Within the Fleet Admiral's office.
Less than five minutes after the incident at the harbor, a report had already reached Sengoku, detailing the entire sequence of events.
At this moment, Sengoku's expression was complicated—a mix of frustration and excitement.
The frustration stemmed from the sheer embarrassment of it all. A single Captain from a branch had made the entire Marine Headquarters look utterly incompetent.
However, the excitement came from a realization: the Marines of the 16th Branch were far stronger than he had estimated.
Nearly a thousand soldiers with the combat power of a Headquarters Captain?
If that was the case, then what was the actual strength of Commodore Lucci, Captain Kaku, Jabra, and the other commissioned officers?
With such a force on his side, this upcoming battle felt significantly more secure.
"Fleet Admiral, regarding Captain Siro..."
"Hasn't Aokiji already given the order? Lock him up and conduct a rigorous investigation to determine if he is an impostor or a spy for Whitebeard!"
"But..."
"No 'buts.' Furthermore, with the war imminent, do not waste your energy. The detailed interrogation can wait until after the conflict is over. Now, leave!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
The reporting Commodore had finally caught on.
The Fleet Admiral was simply trying to save face. He wanted to wait until the war ended and the personnel of the 16th Branch had departed before dealing with the matter.
If he released Siro now and proved that he was indeed a legitimate Captain of the Headquarters, it would essentially confirm that a Headquarters Captain was weaker than an Ensign from one of the four seas' branches.
Would the Headquarters have any dignity left?
Therefore, it was easier to simply go along with the 16th Branch's narrative for now; at least that allowed them to maintain a shred of pride. Sengoku did not want the morale of the Headquarters Marines to be crushed before the war had even begun. That would be a disaster.
"By the way, have the units arriving from the various branches been assigned their stations?"
"Everything has been mapped out. Upon arrival, each branch will be escorted directly to their designated temporary encampments."
"Add one more order: until the public execution begins, Marines from the various branches are forbidden from leaving their stations without permission. Furthermore, they are not to make contact with one another. The official reason is to maintain the secrecy of operational details."
The Commodore blinked, momentarily stunned.
But after a moment, recalling the incident at the harbor, he understood.
If the people of the 16th Branch were allowed to wander around the Headquarters, they would probably label any officer who looked "unmotivated" as a fake or a spy. If things went south, even a Commodore might find themselves in the crosshairs.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
"Mm. Dismissed."
'''
Three days later.
One hundred thousand Marine elites formed layer upon layer of defensive lines across the Headquarters. It was a sea of white capes and uniforms.
Aside from the nearly 700 men operating the fleet, the remaining 200-plus Marines of the 16th Branch were also positioned among them.
However, they weren't particularly happy.
The area Sengoku had assigned to them was... the final line of defense directly beneath the execution platform.
They had come prepared to slay enemies and earn military merits to secure promotions and wealth, catapulting themselves to the peak of their careers. Instead, they were placed in the very back.
In other words, if the preceding lines of defense weren't breached by the Whitebeard Pirates, they would spend the entire war as mere spectators.
Who would be happy with that?
A moment later, everything was ready. The broadcasts to the various islands across the world were activated.
Sengoku slowly ascended the execution platform, stepping beside the kneeling Vista, and picked up the microphone.
"Today is a day of significance—not only for the Marines but for the entire world!"
"For over a decade, since the New World was carved up by the so-called Four Emperors, most have believed that pirates now possess the power to rival the Marines. They believe the Marines dare not provoke the Four Emperors of the New World!"
"But look at the man kneeling beside me, awaiting execution. He is the Division Commander of the 5th Division of the strongest pirate crew—the crew of Whitebeard, the man known as the strongest in the world. He is also the adopted son of Whitebeard himself!"
"But what does that matter? No matter which pirate crew he hails from, or whose son he may be, as long as he is a pirate, the Marines will spare no effort in delivering a crushing blow."
"I am aware that the Whitebeard Pirates have mobilized their entire fleet to rescue Flower Sword Vista. But again, I ask... so what?"
"If he dares to come, the Marines will ensure the entire Whitebeard Pirate crew is buried here."
"Four Emperors? No. After today, there will only be three!"
"The day will come when pirates no longer exist upon these seas, and everyone can live their lives in peace."
"Everything... in the name of Justice!!"
Atop the platform, Sengoku delivered his passionate speech.
Below, a hundred thousand Marines roared in unison.
"For Justice!"
The atmosphere created by a hundred thousand voices was so overwhelming that even the civilians watching the broadcast across the globe felt their blood boil.
If there were people in this world who hated pirates more than the Marines did, it was undoubtedly the civilians.
'''
At the same time, in Level 6 of Impel Down.
Sean was watching the broadcast.
"That old man certainly knows how to work a crowd."
"Still, it's the same old rhetoric. Boring."
Looking at the screen, where the three Admirals sat in a row at the back, looking incredibly smug, Sean felt speechless.
What was even more absurd was that the troops he had sent to the Headquarters were assigned to the very rear to protect the execution platform.
He wondered what on earth that old man Sengoku was thinking with such an arrangement.
After a moment of reflection, Sean pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
'Purupurupuru...'
"Lucci speaking!"
"Lucci, give that old man Sengoku a message. Swap the units guarding the execution platform. The 16th Branch is to handle battlefield guerrilla warfare."
