"Still no news about Whitebeard?"
The communications soldier on duty shook his head. "No. Since the surveillance ship was sunk, we've had no further intelligence on the Whitebeard Pirates."
"I see..." Sengoku frowned. "After all this time, the Whitebeard Pirates still show no movement..."
"Are they planning to engage us in battle on the day of the public execution?"
Upon reflection, it wasn't impossible.
After all... that man was Whitebeard!
The one hailed as the strongest man in the world would never fear the Marines. So... a direct confrontation was the most likely scenario.
Of course, it was also possible they were brewing some greater scheme—like... attacking Impel Down!
The odds were slim, but not zero.
Because... they were pirates!!
Just then, Garp walked in from outside and silently took a seat on the sofa.
Judging by his expression, the man was in a foul mood.
"At least he didn't cause trouble..." Sengoku thought to himself.
If Garp had gone berserk in Impel Down, even Magellan wouldn't have been able to stop him.
Truthfully, if Garp had wanted to, he could have single-handedly torn through Impel Down.
Fortunately, the old man still remembered the weight of those two words on his back.
"Don't look at me like that," Garp said, glancing at Sengoku. "I just went to see my grandson. I won't do anything unnecessary."
If he'd really wanted to break someone out, he would have left with them long ago. Why would he return to Marine Headquarters?
At the end of the day... he was still a Marine.
"I know."
Seeing that Sengoku didn't press further, Garp closed his eyes and leaned back on the sofa in silence. But the deep furrow in his brow betrayed his inner turmoil.
"He's still his grandson, after all..." Sengoku sighed inwardly.
Regardless, what needed to be done couldn't be changed. He could only hope Garp wouldn't do anything foolish when the time came.
Just then, a communications soldier rushed in, panic written across his face. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
"An urgent report from Impel Down!"
Sengoku's expression darkened instantly.
"An urgent report?!" he demanded. "Is it the Whitebeard Pirates? Have they attacked?"
If the Whitebeard Pirates had targeted Impel Down... then they'd need to mobilize reinforcements at once.
And then... eliminate Whitebeard in that very place!
"Impel Down, huh..."
Garp opened his eyes to glance at the messenger, his frown deepening.
"Fleet Admiral, it's not the Whitebeard Pirates," the soldier clarified. "It's the Straw Hat crew—they've invaded Impel Down."
Garp: ???
Sengoku: !!!
Garp's mind went blank upon hearing those words.
He never expected his grandson to actually go there—did that brat not know what kind of place Impel Down was?!
That was hell for pirates!
Meanwhile, Sengoku was furious. The very same pirate crew that had just killed three Celestial Dragons not long ago was now appearing in Impel Down?
This was practically slapping the Navy across the face with a shoe!
Thinking this, Sengoku angrily demanded, "Why is the Straw Hat crew in Impel Down?!"
"Could it be that bastard Kuma's doing?!"
At this moment, Sengoku recalled Akainu's earlier report—Kuma had indeed sent the entire Straw Hat crew flying.
But as for where they landed, they had no way of knowing.
Now, though... it seemed they might have been sent straight to Impel Down!
Otherwise, there was no way to explain their sudden appearance there.
"That remains unclear," the communications officer shook his head. "Bartholomew Kuma has lost his personality. Even if we wanted to question him, we wouldn't get any answers."
Then, the officer speculated, "Marshal Sengoku, could it be that the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, had something to do with this?"
"That woman isn't foolish enough for that. Besides, Kuja Island despises men—she wouldn't take such a huge risk to help the Straw Hat Pirates."
Compared to Boa Hancock, he was more inclined to believe Kuma had sent the Straw Hat Pirates straight to Impel Down!
Of course, there was also the possibility they landed on some special island in the Calm Belt, then relied on the Blood-Eyed Ninja Meiser's Water Release Technique to cross the Calm Belt and reach Impel Down.
But regardless of which it was, the fact that they had reached Impel Down was a massive humiliation for the Navy.
After a moment of thought, Sengoku asked, "How many members of the Straw Hat crew have appeared there?"
"Two," the officer replied. "Only the Straw Hat Boy and the Blood-Eyed Ninja."
"The two most troublesome ones..." Sengoku frowned.
That damn Kuma really knew how to cause problems for them!
Just then, a man sitting on the sofa asked, "Have we figured out why they're in Impel Down?"
"Unknown," the officer shook his head. "Impel Down only reported spotting them. Currently... they should be in the second level, Beast Hell."
As for whether they had gone deeper into the prison, they had no information.
"Moving downward, then," the man muttered. "If that's the case, they must have a purpose for entering Impel Down... Could they be trying to rescue someone?"
As he spoke, several possibilities crossed his mind.
