Inside Marine Headquarters, a heated argument was breaking out in the Fleet Admiral’s office.

Sengoku, wearing his round-rimmed glasses, stood by the window, his voice raised as he argued with the man on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.

On the sofa sat Akainu Sakazuki, expressionless, his tall, broad frame barely concealed by his Marine uniform. A faint cherry blossom tattoo peeked out from beneath his clothes.

Beside him, Kizaru Borsalino lazily picked at his ear with his pinky, his narrow eyes hidden behind pale-tinted glasses as he gazed idly at the ceiling, exuding his usual languid demeanor.

They were the remaining two of the famed “Three Admirals”, alongside Aokiji Kuzan, each a wielder of a Logia-type Devil Fruit.

In Paradise, mere possession of a Logia ability was enough to terrify most pirates into submission. But in the New World, that alone was hardly sufficient.

For Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru to hold their positions as Admirals, it wasn’t only their Devil Fruits that mattered—they also relied on their talent, experience, and mastery of Haki.

At this very moment, news of Kuzan’s failed operation against the Davy Jones Pirates in Water 7 had already reached Sengoku. And soon after, trouble came knocking.

“Fleet Admiral Sengoku! Out of respect for you, I made this call—but your response is utterly disappointing! My son was injured in the line of duty, and yet you’ve taken no decisive action!”

Sengoku stroked his long, braid-like beard.

“Spandine, your foolish son is still alive, isn’t he? I’ve already heard Aokiji and Smoker’s detailed reports. That Spandam of yours was of no use at all. If anything, he only let Nico Robin escape when she was already in our grasp.”

“That’s slander! Kuzan and Smoker are trying to shift blame by smearing my son! My boy is capable, courageous, loyal to the World Government! How could he ever yield to a pirate’s threats and let Nico Robin go?”

The voice on the other end belonged to Spandine, father of Spandam and the former director of CP9, from whom Spandam had conveniently “inherited” the position.

“Capable? Courageous? Loyal? Don’t make me laugh—I know your idiotic son all too well. And you have the nerve to say that to me?”

“Fleet Admiral Sengoku, do not call him ‘idiotic’ again! Have you forgotten what burdens I’ve borne on your behalf these past twenty years—without complaint?”

Here we go again.

Both Sakazuki and Borsalino knew exactly where Spandine was headed with this line of argument.

Two decades earlier, Spandine had been the one to use the Golden Den Den Mushi and initiate the Buster Call that obliterated Nico Robin’s homeland, Ohara.

Though the massacre’s details had been buried, and textbooks heavily revised to obscure the truth, there were still some in the world who knew what really happened.

And it had been Sengoku himself—then still an Admiral—who handed the Golden Den Den Mushi to Spandine.

There was no way Sengoku could have believed Spandine was merely holding onto it for safekeeping. He hadn’t wanted to pull the trigger himself, so he let Spandine do the deed.

Of course, Sengoku had acted under orders from the Gorosei (Five Elders), but he could not escape the stain of responsibility.

Still, in the eyes of those who knew, the greater share of blame fell upon Spandine, the man who had personally launched the Buster Call.

That was why Sengoku tolerated Spandine’s insolence even now—because Spandine had indeed borne the brunt of the world’s hatred on his behalf.

“So, what exactly do you want?”

“It’s not what I want—it’s the bare minimum that must be done. Three things!”

Three things? Sengoku’s patience was wearing thin.

“What three things?”

“First, you must immediately hunt down the Davy Jones Pirates, bring them to Enies Lobby for trial, and then lock them away in Impel Down! Second, you must punish Kuzan and Smoker for their gross dereliction of duty!”

Sengoku shook his head.

“Impossible. Marine Headquarters has greater enemies to deal with right now. Kuzan and Smoker are needed on the frontlines—they’ll redeem themselves in battle.”

Spandine was no fool. He already knew of movements involving Fire Fist Ace and the Whitebeard Pirates. He knew the Marines couldn’t spare the manpower, let alone discipline Admirals and Captains at such a crucial time.

