Kong handed a classified black folder to Sengoku.
"Recently, Vice-Admiral Saul sank an expedition ship claiming to be historical explorers and captured a survivor. Based on her interrogation testimony, and the recovered artifacts, they were researchers from the island of Ohara."
"The Five Elders have contacted Dr. Clover, the leading scholar of Ohara, demanding they cease all research into the Poneglyphs and the Void Century. When Clover refused to comply... the Five Elders ordered us to authorize a Buster Call on Ohara."
Sengoku's eyes widened slightly.
He glanced at Kong's grim expression before opening the folder to examine the documents.
"The intelligence records indicate Ohara is a peaceful island of academics. It poses no military threat to the World Government—it's not even comparable to a minor pirate crew," Sengoku noted, frowning.
"A Buster Call seems like an extreme overreaction for destroying a single library."
Kong cleared his throat, his gaze turning complicated. "The Five Elders seek to demonstrate their absolute authority to the world."
Sengoku immediately understood—this was about maintaining the Celestial Dragons' dominance through fear.
Common civilians couldn't comprehend the abstract concept of Admiral-level strength.
To a farmer, an Admiral and a local Marine Captain both just seemed like "strong soldiers."
With so few top-tier fighters existing, the public lacked reference points to understand the World Government's true power.
But Buster Calls were different.
Everyone understood the terrifying, indiscriminate firepower of ten battleships.
The Buster Call's true purpose was to intimidate the civilian populace, demonstrating what absolute destructive force meant.
When the golden Den Den Mushi is pressed and the cannons begin to roar, everything standing in their way—men, women, children, and history—will be reduced to scorched earth.
This is the true purpose of a Buster Call: erase the target, and terrify the survivors.
Sengoku remembered that the last time he signed a Buster Call authorization was decades ago, even before the rise of the Rocks Pirates.
Kong continued, "Sengoku, I am getting old. From now on, the burden of these dark decisions on your shoulders will be heavier. For this Buster Call, you may select the ten warships and the five commanding Vice-Admirals yourself. I trust you'll make the proper arrangements."
Sengoku nodded. "I want the younger, rising officers to participate in this mission, to let them accumulate some official achievements."
"Sakazuki and Raleigh have already accumulated massive military merits. Then there is Borsalino and Kuzan. They can all command the fleet to observe the reality of absolute justice."
Kong was satisfied with Sengoku's choices, though he didn't show it on his face.
"Sengoku, the personnel are entirely up to you. There's no need to consult me on such deployment matters from now on."
Sengoku nodded and left the office.
He knew that from this day forward, he would begin formally placing his own trusted people throughout the various departments of the Navy.
Although those departments had shown him respect while Kong was in charge, the Navy wasn't lacking in stubborn old-timers who rested on their seniority.
It's always more reassuring to use your own people.
Besides, he couldn't afford to have no capable, battle-tested generals under his command after Kong formally stepped down.
By letting these four young Vice-Admirals earn more major achievements now, their promotions to Admiral would face less political resistance when Sengoku took the top seat.
Among these individuals, Sengoku actually had the highest expectations for Raleigh and Sakazuki.
However, since these two had just ruthlessly filed official complaints to demote Garp, Sengoku felt it politically inappropriate to get too close to them right now.
As for Borsalino, he found him quite handy and obedient to use.
Kuzan, though somewhat lazy, was a promising talent—enthusiastic and possessing a powerful Logia fruit.
But compared to the other three monsters, Kuzan was still somewhat green and soft-hearted.
It would be good for him to go out and gain some harsh experience.
...
At an upscale bar on the Sabaody Archipelago, Raleigh was relaxing and having drinks with Gion.
Just as the atmosphere was heating up, Enel pushed the tavern door open and entered, handing a sealed Navy dispatch note to Raleigh.
Raleigh looked displeased at the interruption, but since Enel was still just a child, he didn't understand Raleigh's glare and simply sat down at a nearby table to order food.
Slowly opening the envelope, Raleigh glanced at its classified contents.
A rustling sound echoed.
The envelope and the paper turned into the finest dust in Raleigh's hand, crushed by his grip.
His cold gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, looking toward Sengoku's office at Marineford.
Gion looked at him with concern. "What's wrong? Another mission, Raleigh?"
Raleigh snapped back to reality and looked at Gion. "I'm sorry, Gion. I'll have to be away for a while again."
Because of their official complaints against Garp, Vice-Admiral Tsuru—who was very close friends with Garp and Sengoku—had drawn a clear political line between her faction and Raleigh's hardliners.
Though Gion strongly opposed this division, Raleigh proactively suggested that she return to Marineford to maintain her own standing.
Gion had no choice but to agree.
Many of the violent tasks Raleigh was about to undertake were too dangerous and politically sensitive for Gion's involvement.
Raleigh felt that with his current influence, he could let Gion stay safely at Headquarters without needing to risk going out to sea on these specific purges.
...
In a naval fortress somewhere on the Grand Line, Sengoku sat in his temporary office and summoned Jaguar D. Saul, who was stationed there.
"Saul, you have done well in capturing the history explorer this time. I plan to assign you another, highly important mission." Sengoku slid a document across the desk. "Fleet Admiral Kong has already signed the authorization to launch a Buster Call on Ohara. The attack will commence soon."
"A Buster Call?!" Saul's eyes widened in shock.
He never expected the Ohara incident to escalate to this extreme level.
Every deployment of a Buster Call symbolized the total annihilation of an island—regardless of who or what was on it, everything would be eradicated.
Sengoku nodded, ignoring the deep unease in Saul's tone.
"Correct. A Buster Call requires ten warships and five commanders of Vice-Admiral rank. I have already selected four Vice-Admirals. Considering your merit in the capture, I have decided to include you in this mission. This is a solid opportunity for your career."
Sengoku's reasoning was standard bureaucratic logic: participating in a Buster Call was a guaranteed major promotion credit within the Navy.
He had already secured his four chosen monster Vice-Admirals, and the remaining slot was essentially free credit for a loyal subordinate.
Since Saul had performed well in the initial capture, it made sense to let him share in the merits.
But Sengoku never anticipated that Saul's moral convictions had already shifted.
Ignoring Saul's hesitant, horrified expression, Sengoku moved on to discussing logistics and fleet formations.
Saul could only withdraw from the office silently, his fists clenched tight.
...
That night, Saul dismissed the guards from the brig and went straight to the holding cell of the scholar he had captured—Nico Olvia.
By now, her body was covered with scars from the initial interrogations.
Hearing heavy footsteps, Nico Olvia lifted her head, expecting more pain.
Saul looked at the battered woman, knelt down, and spoke in a low, rumbling voice.
"I want to understand your perspective. Tell me the truth about Ohara."
The night passed in hushed conversation.
The next morning, the guards discovered that the maximum-security cell holding Nico Olvia was completely empty.
Vice-Admiral Saul was also missing from the base.
Sengoku stared at the broken cell door, his face dark with a rage burning within him.
He never imagined that a Vice-Admiral would commit high treason right under his nose.
How many others like Saul were hiding in the Navy, questioning their justice?
In a rare display of furious temper, Sengoku ordered the base to dispatch pursuit warships to hunt down the escaped Saul and Nico Olvia.
Dead or alive.