Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Sakazuki and Karol had already boarded the ship.

Crack—

A bolt of lightning struck the deck.

Enel, wearing a Rear Admiral’s insignia and a Justice cape, descended onto the ship with a package in hand.

Sakazuki showed a faint smile.

“Not bad.”

Enel chuckled.

Next to them, Karol gave him a look of approval and waved his hand. The warship slowly began to move.

Sakazuki shook his head and smiled at Enel, who was looking rather pleased with himself.

“Alright, quit showing off.”

“Did you bring the item?”

Enel nodded.

“Hehe, sure did.”

As he spoke, he opened a corner of the package, revealing the magnetic field bomb that could disrupt communications.

“By the way.”

“This is the insignia and cape that Fleet Admiral Kong asked me to return on his behalf.”

“But still, it’s kinda weird. Bullet’s strength and contributions… why is he only getting promoted to Rear Admiral?”

“Borsalino and Kuzan both got promoted to Vice Admiral.”

Sakazuki took the package, glanced at it, and handed it to Karol.

“Stow it away.”

Then he said to Enel:

“It doesn’t really matter.”

“This round of promotions was meant to intimidate the seas.”

“Think of it as borrowing future rank in advance.”

“Bullet requested it himself—said Rear Admiral is good enough.”

“After all, even officers at the Ensign level can command a ship solo.”

“If he were promoted to Vice Admiral, he’d have to leave.”

“Technically speaking, my ship is already over capacity.”

“You, Karol, and Bullet.”

“In terms of rank and strength…”

“All of you could command independently, but if you want to stay on this ship, you can’t outrank me.”

“Headquarters won’t allow a Vice Admiral to serve under another Vice Admiral.”

“So once I’m promoted to Admiral, Bullet can be promoted to Vice Admiral.”

“He’ll take over this ship.”

“A seamless transition.”

Enel nodded.

“I see.”

“By the way, old man, where are we heading now?”

Sakazuki replied:

“To pick up Bullet.”

“There’s a Devil Fruit user causing trouble in his homeland.”

“He went back to handle it and has already finished.”

Enel perked up.

“A Devil Fruit user capable of throwing a nation into chaos?”

“What kind of Fruit?”

Sakazuki chuckled softly.

“Reportedly, it’s the Clank-Clank Fruit.”

“Allows the user to transform into a fusion giant dozens of meters tall.”

“For most nations in the Grand Line and the Four Seas, that would be a huge threat.”

“But he’s already been captured by Bullet.”

This was the fruit that, in the original story, Bullet accidentally ate at age thirteen on the battlefield.

But since Sakazuki took Bullet away when he was twelve, the fruit fell into someone else’s hands.

Unfortunately, that person lacked Bullet’s talent and physique.

Even after years of development, he could only synthesize a giant dozens of meters tall.

Although powerful enough to cause national chaos…

He still stood no chance against the current Bullet, not even for a few rounds.

…

Grand Line.

Boom—boom boom—

A series of cannon blasts exploded near a large wooden ship.

In the distance, Marine warships continuously loaded and fired shells, chasing the wooden vessel.

Amidst the rain of cannonfire—

Boom!

One shell finally struck the ship directly.

The wooden vessel’s central keel snapped, as if it had been broken in half.

Onboard one of the warships—

Vice Admiral Saul furiously shouted at his subordinates:

“Stand down!”

“Cease fire!”

“Just capture them!”

“They’re not bloodthirsty pirates!”

“Are you really so useless that you can’t even catch a few scholars?”

“You’ve already destroyed ship after ship of historical expeditions.”

“But I just don’t understand… why must they all die?!”

Boom!

He slammed his fist on the deck in anger, causing the ship to shake violently.

“Is this really what justice is…”

His soldiers looked at one another, at a loss for words.

But the order from above was clear—leave no survivors.

Silence fell…

Six months later.

With growing doubts in his heart, Saul sat on the deck, staring at the sea.

This should be the last one…

Unable to disobey the government’s orders… Saul couldn’t bear to look.

Amid the roar of cannonfire—

“Report!”

