The news that three of the greatest pirates—Whitebeard, Shiki, and Kaido—were heading to Marineford, the headquarters of the Navy, quickly spread worldwide thanks to the efforts of Morgans' news birds.
Compared to the earlier news of Whitebeard crew rescuing Ace, this bombshell was like dropping a depth charge into shallow waters.
Wherever the news reached, it became the central topic of discussion.
***
Marineford, Navy Headquarters.
Upon learning of this news, Sengoku immediately convened an emergency meeting with the top brass.
"What on earth is going on?" Sengoku frowned deeply, his face dark as he held the newspaper written by Morgans.
The bold black headlines were particularly striking.
"Shocking! Two Emperors and a Legendary Pirate going to Marineford! Is Marineford About to Fall?"
Sengoku couldn't understand why, just days after announcing Ace public execution, Shiki and Kaido had gotten involved.
While it made sense for Whitebeard to come to rescue Ace, it was baffling why these two who had no connection to Ace, would take on such a thankless task.
These three pirates were no small fry—they were figures who had existed since the era of Rocks.
Their strength had only grown since then.
"Could this news be fake? Maybe someone is spreading rumors to make us back down!"
In front of Sengoku, the three Navy Admirals and other high-ranking officials each held a copy of the same newspaper.
Everyone expression was grave, as the appearance of these three pirates had put immense pressure on them.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, looking at the exaggerated content of the newspaper in her hands, frowned and asked.
"This is full of sensationalism to grab attention! But is the news actually true?" Her wrinkled face made her appear even older at that moment.
Sengoku crumpled the newspaper in his hand and in the next moment, it turned to dust in his grip.
When he first heard the news, Sengoku had shared Tsuru skepticism—it was simply too unbelievable. But the informant within the Beast Pirates had confirmed that Emperor Kaido would bring his entire crew to Marineford on the day of Ace execution to assist Whitebeard crew.
Thus, Shiki involvement wasn't baseless.
Moreover, the newspaper had explicitly stated its publisher: the World News Co.
This alone proved the news was genuine.
"How terrifying! Whitebeard and Kaido, two of the Emperors, along with the legendary pirate Shiki! This lineup is like a reunion of the Rocks Pirates!" Even Kizaru, who usually acted indifferent, now wore an uncharacteristically solemn expression.
The news had put immense pressure on even this laid-back Admiral.
"Damn it! These Emperors always show up to cause trouble at the worst times. None of them can be left alive! Forget this nonsense about not provoking them—we should take them down one by one!" Akainu fists were clenched tightly, veins bulging on his hands, his square face filled with murderous intent.
"This is the public execution you demanded!"
"If Ace had been executed in secret, such an outcome would never have occurred!"
A thin layer of frost formed on Aokiji palm and under the extreme cold, the newspaper instantly became covered in a white sheet of ice before shattering into tiny ice fragments, turning into powder.
Hearing Aokiji words, Akainu expression turned dark and unpleasant.
But surprisingly, he didn't offer a rebuttal.
Because at the time, he hadn't anticipated that, aside from the Whitebeard Pirates, other forces would also get involved.
And these forces were no less formidable than Whitebeard himself.
Seeing that Akainu ignored him, Aokiji snorted coldly and continued.
"Let's not even discuss the strength of these three individuals for now—I think we all understand that better than anyone!"
"Aside from their own formidable power, their affiliated members also pose a significant threat!"
"The Whitebeard Pirates' main crew consists of over 1,600 members, divided into sixteen divisions, each led by a commander with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries!"
"Moreover, they have 43 affiliated pirate crews in the New World! The total number is estimated to be around 40,000."
"The Beast Pirates have the Three Disasters and the Flying Six, with a total of about 20,000 members! Among them, over 500 possess artificial Zoan Devil Fruit abilities."
"While Shiki Flying Pirate Crew has mostly faded into history, the things he's been tinkering with recently are enough to give anyone a headache!"
"Those black monsters that appeared in the East Blue are Shiki creations!"
"According to the latest intelligence reports, it's not just these three major forces that have entered Marineford!"
"The Straw Hat Pirates, who have recently made a name for themselves on the seas, have also appeared nearby!"
"After their escape from Impel Down, their strength has significantly increased. Former Warlord Crocodile and the Knight of the Sea, Jinbei are now on their ship."
As Aokiji words were spoken one by one, the situation of the three major forces became vividly clear.
The air in the room grew colder, not because of the frost Aokiji emitted, but because the sheer power of these assembled forces sent chills down everyone's spines.
After hearing Aokiji report on the three major forces and other smaller factions, the expressions of those present grew even grimmer.
Especially Sengoku, who sat at the head of the table, his hands supporting his head, his eyes behind his round glasses showing clear exhaustion.
"What Aokiji just mentioned isn't all!"
"Aside from these, the underworld has also been acting unusually, suddenly terminating their cooperation with us unilaterally!"
"Without a doubt, at this critical moment, it must also be related to the recent public execution!"
The underworld isn't just about dealing with the criminal elements, it also has intricate connections with the legitimate world.
Upon hearing this, the room fell into a deathly silence.
After a long while, Vice Admiral Tsuru broke the heavy atmosphere, her aged voice speaking up.
"Why does it feel like there's an invisible hand manipulating everything from behind?"
Tsuru words caused everyone's brows to furrow deeply.
"Thud!"
Just as everyone was lost in speculation, the doors of the meeting hall were pushed open and two burly figures slowly walked in.
"Garp!"
"Commander Kong!"
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