"This..."
"Don't worry about it. Just tell the old man it's my order. Wasting prime combat power by sticking them in the back—is he out of his mind?"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
Lucci nodded.
Sean continued, "Based on my predictions, the Whitebeard Pirates will use coating to sneak directly into the inner bay. Meanwhile, the dozens of allied pirate crews will likely attack the naval port from the surface."
"Once the war begins, you, Kaku, and Jabra will each lead a portion of the Marines stationed at the Headquarters. Act as guerrilla 'fighters'—hunt down the enemy's powerhouses while stabilizing the Marine defensive lines."
"The fleet will be responsible for wiping out all allied pirate crews attacking from the sea."
"Additionally, if Whitebeard himself makes a move ahead of schedule, notify me immediately!"
'''
Back at Marineford.
Sengoku, having finished his speech, was currently basking in satisfaction, admiring the sight of a hundred thousand Marines shouting "For Justice" in unison.
Suddenly, a Marine rushed onto the execution platform, leaning in to whisper urgently and incessantly into Sengoku's ear.
While others couldn't hear the specifics, they could clearly see that Sengoku—who had been radiating confidence moments ago—now looked visibly displeased. Even the messenger was trembling slightly as he spoke.
After all, he had relayed the message from the 16th Branch word for word, without omitting a single syllable.
'Are you out of your mind, old man? Why are you hiding your most elite combat force in the back to watch the show instead of deploying them to the front as the spearhead?'
And then there was the part about the 16th Branch breaking away from Headquarters' command to operate independently...
'The Fleet Admiral isn't going to get angry and slap me to death, is he?' the messenger wondered, stealing a cautious glance at his superior.
"Go! Order the Headquarters' 3rd Battalion to replace the 16th Branch in guarding the execution platform!" Sengoku commanded.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!" the messenger replied hastily, practically fleeing from the platform.
On the other side, the three Admirals sat in their designated seats. Seeing the Marines of the 16th Branch departing and noticing Sengoku's darkened expression, a slight smirk tugged at the corners of their lips.
They had felt Sengoku's arrangements were problematic from the start. The most capable Marine unit had been relegated to the rear as spectators. As for the three Admirals, their orders were essentially to sit there and look imposing. Unless a catastrophic breach occurred or the front lines completely collapsed, they weren't allowed to move. Effectively, they were told they could only act once Whitebeard himself made a move.
It was absurd.
They possessed the overwhelming power to wipe out the pirate fodder without breaking a sweat, yet they were forced to stay behind and watch.
'It seems Sean sent a message and forced Sengoku's hand,' one of them thought. 'As expected of the man I've been keeping an eye on. He's doing great.'
'''
A few minutes later, the horizon finally shifted.
Over thirty pirate ships gradually emerged from the sea. At that moment, whether it was the Marines at Headquarters or the civilians watching the live broadcast across the world, two words echoed in their minds:
"They're here!!"
However, on the execution platform...
"Reporting to the Fleet Admiral! It has been confirmed that these are affiliated crews under the Whitebeard Pirates, but the Moby Dick has not yet been sighted!"
Sengoku frowned. The Moby Dick wasn't there? What exactly was Whitebeard planning?
Before he could dwell on it, another Marine shouted, "Fleet Admiral, the 16th Branch's Ironclad Fleet is engaging!"
"What?"
Sengoku quickly looked toward the coast. He saw three cruisers and eight destroyers accelerating rapidly, charging straight toward the pirate fleet.
"Inform all Headquarters fleets! Leave that sector to the 16th Branch's Ironclad Fleet. All other fleets are to hold their positions!" Sengoku ordered immediately.
He didn't overthink it for two reasons. First, if he sent a standard Headquarters fleet to deal with these pirates, he would need at least double the number of warships and a significant deployment of Vice Admirals to ensure a clean sweep. The 16th Branch was different; despite having only eleven ships, they could simply kite and bombard the enemy as long as they weren't reckless. Sengoku was well aware of the tactical advantages of those specific cruisers.
Second, with Whitebeard yet to appear, Sengoku couldn't afford to divert a large number of warships and high-ranking officers to chase after affiliated crews. What if this was a diversion?
If the 16th Branch wanted to handle them personally, it was the perfect solution.
But even if this was a diversion, where was Whitebeard? Could he be in the sky?
Sengoku looked up. The sky was clear and cloudless; there was absolutely no sign of the Whitebeard Pirates.
So, where was he?
"Fleet Admiral, the inner bay...!"
Hearing the shout, Sengoku snapped his gaze away from the sky and looked toward the inner harbor of Headquarters.
Massive bubbles were erupting from the surface of the water, and three enormous shadows were faintly visible beneath the waves.
'Damn it... coating! How could I forget about submerged navigation?!'
"Order all units to immediately adjust their defensive deployment centered on the inner bay! Move, now!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
In the next instant, three pirate ships—one large and two smaller, all sharing the same design—burst through the surface!
On the deck of the Moby Dick, Whitebeard stood up with an imposing presence. He walked slowly to the bow and boomed:
"Sengoku! Thanks for taking care of my son all this time!"
"Vista, Pops is here to save you!"
'''
At the same moment Whitebeard appeared, a Marine warship was gradually approaching Impel Down.
However, the people on this ship were not Marines.
They were pirates.