The atmosphere in the conference room would have made anyone's hands tremble uncontrollably.
After all, it was unimaginable that this small conference room, currently housed almost all of the Navy's top fighting forces.
Whether it was the intimidating Vice Admirals with their renowned reputations, or the Admirals who also served as the World Government's top military officials, or even the Fleet Admiral, who held the Navy's highest command authority, all of them were gathered together.
This also showed, from the side, the Navy Headquarter's seriousness about the Whitebeard Pirates.
However, just as the meeting was underway, and everyone was offering various strategic suggestions, suddenly, Fleet Admiral Sengoku received an urgent order from the World Government.
He had to temporarily suspend the current meeting.
The remaining high-ranking officers in the conference room exchanged glances, puzzled.
"...Fleet Admiral Sengoku? What happened?"
"To interrupt such an important meeting, it must be something urgent."
Vice Admiral Momonga, with his rugged appearance, watched the conference room door, scratching his head.
Vice Admiral Momonga, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement.
However, he didn't think much of it.
Instead, he pondered the content of the meeting's discussion.
The execution of Portgas D. Ace, the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
According to reliable intelligence discussed in the meeting, the Whitebeard Pirates would almost certainly not stand idly by.
Although this perfectly suited the Navy Headquarters' plan to completely eliminate the Whitebeard Pirates, as a precaution, someone had suggested summoning the Shichibukai.
The Shichibukai, ostensibly pirates with the World Government's authorization for 'legal plunder', should be called upon to assist when the Navy needs additional strength.
This proposal, including Momonga, was unanimously approved by many of the Vice Admirals.
They weren't being paid for nothing all this time!
Therefore, the only problem with this proposal, was how to make those arrogant Shichibukai participate in the plan obediently.
Thinking of those Shichibukai, Momonga couldn't help but feel a chill.
After a while, Sengoku, who had just left, returned to the conference room.
"Fleet Admiral."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Seeing Sengoku return, everyone felt relieved, preparing to continue their proposals.
However, something unexpected happened.
Sengoku, who had previously focused on the Whitebeard Pirates, returned to the conference room with a face as dark as night.
Glancing at the Vice Admirals and others whose attention was still on the Whitebeard Pirates, Sengoku remained silent for a moment, then said word by word:
"The meeting is temporarily adjourned."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, regarding the Whitebeard Pirates' forces… wait?"
"The meeting is adjourned?!"
"What's going on?!"
The proposals were cut short, and everyone in the conference room immediately reacted.
Vice Admiral Momonga and others looked stunned.
What happened?
The meeting was temporarily adjourned?
Did they hear correctly?
"Hey, hey, hey, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what exactly happened that requires the meeting to be interrupted?"
Vice Admiral Doberman, whose face was covered in scars, couldn't help but stand up, his face full of disbelief.
As one of the Navy members who participated in the Buster Call operation, Doberman, like Momonga, was a staunch hawk.
He had already thought of using the Whitebeard Pirates' emphasis on family to sow discord among them.
Yet he heard that Fleet Admiral Sengoku was temporarily adjourning the meeting.
This made Doberman extremely frustrated, eager to know what had happened.
Something that could abruptly interrupt a meeting of such paramount importance to the Navy Headquarters!
"What happened? Sengoku?"
From a distance, Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at Sengoku with a puzzled expression.
Hearing this, Sengoku's expression didn't improve.
Instead, he scanned the conference room, where questions were being raised.
Sengoku took out a document he had just received outside the conference room.
His face darkened, and he slowly said, "Something big has happened in the North Blue."
North Blue?
Hearing this name, a chaotic sea not very familiar to those stationed at the Navy Headquarters in the Grand Line,
the high-ranking Navy officers present were all baffled.
North Blue.
In their impression, the North Blue was always synonymous with the most chaotic of the four seas.
Pirates, mafia, family factions, constant wars between kingdoms—each was a major headache.
It was a troublesome place.
But, even so, what exactly happened in the North Blue, that it could abruptly interrupt this incredibly important meeting?
The outcome of this meeting would affect countless people.
Yet, Fleet Admiral Sengoku still chose to temporarily adjourn the meeting!
The Vice Admirals' faces were filled with disbelief.
In a corner of the conference room, Momonga heard the name 'North Blue', and couldn't help but recall a 'small matter' from two days ago that he hadn't taken seriously.
Even so, Momonga didn't connect it to Ignis Glow.
After all, he was a retired old soldier. Even if he disobeyed orders and left the Navy, what could he possibly do alone?
At this time, Sengoku spoke.
"The Heavenly Tribute… has been stolen."
"What? The Heavenly Tribute?!"
"Have those North Blue fools gone mad?!"
"Someone actually targeted the Heavenly Tribute meant for the Celestial Dragons?"
Hearing this, many Vice Admirals' faces changed drastically.
Momonga's first thought, was that a madman had appeared in the North Blue.
The Heavenly Tribute,
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