Bullet was a lone wolf, and after a grueling battle with Straw Hat Luffy, he would certainly be exhausted and without any backup. If the Marines took the opportunity to strike, they should be able to capture him. It seemed like a fantastic assignment. However, Kizaru had no desire to run errands for the Marines; he found such missions to be thankless. Furthermore, a lunatic like Bullet might fight with his dying breath, and there was no way to file for a work injury in the middle of a war.
He could not go. He absolutely could not go.
"Sakazuki... Marshal, I have some thoughts," Kizaru began, hoping to deflect.
Akainu suddenly cut him off. "Borsalino, this operation is extremely dangerous. I believe the officers who accept this mission should be eligible for a substantial bonus. It will not be a low amount. What do you think?"
Kizaru was stunned for a moment. He looked at Akainu in utter disbelief. Since when had Akainu become so generous?
Akainu continued, "However, since Borsalino has been so busy lately, I will send Isshō instead. With Isshō's strength, it will be no trouble for him to ambush a weakened Bullet. I will personally ensure Isshō receives a generous bonus for his efforts."
Kizaru was left speechless. Why did such profitable missions never come his way before? Was the Marshal playing him?
Fujitora, also known as Isshō, smiled. "Thank you, Marshal. But I believe having two Admirals would be much safer. Bullet is a very dangerous character; caution is only natural. Also, the New World is volatile. I think it would be best to have an Admiral guarding the region. Since I am heading there, I will stay stationed in Dressrosa."
Kizaru immediately flashed a "great job" expression toward Fujitora, though the blind Admiral could not see it.
"Isshō is right," Kizaru quickly chimed in. "Let me accompany Isshō. Bullet is too dangerous. To capture him in one fell swoop, two Admirals are absolutely necessary."
Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, Ghost Spider, Onigumo, and the others could not help but roll their eyes. Admiral Kizaru never changed.
Akainu scolded them with a faint smirk. "Fine, fine, go! But if you fail to capture him, neither of you will receive a single Berry in bonuses!"
Kizaru did not care about the threat. He draped an arm around Fujitora's shoulder and guided him out of the room, both of them acting like old friends. Meanwhile, Aramaki sat in his seat with a melancholy expression, feeling completely left out.
Green Bull thought: The Marine executives are still playing this cold game of silence. It is truly speechless.
Just after Kizaru and Fujitora departed, a new issue arose.
"After Doflamingo and Trebol were arrested, there is another vacancy in the Seven Warlords of the Sea," Akainu announced. "Bartholomew Kuma can no longer hold his post. Today, we must discuss who should be selected to fill the spot."
As soon as he spoke, the entire office fell silent. Akainu felt a deep sense of helplessness. He personally loathed the Warlord system, but the World Government refused to abolish it. Instead, they forced him to recruit replacements, which left him both angry and frustrated.
Sengoku asked softly, "Sakazuki, is that why you were smiling earlier?"
Akainu nodded. "Isshō once submitted a formal request to abolish the Warlord system, but I suppressed it for the time being. The World Government would never agree. Now that the seas operate under a structure of six major powers, the Marines alone cannot compete with the multiple Emperors clashing with one another. The Warlord system must be preserved for now."
Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru sighed. The Warlord system was a disgrace to the Marines, yet it had to continue. They only hoped the situation would not cause too much damage to Isshō's integrity. If he resigned over this, it would be a massive loss for the Marines.
Aramaki shrugged. "Since it is the decision of the World Government, we should firmly support it. Why all the doubt and objection? If you do not agree with Isshō's path, just let him go."
When everyone heard this, they could not help but roll their eyes. They realized their ideals were worlds apart. Aramaki's "Absolute Justice" was built on flattering the Celestial Dragons, but they were not like that. They served to protect the Celestial Dragons, but they viewed them as nothing more than pigs and had no desire to serve them. That was why everyone preferred Isshō; his sense of justice was pure and admirable.
The meeting dragged on, but after a long discussion, no suitable candidates could be found. The gap was too large, and there were simply no individuals strong enough to fill the void. The matter had to be shelved for the time being.
Within a few days, many factions gathered in the New World, all heading toward the Straw Hat crew. The Straw Hats did not bother to hide their location and sailed openly. Anyone with enough money could find them, though not everyone knew Bullet was hunting them, and few dared to watch such a dangerous confrontation.
Knowing that Luffy was about to fight Bullet, the Straw Hats settled on a deserted island. They prepared a massive feast for Luffy, treating it as battle preparation. As long as Luffy was well-fed, he was fully ready to fight.
They had only been on the island for a day when visitors began to arrive one after another. First came Mihawk, then Crocodile and Mr. 1, followed by a crowd of strangers—likely scouts sent by major forces to observe the battle or pursue their own agendas. To the Straw Hats' surprise, Ah Cai, Eddie, and Leo also arrived. Although Luffy had never officially allowed them to become his subordinates, they had acted as his "little brothers" on their own accord, even attacking Totto Land to cover for the Straw Hats.
Luffy felt a headache coming on the moment he saw them. However, he appreciated their good intentions, so he invited them to eat and drink as a sign of gratitude.
"Mihawk, do you want a drink?" Carl asked, taking the initiative.
"Very well," Mihawk replied. To everyone's surprise, the proud swordsman agreed directly. He walked over, unhooked his black blade, Yoru, and took a seat without any ceremony.
Zoro and Law both gripped their sword hilts, their fighting spirits flaring, but Mihawk merely glanced at them without saying a word.
Tashigi stared at the black blade, Yoru, with an obsessed look in her eyes. "It is one of the only twelve Supreme Grade swords in the world. It is known as the strongest black blade in the world!"
Mihawk heard her and shifted his gaze to Tashigi. He focused on the three swords strapped to her waist.
"Wado Ichimonji? And Shigure?" Mihawk mused. "I underestimated you for owning such famous blades at a young age. Tashigi, I have heard about you defeating Charlotte Armand. You are quite a talented seedling."
It was rare for Mihawk to speak so many words at once.
Tashigi replied, "Actually, I have others. I had a blade damaged by the Rust-Rust Fruit during the Summit War, but after defeating Armand, I claimed the famous sword, White Fish."
------------------------
While this story unfolds here chapter by chapter, the complete journey—from beginning to end—is already waiting on my Patreon:
patreon.com/Mythic_Muse