Sengoku nodded and said in a deep voice:
"I understand. Summon the Vice Admirals at headquarters and lead your troops to the New World."
"Mobilize all available warships."
"As for the mission..."
"We will follow Sakazuki's orders upon arrival."
Despite some confusion, the soldier shouted:
"Yes!"
He ran off to relay the orders.
Sengoku clasped his hands, closed his eyes, and pondered... The piercing alarm from outside seemed unable to reach him.
In his mind, he kept replaying the conversation he had with Sakazuki two days prior.
------
Two days ago.
Late at night.
Sengoku stood by the fortress wall, holding a Den Den Mushi.
Sakazuki's voice came through, speaking of something... and then:
"That's roughly it. You just need to send troops and put on a show."
"Make the whole world believe that a great war is about to break out..."
Sengoku's brow furrowed:
"If the situation becomes uncontrollable."
"That will drag the New World into war."
"This plan involves too many people."
"Three of the Four Emperors are drawn in, Hel Noc's business, and many within the government's higher-ups are involved, Sakazuki."
Sakazuki's voice came through:
"So what?"
"Glory in death."
"You are too soft, Sengoku."
"The sky won't fall."
"As long as the world isn't destroyed, there's nothing that can't be done."
"As for the government... if anyone has objections, tell them to come find me in the New World."
*Click—*
The sound of the Den Den Mushi hanging up.
Sengoku listened to Sakazuki's slightly aggressive words without anger.
Gazing at the distant sea, he recalled his experiences over the years...
Always considering the broader picture, what could be gained, what could be lost...
After a long while.
Sengoku sighed softly and turned back into the Fleet Admiral's office.
Sometimes, considering too many aspects truly doesn't compare to a swift, decisive action...
No matter the gains, people will ultimately die...
---------
Time returns to the present.
New World, Marine Base G-11.
The island where Borsalino is stationed.
The defense is directed towards the direction of the Beast Pirates.
Inside the base's office.
All the officers are gathered, awaiting Borsalino's orders.
Borsalino looked at the intelligence in his hand:
"Indesune (How strange)~"
"Why did it suddenly escalate into a fight~"
"Although it perfectly fits Sakazuki's personality~"
"It's just too sudden~"
The base commander of G-11, Vice Admiral Wooley, was somewhat excited:
"Mobilizing troops now, Admiral Borsalino."
Borsalino scratched his chin:
"Hmm~~~~"
After a moment's thought, he stood up and walked to the window:
"Mobilize troops for a state of alert~"
"I'll go and investigate first~"
"Enel is at Port Tas, right?"
Wooley spoke:
"Yes, according to intelligence from half an hour ago."
"Vice Admiral Enel is currently in a fierce battle with the Beast Pirates' commander of the Catastrophic Disasters, King, at Port Tas."
Borsalino nodded and pushed open the window.
Emitting points of light all over his body, he looked towards Port Tas:
"Indesune (How strange)~"
*Whoosh—*
He vanished...
Sakazuki's current operation, besides a few key figures,
Only Sengoku among the entire Marine force knew the plan...
Therefore, Borsalino, who was also an Admiral but unaware of the plan, was very confused about this conflict./
--------
New World, Marine Base G-14.
Sakazuki sat at his desk, looking at a map, appearing unruffled.
In contrast, the base commander of G-14, Vice Admiral Dol, paced back and forth anxiously.
It was understandable... The base commander was doing fine, and then an impromptu leader arrived.
And not only that, but this leader immediately launched a war upon arrival, with the battlefield being her territory. How could she not be anxious?
Vice Admiral Dol looked at the calm Sakazuki and couldn't help but speak:
"Admiral Sakazuki."
"One of the Four Emperors, Hel Noc, and Kaido have already gathered their forces and are heading this way. Red-Haired Shanks is also approaching with his crew."
"Aren't we going to make any preparations?"
Sakazuki glanced at her:
"What preparations do you think would be useful against these people?"
