The Whitebeard pirate crew's large-scale movements could not be hidden from anyone. Almost that very same day, forces across the seas learned that the Whitebeard pirate crew was searching like mad for a pirate named Marshall D. Teach.
Of course, since this was a scandal for the Whitebeard pirate crew, its members deliberately concealed the truth while conducting the search. That might have fooled ordinary organizations, but it could never fool the Marines.
Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku looked at the intelligence report he had just received and found it almost unbelievable.
"Is this intelligence accurate?"
"Absolutely. One of our spies obtained it. He personally saw the body of Thatch, captain of the Whitebeard pirate crew's Fourth Division!"
Sengoku's brow furrowed at once.
"Trouble is coming."
For Whitebeard, who had always treated his crew like family, a betrayal like this would definitely bring a massive retaliation.
Although this was an internal matter for the Whitebeard pirate crew, they were still one of the Yonkō. Even the slightest movement from them could affect the balance of power in the New World.
"Monitor it in secret. Also, keep an eye on that man named Teach and track his movements."
For now, that was all the Marines could do. The rest could only be left to observation.
That was what Sengoku thought, but when a second piece of news arrived that night, he could no longer simply stand by.
In fact, unlike how he handled the matter with the Whitebeard pirate crew, Sengoku summoned every high-ranking Marine officer he could consult.
Garp, Tsuru, and the Three Admirals.
"What happened?"
Tsuru asked urgently as soon as she came in.
Sengoku wasted no time and directly handed her the intelligence he had just received.
After reading it, Tsuru frowned.
At that moment, the others arrived as well.
"What's going on? Why did you suddenly call us here, Sengoku?"
"Something major has happened. The Rainbow Kingdom has moved up the Rainbow Alliance Conference, which was originally scheduled for next year. It will now be held in three months."
This time, everyone's brows furrowed.
Anyone capable of reaching such a high position was no fool.
Over the past twenty years, they had all seen it clearly. The so-called Rainbow Alliance Conference was, in reality, the Rainbow Kingdom's counterpart to the World Government's World Conference.
It was only because the Rainbow Kingdom did not have its own member nations that it could not use the name World Conference.
But in reality, over these twenty years, the Rainbow Kingdom had already extended its reach across the world through the Rainbow Commercial Alliance. In particular, among nations that were not affiliated with the World Government, it had used economic and military control to turn them into something almost indistinguishable from vassal states of the Rainbow Kingdom.
For such an important conference to suddenly be held a year early, it was definitely not a whim. There had to be a huge scheme hidden behind it.
But what exactly was it?
Suddenly, Sengoku thought of the intelligence he had received at noon. He took it out and passed it around for everyone to read.
"Do you think this could be related to what happened with the Whitebeard pirate crew?"
Everyone looked it over and was also surprised by what had happened within the Whitebeard pirate crew.
However, they truly could not figure out what connection there could be between the two matters.
"Then all we can do is wait. Wait three months..."
Perhaps that was the only option.
But then...
At that moment, Tsuru suddenly asked,
"If the Rainbow Kingdom is preparing for an all-out war against the Marines and the World Government, do we have any chance of winning right now?"
The question startled everyone present. Instinctively, they all wanted to avoid answering it.
Because the current Rainbow Kingdom was simply too terrifying.
Without the World Government and the Celestial Dragons dragging them down, and with the North Blue and the Rainbow Commercial Alliance as support, they had expanded their strength to an unimaginable degree.
If, during the war twenty years ago, Sengoku had firmly believed that the Marines would certainly have won in the end if not for CP holding them back and the lack of intelligence, then now, Sengoku no longer had any confidence at all.
To say the Marines and the World Government were riddled with holes would already be putting it politely.
And aside from the Rainbow Kingdom, there was also the Revolutionary Army, another source of endless headaches.
Their influence had also expanded extremely quickly in recent years.
At that moment, Sengoku suddenly felt the urge to do what Kong had once done when he handed the position of Fleet Admiral to him, to pass his own position of Fleet Admiral on to someone younger. But after thinking about it, he rejected that weakness in himself.
"Enough. Since none of us has any good ideas, we can only watch how things develop. Everyone, stay sharp for the time being and pay close attention to any changes on the seas."
"Mm."
Everyone nodded and prepared to leave.
At that moment, Sengoku suddenly said,
"Garp, stay behind."
After everyone else had left, Garp asked curiously,
"What is it?"
Sengoku walked to the balcony and looked out over the Marine plaza, then asked in a low voice,
"How is Zephyr doing?"
The moment that question came out, even Garp, who was usually so unserious, grew heavy in mood. With a hint of anger, he asked,
"How do you think he's doing? What exactly were you thinking back then, letting Edward Weevil become a Shichibukai? Isn't that just rubbing salt into Zephyr's wound?"
Sengoku, however, said with unusual calm,
"But you have to admit Edward Weevil's strength. The fact that he could defeat Zephyr is proof enough of his power. Besides, he has a blood feud with the Rainbow Kingdom. If someone like that doesn't become a Shichibukai, are you asking me to rely on Crocodile, Doflamingo, and the others, who are secretly cooperating with the Rainbow Kingdom? And compared with the scheming Avalo Pizarro, as well as Hawk Eyes, Moria, and Catarina Devon, who don't listen at all, Edward Weevil is much easier to control. On these seas, can you find anyone more suitable than him to become a Shichibukai?"
Garp could not say anything.
Seeing that, Sengoku could only sigh and say,
"When you have time, go see him for me. Right now, we need his strength..."
Although Zephyr's combat power had declined greatly because of his lost arm and old age, he still stood at the Admiral level.
At such a critical time, leaving a force like that in the rear was too much of a waste.
"I understand... I'll try. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."
"Mm, go. And Garp, thanks for your work in the East Blue."
Garp left without even looking back.
Meanwhile, somewhere on the sea, on an unnamed island, a secret Marine base stood there.
Inside the main building of the Marine base, the very person Sengoku and Garp had been discussing, Zephyr, sat alone in silence.
Outside, there were barely any Marines visible in the base plaza. Only his two disciples, Ain and Binz, were sparring with everything they had, trying to draw their teacher's attention.
Ever since the Marines and the World Government recruited Edward Weevil as a Shichibukai, Zephyr had completely lost faith in the Marines.
He had even resigned from his position as an instructor and come to this remote Marine base.
Unfortunately, Zephyr's heart had long since died.
Just then, a voice he would never forget rang beside his ear, clear and heavy like a bell at dawn.
"I never thought Admiral Zephyr would end up looking as old and worn down as an ordinary old man..."
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