The sea breeze carried the scent of antiseptic and dried blood. On the deck of the G-5 warship, which was cutting through the waves on its way back to base, the atmosphere felt incredibly heavy.
Dozens of Navy soldiers sat leaning against the ship's walls, their bodies wrapped in bandages. Some were groaning in pain.
Near the main mast, Borsalino sat cross-legged in silence. His round glasses were cracked on the left side, and his shoulder and chest were covered in thick bandages. There was no lazy smile on his face today.
Beside him, Sakazuki bowed his head deeply. The wounds all over his body were far more severe. His arm was charred, and there was a deep, crosswise gash on his back. But it wasn't physical pain that made both his hands shake violently until the knuckles turned white.
It was a burning shame that reached deep into his soul.
At the ship's bow, Quentin Seven stood gazing out at the ocean. His black shirt was torn in many places from the deadly battle, but strangely, not a single wound remained on his skin. Burns, scratches, and bruises—all had regenerated perfectly since they left the island.
The corner of Seven's mouth lifted slightly.
No one knew—not even Sakazuki or Borsalino—that before the battle ended in a stalemate, amidst the chaos, Seven had managed to use a split-second opening to secure two of the three wooden boxes containing the Devil Fruits that Charlotte Linlin had looted from the kingdom.
A war booty of immense value for awakening Saiken within his mental realm.
But to obtain it, Seven knew the price to be paid was nearly beyond his control.
Memories of what had happened an hour ago began replaying in his mind.
As the dust from the clash between Susanoo's sword and Charlotte Linlin's Ikoku Sovereignty began to settle, a clone that had been secretly created underground during the explosion had appeared right behind Charlotte Linlin. The clone's red eyes flashed, and a blue-flamed blade was pressed against the woman's neck, ready to strike.
However, before the sword could swing, the sky suddenly darkened.
Not because of Zeus's thunderclouds, but due to the shadow of a gigantic ship and a small island floating in the air.
"Jiehahahaha! What a spectacular sight! A monster from the Navy nearly killed Charlotte Linlin!"
Shiki the Golden Lion appeared, floating in the air. And under the control of his Fuwa Fuwa no Mi, Sakazuki's body—exhausted and severely wounded from withstanding the pirate commanders' attacks—floated helplessly with a dozen stone swords pointed directly at his heart and neck.
The pros and cons immediately spun rapidly through Seven's mind at that moment.
If his clone severed Linlin's head, the Rocks Fleet would lose one of its strongest monsters.
However, Shiki would certainly kill Sakazuki on the spot. Furthermore, with Seven's stamina drastically depleted after using Susanoo layered with Conqueror's Haki Infusion, facing the newly arrived Shiki would be tantamount to suicide.
In the end, Seven chose to retreat. He dispersed his clone, letting the enraged yet severely wounded Charlotte Linlin be pulled back by her crew, while Shiki released Sakazuki with a condescending laugh.
Heavy footsteps echoed on the deck, breaking Seven's reverie.
Sakazuki walked closer. The young captain stopped two steps behind Seven, then dropped to one knee. His head was bowed very low.
"Brother…" Sakazuki's voice trembled, hoarse with pent-up emotion. "I… I'm not worthy of following your justice. I've become a burden to you. If only I weren't weak… if only I hadn't been captured by the Golden Lion… you would have beheaded Charlotte Linlin by now."
Blood dripped from Sakazuki's clenched fist as he pounded the wooden deck. "I have thwarted your purpose."
Seven turned slowly. He looked at Sakazuki, who was questioning the very meaning of his existence.
"Stand up," Seven ordered flatly.
Sakazuki hesitated, but he obeyed, rising with a body still slightly stiff.
"Charlotte Linlin is a monster, and the Golden Lion is the First Captain of the Rocks Fleet; Charlotte Linlin cannot be compared to the Golden Lion. Losing to them right now isn't something to be ashamed of," said Seven, his dark eyes staring directly into Sakazuki's. "Killing Charlotte Linlin would indeed be a major blow to the Rocks Pirates. But losing someone like you… that's a huge loss for me."
Sakazuki's eyes widened slightly.
"Remember this well, Sakazuki," Seven stepped forward, slapping his younger brother's shoulder hard. "The justice we're building isn't about sacrificing family to kill enemies. If you feel like a burden today, keep that frustration bottled up. Use it as fuel. Train your strength until not a single person on these seas can hold you hostage again."
Sakazuki clenched his jaw tightly. Tears welled up, but he refused to let them fall. He straightened his back and saluted with a fist to his chest.
"Understood! I won't let you see me held hostage by the enemy again!" Sakazuki vowed, his voice echoing with determination.
Borsalino, who had been listening nearby by the mast, let out a soft sigh with a faint smile. "Terrifying… looks like I can't relax anymore either."
---
Navy Headquarters, Marineford. The Fleet Admiral's Chamber.
Cigar smoke hung thick in the air. The room was deathly quiet, with only the ticking of the wall clock and the sound of held breaths.
Fleet Admiral Kong held an intelligence report in his large, slightly trembling hands. In front of him, Chief Instructor Gin had forgotten to chew the cracker that was already at his mouth. Meanwhile, Admiral Sengoku stood near the window, his frog-shaped glasses reflecting the fading afternoon sunlight.
"Let me make sure I'm not misreading this," Kong's voice broke the silence, his eyes fixed intently on the document in his hand. "The kingdom is destroyed. Admiral Charlotte Linlin, one of the captains of the Rocks division, has come to attack."
Kong took a deep breath.
"Base G-5 intercepted them. The battle between Charlotte Linlin and Rear Admiral Quentin Seven ended… in a draw?" Kong looked up at Sengoku and Gin. "And Cipher Pol intelligence monitoring from afar reported that Seven nearly killed Charlotte Linlin if Shiki the Golden Lion hadn't suddenly appeared and taken Captain Sakazuki hostage?"
"That's correct," Sengoku replied, his voice sounding very serious. "Seven used that Susanoo power again. The same technique he used to block Garp's punch at this base. Reports state that most of Charlotte Linlin's fleet was razed to the ground, and hundreds of her crew were killed. Charlotte Linlin herself suffered severe injuries."
Crack!
The cracker in Gin's hand snapped and fell to the floor. The old man leaned his back against the sofa, his weary eyes widening.
"That boy…" Gin muttered softly. "He's only been in the New World for a year, and he's already capable of pushing a monster of Charlotte Linlin's caliber to the brink?"
Sengoku folded his arms across his chest. "This is more than just a clash of strength, Old Man Gin. This is a shift in the balance of power. Seven managed to retreat with his formation intact despite Shiki's intervention. He knows when to attack, and when to hold back to save his men. If the Golden Lion hadn't been there, we might have witnessed the fall of one of the Rocks Pirates' main pillars today."
Kong placed the report on his desk gently. His stern face couldn't hide his genuine surprise.
The Navy had always struggled to deal with the monsters from Hachinosu. Every time Rocks or a division captain moved, Headquarters had to dispatch Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, or Tsuru all at once.
But now, a Junior Admiral—a young man not yet in his mid-twenties—had just dealt a permanent blow to the fleet of the world's strongest pirate crew.
"We have a real monster in G-5," Kong said quietly. He looked at Sengoku. "Raise the security status for G-5 Base. The Rocks Pirates will surely seek revenge for this humiliation."