The icy sea breeze swept relentlessly across the surface of the ocean, stinging the cheeks with its sharp chill.
A majestic battleship cruised steadily through the waves, its massive, pitch-black gun barrels gleaming with a fresh coat of polish. The hull shone as if newly built, and the blue-and-white seagull flag representing "Peace and Justice" fluttered proudly in the wind, radiating an aura of overwhelming power.
"Admiral Sengoku, everything is ready!"
A young aide hurried over, his face filled with excitement.
"This batch of military aid funding couldn't have arrived at a better time! Not only did it cover the wages that were about to be delayed, but it also allowed us to completely refurbish over a dozen large warships. The Headquarters' elite units have upgraded their gear as well, equipped now with the finest weapons available!"
"With this, at the upcoming inauguration ceremony for the leader of the God's Knights in Mary Geoise, the might and prestige of Marine Headquarters will surely dazzle the representatives from all the Member Nations!"
As he spoke, he proudly handled the sleek black musket in his hands. His new uniform and cap gleamed under the light, and his posture straightened unconsciously. Confidence radiated from his eyes.
Full of vigor and spirit!
He didn't know where exactly Admiral Sengoku had managed to secure the funding, but that didn't matter. With the Resourceful General's intelligence and connections, raising a few billion Belly should be no challenge at all.
Now that the funds had arrived, every pressing issue that had plagued Marine Headquarters was resolved in one go.
As Sengoku's personal aide, he felt a deep sense of pride. Even in his daily duties, he found himself walking taller, speaking louder, and brimming with confidence.
It might not sound particularly "righteous," but he couldn't deny it—having money really was a good thing.
Thinking this, the aide's gaze toward Sengoku grew even more respectful.
Feeling that fervent admiration, Sengoku couldn't help but lift his chin slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching upward. It had been a long time since he'd felt such a gaze.
Ever since Daren and Zephyr had "defected" from the Navy, doubt and unrest had spread throughout the entire organization.
Bound by the World Government's confidentiality orders, few within the ranks knew the true reasons behind their "defection." As a result, all the blame naturally fell on Sengoku, the Navy's top commander.
Admiral Zephyr had earned countless merits for the Navy and trained generations of exceptional Officers…
Vice Admiral Daren was the rising star of the new generation, a man who had slain legendary pirates and achieved glorious victories...
So why had they "defected"?
There had to be some hidden reason!
And everyone knew that Fleet Admiral Kong had long since handed over all military and administrative authority to Sengoku. Therefore, the truth behind their departure must surely be tied to him.
Soon, rumors began spreading across the Navy like wildfire—claims that "Admiral Sengoku drove Daren and Zephyr away," or that "Sengoku's leadership is lacking and his management skills are poor."
Before Sengoku could even respond to the gossip, the World Government had already started cutting military funding for the Marines.
That only worsened morale across the ranks. In no time, the rumors evolved into even harsher accusations: "See? Even the World Government can't stand it anymore." "It's all because of Admiral Sengoku's incompetence that our budget got slashed—we can't even pay salaries now!" "Damn it, if Sengoku hadn't driven away Vice Admiral Daren and Admiral Zephyr, we'd still be living comfortably!"
The whole situation left Sengoku furious and frustrated.
Those two idiots—one old, one young—what could he have done to stop them from leaving?!
And as for the World Government cutting their funding—what did that have to do with him? It was because they ran off!
So that old fossil Kong had handed him control of the Navy just so he could take the blame.
Now, however, as he stood surrounded by the respectful gazes of his subordinates, Sengoku could once again feel the reverence and admiration befitting a Marine Admiral.
A faint smile tugged at his lips, though he maintained a stern expression as he said evenly,
"Our Headquarters allocates funds to equip our soldiers with new gear and refurbish our ships—all for the sake of strengthening the Marines' combat power. We pursue justice with superior resources and unwavering morale, not for the sake of empty appearances."
"The reason the Member Nations place their trust in us isn't because of how impressive we look, but because the Marines stand for one thing alone—'The Justice That Reigns Over the World!'"
As he spoke, Sengoku seemed almost convinced by his own words. His voice rose with passion, his fist tightening as his expression grew fierce and determined.
"It is an unwavering resolve to never compromise with any form of evil—to fight against it to the very end!"
"...You're right, Admiral Sengoku. I admit my lack of insight."
The personal guard's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly before he quickly bowed his head.
"Hmm..."
Sengoku nodded, then smiled.
"But you do have a point. If we Marines can't maintain a good public image, how can we expect others to trust us?"
He patted the guard on the shoulder.
"Issue the order: the escort for the inauguration ceremony at the Holy Land must proceed without a single hitch!"
"We must show the entire world the Marines' active, determined, and positive spirit!"
The aide replied promptly, "Rest assured, Admiral Sengoku. The orders have already been relayed."
Only then did Sengoku smile with satisfaction. Though he harbored plenty of resentment toward the Five Elders and the World Government, they were, after all, the Marines' superior authority.
Even putting that aside, from the perspective of maintaining world stability, the inauguration ceremony could not be allowed a single mistake.
"Ah, one more thing..."
Sengoku suddenly seemed to recall something. Lowering his voice, he asked, "In the past few days, has there been any... unusual activity from Impel Down?"
Unusual activity?
The guard blinked, thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"No related reports so far. Impel Down has always operated under an independent and closed management system. Unless a serious incident occurs, they usually don't report to Headquarters."
Hearing this, Sengoku let out a quiet sigh of relief, a faint smile returning to his face.
"No activity is good. No activity is best..." he murmured under his breath.
"But Admiral Sengoku, now that you mention it, something does come to mind."
The guard furrowed his brows, thinking carefully.
"I think it was just a few days ago... Impel Down's latest supply request to Headquarters included far more meat, alcohol, cigars, and cigarettes than usual—things like that."