Two days later, Marine Headquarters.
Inside Sengoku's office, a meeting was in progress.
Because the incident at Enies Lobby was exceptionally severe, Sengoku had no choice but to treat it with the utmost seriousness.
After putting down the documents in his hand, Sengoku spoke in a deep voice.
"What are your thoughts on this incident?"
"The losses were enormous…" Vice Admiral Tsuru said with a frown.
"Five warships were completely destroyed. The remaining five suffered varying degrees of damage, and the casualties among the soldiers were far from minor."
"If Kuzan hadn't been there, it's likely that no one below the rank of Vice Admiral would have made it back alive."
According to the reports, the enemy's final technique was terrifying.
Had it struck the sea directly, very few would have survived.
Fortunately, an Admiral had intervened—otherwise, the losses would have been catastrophic.
"Yes…" Sengoku sighed.
"Doberman and Onigumo are still undergoing emergency treatment. Whether they'll even be able to continue serving as Vice Admirals is uncertain."
The poison used by the enemy was far too vicious.
Based on the doctors' assessment, Doberman would most likely never be fit to serve as a Vice Admiral again.
As for Onigumo… his condition was still unclear.
"Pirates these days are really frightening, aren't they~" Kizaru said lazily.
Defeating two Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals the moment he appeared—
even if special methods were used, a victory was still a victory.
Who cared how it was done?
Akainu glanced at Kizaru.
His face, already dark with anger over Onigumo and the others, grew even darker.
"Despicable pirates," Akainu said coldly.
"To dare attack a Buster Call… absolute madness. The last ones who tried that are rotting in Impel Down!"
He slammed his fist onto the table and stood up.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku—let me handle this. I'll personally wipe them out."
As he spoke, heat began radiating from his clenched fist, as if it might ignite at any moment.
"Sit down!" Sengoku snapped.
Akainu looked at him, paused briefly, then reluctantly sat back down.
"The pursuit has already begun," Tsuru said.
"By who?" Akainu asked.
"Kuzan."
Akainu: "..."
Because of that man's reckless handling of the Buster Call, the Marines had lost ships and manpower on a massive scale.
Now he hadn't even returned to report—he had gone off chasing pirates instead?
If he could really catch them, why hadn't he frozen the sea in the first place?
Akainu was highly suspicious of Aokiji's motives.
"With Kuzan taking action, the chances of capture are still quite high," Sengoku said.
Kuzan's strength was undeniable.
If he managed to intercept the Straw Hat crew, capturing them shouldn't be difficult.
Akainu let out a cold snort but said nothing further.
"A ninja…" Tsuru muttered, rubbing her temples.
"That's truly troublesome."
The ability to manipulate seawater was practically the natural enemy of Devil Fruit users.
"Ninja?" Kizaru raised an eyebrow.
Had Kaido sent someone to stir up trouble?
"The information is right in front of you!" Sengoku snapped irritably.
"Read the report properly!"
Kizaru merely smiled without embarrassment and picked up the documents again.
"This guy even has hypnosis-type abilities?" he said in mild surprise.
"Yes," Sengoku nodded.
"But such abilities aren't unheard of on the sea."
"Compared to his naval combat capabilities, that's insignificant."
"Then what about this CP9 situation?"
Sengoku hesitated briefly before answering.
"We're not sure whether it was defection… or hypnosis."
"But he belongs to the World Government. That's not our concern."
Even Sengoku couldn't say for certain.
From the events at Enies Lobby, CP9 had clearly been defeated head-on.
If hypnosis were involved, the battles could have been avoided entirely—especially for those at Bruno's level.
So the explanation didn't fully add up.
Kizaru nodded and didn't press the issue.
"Where exactly did this guy come from?" Akainu asked with a frown.
"To be honest, we don't know either," Sengoku replied.
"Based on current intelligence, he only recently joined the Straw Hat Pirates."
"At the very least, he had never appeared before Enies Lobby."
"A rookie?"
"Not necessarily," Tsuru said after some thought.
"Considering the matter of Wano… he may not be new at all."
It was possible he simply never had a bounty due to Wano's isolation.
"Wano?" Akainu raised an eyebrow.
"Are you suggesting this is one of Kaido's hidden pieces?"
"No, you're overthinking it," Sengoku said.
"Kaido wouldn't do something that foolish."
To ordinary people, ninjas were legends from stories.
But to them, they were real—because Wano truly did have ninjas.
That made it less mysterious.
Besides, infiltrating the Straw Hat crew served no real purpose.
Was he trying to get close to Garp?
That old man might be outrageous, but he never lost his sense of right and wrong.
"Then what is it?"
"The sea is vast," Sengoku said slowly.
"Special individuals appearing isn't impossible."
"What concerns me more is his ability," Tsuru said, narrowing her eyes.
"He's not a Devil Fruit user, correct?"
"Correct."
"Yet he possesses so many bizarre techniques…"
"If we could capture him—could those abilities be acquired by the Marines?"
Her words reflected what everyone present was thinking.
"Yes," Sengoku nodded.
"That's exactly my concern."
"His naval combat potential is terrifying. Even if his raw strength doesn't match a Vice Admiral's, he can still inflict massive damage using ninjutsu."
"If he's allowed to keep growing…"
Sengoku didn't finish the sentence.
Everyone understood.
Potential.
Terrifying potential.
Even without mastering Haki, he had already caused losses of this scale.
If he were allowed to develop in the New World for several more years—
no one could predict how dangerous he would become.
"If Kuzan manages to capture him," Tsuru said,
"that power might be turned to our use."
"Don't celebrate too early," Akainu said coldly.
"Just because it's not a Devil Fruit doesn't mean anyone can learn it."
"This isn't martial arts."
"Bloodline… may very well be the medium for that power."
His words caused Sengoku and Tsuru to think of a certain extinct race—
the Lunarians.
A people whose terrifying abilities were inherited through bloodline alone.
And the reason they were wiped out.
"Regardless," Tsuru said, pressing her temples,
"we must try."
"The Straw Hat Pirates' bounties will be increased," Sengoku said.
"I've already ordered it to be handled."
Kizaru glanced at Sengoku but remained silent.
"Don't look at me like that," Sengoku said.
"Kuzan isn't guaranteed to stop them."
He paused, then continued.
"Borsalino—after this meeting, head to the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Remain stationed there. Before the Straw Hats enter the New World, you are to capture them at all costs."
Seeing Kizaru about to speak, Sengoku glared.
"This is an order."
"Yes, yes~ I understand~" Kizaru replied lazily.
"How scary~"
Sengoku: "..."
I really want to punch him.
"By the way—where's Garp?" Sengoku asked.
"Hmph, who knows where that bastard ran off to," Sengoku said irritably.
After hearing about the Straw Hat Pirates, that man had vanished immediately.
No one had any idea where he went.
"Alright," Sengoku said, his eyes narrowing.
"Next—let's talk about Blackbeard."
"About… his capture of Fire Fist Ace."
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