"Does this guy have a grudge against the Seven Warlords of the Sea policy?"
Seeing the intelligence in his hands, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was feeling troubled: "This is already the second time; last time was like this, and this time is the same."
Why?
He said he didn't want to go to sea and just wanted to stay with his wife and child, so why did he go all the way to the North Blue, and even get mixed up with that Tyrant, whom the World Government recently put a bounty on?
What is he trying to do? Is he bored with peaceful days?
"Is this the kid who used to say the Marine Headquarters' justice system is a pile of shit?"
Across the desk, Vice-Admiral Tsuru, who also had the intelligence in front of her, smiled: "I've heard Zephyr talk about him. He's a family-oriented man, a kid who gave up an invitation from Marine Headquarters for the sake of his family. I didn't expect he really is an active youngster!"
"Are you still cracking jokes?"
Hearing Tsuru, Sengoku rubbed his nose helplessly and said, "Let's think about what to do now! The Seven Warlords have only been assembled for a few years, and yet these incidents keep happening. How can the Seas place their trust in the Seven Warlords' policy? How are we supposed to deter those ambitious pirates?"
You must understand that the World Government set up the Seven Warlords of the Sea to jointly stabilize the seas together with the Marine Headquarters and to deter other pirates on the sea.
Every pirate invited by the World Government to become a Warlord, regardless of actual strength, is a famous pirate across the seas.
But how long has it been? Two of the Seven Warlords have been defeated in succession. How can the seas continue to trust the Warlords with that kind of strength?
Crocodile was one thing: Although defeated, the impact wasn't large, and in the end, he managed to return to the Kingdom of Alabasta.
Under the World Government's deliberate guidance, the fight was treated across the seas as a contest between friends.
But Hanafuda? That guy was sunk into the sea, and he was defeated by a criminal the World Government had recently placed a bounty on. What do they want, to humiliate the World Government?
Especially since that Tyrant was seen together with the kid that Zephyr mentioned; two people capable of defeating a Warlord together, what is that kid trying to do!
"Don't overthink it, Sengoku."
Unlike the worried Sengoku, Tsuru had a calm smile on her face and said, "The last time a Warlord was defeated, the impact wasn't big; we spun it as a contest among friends. As for this time, both you and I know Bartholomew Kuma isn't a simple fellow."
After saying that, Tsuru shook her head, a trace of melancholy flashing across her eyes before quickly fading.
That matter from years ago must never be spread; otherwise, the consequences would be enormous.
"It might not be surprising that he defeated Hanafuda. The Sorbet Kingdom incident just ended not long ago; we can continue to present this externally as an extremely vicious and powerful criminal, and have that fellow, Morgans, cooperate with our publicity to lessen the impact of a Warlord being defeated while shifting attention onto Bartholomew Kuma."
Sengoku: "..."
Faced with Tsuru's suggestion, Sengoku frowned and pondered. This tactic wasn't new, just one of the methods the Marine Headquarters and World Government routinely used.
Summed up in one sentence: Reduce the impact and divert attention.
It's simple, but effective.
However… Sengoku pointed at the collection of documents with a serious expression. "What should we do with this kid? He said he didn't want to go to sea, yet he's caused so much trouble; he scorned the Marine Headquarters' justice system, and now he's mixed up with a criminal wanted by the World Government."
"That kid, huh... Although he does seem to scorn the Marine Headquarters' justice system a bit."
Tsuru kept smiling and said, "But you know as well as I do, that's not uncommon; there are many in the Marines who don't take the Marines' justice seriously."
Sengoku: "..."
"That may be true in principle, but as the Great Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, is it really right for you to say that?"
Sengoku's face twitched, and he stared at Tsuru, dumbfounded, momentarily at a loss for words.
Tsuru didn't pay attention to Sengoku's complicated expression; after a moment's thought, she continued: "Perhaps we can recruit this kid. Since he doesn't want to return to the Marines, invite him to become one of the new Warlords. This way, given what's happened, we can revoke Hanafuda's Warlord title. According to the intelligence, that fellow has been getting too close to the captain of the Beast Pirates."
"Invite this kid to become a new Warlord?"
Sengoku frowned again. In fact, after the last G-5 incident, he had considered whether to invite this kid to become a Warlord.
But at that time, the Seven Warlords already had definite targets, and that fellow had little reputation, so in the end, he abandoned the idea.
After thinking, he looked up and said, with a helpless tone, "I'll propose it to the World Government, but who knows if the kid will accept?"
"Maybe you can have Zephyr approach him?"
"That old bastard, Zephyr?!"
Sengoku's face immediately showed anger at the mention of Zephyr. "Don't bother with that guy. If he wants to sell wine, let that bastard sell it honestly!"
He snorted coldly. "If that kid dares to refuse the World Government's invitation..."
"Issue a bounty and arrest him!"
At the side, the always-quiet Sakazuki spoke without hesitation in a cold tone: "If he dares to get mixed up with criminals wanted by the World Government, we can't just let him be. The combined strength of Ian and Bartholomew Kuma has already affected the Marines' dominance in the West Blue. And especially since that guy doesn't even recognize the Marine Headquarters' justice, this only proves he is an unrestrained, ambitious man!"
Sakazuki spoke sternly to Sengoku: "And as for Zephyr-sensei, you shouldn't continue to leave him be. That old man is drifting away from the control of Marine Headquarters."
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him. How big a force can he really raise by selling wine?"