Sengoku put down the receiver and surveyed everyone in the meeting room. His gaze, which had been hesitant, became firm and sharp. The orders of the Five Elders were final, not to be contradicted by any Marine officer.
Sengoku stood up, the aura of the Marine Fleet Admiral instantly erupting to suppress all the noise in the room.
"Redraft the bounty for Ryoma, the 'frost fairy'!"
"Charges: Murder of Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Onigumo, assault on World Nobles, and challenging the authority of the World Government!"
"Bounty amount... 250 million Berries!"
This figure caused many Vice Admirals present to gasp. A rookie's bounty had surpassed many great pirates who had been active in the Grand Line for years.
"Furthermore!"
Sengoku turned his gaze toward the figure who was still leisurely trimming his nails.
"Borsalino!"
"Oh my."
Borsalino stopped his movements and slowly raised his head.
"Fleet Admiral, is there something you need? This is quite a headache."
"You are responsible for this mission."
Sengoku's tone left no room for doubt. "You are the fastest. Catch up to him at top speed and investigate his background. Remember the words of the Five Elders: as much as possible, bring back Saint Charlimako without causing a commotion."
"Understood."
Borsalino stood up and stretched, his bones making a series of crisp popping sounds.
"What a troublesome chore. I wonder if my perfect attendance bonus will be a bit higher this month."
He complained as he walked lazily toward the door, his figure pausing briefly at the entrance.
"Well then, I'm off."
Before his voice could fade, his body instantly decomposed into countless shimmering golden points of light. A beam of light shot into the sky at a speed invisible to the naked eye, streaking toward the Grand Line.
In Mary Geoise, that emergency dedicated Den Den Mushi from before rang out once more.
"Confirmed... death confirmed!"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked the voice of a CP0 agent. "Saint Charlimako... his life signs have completely vanished!"
Dead silence.
A bone-chilling silence enveloped the Five Elders' meeting room.
If the previous kidnapping was an unheard-of scandal, then the death of a Celestial Dragon now was a direct and bloody declaration of war against the World Government's highest authority.
"Bastard!"
Nusjuro roared. This time, he didn't just tap his sword, he suddenly unsheathed the Shodai Kitetsu. A pitch-black slash instantly split the heavy conference table in two. Wood chips and stone fragments flew, but no one paid them any mind.
"He must be erased! Every trace related to him must be wiped from this world!"
Peter stood up, his voice suppressing a volcanic eruption of fury.
"We absolutely cannot allow the news of a Celestial Dragon being murdered to spread!"
Warcury asked, "What about Morgans? That fellow who loves chaos has surely caught the scent by now."
"CP0 will 'persuade' him." Peter's words carried no warmth.
"He should understand that the price of reporting certain news would be the total destruction of the World Economic Times."
"The Marines are too slow!"
Nusjuro sheathed his blade with a sharp click.
"They must eliminate that sinner named Ryoma at the highest speed! Use his head to wash away this disgrace!"
...
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Grand Line, at a temporary Revolutionary Army base.
An intelligence officer rushed into the command room in a hurry, holding a piece of newly acquired intel high in his hand.
"Dragon-san! An emergency encrypted message has arrived!"
Several Revolutionary Army cadres in the room looked over at the sound.
"It's about the aftermath of the Loguetown incident!"
The intelligence officer panted, his face filled with irrepressible excitement.
"Our undercover personnel have confirmed that the Celestial Dragon, Saint Charlimako... is dead!"
"What?"
"Killed by that rookie pirate?"
This news immediately caused an uproar throughout the command room.
"Not only that!" The intelligence officer continued to report.
"According to cross-verified intelligence from multiple sources, that person publicly confronted a Celestial Dragon in Loguetown and intimidated the entire scene with Conquerors Haki. His purpose didn't seem to be for treasure or fame, but merely to save a few innocent civilians."
"Publicly challenging World Nobles to save civilians and even awakening Conqueror's..."
A cadre murmured to himself, "Should we take the initiative to contact someone like this? He would be a massive help in our fight against the World Government."
"Exactly. He's definitely being frantically hunted by the World Government and the Marines right now. This is the best time for us to lend a helping hand."
Arguments broke out as everyone saw the immense potential contained within this rookie.
"Buru buru buru..."
The special encrypted Den Den Mushi in the center of the command room rang, and everyone instantly fell silent.
A cadre picked up the receiver and respectfully handed it to the man in the corner of the room, who was wearing a green cloak and had a peculiar tattoo on his face.
A steady and powerful sound of breathing came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
"Dragon-san, that's the situation. We believe..."
"Observe."
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Dragon's mouth to spit out the brief word.
"But..."
"Do not initiate contact for now." Dragon's command was clear and decisive.
"The full power of the World Government is now focused on him. Any contact would bring unnecessary danger to him and also expose us."
He paused for a moment, seemingly in thought.
"Keep an eye on his movements. If he can survive this storm... in the future, he might become our friend."
"Yes."
...
Near the entrance to the Grand Line, in the waters around Reverse Mountain.
Ryoma stood at the bow of an ordinary single-masted sailing ship, looking at Reverse Mountain, which they were about to reach.
After leaving Loguetown, he had traveled day and night to finally arrive in these waters.
Ryoma was considering whether to find a deserted island to hide on first after entering the Grand Line to train until becoming proficient with Haki, or to continue deeper into the Grand Line.
Ryoma was suddenly startled, his whole body involuntarily trembling as the Mana Sense within him abruptly sent a needle-like warning.
A dangerous aura appeared out of thin air ahead.
Ryoma jerked his head up. He saw a speck of golden light suddenly ignite on the sea surface ahead, then rapidly expand and condense into a tall, thin man.
A yellow and white striped suit, amber-tinted sunglasses, and a lazy smile on his face that looked a bit annoying.
The Marine Headquarters' ultimate combat power, Admiral Kizaru, Borsalino.
"Oh my... I've finally caught up to you."
Kizaru stood with his hands in his pockets, tilting his head as he sized up Ryoma. His speaking speed was maddeningly slow.
"You're that rookie, Ryoma, right? You've really caused me a lot of trouble. How scary."
Ryoma looked at Borsalino without replying. Had one of the top combatants of the Marines arrived?
This man's speed really was something else.