely suppressed from public knowledge, there's no need to stir up more trouble. We should simply imprison them in secret."
With most of the room still silent, the former Fleet Admiral proposed the most stable and measured course of action.
Akainu showed no visible reaction.
Even though his extreme tendencies had been somewhat restrained since becoming Fleet Admiral, a suggestion as cautious as Sengoku's wasn't one he was likely to accept.
Instead of responding, Akainu waited for the others to speak.
"I agree with the Grand Inspector. Secretly imprisoning them is the best route. Given their close ties to the Maude Pirates and Red-Hair Pirates, making their capture public would—"
"Caution is good. But too much caution is cowardice."
"Cowardice? Are you saying we should make this public and invite the wrath of both the Maude and Red-Hair Pirates?!"
"Why not? If we could defeat the Whitebeard Pirates at Marineford, we can do the same to Maude and Red-Hair!"
"Idiot! Clearly, your brain is made of nothing but muscle!"
"What did you say?!"
With just a few words, the meeting room erupted into arguments between Marine officers.
Soon, the room was sharply divided between two camps: one advocating bold action, the other urging restraint.
Watching his colleagues argue heatedly below, Akainu remained still, his face devoid of expression. He simply listened in silence.
Vice Admiral Tsuru didn't join the fray either. Like Akainu, she waited.
And once the heated emotions had mostly burned out, she finally spoke up:
"Rayleigh, Gaban, and Sol are sensitive figures. Whatever course we take, we can't ignore the fact that Maude holds the lives of three Celestial Dragons in his hands."
"…"
Her words landed with weight.
Only now did many in the room recall the crucial detail they had overlooked.
In just a few seconds, the room fell silent.
And then—Akainu finally spoke.
"Then it all depends… on which side values their 'hostages' more. Whichever side loses its cool first… forfeits the initiative."
"And what exactly do you intend to do?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at him calmly.
Akainu took a deep breath. The embers on his cigar flared bright, and thick smoke poured from his mouth and nose.
"You're the Chief Strategist. I want to hear your thoughts first."
"…"
Tsuru fell silent, lowering her eyes in thought. Her expression turned contemplative.
Everyone in the room now turned to her, waiting.
Seconds passed.
Then she looked up at Akainu and said:
"While we secretly imprison Rayleigh, Gaban, and Sol… we announce to the world that all three fell in battle—killed by Bullet."
"Hmm!?"
Akainu's brow twitched imperceptibly, and others in the room blinked in surprise.
But Tsuru remained composed.
Sengoku looked at her, stroking his chin as he considered the implications.
The battle that broke out on Sabaody Archipelago had been brutal. Compared to suppressing the news entirely…
Announcing their "deaths" would carry more credibility—and it could redirect Maude's fury toward the Demon Heir, Douglas Bullet, especially with the Maude Pirates already declaring war on Big Mom and Kaido.
In doing so, the already volatile balance in the New World would be thrown into complete chaos.
Meanwhile, the Marines could remain safely on the sidelines, playing the waiting game, striking when opportunity arose.
"Rather than handing over the 'hostages' to Big Mom or Kaido to accelerate the conflict," Sengoku murmured, "Tsuru's proposal may be more stable. By announcing their 'deaths,' we remove ourselves from the equation."
"At the very least, it keeps the fire from reaching our doorstep."
"Still… considering the existence of Vivre Cards, this strategy would need careful planning and adjustment."
He glanced toward Tsuru again.
Success was far from guaranteed.
But if it worked—
All they had to do was sit back and let the Maude Pirates clash with Bullet, Big Mom, or Kaido. With the "hostages" still in their hands, the Marines could continue to manipulate events from the shadows.
The only risk—
Just as Akainu had said—how much does Maude value those 'hostages'?
Would the news of their "deaths" push him past the breaking point?
If so—
That was exactly the outcome Marine Headquarters was hoping for.
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