Marineford. Navy Headquarters Building, Marshal's Office.
"The Straw Hat Pirates have breached Enies Lobby, a symbol of the World Government's 'Absolute Justice,' and reduced the entire island to ruins..."
Sengoku sat in his office chair, tossing aside the newspaper with a flick of his wrist. His gaze fixed on the six wanted posters spread across his desk, irritation etched into every line of his face. Veins bulged on his forehead as he scanned the names and bounties: Monkey D. Luffy, 600 million Berries. Roronoa Zoro, 500 million Berries. Sanji, 310 million. Franky, 90 million. Usopp, 30 million. Chopper... not even 100 Berries.
The crisp crunch of senbei being chewed grated against his ears. Sengoku's jaw tightened, his patience fraying. With a sudden burst of fury, he slammed his hand onto the desk, spiderwebbing cracks across its surface. His head snapped toward the source of the noise—Marine Hero Garp, lounging in his office, casually munching on senbei. Sengoku's voice boomed, shaking the room.
"Garp, look at what your grandson has done now!"
Garp paused mid-bite, a senbei cracker hovering near his mouth. His carefree grin widened, laughter erupting from his chest. "Hahaha! That's my grandson for you!"
"Do you even understand the scale of this disaster? The Gorosei called me personally to tear into me!"
Garp tilted his head back, emptying the last crumbs of senbei into his mouth. He swallowed, then casually picked at his nostril. "Enies Lobby was destroyed by the Marine's own Buster Call warships. What does that have to do with Luffy?"
"CP9 was only supposed to apprehend those connected to the ancient weapon Pluton. But your grandson barged in, fought his way from the main gate to the Tower of Justice, and defeated Rob Lucci—CP9's strongest genius in 800 years! He forced them to activate the Buster Call. And then, to make it worse, he sank six warships and broke through their encirclement!"
Sengoku's voice rose with each word, his frustration boiling over. "The World Government and the Marine have been humiliated because of your grandson! And let's not forget he's already defeated two Shichibukai. His threat level rivals the great pirates of the New World! The Gorosei have ordered me to deploy the Marine's top fighting force to capture him and throw him into Impel Down."
Garp's grin faltered, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. The growing reputation of Monkey D. Luffy had already put Garp in an awkward position. Many in the Marine knew Luffy was his grandson, and Sengoku had initially turned a blind eye out of respect for Garp. But now, with the Gorosei's direct orders, there was no room for leniency.
Wait—the Marine's top fighting force? Garp's eyes lit up, realization dawning. Who was the Marine's strongest fighter? The Three Admirals? No. It was him—Marine Hero Garp. If anyone doubted that, they were welcome to test his iron fists. If he took charge of this mission, he could steer things in his favor. He could chase Luffy straight into the New World, where the Marine's influence was weakest.
This way, whether it's the World Government or the Marine, the difficulty of capturing Luffy would skyrocket...
"So that's it, Sengoku! I get it now. As the Marine's top fighter, I'll handle this duty personally. That brat Luffy won't slip through my fingers—"
Sengoku remained silent, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he finally snapped:
"You old fool! What exactly do you understand?"
"What? Aren't I the Marine's strongest? Let's settle this right now!" Garp grinned, playing dumb.
"You—!" Sengoku's face darkened, veins bulging on his forehead. He jabbed a finger at Garp, barely containing his fury. Finally, he sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.
"Forget it! Just remember to clean up this mess properly. If you fail, I'll send Sakazuki to handle it."
"Ha! Leave it to me. I'll make sure that brat Luffy escapes— Wait, no! I'll make sure he has nowhere to run!"
Sengoku glared as Garp sauntered out of the Marshal's office. Leaning back in his chair, he removed his glasses and massaged his temples. The seas were growing more chaotic by the day.
Yesterday, Red-Haired Shanks had met with Whitebeard Newgate. Though their conversation remained a mystery, rumors suggested they'd clashed and parted on bad terms. That was one silver lining, at least.
But another matter weighed heavily on Sengoku's mind. According to X Drake's intelligence, the Beasts Pirates now boasted 3,800 artificial Devil Fruit users, thanks to the mad scientist Caesar's involvement. While most were only as strong as ordinary Marine officers, with a few reaching Commodore or Rear Admiral level, the sheer numbers were alarming.
If left unchecked, the Beasts Pirates could amass tens of thousands of ability users, forming a force capable of challenging the Marines. The thought sent a chill down Sengoku's spine.
The sudden ringing of a den den mushi broke his reverie. He opened the desk drawer and picked up the private communication snail.
"Ze ha ha! This is Blackbeard Teach. Am I speaking with Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
"Teach, I gave that private den den mushi to your subordinate Laffitte, not for idle chatter. Make this quick."
Sengoku's tone was icy. Recently, the Straw Hat Pirates had defeated two Shichibukai, leaving significant gaps in their ranks. The Marines had convened a meeting in Mary Geoise to recruit new members. It was there that Laffitte, the "Demon Sheriff," had broken through their defenses and recommended Teach, claiming he had the strength to join the Shichibukai.
Given what Laffitte said, Teach killed Thatch, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates' Fourth Division, and had an irreconcilable conflict with Whitebeard Newgate. Moreover, he had a record of leaving three scars on the face of the Four Emperors Red-Haired Shanks. Thus, Sengoku only then gave his private den den mushi to Laffitte and agreed to the other party's proposal.
Blackbeard Teach's rapid rise to infamy in the Grand Line had caught Sengoku's attention. If the pirate could deliver something substantial, the Fleet Admiral might just grant him that coveted Warlord position.
"Ze ha ha ha—!" Blackbeard's laughter boomed through the den den mushi. "I called because I've got exactly what you're looking for—a bargaining chip worthy of the Shichibukai title."
Sengoku's voice sharpened. "Oh? Then tell me—what do you have?"
"Yesterday," Blackbeard drawled, savoring each word, "I defeated Portgas D. Ace, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division. I'll hand him over in exchange for my seat among the Warlords."
Sengoku's frown deepened. "Do you even understand what you're suggesting? The Whitebeard Pirates don't take kindly to such provocations. You, of all people, should know their rules."
"Ze ha ha ha—! I never took the great Fleet Admiral for a man who'd tremble at Whitebeard's name. That old man's already on his last legs." Blackbeard's tone turned sly. "But if I told you Ace's real identity… I think you'd change your mind."
"Ace's other identity?" Sengoku's voice tightened.
"Portgas was his mother's name." Blackbeard paused, letting the silence stretch. "His father's surname… was Gol."
A sharp intake of breath crackled through the line. "What did you say?"
Sengoku's mind raced. His grip on the receiver tightened as the implications crashed over him.
"Ze ha ha ha—! His full name is Gol D. Ace. Son of the Pirate King himself, Gol D. Roger!" Blackbeard's laughter turned triumphant. "Well? Does that make your heart race?"
Sengoku exhaled slowly, forcing calm into his voice. "This is just your word. You expect me to believe it without proof?"
"I can give you leads to verify. The Marines have the resources to dig up the truth." Blackbeard's voice dropped to a conspiratorial murmur. "Even unconfirmed, capturing Whitebeard's division commander would make waves across the Grand Line. Surely that's worth your promise?"
Silence.
If true, this changed everything. Roger's bloodline in Marine custody—a symbol to crush the age of pirates. And if they used Ace as bait…
Sengoku adjusted his glasses, the lenses flashing as he made his decision.
"Blackbeard Teach, once you hand Ace over to the Marine, you can officially become a Shichibukai!"
"Ze ha ha ha—! Deal!"