“Vice Admiral Saul, we’ve captured a survivor this time!”

Saul turned his head sharply.

“What?!”

He jumped to his feet, the warship swaying, and looked at the soldiers escorting a white-haired woman.

“You killed so many people—unforgivable!”

The woman shouted at him in rage.

Saul took several deep breaths before asking the question buried in his heart:

“Did you all… really want to awaken the weapon?”

He just wanted the answer to that question…

The white-haired woman let out a laugh, as if she had just heard a joke. Tears welled up in her eyes as she shouted:

“How foolish.”

“You come to judge us, yet you have no thoughts of your own.”

“Blindly trusting the law.”

“Using the excuse of stopping weapon resurrection.”

“All you’re doing is fearing a past you know nothing about!”

Her words echoed in Saul’s mind.

He stood there blankly, unsure of how to respond.

By the time he snapped out of it, the sky was already dimming, and the woman had long been taken below deck.

Saul clenched his fists.

As if he had made up his mind.

…

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Fleet Admiral Kong hung up the Den Den Mushi and ordered someone to summon Sengoku.

Not long after, a knock came at the door.

Kong called out:

“Come in.”

Then snuffed out his cigar and tossed it into the ashtray.

When Sengoku stepped into the office, he was met with a haze of smoke and the emotionless face of Fleet Admiral Kong.

“What’s going on?”

Kong motioned for Sengoku to sit down.

“You know about that group of historical explorers, right?”

Sengoku thought for a moment.

“You mean the ones who suddenly showed up six years ago studying forbidden subjects?”

Kong nodded.

“Exactly.”

“Based on the information retrieved from the last ship we destroyed…”

“We’ve confirmed—they were from Ohara.”

Sengoku understood immediately.

“The archaeological holy land… no wonder there were so many scholars.”

Kong closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

“The higher-ups have issued the order: launch a Buster Call.”

“Destroy Ohara.”

Sengoku frowned.

“Isn’t that a bit much?”

Kong sighed.

“There’s no choice. They crossed the forbidden line.”

“They touched the World Government’s bottom line.”

“If it hadn’t been uncovered, we could’ve let it go, but now it’s too late.”

“Activate the Golden Den Den Mushi in your possession.”

“Mobilize ten elite warships and five Vice Admirals.”

“As for personnel, pick whoever you want.”

Sengoku nodded, then suddenly thought—Vice Admirals…

“What if we let Sakazuki lead the operation?”

Kong frowned slightly.

“That’s unnecessary. He’s overqualified.”

Sengoku replied:

“Sakazuki still needs a major merit to be promoted to Admiral.”

“Once this is over and reported, it’ll not only shock the world—”

“It’ll also allow Sakazuki to rise to Admiral naturally.”

Kong pondered for a few seconds.

“You have a point.”

“In that case, make the arrangements.”

“Remember: summon them in secret.”

“Don’t let word get out.”

“Go.”

Sengoku rose and nodded.

“Understood.”

Swish—

He slid the door open and left.

Sengoku’s suggestion to let Sakazuki lead the mission was a sudden idea.

After all these years, Sakazuki’s reputation had grown immensely.

His cruelty toward pirates, his mercy toward civilians, and his obedience to the government were all flawless—almost too perfect.

But it was because of that perfection… that it felt off.

The Buster Call would inevitably kill many innocents. What will you choose, Sakazuki?

In his youth, Sengoku had been a government loyalist.

Not the future Fleet Admiral who would eventually become disillusioned with the World Government’s dark secrets.

Now, from the perspective of someone thinking of the bigger picture, Sengoku gave Sakazuki one final test…

…

Grand Line, first half.

Standing on the deck, Sakazuki watched his soldiers wipe out a pirate crew when he suddenly received a classified report.

Karol handed it to him.

He slowly unfolded the sealed envelope. A few seconds later—

Boom—

The envelope burst into flames, turning into a fireball that dropped to the deck along with molten magma from his hand.

He sneered softly.

“Sengoku…”

Sakazuki shook his hand and said coldly:

“Clean up the battlefield.”

“Turn the ship around. We’re heading to the West Blue.”

—

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