Attacking Mary Geoise.
These words, when taken apart, were familiar to every soul in the room. But when combined and spoken so solemnly by Vice Admiral Tsuru, they struck the air with an absurd, surreal unfamiliarity. Mary Geoise was not just a city; it was the World Government's headquarters, the sacred residence of the Celestial Dragons, and the peak of the Red Line. It stood as the highest symbol of power and order in this world. To "attack" such a place was unthinkable.
Since the establishment of the World Government eight hundred years ago, such a concept had never appeared in Marine strategic simulations. It was a taboo hidden in the deepest recesses of the mind, a nightmare that no one dared to imagine.
For a long moment, the only sound in the office was the rhythm of heavy breathing. Every officer was processing this terrifying information—news enough to completely overturn the entire sea.
Standing in the corner, Fleet Admiral Akainu Sakazuki kept his gaze sharp as an eagle's beneath the brim of his cap. The swirling smoke from the cigar between his fingers obscured his face, leaving his expression a mystery. However, his tightly pursed lips revealed a bone-chilling coldness. He looked like a volcano on the verge of an eruption.
Beside him, Kizaru Borsalino quirked his mouth, habitually drawing out his words in his usual rhythmic tone. "Oh my... how scary..." he said. But this time, his eyes held far less playfulness than usual. Behind those yellow-tinted shades was a look of deep, serious consideration.
Aokiji Kuzan stood with his arms crossed, leaning casually against the wall, yet his brows were tightly furrowed. Thoughts were churning in his ice-blue eyes as he calculated the sheer scale of the threat.
Meanwhile, Monkey D. Garp, sitting on the sofa, had been secretly reaching for a pack of rice crackers. He froze mid-action. He picked his nose, trying to seem casual, but a never-before-seen gravitas flickered in the depths of his eyes. The "Hero of the Marines" knew better than anyone what a war of this scale meant.
Just as the atmosphere in the office grew so heavy it felt like it might suffocate them, a Vice Admiral spoke up. He was known for his bravery, but he clearly lacked a full understanding of the terror they faced. Trying to break the silence, he let out two forced, dry laughs.
"Heh... hehe. I say, everyone, aren't you being a bit too nervous?" the officer asked. "That man, Takuro... no matter how high his personal Power Level is, he ultimately just leads a new pirate crew. How many people can he really have? With the elites of Marineford fully deployed, plus the CP organizations from the World Government, are we really afraid of him? We have the numbers and the justice!"
These words seemed to wake everyone up. They had initially been shocked by the horror of an attack on the Holy Land, but with their comrade's reminder, they began to rationalize. To them, it seemed the opponent was simply trying to hit a rock with an egg.
"That's right!" one commander shouted. "Indeed! We represent the righteous army of the world!"
"I laugh at Takuro for being brave but foolish," another added with a smirk. "If he dares to invade, we will surely bring him to justice with our Haki and our ships!"
For a moment, many commanders seemed to find their backbone. Relaxed smiles—some even slightly disdainful—reappeared on their faces. They acted as if the earlier tension was just a minor interlude in a standard briefing.
However, Tsuru's next words were like ice water from the Arctic. They instantly extinguished the flicker of hope they had just ignited. Her gaze calmly swept over the smiling faces. Her voice wasn't loud, yet it reached every corner of the room with piercing clarity.
"According to reliable intelligence we have confirmed, Takuro has gained actual control of Fish-Man Island and its military forces," Tsuru stated coldly. "Furthermore, he recently defeated 'the world's strongest man,' Edward Newgate, head-on. He forced the entire Whitebeard Pirates to submit to him."
The slight chatter that had just risen in the office vanished instantly. The air turned cold.
"At the same time," Tsuru continued, "cross-referenced by multiple sources, Kaido of the Beasts and his Beasts Pirates in Wano Country were also subdued by Takuro even earlier. Their Zoan army now follows his lead."
Every word was like a heavy hammer striking their hearts. Whitebeard... Kaido... these were names that made the world tremble.
"And Takuro's next destination is Totto Land in the New World," Tsuru concluded, her tone incredibly heavy. "His aim is to form an alliance with 'BIG MOM' Charlotte Linlin. If nothing unexpected happens, the enemy we face will no longer be a single Yonko force. We will face an unprecedented grand pirate coalition led by Takuro. This alliance integrates the Whitebeard Pirates, the Beasts Pirates, and very likely the Big Mom Pirates."
Dead silence. Complete, absolute silence.
Inside the office, the smiles that had just appeared on the commanders' faces froze. Then, those smiles crumbled and peeled away like dried mud, replaced by unconcealed horror.
Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom... each of these names represented a ruler of the sea. They were monsters at the pinnacle of piracy. Usually, the Marines needed to invest a tremendous amount of effort and lives just to deal with one of them. Now, someone was telling them that these monsters were not only defeated but were also uniting? This sounded like a cruel joke.
Garp, still sitting on the sofa, had a face as grim as iron. He had unknowingly crushed the rice crackers in his hand into a fine powder. This situation, where numerous top-tier powerhouses united to target the core of the World Government, reminded him of the brutal God Valley incident from decades ago.
However, unlike back then, did the Marines still have a trustworthy "ally" like Roger to rely on? The answer was a flat no.
"This... how is this possible?" a commander stammered.
"Is the information confirmed? It's too unbelievable! No one can defeat two Emperors back-to-back!" another cried out.
Discussions erupted once more, but this time they were filled with unease and panic. The commanders whispered among themselves, trying to analyze the situation, but no one could propose a plan. A sense of powerlessness permeated the air.
"Enough! All of you, be quiet!" A furious roar, like a clap of thunder, silenced the room.
Former Admiral "Black Arm" Zephyr slammed his hand on the table and stood up. He looked around at his flustered colleagues, his brows tightly furrowed. He turned his gaze to Tsuru, who had remained calm.
"Little Tsuru," Zephyr said in a deep, gravelly voice. "From your expression, you're not just here to deliver bad news. Do you already have a plan in mind?"
Everyone's eyes focused on Tsuru again, carrying their last shreds of hope. Tsuru looked at Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who had been silent. Sengoku gave her a slight, solemn nod, indicating she should speak.
Having received approval, Tsuru took a deep breath. She put forth a proposal more astonishing than all the previous news combined.
"In fact," Tsuru began, "Takuro's side has already contacted us twice through a private channel."
She paused, meeting their bewildered and uncertain gazes.
"He has extended a cooperation invitation to us," she said, her voice steady. "He is asking if we, the Marines, want to join him to overthrow the World Government and the Celestial Dragons."
The silence that followed was the loudest thing in the room.
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