Which was why his true demand lay in the third matter.

“Then you’ll at least grant the third, won’t you? My son accomplished great things this time! It was thanks to his command that Nico Robin was captured at all. His abilities are outstanding! Were it not for a subordinate’s negligence, she never would have escaped! My son deserves promotion!”

“I have no authority to promote or demote CP members. That’s the jurisdiction of the Gorosei.”

“I know… but your recommendation would certainly carry weight with them.”

What a sly bastard. Sengoku furrowed his brows.

“…We’ll discuss this later. I have matters to attend to.”

“Wait, Fleet Admiral—”

But Sengoku cut the line before Spandine could continue. Still, he had listened carefully, and Spandine knew it. That was why the man did not call back.

Kizaru broke the silence in his slow, mocking drawl.

“My, my… the Fleet Admiral’s tone just now was terrifying. Even scarier than when you scold Kuzan and Smoker… my poor little heart nearly stopped beating, so frightening~.”

“Don’t spout nonsense.”

Akainu removed his Marine cap.

“Ohhh, Sakazuki’s angry too? How scary~.”

Sakazuki’s face darkened, eyes fixed on Borsalino.

Kizaru simply raised both hands, feigning surrender.

“Enough, both of you. Quiet.”

Sengoku’s authority silenced the two Admirals at once.

“This failure in Water 7—I did not foresee it. But regardless, with Crocodile now seemingly joining forces with Davy Jones, their strength is not to be underestimated.”

“Fleet Admiral, let me lead the charge against them. I’ll rectify every mistake Kuzan has made, one by one.”

Sakazuki’s voice was cold and proud, brimming with confidence.

“No. According to Kuzan and Smoker’s reports, both Davy Jones and his Terror Ghost Ship possess unusual abilities. At this moment, we cannot spare another Admiral to pursue them. Not when we must be ready for Whitebeard’s move at any time.”

“Tch.”

Sakazuki clicked his tongue but grudgingly acknowledged Sengoku’s reasoning.

Sengoku continued.

“As long as Ace is in our custody, a clash with Whitebeard is inevitable. Newgate will never abandon his foster son. Furthermore, it has been decided—the vacant Warlord seat will be filled by Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach.”

Kizaru chuckled.

“Crocodile goes down, Teach goes up. Makes sense, since he did catch Ace for us… still, one Whitebeard problem replaced with a Blackbeard problem, fufufu…”

“We’ll need the Seven Warlords for the coming war, Blackbeard included.”

Akainu shook his head.

“I’ve always said the Warlord system is nothing but a breeding ground for disaster. They use the Government’s name to rampage and strengthen themselves. The longer we let them grow, the more blood it’ll cost to take them down later.”

He had already glimpsed the future, lips pressed tight in grim disapproval.

As one of the architects of the Warlord system, Sengoku did not immediately answer him.

Kizaru shrugged.

“Well, well… it can’t be helped. It’s not the first time Marines and pirates joined hands against a common enemy. Take ‘Hero’ Garp’s most famous battle—didn’t he fight alongside the Pirate King Roger at God Valley to bring down the Rocks Pirates?”

Akainu scoffed.

“Bring them down? Hmph. That so-called victory produced three future Emperors, along with a slew of vile, infamous pirates. What kind of ‘defeat’ is that?”

As the conversation drifted further off course, Sengoku cut in to reassert control.

“In any case, now is not the time to stir up more trouble. Davy Jones can wait until after the war with Whitebeard. Suppress all news of Water 7—we cannot allow Marine morale to falter now.”

His round glasses glinted. Neither Sakazuki nor Borsalino could read the Fleet Admiral’s thoughts, only that Sengoku had long since resolved: the clash with Whitebeard could not be avoided.

And Sengoku knew he would not remain Fleet Admiral forever.

If nothing else, before stepping down, he must sweep aside at least one of the Four Emperors of the old era—otherwise, the New World’s balance of power would remain unshaken.

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