"...In short, Moria refused the invitation to become a Warlord of the Sea, so I killed him!"
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Cross reported to "Steel Bone" Kong about his battle with Gecko Moria at Whiskey Peak, his subsequent pursuit to Thriller Bark, and finally, his complete elimination of Moria.
Sakazuki and Tsuru, who had arrived upon hearing the news, listened intently to Cross's account of the subjugation.
Of course, Cross used some artistic license in his description, omitting that he deliberately provoked Moria after the latter refused the Warlord of the Sea invitation, thus instigating the massive battle.
Despite Cross's report, those present still found it hard to believe. After all, Gecko Moria was no ordinary pushover; even a monster like Kaido of the Beasts hadn't been able to kill him back then. Now, a mere rookie like Cross had taken him down.
This truly is the unpredictability of life!
"You... you did well!" For a moment, Kong seemed at a loss for how to praise Cross, so he settled for the simplest words of encouragement.
At this point, Tsuru suddenly spoke, "I hear you also brought back a little girl?"
"That's right, her name is Perona, a Paramecia-type Hollow-Hollow Fruit user, and she was Moria's subordinate!" Cross didn't conceal Perona's identity, explaining, "However, Perona was adopted by Moria when she was very young, which is why she became a pirate. Since she's still young, there's still a chance for her to return to the right path if I bring her back to the Marines!"
"Very well done!" Tsuru nodded, a hint of praise in her expression.
"You flatter me, Great Advisor!" Cross chuckled, feigning shyness, and offered a modest remark.
"Alright, stop putting on airs. Since Moria is dead, we'll have to find a new Warlord of the Sea candidate." Kong changed the subject, saying, "Now, there's a matter at hand. Since Sakazuki is here, and you've returned, let's discuss it together. It concerns the subjugation of the Roberts Legion!"
"It seems this is a small meeting before the main conference!" Tsuru raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting between Kong and Sakazuki, as if she had already guessed their earlier conversation.
Hearing this, Cross looked at Sakazuki, who happened to turn his gaze as well. The two exchanged glances, neither speaking.
Cross knew Sakazuki as a hawk-eyed military man who upheld "Absolute Justice." He didn't particularly like or dislike him; his impression was simply neutral.
After all, this man would ruthlessly target and eliminate even comrades and civilians to complete his missions, showing no mercy. Some called him "the coldest man who ate the hottest Devil Fruit," a description Cross found very fitting.
Of course, while Sakazuki had an unyielding character, he was also courageous and strategic, truly an excellent soldier. Few in the entire Marine organization could compare to him.
When faced with Marine soldiers who deserted on the battlefield, his first reaction wasn't to kill them. He would only execute them to maintain military discipline after his persuasion proved ineffective.
After all, in a violent organization like the military, in any country or organization with military power, desertion on the battlefield is a grave crime, and severe cases could lead to immediate execution.
At least in the history of Earth, many national armies had supervision teams. Soldiers who dared to turn and flee in battle, abandoning their combat posts, were to be killed without exception, without even a second chance to atone for their sins through meritorious service.
"Because the King of the Bion Kingdom was assassinated, the domestic forces split into the royalist faction and the noble faction. They've clashed multiple times over power, throwing the Bion Kingdom into chaos. We suspect the Roberts Legion won't miss this opportunity and will definitely act prematurely. So, Sakazuki previously suggested that we Marines also prepare to act early!"
While Cross was still pondering about Sakazuki, he heard Kong continue, immediately dropping a bombshell.
"Nani?! Thomas VII was assassinated? Who did it?" Cross asked in surprise.
"The assassin's name is 'Siren,' a top-tier assassin from the underworld. But he also goes by another name: 'Mad Elf' Randy Mathias!" Tsuru replied.
"Randy Mathias?!" Cross frowned slightly, quickly recalling the individual's identity. He asked in surprise, "Wait, are you talking about that solitary pirate who enjoys cross-dressing and has a dual personality?"
"That's right, him! The name 'Siren' is his identity in the underworld and the name of his second personality!" Tsuru nodded, confirming the person Cross described.
"Okay, is it clear who hired him?" Cross asked.
"That hasn't been investigated thoroughly yet, but we've already entrusted the CP organization to look into it!" Tsuru shook her head, stating calmly.
Although the Marines and the CP organization both belong to the World Government, they are two independent agencies with different responsibilities. However, they still maintain deep cooperation, and even if their relationship isn't always good, it doesn't hinder collaboration between the Marines and CP.
"That's no longer important. The problem we face now is the subjugation of the Roberts Legion!" Kong said in a deep voice, "If they move on the Bion Kingdom early, we Marines also need to act early. But the problem is that the large fleet meant to subjugate the Roberts Legion hasn't finished gathering yet; only 10,000 of the planned 30,000 personnel have assembled."
"Insufficient troops is indeed a big problem. The Roberts Legion's numbers have swelled to nearly 25,000. For the current 10,000 in the subjugation fleet, achieving the strategic goal of severe damage or complete annihilation would be difficult, even with a Buster Call-level force!" Tsuru's expression was somewhat serious as she stated objectively.
A Buster Call consists of five Vice Admirals, ten Rear Admirals, plus 10,000 elite Marines, and ten first-class warships launching a devastating attack on a target, completely eradicating everything and everyone in that area. That is a Buster Call!
But the problem was that the Roberts Legion was not some minor, third-rate pirate crew.
In the New World, before the formation of the Four Emperors system, the Roberts Legion possessed a massive force of nearly 25,000 men, along with several powerful commanders with high bounties, making them a formidable power second only to the few overlord-level pirate crews in the New World.
It would be difficult for the 10,000 elite Marines of a Buster Call alone to severely damage the Roberts Legion, let alone completely annihilate them.
Because in the Marine Headquarters' pre-planned strategy, the large Marine fleet meant to subjugate the Roberts Legion was actually an enhanced Buster Call, with the number of flag officers undiminished, and troop allocation increased from 10,000 to 30,000.
The mission was to completely annihilate the Roberts Legion, with severe damage being only the secondary objective.
At this point, Kong looked at Cross and slowly said, "I originally intended to abandon the operation, but Sakazuki gave me a very good suggestion!"
Hearing this, Cross blinked, finding both Kong and Sakazuki staring at him, which somewhat perplexed him.
'Holy crap, why are you two looking at me like that?'
"Lieutenant Commander Cross, I have a question for you!" Suddenly, Sakazuki stood up and walked directly in front of Cross, asking with a serious expression, "How many ordinary pirates can 5,000 Enliven creatures handle?"
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