As Cain rushed to the battlefield, another undercurrent in the New World also began to surge.
On the edge of the Red Line, near one end of the Grand Line.
A formidable island stood there.
In front of the island was a wide, crescent-shaped bay port, filled with warships.
Behind the port was a huge plaza, and beyond the plaza was a towering building.
Above the main entrance, two powerful characters gleamed in the sunlight.
Marine!
This island was Marineford, the symbol of peace in the “Great Pirate Era” in the hearts of the world.
“Fleet Admiral Sengoku! The latest intelligence from the New World!”
Inside the Headquarters building, a tense Marine Captain, holding intelligence documents, urgently knocked on the heavy oak door of the Fleet Admiral’s office.
There were five people in the room.
Behind the large desk sat a man. He had a striking black afro, frog-eye glasses on his nose, and his long chin beard was meticulously braided.
Fleet Admiral, the Strategist Sengoku.
On the sofa to the left of the desk sat an elderly woman with graying hair but a vibrant spirit.
Marine Chief-of-Staff, Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Directly in front of the desk, three men of distinct styles occupied another sofa.
One had curly black short hair and a somewhat relaxed posture; another wore a Marine cap, had a serious expression, and a rose boutonnière on his chest; the third had black curly hair, a green eye mask on his forehead, and his eyes seemed half-asleep.
“Vice Admiral Tsuru! Admiral Kizaru! Admiral Akainu! Admiral Aokiji!”
The Captain didn’t realize so many high-ranking officials were gathered here and quickly saluted each one.
“What’s the intelligence?” Sengoku asked.
The Captain reacted, immediately handed the document to Sengoku, and reported, “G-5 Branch reports that they’ve detected unusual movements from the Beasts Pirates and the Charlotte Linlin Pirates; they are gathering forces and converging on a small island.”
Upon hearing this, everyone present looked solemn.
The movements of the Sea Emperors in the New World have always been a top priority for Marine monitoring.
Their every move, at best, stirs up the New World’s pattern, and at worst, unleashes colossal waves that sweep across the entire sea.
“When was this news?” Sengoku urgently pressed.
“Just now,” the Captain replied.
Sengoku slightly relaxed, but his brows remained tightly furrowed.
He quickly scanned the document, then handed it to Vice Admiral Tsuru beside him. The document was silently passed among the high-ranking officials.
“Those guys really can’t stay still,” Sengoku sighed.
“That’s not surprising,” Vice Admiral Tsuru calmly analyzed, “Ever since Kaido started making frequent moves in the New World, we should have been prepared for this. If it’s not the Charlotte Linlin Pirates, it’s the Whitebeard Pirates; they’re bound to fight.”
She paused, then added, “From the intelligence, Kaido and Charlotte Linlin don’t seem to have any intention of personally intervening; they are both safely staying in their respective territories.”
“Hmm, but no matter what, a new round of power struggles in the New World is about to begin,” Sengoku rubbed his temples, a headache brewing.
How long had he been Fleet Admiral before encountering such a mess?
If the war got out of control and involved the Whitebeard Pirates as well, it would truly be chaos across the world.
At that point, how should the Marine act?
“Since the Beasts Pirates and the Charlotte Linlin Pirates are only sending people below the Captain level to participate, we can completely seize this opportunity to act together, gather our forces, and annihilate their assembled elites in one fell swoop!”
Akainu Sakazuki’s words were astonishing; he immediately planned to leave Kaido and Charlotte Linlin as Captains without crews.
“Ohh~ As expected of Sakazuki-san, such a big move?” Kizaru Borsalino drawled, his expression exaggerated.
“It’s not impossible for the three of us to move simultaneously and achieve the goal,” Aokiji Kuzan’s voice carried its usual laziness, yet directly hit the crucial point, “But we must consider the risk of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin personally intervening. Moreover, if one falls, the other is in danger; the Whitebeard Pirates might not stand idly by.”
“If we’re afraid of this and that, will those pirates just disappear on their own?” Sakazuki retorted without backing down, his voice like a booming bell, “Even if we only take out King, or Katakuri. For the Marine, it would be a huge victory! It’s weakening the enemy!”
“Alright, Sakazuki, you’re an Admiral now; you need to learn to look at things from a broader perspective,” Sengoku shook his head.
Sakazuki, who had just been promoted to Admiral, still had the mindset of a Vice Admiral, believing that killing more pirates was always the right thing to do.
However, the current situation did not allow the Marine to act in such a way.
Yes, if the Admirals all moved out in a frenzy, achieving Sakazuki’s vision would not be a problem at all. If he, Sengoku, also joined, even taking out a Kaido or a Charlotte Linlin wouldn’t be an issue.
But, if all high-level Marine combat forces were deployed, would other pirates just watch them act?
It should be known that there are more than just the Beasts Pirates and the Charlotte Linlin Pirates in the world.
The Marine’s actions could very likely stimulate the pirates’ sensitive nerves, eventually escalating into the Marine challenging the entire New World, which was not impossible.
Facing Sengoku’s rejection, Sakazuki snorted heavily, no longer speaking, but the fierce look in his eyes remained.
At this moment, Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke.
“We actually don’t need to interfere in the war between these two pirate crews. Let them fight like dogs; whoever dies, it’s a good thing for us.”
This was also the Marine’s consistent policy.
“That’s true, but to prevent unforeseen circumstances…”
Sengoku thought for a moment, then turned to Kizaru: “Borsalino, you’ve been stationed in the New World for a long time, you’re familiar with the situation, and your Berry ability offers the strongest mobility. You go and take a look; it’s a good opportunity to gauge the strength of the two pirate crews.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Sakazuki, and added, “Also, Sakazuki’s suggestion is not without merit; we indeed cannot be overly conservative. If there’s an opportunity, you can try to make a move.”
Seeing Sengoku’s arrangement, Sakazuki’s expression improved considerably.
“Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku,” Borsalino lazily stood up and saluted.
He sighed inwardly, wondering if eating the Glint-Glint Berry was the right choice or the wrong one.
Now, whenever there was an urgent, dangerous, or rapidly mobile mission, nine times out of ten, it fell on him.
When would his dream of working regular hours be realized?
Braed Island.
A small island with an ordinary geographical location, it was only included in the expansion targets because of its proximity to the Beasts Pirates’ territory.
But this small island had a special advantage: the exceptionally high quality of its wheat production.
The unique ecological advantage nurtured the island’s developed bread baking industry.
However, what once brought wealth to the island’s residents now became their death warrant.
It is well known that besides being keen on collecting “special” husbands, Charlotte Linlin is also an absolute sweet tooth, utterly irresistible to all delicious desserts.
Therefore, the Charlotte Linlin Pirates’ expansion efforts always prioritized islands with top-tier ingredients and delicacies.
This was also why Braed Island caught their eye.