Meanwhile, Garp's expression stiffened slightly upon hearing the man's words.
'Luffy and that ninja kid... they must be going after Ace,' Garp thought to himself.
If those two actually succeeded, Ace might survive.
At this realization, the tension in Garp's brow eased slightly.
Sengoku, however, shot a glance at Garp, clearly understanding the situation.
Then he declared, "They must be after Fire Fist Ace. The Straw Hat Boy and Fire Fist Ace are sworn brothers."
If it weren't for Fire Fist Ace, the Straw Hat Boy and the Blood-Eyed Ninja would have no reason to go to Impel Down at all.
"...I see..."
The man nodded upon hearing this and said nothing more.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, should we send reinforcements to Impel Down?" the communications officer inquired.
He had heard that even a Marine Admiral couldn't subdue the Straw Hat Pirates.
Could such terrifying figures really be stopped by Impel Down?
"Reinforcements..."
Sengoku didn't answer immediately, instead furrowing his brow in thought.
At that moment, information about the Blood-Eyed Ninja, Meiser, surfaced in his mind.
A wielder of various Release Techniques, with Water Release posing the greatest threat.
Additionally, he possessed hypnosis abilities and... an immortal body!
Having such a monster appear in Impel Down was certainly not good news.
Should they dispatch an Admiral for support?
If Borsalino were sent to Impel Down, he could arrive there swiftly.
But there was one problem—what if Whitebeard launched a surprise attack on Marine Headquarters during that time?
Losing even one Marine Admiral could introduce unpredictable variables.
Their goal of eliminating Whitebeard might then become unattainable.
Yet, allowing the Blood-Eyed Ninja to wreak havoc in Impel Down was also unacceptable—after all, that guy was formidable.
Though he might not be a match for an Admiral, Vice Admirals stood no chance against him.
As much as he hated to admit it, that kid was indeed strong now.
The extent of his combat prowess—combining Ninjutsu, Haki, and an immortal body—was still an unknown factor.
However...
In an environment like Impel Down, Magellan's strength was no weaker than an Admiral's.
After all... biological toxins were the bane of all humans!
Even if that Blood-Eyed Ninja possessed an ability akin to immortality, continuous exposure to toxins lethal to living beings would surely wear him down!
"Even if that guy uses Water Release Technique to evade Magellan, he'll eventually be finished by Magellan's deadly poison!"
Sengoku thought to himself.
Because... Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit could effortlessly infect an entire sea, turning it into a horrifyingly lethal toxin!
With this in mind, Sengoku made his decision.
"No need for reinforcements," Sengoku declared. "Magellan is more than capable."
After a brief pause, he continued:
"Tell Magellan to ensure the Blood-Eyed Ninja remains in Impel Down at all costs!" Sengoku ordered. "Even if he can't be killed, he must be confined there!"
"And don't forget to relay the intel on the Blood-Eyed Ninja, Meiser, and the Straw Hat Boy to Magellan."
If they could keep the Blood-Eyed Ninja trapped in Impel Down for just two days, their war would likely be over by then.
At that point... even if the Blood-Eyed Ninja truly had an immortal body, they could still capture him!
As for the Straw Hat Boy?
With Magellan there, that guy wouldn't make it out alive.
After all... he didn't have an immortal body!
"Understood!"
"One more thing!" Sengoku added, as if recalling something. "If additional troops are needed, have him notify the Marines stationed outside."
The force of 10 Navy Battleships was no small number!
While it might not be enough to capture that Blood-Eyed Ninja, it could certainly help Magellan maintain order.
"Understood!"
The communications officer who received the orders quickly left.
After watching him go, Sengoku rubbed his temples and muttered, "Everything just had to happen at once... But his appearance here might actually be an opportunity for us! If we can capture him, maybe we can uncover the secrets he holds."
Of course, if Magellan accidentally killed him, they'd lose any chance of learning those Ninja secrets. But Sengoku wasn't going to force it—getting them would be ideal, but if not, so be it.
After all... these were extraordinary times. They had to stay vigilant against Whitebeard!
That was the top priority—everything else came second.
Just then, a strange sound reached his ears, interrupting his thoughts.
Crunch~
Crunch~
Crunch~
"Mm, so tasty~" Garp said.
Sengoku: "..."
Seeing Garp happily munching on rice crackers, Sengoku's blood pressure instantly spiked.
"Garp, you damn bastard, what are you laughing about?!"
"Ahahahaha!"
"You—!" Sengoku bared his shark-like teeth and roared, "Do you even realize what your grandson has done?! Not only did he wreak havoc on Enies Lobby, but three Celestial Dragons died because of his Straw Hat Pirates! And now... he's broken into Impel Down alongside that Blood-Eyed Ninja!"
