Clack, clack, clack…
In the Marine Headquarters' conference room, the vice admirals hurried in. None of them knew what had happened, and they whispered among themselves, speculating.
Bang!
The half-open doors of the conference room were kicked wide open from outside.
"Vice Admiral Garp!"
The gathered vice admirals rose to greet him.
Though Garp held the same rank as them, in strength and influence, none could compare.
Garp swaggered in, one finger digging in his nose.
"Brother Kong, what's the deal? Why call a meeting all of a sudden? I was just about to find Sengoku's secret senbei stash."
Garp wore a face of deep frustration.
"You bastard, Garp! Don't you dare lay a finger on my senbei! Can't you buy your own?!"
The voice snapped from behind him as Fleet Admiral Sengoku strode in through the door.
He had just been preparing for the meeting when the notice came, only to catch Garp in the middle of his thievery.
"Admiral Sengoku!"
Once again, the vice admirals saluted.
The playful scuffle between Sengoku and Garp lightened the atmosphere in the room somewhat.
A few officers tried asking Sengoku about the purpose of the meeting.
But Sengoku shook his head he didn't know either.
Tap, tap, tap…
A towering figure entered the conference room.
"Fleet Admiral Kong!"
Everyone rose once more to greet him.
Kong nodded in acknowledgment, flanked by Vice Admiral Tsuru and a marine clutching documents.
"After two successive victories for Justice, I fear we may have grown complacent."
Kong's voice was heavy.
"Roger and the Golden Lion are not all the seas have to offer. Countless evils remain that Justice must punish."
"And now, at this critical juncture before Roger's execution, Impel Down has suffered a grave failure!"
"The former Deputy Chief Warden Shiryu… and the former Chief Guard Rosen… hijacked a warship and openly defected!"
Kong's tone was sharp, his words like steel.
The marine at his side projected their profiles onto the whiteboard with a visual Den Den Mushi.
The faces stared back at the assembled officers, and the room fell into silence.
Within the World Government's hierarchy, a deputy chief warden of Impel Down was qualified to sit in this very conference room.
And yet he had defected. Just like that.
"Rosen, an awakened Conqueror's Haki user, suspected an ability similar to the Float-Float Fruit. Strength unknown."
Once again, silence weighed on the room.
"They did not harm Impel Down's facilities or personnel, but their betrayal is fact. The World Government is furious."
"We must now place bounties on their heads. But this cannot be made public yet the wanted notices will only be released after Roger's execution."
"Now, let us discuss the bounty amounts."
Kong's words were forceful. The meeting shifted into deliberation.
…
Somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line.
A News Coo flapped through the sky.
Its thoughts wandered
Another day, another few papers unsold.
The boss was going to nag it again.
This News Coo worked for the World Economic News Paper, a news agency only recently established.
Its president was a man who had eaten a Zoan-type Devil Fruit.
Through his powers, he could communicate with the news-birds.
With sly words and small rewards,he convinced them to happily work under him.
This particular bird dreamed of working hard for three to five years, saving enough to woo a beautiful hen, and buying a cozy seagull apartment where the two could live shamelessly in bliss.
"Gya-gya-gya~"
The News Coo cackled to itself at the thought.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
"Gyaa?"
The bird tilted its head upward in confusion.
Something massive loomed above, blotting out the sun.
From directly beneath it, the News Coo couldn't make out what it was.
Flap-flap-flap!
As a journalist, stumbling on an unidentified flying object was exciting
This could be a front-page headline!
The bird flapped sideways quickly, pulled a camera from its bag
"Gyaa!!"
It squawked in shock.
It was a warship!
And above it flew the flag of the World Government.
Click! Click! Click!
The News Coo snapped photos furiously.
"Hey, Shiryu! Are you sure this heading takes us to Loguetown?"
Rosen lounged in a deck chair, sunglasses on, utterly relaxed.
"Mm… should be fine. As long as we keep flying forward, we'll eventually see Reverse Mountain."
Shiryu's tone betrayed his lack of confidence.
Killing people was his specialty. Navigating the seas? That was torture.
Just days ago, Rosen had boasted he would shake the world to its core.
Yet the moment he set sail he got lost, not even knowing which way to go.
As for Shiryu? Please after being locked in Impel Down for so long, how could he know the seas?
With no other choice, Rosen had lowered the ship, found a random pirate crew,and sent Shiryu to "ask directions."
That crew, of course, was sent straight to their graves.
At least the encounter replenished some supplies.
After all, the two had fled with a warship but not a single berry to their names.
"We must reach Loguetown before the execution!"
Rosen issued the order again though lying on his chair, he showed no hint of urgency.
"Captain, there's a bird taking secret photos of us."
Shiryu remarked.
"Ah, I sensed it too. Looks like a News Coo. Bring it aboard let's have it write us a feature column."
"Understood, Captain."
Shiryu knew well that, at this critical moment, the Marines would never publicly announce their betrayal.
But since they had chosen to make a name for themselves
how could they settle for obscurity?
Swish, swish!
Before the News Coo could react, it was already standing on the deck.
"Hello there, Mr. News Bird!"
"I am Rosen a man of great ambition."
…
…
The News Coo stared blankly as the warship sailed off.
Its camera now held two portrait photos.
Its bag, a "self-introduction."
And for its boss, a sealed letter.
…
"A small-time news agency like the World Economic News Paper what's there to care about?"
Shiryu asked, puzzled.
In his eyes, problems were solved with blades. Strength decided everything.
"Yohohohoho… little Shiryu, you're still too young. Intelligence is also key to surviving on the seas."
"Don't underestimate that paper. Its president has great potential. I've got high hopes for him."
Rosen's tone was strange, almost mocking.
Shiryu's face darkened. That flippant voice made his skin crawl.
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T/N:
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