"Spears, cannons, or can you fight two, or even three, by yourself?"
Vice Admiral Dol pressed her hand to her forehead:
"We can't just sit here doing nothing!"
"Even changing the battlefield would be better!"
"There are so many soldiers on the island!"
Sakazuki swept her with his gaze:
"You're worried about the base, aren't you?"
Veins bulged on Vice Admiral Dol's forehead. She took several deep breaths:
"It's all the same!"
"I am responsible for this base and the soldiers within it!"
*CRASH—*
Glass shattered as Barrett, carrying a block of ice, crashed in:
"Hmm? Responsible?"
"Responsible for what?"
Sakazuki stood up and approached the ice sculpture:
"You've dealt with it."
The chilling aura emanating from the ice sculpture spread outwards...
Barrett, covered in bruises, nodded:
"Yeah, it was quite troublesome."
"I went to find Kuzan and reinforced him."
"That guy's talent and Haki, combined with that Devil Fruit."
"Physical combat is basically useless."
Speaking of which, Barrett paused:
"He's a pretty good target."
Barrett, whose speed was doubled, was inherently invincible.
However, the troublesome part about this guy was the Glint-Glint Fruit combined with thick Armament Haki...
Let alone him, even two more Garp couldn't break through his defense. Diamond was too hard...
Of course, setting aside defense, Garp could still quickly resolve him. After all, without a Devil Fruit, turning the seas upside down was a piece of cake.
He could simply drag him into the water and be done with it.
But Barrett had eaten a Devil Fruit, so he couldn't exactly jump into the sea with him to die...
As for blasting him into the sea... that wouldn't work either.
The probability of a top-tier physical combatant like him falling into the water was minuscule. Even if he was only a centimeter above the surface, he could erupt with Haki and surge upwards.
Only by exploiting the Glint-Glint Fruit's weaknesses, fire and ice, could those specially made meteor hammers be effective...
Sakazuki looked at Vice Admiral Dol, who had been ignored:
"Get a recording Den Den Mushi."
Vice Admiral Dol, with a lifeless expression, walked out:
"Aye aye~"
Everything she had said for so long was in vain due to the interruption...
After Vice Admiral Dol left, Sakazuki took out a Devil Fruit collector from his desk and, with Haki, stabbed it directly into the back of Ben Black's ice sculpture.
Barrett tacitly walked over, placing one hand on the Devil Fruit collector and the other on Ben Black's ice sculpture's shoulder.
Sakazuki took out a video Den Den Mushi and dialed...
Hel Noc's image appeared. He was shocked at first, then stared intently at the figure clad in fiery red:
"Sakazuki..."
Sakazuki placed his hand on Ben Black's ice sculpture's neck:
"It's been over twenty years, hasn't it, Hel Noc."
"I heard your business has finally returned to its state from twenty years ago not long ago. Congratulations."
Hel Noc suppressed his rage:
"Release Black."
"Tell me what you want directly."
Sakazuki chuckled:
"What do I want?"
Vice Admiral Dol, who was getting the recording Den Den Mushi, returned:
"Got it."
Sakazuki turned and said:
"Turn it on."
The Vice Admiral on the other end was somewhat confused and pressed the power button.
Sakazuki turned back to Hel Noc in the video Den Den Mushi:
"I want him..."
"Dead..."
*CRACK—*
The ice sculpture's head flew off.
Barrett, with extreme speed, retracted the Devil Fruit collector...
---------
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
Watching the flying head, Hel Noc's eyes widened in fury.
The Den Den Mushi in his hand couldn't withstand the pressure, its eyes rolling... The video call was intermittent.
But Sakazuki's indifferent voice could still be faintly heard:
"Record all of it..."
*BANG!*
The Den Den Mushi in his hand exploded into a mist of blood:
"Sa! Ka! Zu! Ki!!!"
The sea churned restlessly, the dark clouds in the sky roiled, and Conqueror's Haki, unrestrained in its fury, swept through...