"These are unprecedented incidents!"
Unfortunately, instead of sobering Garp up, Sengoku's words only made the man laugh harder.
"Ahahahaha! That's my grandson for you," Garp guffawed.
Sengoku: "."
Watching Garp's unrestrained laughter, veins bulged on Sengoku's forehead. Was this bastard getting too carried away?
"You damn bastard!" Sengoku lunged from his seat, grabbing Garp by the collar.
He glared furiously and hissed, "If you weren't the 'Hero of the Navy,' do you think you'd escape accountability for this?!"
If not for that title, the World Government would have already come after him. Even if Sengoku wanted to protect him, he wouldn't be able to!
The thought only made Sengoku angrier.
"Ahahahaha! These old bones can't take responsibility for something this big," Garp laughed. "So just let me off the hook."
"You're still laughing?!" Sengoku roared. "Do you have any idea how much effort Tsuru and I put into cleaning up your messes?!"
"You damn bastard!"
With that, Sengoku snatched the rice crackers right out of Garp's hands, his expression downright murderous.
"Hey! Give those back, Sengoku!"
"Shut it!" Sengoku snapped. "They're mine now!"
Then, right in front of Garp, he devoured every last cracker in one go, leaving Garp stunned.
"Y-You... ate them all?!"
"What, got a problem with that?" Sengoku glared.
Garp: ".."
He had only brought this one bag of rice crackers, yet Sengoku, that bastard, had eaten them all. What kind of nonsense was this?
The man sitting on the sofa watched the scene helplessly. Was this really something he should be witnessing?
Shaking his head, the man spoke up, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what if the Blood-Eyed Ninja and the Straw Hat Boy really manage to rescue Fire Fist Ace?"
Though the probability was slim, they had to consider every possible scenario to avoid any unexpected mishaps.
Upon hearing this, Sengoku pondered for a moment before replying, "Then we'll have no choice but to dispatch an Admiral to handle the situation."
In his view, no matter how formidable the Blood-Eyed Ninja was, it was impossible for him to rescue Fire Fist Ace right under Magellan's nose.
After all... that guy was imprisoned on the sixth level of Impel Down!
And the sixth level was a secret known only to a select few high-ranking officials within Impel Down. So...
Even if the intruders possessed hypnotic abilities, the chances of them locating the sixth level were minimal.
Of course, if they somehow stumbled upon Fire Fist Ace and managed to free him...
Then Borsalino would have to be sent in.
But unless absolutely necessary, Sengoku wouldn't deploy an Admiral.
Because... tomorrow was the execution day!
The Whitebeard Pirates could appear at Marine Headquarters at any moment. They had to stay vigilant.
"An Admiral, huh..." The man frowned. "Will there be enough time?"
"Yes, there will be," Sengoku nodded. "Impel Down is massive. Even if they find Fire Fist Ace and rescue him, it would take them a considerable amount of time to return to the surface."
"Not to mention, Magellan will be there to stop them. They'll hold out long enough for Borsalino to arrive."
Still, Sengoku doubted such a scenario would unfold. After all... Magellan's strength was truly formidable!
The Venom-Venom Fruit made him practically invincible in that environment.
That was why Sengoku had entrusted the Blood-Eyed Ninja, Meiser, to Magellan without hesitation. That man's abilities were the bane of humanity!
"I see."
The man nodded and said nothing more.
Sengoku glanced at Garp, who had fallen silent again, and sighed inwardly.
He could well imagine the turmoil in the man's heart.
As the grandfather of Ace and the Straw Hat Boy, Garp undoubtedly wished for his grandsons to be saved.
Yet, at the same time, he was a Marine who carried the weight of justice.
From the Marines' perspective, any breach in Impel Down would be unacceptable.
But Sengoku didn't press the matter. Some things... simply had to be done.
Just then, a communications officer rushed in and reported, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Apart from Pirate Empress Boa Hancock and Knight of the Sea Jimbei, all members of the Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea have arrived!!!"
Sengoku nodded. "No disturbances, I hope?"
With these unruly individuals gathered at Marine Headquarters, there was no telling what mischief they might stir up.
After all... they were pirates!
Even with the title of Royal Seven Warlords, they could never truly align with the Marines. Vigilance was a must.
"Doflamingo made our men attack each other, but Vice Admiral Tsuru stopped it," the communications soldier reported.
"Doflamingo..."
Just thinking about that former Celestial Dragon's records gave Sengoku a headache.
He was another one who thrived on chaos.
Well, with Tsuru keeping an eye on him, that guy probably wouldn't dare cause more trouble.
The real question was how much assistance these Royal Seven Warlords of the Sea would provide in this war.