Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, the long, seemingly frozen silence was finally broken by Sengoku's heavy and clear voice.
"...We agree".
These three words seemed to exhaust all the strength of the wise general, yet they carried a sense of determination, as if heavy shackles had been removed from his shoulders.
Takuro's unsurprised chuckle came through the Den Den Mushi speaker: "Oh? You finally figured it out, did you?".
"However," Sengoku's tone shifted, becoming extremely serious, "the Marines will not openly raise a rebellion. At least, not until the final outcome is clear. The World Government's eight-hundred-year rule is deeply entrenched. We must maintain stability on the surface to prevent the four seas from falling into complete chaos and anarchy". He spoke with the ultimate responsibility and rationality expected of a Fleet Admiral.+2
"So," Tsuru took over, her voice calm and meticulous, clearly having reached a consensus with Sengoku long ago, "we can only provide 'convenience' for you and your... Alliance at 'certain times' and in 'certain aspects.' For example, when you gather your forces, the Marine patrol fleet in the New World will 'coincidentally' change its route. We might 'accidentally' leak some deployment maps of the Mary Geoise garrison. And if the World Government tries to mobilize reinforcements, they might encounter 'force majeure' delays...".
Tsuru did not finish her sentence, but everyone present understood her meaning. This limited, covert cooperation at critical moments could be even more fatal than having a few more top-tier fighters. This was a form of political wisdom—seeking survival in the cracks while trying to maximize the benefits for the Marines.+3
Takuro clicked his tongue on the other end of the Den Den Mushi. His tone was clearly impatient, but unexpectedly, he did not object. "Fine, so be it. This 'convenience' from you is enough".
His goal was clear and pure: defeat the strongest enemies and find the Dragon Ball. Whether the process involved direct overwhelming force or someone secretly paving the way didn't matter to him, as long as the result met his expectations. The Marines' "half-hearted" attitude could indeed save him the trouble of clearing out small fries, allowing him to focus on his true objective.+4
"Then," Takuro's voice carried a hint of excitement, like a hunt about to begin, "the 'show' is about to start. All you 'spectators' make sure to find your positions".
With that, without waiting for the Marines' response, the Den Den Mushi clicked shut, and its simulated image returned to its sleepy state. Inside the office, silence fell once more. Only this time, the silence was no longer about struggle and hesitation; it was a suppressed and tense solemnity after reaching a consensus.
Sengoku looked around at his colleagues. His gaze swept over Akainu's tightly pursed lips, Aokiji's deep eyes, Kizaru's inscrutable smile, and Garp's rare serious expression. He knew that from this moment on, the Marines had stepped onto a tightrope, with an abyss beneath their feet and an unknown storm ahead.
"Today's matter is classified as top secret," Sengoku's voice carried undeniable authority. "Everything will proceed covertly according to the established plan. Until the final moment arrives, the Marines remain the Marines that maintain the stability of the seas!".
"Yes!" the generals responded in unison, their voices mixed with unprecedented, complex emotions.
At the same time, Takuro, far away on Fish-Man Island, casually tossed the Den Den Mushi to Nico Robin, who was standing beside him.
"Done," he said, stretching his muscles. His crimson pupils gazed out at the deep ocean beyond Ryugu Palace's window, as if he could already pierce through ten thousand meters of seawater to see the outline of the Red Line.
"Will the Marines... keep their word?" Robin gracefully took the snail, asking softly.
"It doesn't matter," Takuro grinned, revealing his stark white teeth. "If they keep their word, it saves me some effort. If they renege..." He clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking, and the temperature around him seemed to rise by a few degrees. "Then I'll just beat them all up too".
Absolute confidence stemmed from absolute power. He didn't care about the Marines' little schemes because, in his script, the only ending was already predetermined.+2
The Conqueror, coated in a sturdy bubble membrane, glided silently like a black giant whale past Fish-Man Island's massive bubble boundary. It plunged into the deeper, darker, and wilder waters of the New World. On the deck, Takuro stood with his hands in his pockets, his crimson pupils curiously surveying this sea area, famous for its extremely harsh climate and countless powerful pirates.+2
Gales whipped up huge waves, attempting to overturn the ship, but the Conqueror remained as steady as a mountain. The faint golden glow that occasionally lit up its hull—perhaps a manifestation of Haki or Ki—easily deflected the incoming hailstones.+1
Whitebeard stood beside him, his massive body like a reef. He looked at the familiar sea, his eyes filled with complex thoughts. He was once one of the Emperors of these waters, but now he returned as a "pathfinder".+3
"Totto Land, Charlotte Linlin's territory, is ahead," Whitebeard said in a deep voice that remained clear even in the sea wind. "That woman has a very strong sense of territory, and... she's very troublesome".
"Troublesome?" Takuro raised an eyebrow, unconcerned. "How troublesome can she be? Is she more resilient than Kaido?".
"Not the same type," Whitebeard shook his head. "Her Homies army, her children, her unreasonable Soul-Soul Fruit ability, and... her eating disorder." He paused, then added, "Especially when her eating disorder acts up, she's a pure, uncommunicative destructive machine".
"Really?" Takuro was noncommittal. "When I talked to her son before, I felt pretty good about it. If that old hag is unreasonable, I'll make her reasonable".
Robin, listening to this conversation, elegantly turned a page in her book, long immune to her boss's bold statements. Gion silently polished her sword, Konpira, a hint of curiosity in the depths of her eyes. She knew very well what a difficult opponent the Big Mom Pirates were; it was a vast kingdom built on blood and fear.+2
Days later, a colorful sea area, seemingly constructed from various desserts, appeared on the horizon. Cotton candy clouds floated in the sky, chocolate rivers flowed into the sea, houses made of biscuits stood in rows, and the air was filled with a rich, sweet aroma. This was Totto Land, Big Mom's dream kingdom.
The arrival of the Conqueror was like dropping a giant stone into a pot of sickly sweet syrup, instantly breaking the harmony.
"Mama! Mama! Unknown ships have intruded!".
"It's Whitebeard's Moby Dick... and another unfamiliar ship!".
"They've breached the outer perimeter!".
On the throne at the top of the candy castle, the mountain-sized Charlotte Linlin was devouring a giant cake. Hearing her children's reports, she raised her wrinkled face, a hint of brutality flashing in her enormous eyes.
"Mamamama~~~ Whitebeard? What's that old man doing on my territory? Is he coming to join me?" She let out her signature laugh, but then her expression darkened. "No matter who it is, anyone who intrudes into Totto Land without permission will pay the price!".
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